[This meeting was joined in progress***] [4. Discussion] [00:00:15] EVERYONE CAN SEE THE PRESENTATION ON YOUR SCREEN. OKAY. THANK YOU. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. GOOD EVENING. BOARD. SO WE WANTED TO START OFF WITH A AN UPDATE ON THE VARIOUS WORKSHOPS AND EVENTS THAT WE'VE HAD OVER AT THE EDC. AS YOU ALL KNOW, SINCE WE GOT HERE, THE THE GOAL IN TERMS OF WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITH HCDC IS MAKE THAT KNOWN IN TOWN AND REALLY AROUND THE REGION AS THE SORT OF CENTRAL PLACE WHERE BUSINESSES THAT NEED SUPPORT KNOW THAT THEY CAN GO. IT COULD BE FOR MEETINGS, IT COULD BE FOR JUST TO PASS BY AND GET INFORMATION FROM US. AND SO ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT WE ALWAYS TRY TO DO IS TRY TO HAVE AS MANY BUSINESS SUPPORT EVENTS AS POSSIBLE. WE WE ARE KEEPING A PRETTY GOOD ROUTINE THIS TIME AROUND. IT'S, IT'S ONE A MONTH MAJOR. AND IN FACT, SOME OF THE MEMBERS HERE HAVE ACTUALLY ATTENDED SOME. SO WE DO APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENDANCE AT SOME OF THESE EVENTS. I'LL START OFF WITH THE RCOG, THEIR CEDS PROGRAM. SO THE RIO GRANDE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS EVERY. I THINK IT'S 4 OR 5 YEARS, CREATES AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT THEY SHARE. SO THE RCOG IS A GROUP OF IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT HELPS THE COUNTIES IN WEST TEXAS ORGANIZE THEIR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND SO EVERY 4 OR 5 YEARS, THEY ORGANIZE A BRAND NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR COMMUNITIES TO MAKE SURE THEY GET IN THAT PLAN, BECAUSE THAT PLAN BECOMES WHAT IS USED TO SOURCE FUNDS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND SO WE HAD THIS EVENT JANUARY 14TH AT OUR SPACE, AND WE HAD LOCALS COME IN AND INTEGRATE OR TRY TO GET OUR VIEWPOINTS INTEGRATED. AND SO THAT WENT WELL. WE'VE ALSO HAD A BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU EVENT. THEY ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO US. THIS WAS JANUARY 29TH, AND THEY PROVIDED TRAINING TO THE BUSINESSES THAT DID SHOW UP. THEY WERE A NUMBER OF BUSINESSES. AND SO IT WAS ON REPUTATION MANAGEMENT, CUSTOMER RETENTION AND MARKETPLACE TRUST. AND I'M GOING KIND OF QUICKLY. WE'VE GOT A FEW A GOOD AMOUNT OF UPDATES. AND SO JUST LET ME KNOW IF I'M GOING TOO FAST. I'LL STOP TO UNPACK ANYTHING YOU ALL MAY NEED. WE ALSO HOSTED THE HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FEBRUARY 5TH. SO THERE ARE ADDITIONAL ARPA FUNDS THAT WE FOUND OUT ABOUT. AND THESE ARE FUNDS THAT ARE NOW DIRECTED TOWARDS BUSINESSES, GRANTS TO SUPPORT ALL TYPES OF BUSINESSES IN THE REGION. AND THE QUALIFICATION REQUIRES FOR BUSINESSES TO, FIRST OF ALL, SIGN UP, BUT THEN TAKE A FEW CLASSES. AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE FUNDS WERE BEING DISTRIBUTED INTO HORIZON CITY. SO WE COORDINATED WITH THE HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO HAVE THEM COME INTO OUR CENTER, AND THEY PROVIDED THE TRAININGS THAT WERE NECESSARY FOR THESE BUSINESSES. ONE OF THE TWO TRAINING SESSIONS THAT WERE NECESSARY TO HAVE THE THE LOCAL PEOPLE QUALIFY FOR THOSE GRANTS. AND SO WE'RE EXPECTING AN UPDATE ON IN TERMS OF WHICH BUSINESSES QUALIFY. AND WE CAN BRING THAT TO YOU PRETTY SOON, AS SOON AS THOSE FUNDS ARE DISBURSED. THAT HAPPENED FEBRUARY 5TH. THEN WE ALSO HAD A SIMILAR EVENT THAT ALSO PROVIDED TRAINING, AND THIS SERVED AS A MATCHMAKING PLATFORM. AND SO IT WAS INTERESTING, THE GRANTS, THE COUNTY'S GRANTS REQUIRED FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SORT OF INDIVIDUAL TRAINING FOR THE BUSINESS, BUT THEN ALSO TO HAVE THEM COME IN AND DO THINGS LIKE MATCHMAKING, MAKE SURE THEY QUALIFY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, EVERYTHING THEY NEED BASICALLY TO MAKE THEIR BUSINESS WORK. AND THIS WAS ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL EVENT. AND THESE ARE ACTUAL, BY THE WAY, ALL OF THESE ARE IMAGES FROM THE EVENTS. AND SO THESE ARE VERY WELL ATTENDED. WE HEARD FROM PROJECT VELA, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT THIS WAS THE MOST WELL-ATTENDED WORKSHOP THAT THEY HELD OF THIS KIND. SO THIS WAS VERY ENCOURAGING FOR US. THIS OCCURRED FEBRUARY 19TH. WE HAD THE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS BOARD DUPLEX. THAT'S OUR LINE PARTNERS CARRY OUT A WORKPLACE ETIQUETTE AND PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION SESSION. AND AGAIN, THESE ARE ALL BUSINESSES THAT CAME IN FROM MAINLY HORIZON CITY, BUT ALSO FROM OUTSIDE THE REGION. AND WE HOSTED THEM IN OUR SHOP AND PROVIDED TRAINING FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES. MARCH 30TH 1ST JUNE EIGHTH, WE HAD ROAD TO SUCCESS AND THIS IS A CHILDCARE AND ADULT FOOD TRAINING PROGRAM. AND THANK YOU, ROBERT, FOR ATTENDING THAT. SO SO THE ROAD TO SUCCESS GROUP IS A BASICALLY SORT OF A UNION OF DAYCARES. AND WHAT THEY DO IS THEY GO AROUND REALLY THE REGION BECAUSE THEY ALSO INCLUDE SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO, AND THEY TRY TO TRAIN DAYCARES TO QUALIFY FOR WHAT IS BASICALLY THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF CERTIFICATION FOR BOTH TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO. AND SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HOSTED THEM IN TOWN. THIS IS REALLY WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS SORT OF THIS CENTRAL PLACE, EVEN MORE SO THAN THE CITY OF EL PASO. SO THAT WAS A GOOD EVENT. THEY PROVIDED TRAINING TO THE DAYCARES, AND THEY TALKED ABOUT ELIGIBILITY, COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS, NUTRITION STANDARDS, REIMBURSEMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND BEST PRACTICES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED FOR THEM TO QUALIFY FOR THE TEXAS GRANTS OR THE CERTIFICATION THAT OCCURRED JUNE 8TH. JUNE 9TH, WE HAD A LEADERSHIP ESSENTIALS BUILDING MANAGEMENT, MANAGING HIGH PERFORMING TEAMS WORKSHOP AS WELL, AND THAT WAS A WORKSHOP DESIGNED TO HELP BUSINESSES AND OWNERS, MANAGERS, AND EMERGING LEADERS DEVELOP THE SKILLS NEEDED TO EFFECTIVELY LEAD AND MOTIVATE THEIR TEAMS. AND THANKS AGAIN FOR FOR TRAINING, ATTENDING THAT TRAINING. SO THEY EXPLORED KEY LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES, COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES, AS YOU ALL CAN SEE, AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT [00:05:02] TECHNIQUES THAT DO DRIVE PRODUCTIVITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. AND AGAIN, ALL OF THESE ARE MEANT TO MAKE OUR BUSINESSES STRONGER. EVERY PERSON THAT ATTENDS THESE IS REALLY GETTING A LOT OF TRAINING IN TERMS OF WHAT IT TAKES TO GET A BETTER BUSINESS GOING IN TOWN. SO JUNE 9TH IS WHEN WE HELD THAT ONE. WE'VE ALSO GOT SOME UP AND COMING EVENTS. WE HAVE A CCIM PROPERTY FAMILIARIZATION TOUR, A FAM TOUR. AS YOU ALL KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF PROPERTIES THAT ARE NOW BEING BUILT IN THE CITY, AND SO WE DO NEED TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPERS IN GETTING TENANTS OR PURCHASERS FOR THEIR PROPERTIES. AND SO WE ARE HAVING A BY THE WAY, YOU ALL ARE INVITED. I THINK YOU'VE RECEIVED THE INVITATIONS. AND THANK YOU ALL FOR THE ONES THAT HAVE CONFIRMED THE IDEA THERE IS TO INVITE MEMBERS OF THE CCIM AND REALLY ANYONE THAT IS INTERESTED IN LOCALLY THAT MAY KNOW SOMEBODY WHO'S INTERESTED IN RENTING OR BUYING PROPERTIES. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PROPERTIES THERE TO DISPLAY THEIR PROPERTIES, TALK TO THE PEOPLE WHO MAY BE INTERESTED. AND SO WE THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO DO. WE'RE DOING THIS TIME, BUT WE THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO DO MORE OFTEN, ONLY TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT ALL THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE, ARE AVAILABLE FOR HORIZON CITY. SO THIS WILL OCCUR JULY 23RD. AND AGAIN, IF YOU HAVEN'T RESERVED, IF YOU DO FIND THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT, LET US KNOW AND WE WILL ADD YOU TO, TO THE LIST OF ATTENDEES. THEN WE'RE WORKING WITH A BUSINESS NETWORKING EVENT. SO THIS IS ANOTHER SO AGAIN, AS YOU ALL KNOW, PROJECT VIDA MARKET THAT AND YOU'LL SEE IN A BIT IS ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT WE DO. AND THIS IS LEADING UP TO THAT. THIS IS A NETWORKING EVENT WHERE WE START BRINGING THOSE SMALLER BUSINESSES TO START MEETING EACH OTHER. AND IT SERVES SORT OF AS A RECRUITMENT EVENT FOR WHAT IS EVENTUALLY RV, THE MARKET. AND SO THIS IS TO HOST SMALL BUSINESS NETWORKING AND RESOURCE EVENTS THAT THE HDC, AS I MENTIONED. AND SO WE'RE EXPECTING ABOUT 50 ATTENDEES. WE, WE ALREADY HAD A FEW PEOPLE REACH OUT TO US AND SAY THEY'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN THIS ONE. WE'RE AT THE POINT OF ACTUALLY CUTTING PEOPLE OUT ONLY BECAUSE IT'S HITTING THE CAPACITY OF OUR BUILDING. THIS WILL REALLY BE AN IMPORTANT THING BECAUSE AS WE GET THESE BUSINESSES TO MEET WITH EACH OTHER, THEY START LEARNING WHERE THEY CAN SOURCE AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER. AND AGAIN, THIS THIS THING TOOK OFF. SO 50 ATTENDEES HAVE ALREADY CONFIRMED THAT THEY'RE GOING TO ATTEND OR THEY'RE GOING TO BE THERE. AND THIS IS TO BE HELD JULY 28TH. AND THEN WE'RE ALSO HAVING ALREADY ONE JOB FAIR. SO READY ONE IS A COMPANY THAT HAS, IF YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LOCATED IN HORIZON CITY, THEY'RE ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE CITY OF EL PASO, BUT THEY ARE IN NEED OF EMPLOYEES. AND SO PART OF WHAT WE DO IS WE ALWAYS TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE FROM HORIZON CITY DO GET A SHOT AT GETTING EMPLOYMENT IF THEY IF THEY DO NEED JOBS. AND SO WE WORKED WITH READY ONE JOB FAIR. AND REALLY, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEING LED BY THE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS BOARD. THAT'S OUR ALIGNED PARTNER. AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE AT OUR SPACE AUGUST 27TH LOOKING FOR 250 EMPLOYEES. SO SO I SAY THIS TO TO, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC, IF PEOPLE ARE WATCHING AND ALSO TO ANYONE HERE, IF YOU DO KNOW OF SOMEBODY LOCALLY THAT IS LOOKING FOR A JOB, THESE THESE ARE PRETTY GOOD JOBS. THEY START AT $14 AN HOUR AND GO ALL THE WAY UP TO, TO 2150. AND SO IT'S INTERESTING. THEY NEED A SPACE WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO INTRODUCE THE JOBS. AND THEN THEY SAID THEY ALSO WANTED A SPACE TO HAVE INTERVIEWS, REALLY. SO SO THEIR INTENT, THEY SAID, IS TO BE ABLE TO GET PEOPLE TO LEAVE THAT PLACE WITH A JOB. AND WE THINK THAT'S SOMETHING REALLY GOOD FOR HORIZON CITY. SO HERE WE'RE THINKING ABOUT MAYBE PEOPLE JUST LEAVING HIGH SCHOOL OR MAYBE ANYONE AGAIN, THAT YOU ALL MAY KNOW WHO MAY BE INTERESTED IN A JOB. THESE ARE GOOD JOBS. NOW THEY ARE GOING TO BE TARGETING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, WHICH WHICH I THINK IS A REALLY GOOD THING. BUT THEY ALSO HAVE OTHER TYPES OF JOBS. BUT PRINCIPALLY, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. AND AGAIN, IT'S REALLY NOT SOMETHING THAT'S THAT'S REALLY OUT THERE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. A LOT OF TIMES THOSE FOLKS CAN'T FIND JOBS. SO THIS IS A SPECIAL EVENT FOR US AND HOPEFULLY WE GET TO HAVE A FEW MORE OF THESE. THIS WILL BE HELD AUGUST 27TH AT OUR SPACE AND THEN THE VIA THE MARKET. YOU ALL REMEMBER LAST YEAR WE HAD A REALLY GOOD EVENT WITH THE MARKET. THEY LET US KNOW THAT ACTUALLY, AGAIN, THAT WAS THEIR MOST SUCCESSFUL THE MARKET THEY'VE EVER HAD. WE'RE SORT OF PIVOTING THIS TIME AROUND BECAUSE IF YOU WERE THEIR VERY SUCCESSFUL EVENT, BUT IT WAS IT WAS VERY HOT AT THE SAME TIME. IT WAS KIND OF BRUTAL WITH ALL THE CEMENT AND THE SUN. AND SO WHAT WE DID IS WE MOVED THE EVENT A BIT LATER ON IN THE YEAR, AND WE'RE MOVING THE LOCATION OF THE EVENT OVER TO CORKY PARK. AND SO IT WILL BE LOCATED IN AT THE AUGLAIZE AND THEN SORT OF IN THE OUTER SPACE JUST OUTSIDE OF CORKY PARK, THE OGLAZA CORKY PARK. AND SO AGAIN, THIS IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD EVENT FOR US BECAUSE WHAT THIS DOES IS ALLOWS SMALL BUSINESSES THAT PROBABLY HAVE NEVER HAD A CHANCE TO, TO SHOW OFF THEIR WARES, TO FINALLY GET IN FRONT OF, OF CUSTOMERS. AND SO IT REALLY HELPS THEM. IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE YOU TALK TO BUSINESSES AND A LOT OF THEM NEVER HAD TO WORK ON THEIR SALES PITCHES BEFORE. THEY ALWAYS SOLD ONLINE OR FROM THEIR HOUSE. AND SO THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO PULL THEM FROM THEIR HOUSE AND START GETTING THEM USED TO SALES AND THE PUBLIC AND EVENTUALLY, HOPEFULLY GET THEM INTO SOME OF THESE PROPERTIES. SO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THAT ONE. OF COURSE, YOU'RE ALL INVITED. WHEN WE DO SOLIDIFY THE DATE, WE'LL LET YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, BUT THAT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE FROM 9 A.M. TO 4 P.M. ALL DAY, AND IT'S GOING TO OCCUR. WE'RE THINKING ABOUT MID TO LATE SEPTEMBER. SO SO WE'LL INVITE YOU TO THAT AS WELL. WHAT WE'VE ALSO DONE IS WE'VE BEEN WORKING [00:10:01] WITH DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE EL PASO COUNTY. WE ALWAYS WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS A TOWN, WE ARE FULLY PLUGGED INTO ANYTHING THAT'S GOING ON ACROSS THE REGION. AND OF COURSE, WITH THE COUNTY AND THE CITY OF EL PASO. AND SO THE OPPORTUNITY ZONE PROGRAM IS A PROGRAM THAT WAS INITIATED AND CREATED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN 2017. AND BASICALLY, THE WAY IT FUNCTIONS IS THAT IF YOU GET YOU CERTIFY IN AREAS, AN OPPORTUNITY ZONE, AND THEY GO BY CENSUS TRACKS, AND I'LL SHOW YOU THE ONES THAT WE PROPOSED FOR HORIZON CITY. AND IF INVESTMENTS GO INTO THAT AREA, WHOEVER INVESTED THEIR MONEY, AND IF THEY LET THAT GROW IN THERE FOR THREE, 5 OR 7 YEARS, DEPENDS ON HOW MANY TAX CREDITS THEY WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF. THEY CAN REMOVE THE TAXES ASSOCIATED WITH THE CAPITAL GAINS. SO IN OTHER WORDS, ANY PROFITS THAT ANYONE WHO INVESTS IN THAT AREA MAKES FROM THEIR INVESTMENT ARE BASICALLY TAX FREE IF YOU HOLD IT FOR AT LEAST SEVEN YEARS. SO IT'S A PRETTY BIG INCENTIVE FOR PEOPLE TO INVEST. AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS REACTIVATING THIS PROGRAM WITH A COUPLE OF EXTRA PERKS. AND WE THINK IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY BENEFICIAL FOR US. SO WE MADE SURE WE WERE AT THE TABLE WITH THE TOWN OF WITH THE CITY OF EL PASO AND THE EL PASO COUNTY. IN FACT, WE WERE THE ONLY TOWN THAT ISN'T THE CITY OF EL PASO THAT WAS THERE. WE DIDN'T WANT TO JUST BE PASSIVE ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. SO THE STATE IS GOING TO CERTIFY THESE THESE OPPORTUNITY ZONES IN JUST A FEW MONTHS. BUT WE SUBMITTED OURS. WE WORKED WITH US, AND WE MADE SURE THAT WE WERE PART OF THE MAJOR PACKAGE THAT WENT TO US. AND FROM HERE, THE PROCESS IS THAT THEY SEND THEM OUT TO US. AND FROM THERE IT GOES TO DC, AND THE TREASURY IS THE ONE WHO FINALLY CERTIFIES THESE ZONES. SO WE WE PROPOSED AND RECOMMENDED THE, THE DESIGNATION OF THESE CENSUS TRACTS THAT YOU'RE SEEING RIGHT HERE. AND IF YOU CAN KIND OF SEE IT'S EVERYTHING THAT IS SOUTH OF HORIZON CITY. AND THE ONLY REASON WE DIDN'T PROPOSE MORE IS BECAUSE IT IS SOMEWHAT ENCOMPASSED AND EVERYTHING ELSE WASN'T ALLOWED. IT WASN'T ELIGIBLE. BUT THESE THREE WERE. AND SO THOSE ARE ALREADY IN AUSTIN, AND THEY'RE PROBABLY HEADING TO DC PRETTY SOON. LET ME KNOW IF YOU CAN'T HEAR ME. I KNOW THE AIR CONDITIONER TURNED ON. OKAY. AND THEN WE PRESENTED TO THE COUNTY. THE COUNTY IS DRAFTING THEIR NEW. IT'S PARTIALLY AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY, BUT IT'S. BUT IT'S ALSO EVERYTHING ELSE THAT THEY USE TO TRY TO DETERMINE WHERE THEIR FUNDS ARE GOING TO GO. AND THEY DO THIS EVERY FEW YEARS. AND SO WE TOOK OUR CREW OVER TO THE COUNTY BUILDING DOWNTOWN. WE PRESENTED ON OUR OUR EFFORTS. WE HAD PLANNING STAFF THERE, WE HAD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFF, WE HAD THE MAYOR THERE, AND WE LET THEM KNOW WHAT WE WANTED TO SEE IN THE PLAN. AND I THINK IT WENT VERY WELL FOR US. SO. SO WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING OUT FOR THAT PLAN. PART OF IT ALREADY CAME OUT, AND WE THINK A FEW OF THE THINGS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, WE NEEDED INVESTMENT IN OUR TRANSIT AND A FEW MORE THINGS. AND SO SO WE THINK THAT WENT VERY WELL. AND THEN AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING TO EXPAND THE TOURISM TOURS. ONE COVERS THE TOD RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET. WE ARE PROPOSING, IN FACT, IT ALREADY OCCURRED. IT WAS THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED AN EXPANSION OF THE TOURS. AND SO NOW WE'RE PULLING IN THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S OVER ON THE NORTHEAST SIDE OF TOWN. BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT FOR THAT NEW AREA, WE HAD THE COUNTY AND THE HR AS OUR PARTNERS BECAUSE THEY'RE CONTRIBUTING TO THIS TOURS RIGHT NOW, AND WE NEED FOR THEM TO CONTRIBUTE THERE BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A FEW EXCITING PROJECTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED THEIR FINANCING FOR. SO WE MET WITH THEM. WE PRESENTED THE HR MUD, THEY TOOK THE INFORMATION. I'LL BE HONEST, I'M NOT TOO SURE HOW FAR THAT'S GOING TO GO, BUT WE DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET IN FRONT OF THEM. I THINK THAT'S THE MOST EXPOSURE WE'VE EVER HAD TO THEM. SO THANK YOU, RAFAEL, FOR, FOR ARRANGING THAT. AND WE PRESENTED OUR WE PITCHED OUR PITCH, YOU KNOW, AND WE SEE HOW THAT WENT. WE ALSO DID THE SAME THING WITH THE COUNTY. AND THAT ONE HAS BEEN GOING A LOT, A LOT BETTER, HONESTLY. AND SO WE IN FACT, WE JUST FINISHED THE MEETING WITH A COUPLE OF THE COMMISSIONERS. WALTER, YOU WERE THERE. THANK YOU. WE MET WITH A FEW PEOPLE THE PAST FEW WEEKS TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COUNTY IS GOING TO COME IN WITH US TO FINANCE THESE DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE NEED. AND AS I MENTIONED, WE ALSO ADOPTED THE EXPANSION OF THE TOURS ONE. SO THE I'M NOT SURE IF YOU ALL CAN SEE MY CURSOR, BUT THIS IS TOURS ONE, THE TOD. THIS IS THE AREA THAT'S NOW BEING PULLED IN. AND I'LL TELL YOU, A BIG REASON FOR THIS IS BECAUSE THERE IS A REGIONAL SPORTS PARK THAT WAS IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, HORIZON CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ADOPTED IN 2020, AND WE THINK WE. WE ARE WORKING WITH THE RIGHT PARTNERS TO GET THIS THING BUILT. PRETTY SOON IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG DEAL FOR HORIZON CITY, AND IT'S GOING TO BE RIGHT AROUND THIS AREA IF EVERYTHING WORKS OUT. BUT WE NEEDED TO EXPAND THE TOURS TO GET THAT DONE. AND THANKFULLY, THE THE TOWN'S CITY COUNCIL SAW THE VALUE IN THAT. SO THEY APPROVED THAT EXPANSION. AND THEN WE'RE ALWAYS WORKING TO PROMOTE THE ENTRANCE OF BUSINESSES IN TOWN. THIS IS A BUSINESS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO FOR, GOSH, ABOUT A YEAR, ABOUT A YEAR, JUST OVER A YEAR. SKINNY'S BARBECUE, IF YOU ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH THEM, THEY, THEY HAD A SMALLER SORT OF, I GUESS IT'S KIND OF AN IN AND OUT SETUP THAT THEY DESCRIBED ON, ON THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN, BUT THEY WERE NOW [00:15:02] LOOKING TO GROW AND THEY WERE STILL SCOUTING OUT WHERE THEY WERE GOING TO GO. SO THEY WERE CONSIDERING SOMEWHERE ON THE EAST SIDE OR HORIZON CITY. SO WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAME TO HORIZON CITY. AND WE'RE HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT THEY DID COME TO HORIZON CITY. AND THE ONLY PROBLEM THEY SAID THEY'VE HAD SO FAR IS KEEPING UP WITH THE, THE DEMAND. SO SO THAT'S A GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE. THEY SAID THEY HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING IN. THEY'RE VERY HAPPY AND THEY'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF WHAT THE CITY DID. THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT IS VERY FRIENDLY TO THEM, AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET THEM IN AT THE GRAND OPENING. SO THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED THE GRAND OPENING, AND WE'VE INCLUDED A A SMALL VIDEO OF THE EVENT. SO I'LL PLAY THAT FOR YOU ALL NOW. TAKING US BACK TO THE BEGINNING, SOME OF THE EARLIEST HAVE REALLY START WITH GROWING UP IN ODESSA WITH MY MY DAD ALWAYS DOING BARBECUES IN THE BACK, BIG FAMILY GET TOGETHERS, YOU KNOW, THE GOOD YEARS, YOU KNOW, SO I GREW UP AROUND OPEN FLAME BARBECUE. WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS LIKE OPEN FIRE. KIND OF GOT AN INSIDE THAT WAS WITH CHICKEN AND STUFF ON THE GRILL. REALLY JUST GET TOGETHER WITH FAMILY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT I REMEMBER. THAT'S WHAT I CALL FROM THE, FROM THE, OF JUST, JUST BEING WITH FAMILY AND BARBECUE. I REALLY WANTED TO HONE IN MY SKILL, YOU KNOW, SO WE WERE BARBECUING LIKE 3 OR 4 TIMES A WEEK AND SMOKING BARBECUE 3 OR 4 TIMES, ALWAYS EATING BRISKET. WE WERE ALWAYS EATING RIBS. WE WERE ALWAYS EATING PULLED PORK. AND IT GOT TO A POINT TO WHERE MY WIFE WAS LIKE, I CAN'T EAT IT NO MORE. SO I JUST STARTED TO LIKE FEED THE NEIGHBORS. YOU KNOW, I'M LIKE, HEY, YOU GUYS WANT SOME BARBECUE, MAN? GO, I'LL PASS YOU A PLATE. SO I STARTED PASSING OUT THE PLATE AND IT KIND OF JUST EXPANDED FROM THERE, YOU KNOW? AND WE ALWAYS WENT OUT OF BUSINESS. WE JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHAT. AND WE'RE LIKE, LET'S JUST DO THIS. BUILDING THIS BUSINESS AS A FAMILY HAS BEEN A JOURNEY. IT'S BEEN A CRAZY JOURNEY. WE'VE BEEN THROUGH UPS AND DOWNS. WE HAVE FOUR KIDS AND NOW A GRANDBABY, AND ALL OF THEM HAVE WORKED IN THE FOOD TRUCK, EXCEPT FOR THE SEVEN YEAR OLD. OUR FIRST REAL CATERING WAS FOR ABOUT 150 PEOPLE AT A VIP AND TUFF HEDEMAN AND WE KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK. AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT WITH THEM EVERY YEAR. AND THAT'S HOW SKINNY STARTED. WE JUST PRAY ABOUT IT. WE ASK GOD FOR GUIDANCE AND AND WE PRAY ALL THE TIME. GOD, IF THIS IS FOR US, LET IT COME TO FRUITION AND AND LET IT HAPPEN. IF NOT, THEN COMPLETELY REMOVE IT FROM HERE. WE ARE OPENING UP SKINNIES. NUMBER TWO, MY HUSBAND JASON IS THE ONE THAT MAINLY HANDLES EVERYTHING, BUT WHEN WE STARTED THE FOOD TRUCK, IT WAS LIKE WE WOULD JUST OPEN IT ON FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. AND IT WAS LIKE THURSDAY NIGHT. I'LL BE MAKING THE SIDES, CUTTING EVERYTHING PEKALA, PAPA, EVERYTHING. AND I WAS JUST LIKE PREPPING EVERYTHING FOR FRIDAY. AND HE WILL SMOKE EVERYTHING. YOU KNOW, MY MILITARY BACKGROUND HAS PLAYED A HUGE PART OF MY EXPERIENCE IN LEADERSHIP. MY ATTENTION TO DETAIL, I CAN TELL YOU, IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO LET GO OF A LOT OF THINGS, AND BEING ABLE TO LEAD, KNOWING THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT TENACITY NOT TO QUIT WHEN THINGS GET HARD, JUST BECAUSE THINGS GET HARD, IT DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S AN ESCAPE OUT. IT JUST MEANS THAT YOU HAVE TO LOOK FOR ANOTHER DIRECTION. YOU HAVE TO YOU HAVE TO REPURPOSE. YOU HAVE TO REFOCUS. WE MOVED TO HORIZON A YEAR AGO, YOU KNOW, SO THIS IS OUR HOME NOW. AND WHEN WE MOVED, WE'RE LIKE, THIS IS THIS IS IT. WE WE LOVE IT. WE LOVE THAT IT'S GROWING. SO WHENEVER WE STARTED LOOKING FOR, FOR PLACES TO, TO OPEN UP, WE SAID, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY EASTLAKE IS, IS GROWING. HORIZON CITY FELT LIKE THE RIGHT SPOT JUST BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF GROWTH THAT WE'RE SEEING STARTING TO COME IN THIS AREA. GUINNESS BARBECUE. SO IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT WALTER, THAT'S OUR MEDIA TEAM 11 D MARKETING. THAT'S OUR MEDIA TEAM. 11 D MARKETING. YEAH. DID YOU LIKE IT OR. WE STILL HAVE A CHANCE TO SUBMIT SOME EDITS. YEAH. NO, THEY'RE THEY'RE ACTIVE AND THEY WERE IN PEOPLE'S FACES ALL DAY THAT DAY. BUT YOU KNOW, I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THAT, WALTER, BECAUSE THAT'S THE KIND OF STUFF WE LIKE TO DO FOR THESE BUSINESSES. WE DO THE PROMOTIONAL VIDEOS. THEY'VE SINCE USED THIS VIDEO TO PROMOTE ON THEIR OWN SITES. AND SO WE'RE REALLY HAPPY IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO TASTE IT. IT'S A BRAND NEW WALK IN, SIT DOWN FAMILY RESTAURANT, BUT WE ARE WORKING WITH THEM TO CATER THE EVENT THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER. SO SO IF YOU WANT TO TASTE YOUR FOOD, EVEN IF IT'S JUST A TASTE OF FOOD, COME ON OVER TO THE CCIM OR OF COURSE, GO OVER TO THE RESTAURANT, WHICH IS JUST RIGHT UP THE STREET ON DARRINGTON. THAT'S REALLY A DOUBLE WIN FOR US BECAUSE AS YOU SAW, THEY'RE THEY'RE LOCALS. THEY LIVE IN OREGON CITY, AND THEN THEY HAVE A BUSINESS IN HORIZON CITY. SO IT'S IT'S REALLY EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT TO KEEP PROMOTING. AND THEN I'LL FINISH OFF WITH OUR REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. WE ARE TIED INTO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND WE DO GET REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS. AND THESE ARE COMPANIES THAT COME FROM ALL OVER THE PLANET THAT ARE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO, TO OPEN UP BUSINESSES. AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, TO SEND OUT REPLIES. SOMETIMES THEY AREN'T INCENTIVES. AND IN THIS CASE, FOR EXAMPLE, IT WAS MORE PROPERTY INFORMATION. AND SO WE'VE SENT OUT A FEW. SO THIS IS ONE CALLED PROJECT PLANET TEXAS. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY'RE NON-STORE RETAILER DISTRIBUTING AN E-COMMERCE FIRM WORKING TO IDENTIFY THE SITE FOR THEIR CORPORATE [00:20:02] HEADQUARTERS RELOCATION. THEY WERE PROPOSING TO INVEST $25 MILLION. WE GAVE THEM SIDE INFORMATION. WE GAVE THEM EVERYTHING THEY NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE TIED INTO OUR OUR PLANNING. AND WE SENT THAT ONE OUT FEBRUARY 20TH. THEN WE ALSO SENT OUT PROJECT AMMO, WHICH IS A COMPANY INVOLVED IN ASSEMBLY DISTRIBUTION FABRICATION, OPERATING WITHIN THE AEROSPACE, AVIATION, AND THE DEFENSE INDUSTRY. THEY ARE LOOKING TO ACTIVATE 250 JOBS WITHIN FIVE YEARS. SO THAT WOULD BE REALLY GOOD TO HAVE IN TOWN. WITH AVERAGE ANNUAL WAGES OF $65,000. AND SO THESE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS WANT TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS, BUT SOMETIMES YOU REALLY HAVE TO FOCUS ON THIS AS WELL, BECAUSE THESE ARE THE BIG, BIG JOB CREATORS THAT CAN IMMEDIATELY CHANGE THE SORT OF TONE OF BUSINESS IN TOWN. WE DID PROPOSE AN INCENTIVE FOR THIS ONE. THEY WERE PROPOSING TO INVEST $200 MILLION. HERE. WE PROPOSE THE PROPERTY OVER AT THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF TOWN, AND WE SENT THIS OUT APRIL 20TH. THEN THERE IS PROJECT BEACON, WHICH. YES, SIR. WELL, WE SEND THESE THINGS OUT. DO WE HAVE TO DO THAT? YEAH. SO SOMETIMES YOU HEAR BACK, WALTER, IF THEY IN FACT ONE OF THE LAST ONES WHEN THEY HAVE FOLLOW UP WHEN IT SEEMS LIKE THEY IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THEY'RE INTERESTED IN. TRUTHFULLY, WHAT HAPPENS IS IT'S ALWAYS OPERATING WHEN THIS SORT OF CONE OF SILENCE. AND SO SOMETIMES YOU'LL SEND IT OUT AND YOU MAY NEVER HEAR BACK. A LOT OF TIMES WE HONESTLY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO THE COMPANY IS. BUT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE YOU DO GET IT BACK. SO THE WAY THEY'RE WORKING IS THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO MULTIPLE COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE NATION, AND IT'S TAKEN THEM MONTHS TO GET ALL OF THEIR THEIR PROPOSALS. AND THEN I GUESS THEY, THEY SORT OF FILTER THROUGH THOSE AND THEY GET RIGHT DOWN TO THE ONES THEY WANT. SO IT TAKES A WHILE. SO I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU. SOMETIMES WE'LL TAKE THE LAST ONE WE HEARD FROM, I THINK WE SENT IT OUT. WELL, NOT THE LAST ONE HERE, BUT I THINK IT WAS LIKE A YEAR. AND THEN WE HEAR LATER THAT THEY MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN PROPERTY. AND SO CAN YOU SEND THE CAD FILES OVER. SO WE DO, WE DO HEAR FROM THEM SOMETIMES WALTER. BUT BUT IT'S NOT IMMEDIATE. AND AGAIN, IT'S SOMETIMES IT'S VERY MYSTERIOUS IN THE SENSE THAT WE NEVER KNOW WHO THE COMPANY IS UNTIL THEY SIGN ON. BUT, BUT WE DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE ARE AT THE TABLE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU DO MISS 100% OF THE SHOTS YOU DON'T TAKE. AND SO WE DID WANT TO BE THERE WITH THIS ONE. PROJECT AMMO, AS I MENTIONED, IS IN THE AEROSPACE AND DEFENSE INDUSTRY. AND THEY'RE LOOKING TO TO INVEST $200 MILLION. THIS ONE WAS SENT OUT APRIL 20TH. PROJECT BEACON IS ANOTHER ONE THAT WE PUT TOGETHER AND SENT OUT. THIS IS AN ALUMINUM MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY. AND THEIR CAPABILITIES, AS YOU CAN SEE, INCLUDE THE POWERING PLATE SEPARATION, HEAT TREATMENT, LASER MARKING AND CMM INSPECTION. AND SO THEY'RE PROPOSING TO CREATE 1063 JOBS. AND AGAIN, THESE ARE COMPANIES THAT HAVE ALREADY SOMEWHAT IDENTIFIED THAT HORIZON CITY MIGHT BE A GOOD FIT FOR THEM. I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU. A LOT OF THE TIMES THE QUESTIONS THAT COME BACK ARE, HOW CLOSE ARE YOU TO I-10? HOW QUICKLY CAN WE GET OVER ACROSS THE BORDER OR IS THERE RAIL ACCESS? AND SO IT'S A BIT DIFFERENT OUT HERE IN HORIZON CITY, BUT WE DEFINITELY ARE WORKING ON SOMETHING THAT IN FACT, THIS IS NOW TOUCHING ON SOMETHING YOU MIGHT SEE AT THE EXECUTIVE SESSION THAT THAT HOPEFULLY HELPS US RECRUIT THESE COMPANIES MUCH SOONER. BUT BUT THIS IS ONE OF THOSE COMPANIES. AND SO THEY ARE LOOKING TO CREATE 1063 JOBS WITHIN FIVE YEARS WITH AN AVERAGE WAGE OF $58,000, LOOKING TO INVEST $1.3 BILLION. AND WE DID PROVIDE AN INCENTIVE FOR THEM. AND THE INCENTIVE IS AGAIN, ARE TYPICALLY PROPERTY TAX REBATES. AND THAT WAS SENT OUT MAY 20TH. AND THEN THERE IS PROJECT FROZEN RAZORBACK, WHICH IS A COLD STORAGE MANUFACTURING COMPANY. AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR 150 ACRE SITE. AND THIS ALSO WE PROPOSE THE THE MICHAEL EGAN PROPERTY IN THE THE EDGE OF TOWN, SOUTH SIDE OF TOWN. THESE ARE 600 FULL TIME JOBS WITH AN AVERAGE ANNUAL WAGE OF $52,000. AND THEY'RE LOOKING TO INVEST A MINIMUM OF $310,310 MILLION. SORRY, WE SENT THIS ONE OUT JUNE 8TH. AND THEN FINALLY THERE'S PROJECT BUILD STRONG. ACTUALLY, SECOND TO LAST PROJECT IS PROJECT BUILD STRONG. THEY MANUFACTURE ENGINEERED GYPSUM BASED MATERIALS, BUILDING MATERIALS, AND THEY'RE LOOKING TO CREATE 263 JOBS AND TO INVEST A TOTAL OF $92 MILLION. SO SO THIS IS ANOTHER ONE WE SENT OUT JULY 6TH, JUST NOT TOO LONG AGO. AND THE FINAL ONE, AND THIS IS THIS IS PRETTY EXCITING IS PROJECT LINUS. AND THIS IS A SOLAR COMPONENT MANUFACTURING SEEKING A MINIMUM OF 40 ACRES TO DEVELOP A NEW MANUFACTURING SITE. AND THIS WOULD BE THEIR MAIN MANUFACTURING SITE FROM FROM WHAT WE UNDERSTAND, THIS ONE'S VERY INTERESTING. THIS ONE IS ACTUALLY COME BACK TO US TWICE. SO TO YOUR QUESTION EARLIER, WALTER, THIS ONE HAS RETURNED. NOW WE WORK WITH THE BOARD OF PLEX WITH THIS ONE. SO TYPICALLY THE WAY IT GOES IS THEY'LL COME THROUGH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO THE BORDER PLEX AND THEN TO US. SO THERE'S ALWAYS SOME LEVEL OF FILTERING, BUT THEY'VE BEEN COMING BACK. AND OF ALL THE ONES THAT YOU'VE SEEN RIGHT NOW, I WOULD SAY THIS IS THE ONE THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST PROSPECT THAT WE HAVE OF LANDING. THEY'RE LOOKING TO ACTIVATE 775 FULL TIME JOBS TO START, BECAUSE THERE'S A SECOND PHASE. SO THEY DON'T HAVE THE DETAILS ON THEIR SECOND PHASE, BUT THEY DO KNOW THAT THEY WANT TO DEVELOP A SECOND PHASE THAT MAY EXCEED THE JOBS HERE. BUT FOR THE FIRST PHASE, IT'S 75 FULL TIME JOBS PAYING $95,000 A YEAR. SO SO THIS IS A REALLY GOOD COMPANY. AND THEY'RE LOOKING TO [00:25:04] INVEST $185 MILLION. AND THIS RFP WAS DELIVERED TO THEM JULY 7TH. SO SO AS YOU CAN SEE, BOARD, WE'VE BEEN VERY BUSY WITH TRAININGS WITH SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT. I DIDN'T EVEN INCLUDE ALL THE TIMES THAT WE WENT OUT AND TALKED TO BUSINESSES. BLOCK WALKING IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US, BUT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO SUPPORT THE ENTRANCE OF BIGGER COMPANIES AND TOWNS. SO WE THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO KIND OF LET YOU ALL KNOW WHAT WE'VE [5.. Discussion and Action] BEEN DOING. AND THE NEXT PART WILL BE THE REQUEST APPROVAL, OUR BUDGET. BUT AT THIS POINT, I CAN'T STOP AND HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS YOU ALL MAY HAVE. SIR. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS. EDDIE GARCIA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE HORIZON CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, FOR THE RECORD. AND SO AGAIN, THIS IS BUDGET SEASON ALREADY FOR US. SO THE NEXT STEP AFTER THIS IS I'M GOING TO TAKE THIS TO CITY COUNCIL AND GET THIS BUDGET APPROVED THAT YOU ALL APPROVE IT TONIGHT AT THE CITY COUNCIL. AND SO WHAT I TYPICALLY DO EVERY YEAR, I KEEP THE BUDGET FLAT. I CAN'T TELL YOU. THE BUDGET FLAT OR, YOU KNOW, ASIDE FROM SALARIES, THERE AREN'T VERY MANY INCREASES THAT WE HAVE. AND SO AND I'LL GO THROUGH THIS. WHAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU IS THE CAPITAL BUDGET. AND THIS CAPITAL BUDGET IS ABOUT, I WOULD SAY, 160 100 $0. RIGHT. AND, AND SO THE THE CAPITAL BUDGET JUST INVOLVES INCENTIVES THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. RIGHT NOW, WE DO HAVE AN INCENTIVE THAT WE'RE PAYING OUT, WHICH IS THE BUILDING THAT WE'RE AT, THE SURROUNDING BUILDINGS, THAT DEVELOPMENT. IT'S ABOUT $3 MILLION WORTH OF INVESTMENT. SO WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION THERE. AND WE ALSO WORK WITH THE BORDER PLEX ALLIANCE, AND WE CONTRIBUTE $10,000. YOU KNOW, IT'S GREAT TO WORK WITH THE BORDER ALLIANCE BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT WE WORK WITH THEM TO HELP US GET THOSE PROJECTS THAT RAFA JUST MENTIONED TO THE STATE. RIGHT? SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WITH THE BORDER PLEX ALLIANCE. AND THIS NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE SOME INCREASES, DECREASES. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF IT IS UNCHANGED, LIKE I SAID. AND SO IF, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE ZOOM IN TO THE TRAINING, I DO KNOW THAT THIS IS EL PASO DAYS THAT'S COMING UP THIS NEXT BUDGET CYCLE. SO THERE'S GOING TO BE AN INCREASE TO THE TRAINING. AND SO WE'VE INCLUDED THAT. WE'VE INCREASED IT FROM 7250 TO 8500. AND THEN SO EVERYTHING ELSE REMAINS UNCHANGED. AND I'M JUST GOING TO GO THROUGH THE STUFF THAT'S DECREASED AND INCREASED HERE BECAUSE YOU KNOW, A LOT OF IT IS JUST, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE EXPENSES THAT YOU HAVE TO OPERATE IN AN OFFICE AND THEN FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT. AND THAT ONE, WHAT WE DID IS WE PURCHASED A COMPUTER NOTE ON THIS ONE, THE 33% WE PURCHASED PURCHASED AN IPAD FOR THE BOARD PRESIDENT SO THAT HE COULD HAVE IT SO HE CAN APPROVE SOME OF OUR LEAVES AND SOME OF THE CONTRACTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON. SO WE WE ADDED 4500, BUT THEN WE BROUGHT IT BACK TO $3,000 BECAUSE WE DID A BUDGET TRANSFER. SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT. OOPS. AND SO WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. AND THEN THIS NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE AGAIN A LOT OF UNCHANGED ITEMS. THERE WAS A DECREASE IN THE CONTRACT LABOR. SO YOU SEE 83,500 THERE. THAT ONE IF YOU ALL RECALL WAS THE TOUR'S CREATION THAT CONTRACTED THAT. WE BROUGHT IN FOR $40,000. SO YOU SEE A HUGE NUMBER, $83,000, BUT ONLY BECAUSE WE TRANSFERRED IN. AND SO WE BROUGHT IT BACK TO $41,000. SO THAT EXPLAINS THAT DECREASE AND INCREASE IN WASTE DISPOSAL. SO OUR BILLS HAVE BEEN COMING UP A LITTLE HIGHER. THEY INCREASED OUR RATES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR. SO WE INCREASED THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT THERE. AND AGAIN, A LOT OF UNCHANGED IN TERMS OF WATER, TELEPHONE. ALL THOSE THINGS ARE GOING TO REMAIN STAGNANT. PUBLIC RELATIONS. WE'RE STILL AT THE SAME DOLLAR AMOUNT. AND LET ME SEE. THERE'S ONE FOR GASOLINE AND OIL. IT WENT UP 42%. SO IN THAT ONE WHAT'S HAPPENING. AND YOU'LL SEE LATER IN IN THE EVENING SOME CONTRACTS THAT WE'RE BRINGING IN FRONT OF YOU. SO VERONICA IS GOING TO BECOME A SHE'S GOING TO BECOME A CONTRACT EMPLOYEE. SHE'S NO LONGER GOING TO BE AN HOURLY EMPLOYEE. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO GIVE HER A STIPEND FOR THE USE OF HER VEHICLE SO SHE CAN GO BACK AND FORTH FROM DOWNTOWN. BECAUSE VERONICA IS LEADING OUR EFFORTS WITH WITH WOMEN IN THE EL PASO AREA AND IN HORIZON, OF COURSE. BUT I THINK THAT IS THE MAJORITY OF THE CHANGES OUR CONTRACT LABOR. YEAH. SO I EXPLAINED THAT ONE. AND THEN HERE, HERE'S OUR BUDGET. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU ADD EVERYTHING UP, YOU COME UP TO ABOUT $712,000. RIGHT? SO AND I [00:30:07] CAN TELL YOU THAT LAST YEAR OUR REVENUE WAS 741 AND IT'S BEEN GOING STEADILY UP. AND SO WHAT I TRY TO DO IS, ONE, GIVE YOU A BALANCED BUDGET AND TWO, GIVE YOU A BUDGET THAT'S BELOW THE REVENUES THAT WE'RE EXPECTING. SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE. SO EVEN WITH THE 3% INCREASE IN SALARIES THAT WE'RE PROPOSING THIS YEAR FOR THE EMPLOYEES, AND WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL THE VERY END, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT LILLY DOES. AND THERE MAY BE SOME INSURANCE RATES THAT ARE GOING TO GO UP. SO WE STILL ACCOUNT FOR THAT. SO WE HAVE TO COME IN UNDER BUDGET SO THAT WE CAN INCLUDE SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS IF WE NEED TO. IF NOT, I'LL JUST LOOK AT ANOTHER LINE ITEM THAT WE HAVE IN THERE AND LOWER THAT AMOUNT. BECAUSE TYPICALLY THE EDC, WE PUT MONEY BACK INTO OUR RESERVES SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO SPECIAL PROJECTS. SO WE'RE VERY COGNIZANT OF WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE DOING IN TERMS OF DOLLARS. AND JUST TO GIVE YOU A RUNDOWN IN 2024, FISCAL YEAR 2024, THE REVENUES WERE $734,000, 2025 $741,000. THAT'S THE REVENUE. AND SO WE'RE ALWAYS BELOW THAT. THIS YEAR, WE'RE AT 493, BUT IT'S NOT THE END OF THE YEAR. WE EXPECT THAT WE'RE GOING TO HIT, AT A MINIMUM, THE 741,000 THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR. SO SO WE'RE BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF THOSE TAXPAYER DOLLARS. YOU KNOW, WE'RE KEEPING IT UNDER WHAT THE REVENUES THAT WE EXPECT. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO MAKE CHANGES. WE WILL. BUT WE TYPICALLY BRING THEM TO THE EDC BOARD FOR YOUR APPROVAL. SO AGAIN, IT'S A BALANCED BUDGET, PRETTY MUCH A FLAT BUDGET. SOME INCREASES DECREASE THAT WE SAW THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. BUT THOSE ARE SPECIAL PROJECTS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING AS THINGS COME UP. AND SO THE GOOD THING IS THAT I DO HAVE SOME IN THE CAPITAL PROJECTS. YOU SAW $100,000 FOR INCENTIVES. THAT IS EXACTLY WHY WE KEEP THAT THERE, TO BE ABLE TO TRANSFER $40,000, TO HIRE A CONSULTANT, TO CREATE THAT TOURISM, TO BRING A PARK INTO HORIZON CITY. BUT WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. AND JUST SO I CAN ADD TO THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT INVESTMENT ACCOUNT, SO WE HAVE MONEY THAT CARRIES US OVER, YOU KNOW, SO WE KEEP ABOUT, I WOULD SAY, ABOUT $1 MILLION AS CARRY OVER. AND THEN WE HAVE AN INVESTMENT ACCOUNT WHERE LILLY PULLS MONEY. BUT TYPICALLY WE HAVE ABOUT $1 MILLION TO FOR CARRYING COSTS FOR US, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE'RE ALWAYS IN ARREARS IN TERMS OF THE REVENUE THAT COMES INTO THE EDC, RIGHT? SO WE CAN'T BANK ON. SO WE'RE ALWAYS CONSTANTLY MONITORING WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND US IN TERMS OF SALES TAXES, BECAUSE WE GET THAT QUARTERLY. RIGHT. AND SO LAST YEAR, WHAT WAS HAPPENING IS WE WERE NOTICING THAT THE REVENUES WERE GOING DOWN. SO WE STARTED SLOWING DOWN ON THE EXPENSES. BUT THIS YEAR, EVEN WITH THE CONSTRUCTION, IT LOOKS PRETTY GOOD. YOU KNOW, EVEN WITH THE ALBERTSON'S IN TOWN, WE'RE STILL ON SCHEDULE TO HIT THOSE REVENUES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. WITH THAT, AGAIN, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. YEAH. AND IS THERE ANY WAY. HELP THE TOWN? ABSOLUTELY. YOU KNOW AND IT DEPENDS ON WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE. IT'S ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT YOU DIRECTED ME TO DO IN TERMS OF THOSE COSTS AND SOME OF THOSE INITIATIVES THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON. BUT I THINK THAT THERE IS A PLACE FOR US IN TERMS OF THE DOLLARS THAT WE THAT WE HAVE TO DO THAT. AND WE SUSPECT THERE WILL BE MORE DOLLARS AS THE CITY GROWS. RIGHT. YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS SAY THAT HORIZON CITY IS AT THE CUSP OF BLOWING UP. REALLY. I MEAN, THE RETAIL THAT'S GOING TO COME INTO THIS AREA, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT MORE MONEY IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE MONEY NOW, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE'RE KIND OF LIMITED IN WHAT WE DO. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT MORE MONEY LATER TO REALLY WORK ON SOME OF THESE INITIATIVES. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL IN GOOD TIME. YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW I THINK WE'RE ESTABLISHING A GOOD FOUNDATION, YOU KNOW, WITH WHAT WITH THE INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE. BUT IT TAKES TIME. YOU KNOW, WE WERE BEAT TO THE PUNCH BY EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING OUT ON EAST LAKE, BUT IT'S MOVING UP. IT'S MOVING UP PAST DARRINGTON. AND THE REASON [00:35:03] FOR MY COMMENT IS. YEAH, IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT. RIGHT? AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE VERY CONSERVATIVE AND WHAT IT IS THAT WE DO IN TERMS OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE EDC, WITH CONSISTENTLY PUTTING MONEY BACK INTO THE INTO OUR RESERVE FUND TO BE ABLE TO DO WHAT IT IS THAT YOU WERE SAYING. AND SO IF YOU RECALL, YOU AND I HAD THAT DISCUSSION AND WHY WE'RE ALWAYS MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE PUTTING MONEY INTO THAT RESERVE FUND BECAUSE WE'RE WAITING FOR THAT BIG PROJECT. WE DID A $3 MILLION PROJECT HERE WHERE WE'RE OFFICED. THAT IS A GREAT PROJECT. THAT'S THAT'S BEEN THE ONLY MOVEMENT IN THE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, ASIDE FROM THE DAIRY QUEEN THAT JUST CAME IN, WHERE SOMEBODY INVESTED $3 MILLION. AND NOW THOSE DOLLARS, THOSE PROPERTY TAXES ARE GOING TO GO INTO THE TERRORS, WHICH IS GOING TO HELP SPUR MORE DEVELOPMENT. RIGHT? SO IT'S WORKING. IT'S WORKING. YEAH. HEY, IF THEY GOT A GOOD PROJECT, LET'S GO FOR IT. WE ARE GOING TO BE THE LEAST. AGAIN, MR. MILLER, THE OUR NEXT STEP IS TO TAKE IT TO COUNCIL NEXT MONTH FOR THEIR REVIEW AND APPROVAL. THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM, SIR. YOU KNOW. WE WANT TO. YES, SIR. WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL THREE OF THEM. I THINK I JUST DRANK OUT OF RUSSELL'S WATER. YOU CAN ALWAYS. HE GOT ME. HE'S ALWAYS DRINKING OUT OF MY WATER. BUT DRINK OUT OF MY DRINK OUT OF HIS WATER TODAY. GEEZ, LOUISE, I SAW HIM. I DIDN'T WANT HIM TO. YOU SHOULD HAVE WEIGHED ME DOWN. OKAY, SO THE NEXT ITEM THAT YOU HAVE IN [6.Discussion and Action] FRONT OF YOU IS, LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, VERONICA IS GOING TO GO ON CONTRACT. WE THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S A GOOD MOVE FOR HER, YOU KNOW, AND THERE WILL BE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR HER AS SHE MOVES FORWARD. AND SO WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IS THAT THE CITY OF HORIZON, THEY'RE GOING THROUGH SOME CHANGES, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, THEY MAY CHANGE THIS PAY SCHEDULES, THE PAY RATES THAT THEY'RE DOING OUT THERE. AND SO OUR CONTRACTS, MINE AND RAFFA'S AND EVEN VERONICA'S, EVEN THOUGH SHE'S HOURLY, SHE, HER, HER JOB DESCRIPTION READ LIKE SHE WAS A CITY EMPLOYEE, BUT SHE'S ACTUALLY, SHE'S ACTUALLY AN EDC EMPLOYEE. RIGHT. AND SO SHE WORKED FOR THE EDC, ME AND RAFA, WE HAD LANGUAGE IN OUR AGREEMENT THAT TALKS ABOUT THE, OUR COMPENSATION AND OUR COMPENSATION WAS TIED TO WHAT THE CITY OF HORIZON DOES. SO IF THE CITY OF HORIZON DOES 3%, THEN WE WOULD DO 3%. IF THEY DID 5%, THEN WE WOULD DO 5%. AND VERONICA, BECAUSE HER BECAUSE HER HER JOB DESCRIPTION READ LIKE SHE WAS A CITY EMPLOYEE. SHE WAS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THOSE BENEFITS. BUT NOW, YOU KNOW, THE CITY, LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, MAY CHANGE THEIR PAY STRUCTURE, RIGHT? SO AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH WITH IT OR NOT. YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER TO THE EDC BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE TO GROW UP, RIGHT? WE, WE HAVE TO CHANGE WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE DOING AND NO LONGER RELY ON WHAT HORIZON CITY IS DOING IN TERMS OF, OF, OF THEIR PAY SCALES. SO IN WORKING WITH THE BOARD PRESIDENT, WE ESTABLISHED OUR JOB CLASSIFICATIONS. WE INCLUDED THEM AS PART OF OUR AGREEMENTS, OUR, OUR, OUR EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS, AND WE ESTABLISHED SALARY RANGES. YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE HAVE TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS. [00:40:03] SO THERE HAS TO BE A MINIMUM AND A MAXIMUM, RIGHT THAT YOU COULD POTENTIALLY EARN HERE AT THE EDC THROUGH THROUGH YOUR CAREER HERE, RIGHT. WHATEVER THAT CAREER LOOKS LIKE. AND SO TYPICALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS WE'RE, WE'RE ESTABLISHING A 20 YEAR CAREER, RIGHT? AND SO THERE WILL BE STEPS, YOU KNOW, THAT WHERE YOU'LL BE ELIGIBLE TO GET RAISES AND THERE WILL BE YEARS WHERE YOU MAY NOT GET A RAISE. IT JUST DEPENDS. BUT IN DOING THAT, WHAT I DID IN THE AGREEMENTS IS I SAID, LOOK, IF THERE'S SOME INFLATION THAT'S GOING ON AND WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET SEASON, THE EDC BOARD ALWAYS HAS THE OPTION OF ADDING A SALARY INCREASE AT THAT POINT, RIGHT? IT JUST DEPENDS WHERE WE AT, WHERE WE'RE AT WITH OUR STEPS IN OUR IN OUR SCALE AND OUR NEW SCALE THAT WE ESTABLISHED. AND SO BECAUSE WE DID THESE ADJUSTMENTS, I ALSO ADJUSTED THE NUMBER OF YEARS OF OUR CONTRACTS. SO NOW EVERYBODY IS SET SEPTEMBER 27TH OF 2026. WE START OUR THREE YEAR CONTRACT. SO WHEREVER WE WERE AT WITH OUR OTHER CONTRACT, THAT STOPS AND WE START SEPTEMBER 27TH WITH OUR NEW CONTRACT, AND OUR SALARY IS GOING TO BE 3%. THE OTHER THING THAT THAT THE CITY HAS IS THEY HAVE AN EMPLOYEE INCENTIVE PROGRAM, RIGHT? AND SO ALL OF US HAD IT, YOU KNOW, VERONICA HAS AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE. ME AND RAFA HAVE MASTER'S DEGREES. AND SO WE WERE GETTING A STIPEND. AND SO I JUST ADDED THAT TO THE SALARY BECAUSE WE WERE ALREADY GETTING IT. SO THERE ISN'T A MUCH OF A FACTOR ASIDE FROM THE 3% THAT'S GOING UP ON, ON OUR CONTRACTS. RIGHT. AND SO AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S A THREE YEAR CONTRACT. WE'RE IMPLEMENTING A REVISED PAY SCALE. SO WE'RE NO LONGER GOING TO FOLLOW WHAT THE CITY IS DOING IN TERMS OF COMPENSATION, IF THAT MAKES SENSE TO YOU ALL. AND SO THOSE WERE THE THE MAJOR CHANGES, RIGHT? WE DO HAVE A PAY SCALE FOR EVERYBODY. YOU KNOW, VERONICA HAS A PAY SCALE AND IT'S ATTACHED TO OUR AGREEMENT. IT'S LISTED AS A SALARY RANGE IN OUR JOB DESCRIPTION. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE THINK WE CAN HANDLE WHATEVER WE PROPOSE AT 3% INCREASE THAT YOU SAW IN THE BUDGET. YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF DOLLARS, THERE MAY BE SOME MONEY THAT WE MAY HAVE TO PULL OUT OF OUR BUDGET TO COVER MEDICAL COSTS. AND I KNOW LILLY WORKS TO GET THAT INFORMATION. AND WHEN SHE'S GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET CYCLE, SHE'LL ENTER THAT LINE ITEM INTO OUR BUDGET IF THERE'S AN INCREASE. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THAT THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AND THIS IS FOR ALL THREE OF US, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT VERONICA HAS HER CONTRACT AND THAT WE HAVE AN AMENDED CONTRACT FOR WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE DOING. I THINK. SO, I THINK WE I THINK SO. RIGHT. YEAH. AND I GUESS THE DANGER FOR US IS THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE IN LIMBO ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. WE WERE GOING TO COME BACK TO DO THIS. SO I THINK. RIGHT. YES, SIR. SHE'S SALARY NOW. SO WHEN YOU'RE ON CONTRACT TYPICALLY YOU GO SALARY. SO VERONICA SHE DIDN'T LIKE PUNCHING IN AND OUT ANYMORE. HOLD ON. I'M DONE. BUT YEAH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I WORK WITH THE TEAM. THEY ALL TOOK A LOOK AT IT. YOU KNOW, I INCLUDED LANGUAGE IN THERE. YOU KNOW THAT THAT THAT HELPS, YOU KNOW, US MOVE FORWARD. YOU KNOW WE ALWAYS HAVE THE ABILITY AS A BOARD, YOU KNOW. SO NOW YOU'LL HAVE CONTROL. YOU KNOW, I'LL PRESENT THE BUDGET. I'LL WORK WITH THE EDC BOARD PRESIDENT, PRESENT THE BUDGET. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN MAKE THE DECISION AS TO WHAT THOSE INCREASES LOOK LIKE OR NOT LOOK LIKE. RIGHT? SO IT'S NOT JUST, HEY, THE CITY DID AN INCREASE. AND SO NOW WE'RE DOING AN INCREASE. IT'S MORE CONTROL FOR YOU ALL. [7. Discussion and Action] [00:45:53] SO SO THE REQUEST BOARD MEMBERS TONIGHT IS TO ALLOW THE THE EDC TO GO OUT AND WORK WITH THE CONTRACTOR TO BUILD ANOTHER OFFICE SPACE. AND THIS IN THIS CASE, IT WILL BE A STORAGE SPACE BECAUSE AS YOU ALL HAVE HEARD, YOU KNOW, AND I COUNCIL YESTERDAY, WHAT YOU'RE HEARING IS THAT HORIZON CITY IS GROWING, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S GROWING BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS. AND SO WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF SPACE. RIGHT. AND IN THIS CASE, YOU SAW SOME OF THE PRESENTATIONS THAT RAFA PROVIDED TODAY. AND THOSE PRESENTATIONS YOU'RE SEEING THAT OUR OFFICES ARE JAM PACKED. RIGHT? AND SO WE NEEDED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO BRING IN MORE CHAIRS, YOU KNOW, INTO THE, INTO THE, INTO OUR OFFICES. BUT NOW THOSE CHAIRS ARE JUST LAYING AROUND, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE OFFICE SPACE AND OUR EDC OFFICES HAVE TO BE A PLACE THAT FEELS INVITING. YOU KNOW, THAT IT DOESN'T LOOK UNKEMPT, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT. BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A PLACE TO STORE THESE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE FILES FOR SECURITY PURPOSES THAT WE NEED TO PUT IN THERE. AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE BRINGING THIS IN FRONT OF YOU, RIGHT? AS YOU CAN SEE HERE IN THESE PICTURES, WE BRING ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE INTO HORIZON CITY TO OUR OFFICES, RIGHT? AND WE'RE KIND OF CRAMMED IN THERE, RIGHT? SO WE NEED TO START MAKING SOME EXPENDITURES TO ALLOW US TO BRING IN MORE CHAIRS, TO ADD ADDITIONAL TELEVISION SETS SO THAT WE HAVE MORE SPACE TO BRING IN PEOPLE. RAFA TALKED ABOUT THE FAM TOUR THAT'S COMING. WE'RE BRINGING MEMBERS FROM OUTSIDE OF HORIZON INTO HORIZON SO THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT OUR CITY, RIGHT? WHAT ARE WE DOING? YOU KNOW, ALL THE DEVELOPMENT, ALL THESE RETAIL SPACES. SO WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT, YOU KNOW, IN A NICE AND GIVE A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION TO PEOPLE THAT COME INTO HORIZON CITY. AND SO IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO OUR OFFICES, YOU SHOULD REALLY VISIT OUR OFFICES THERE. AND SO WHAT I'M PROPOSING TO DO HERE IS ADD ANOTHER TELEVISION SET. AND SO THE, THE PIC THAT YOU HAVE HERE TO THE BOTTOM, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF EMPTY SPACE THERE. AND SO THAT IS THE AREA THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO BUILD AN L-SHAPED WALL. ESSENTIALLY, IT'S GOING TO GO ALL THE WAY TO THE ROOF, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, AND YOU SEE SOME OF THESE COSTS 8000 758,050. WELL, LOOK, WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THEY HAVE TO MOVE LIGHTS. THEY HAVE TO MOVE OUR CONTROLS FOR THE REFRIGERATION, FOR THE HVAC, FOR OUR FIRE ALARM, FOR OUR SECURITY ALARM. THEY NEED TO ADD MORE RECEPTACLES FOR ELECTRICITY. THEY HAVE TO MOVE LIGHTS. YOU KNOW, THE HVAC SYSTEM, SOMETHING THAT'S HERE. YOU KNOW, THOSE INTAKES, THEY HAVE TO MOVE THAT. SO THE COST IS GOING UP, YOU KNOW, BUT WE THINK THAT WE CAN DO IT. WE'RE LIKELY GOING TO GO WITH CONTRACTOR NUMBER THREE. HE CHARGES ABOUT 8050. HE'S LOCAL TO HORIZON CITY. AND SO I THINK YOU KNOW THE REQUEST AGAIN IS TO ALLOW US TO SPEND UP TO $10,000, EVEN THOUGH IT SAYS $8,000 THERE. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF SOMETHING COMES UP, THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO PIVOT AND ADDRESS THOSE ADDITIONAL COSTS. IF IT GOES ABOVE $10,000 AND WE'LL HAVE TO COME HERE. BUT WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT I THINK IT WAS A WAY OF SAYING, I DON'T THINK WE WANT TO HEAR FROM THIS GUY SO SOON. I JUST WANT TO ADD, AND I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THIS OPPORTUNITY AFTER RAFA MADE HIS PRESENTATION, HE MENTIONED THAT I WAS ABLE TO SIT IN ON SOME OF THE PRESENTATIONS THAT THEY HOSTED THERE, AND I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH HOW IMPRESSED I WAS WITH THE VARIETY THAT THEY BROUGHT THAT I'VE ONLY WITNESSED TWO SO FAR. I JUST ASKED TO BE A FLY ON THE WALL, AND THE LEADERSHIP CLASS, I THINK, WAS THE ONE THAT REALLY, REALLY IMPRESSED [00:50:05] ME. BUT EVEN EVEN THE, THE ONE FOR THE DAYCARE CENTER. AND WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW? WELL, THE FACILITY IS IMPRESSIVE, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND WHY YOU GUYS ARE REQUESTING TO HAVE THAT ROOM TO MAKE IT MORE PRESENTABLE AND MAKE IT LOOK MORE PROFESSIONAL AS WE BRING IN MORE PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE OF HORIZON TO TRY TO ENTICE THEM TO COME INTO HORIZON. SO I'M 100% ON BOARD WITH, WITH WHAT YOU GUYS ARE SAYING. I THINK WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING IS A FANTASTIC JOB. ALL THREE OF YOU, VERONICA, EDDIE, RAFA, NOT ONLY WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING FOR BUSINESSES, BUT THE SUPPORT THAT YOU OFFER TO CITY COUNCIL. I KNOW THAT I'VE APPROACHED YOU GUYS WITH SOME INITIATIVES THAT I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT BRINGING TO THE CITY OF HORIZON AND THE DATA THAT YOU GUYS ACQUIRE. YOU GUYS MAKE IT READILY AVAILABLE TO US SO THAT WE CAN USE IT TO, TO MODIFY OUR ORDINANCES OR TRY TO ENTICE A NEW PROGRAM OR TRY TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE IN HORIZON. SO I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE THAT. OH YEAH. YOU HAVEN'T TAKEN. SURE. IN THE ROOM THE WHAT NOW CONDITION. AIR CONDITION. YEAH. WE HAVE TO ADD IT. WE HAVE TO ADD THAT. THAT'S WHY IT'S UP THERE. WE WANT EVERYTHING TO BE AIR CONDITIONED. I. GIVE HIM SOME OF YOURS. PRETTY TIGHT ON THE BUDGET. BUDGET BUDGET BUDGET. [A portion of this meeting is without audio**] SO YOU'RE STILL PROJECTING. BUT. TAKE A LITTLE BIT. [00:56:40] 723 AND WE ARE JUST WE WILL RECONVENE THIS MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE. WHERE ARE WE? YEAH, I ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. I SCREWED ALL THAT UP. WE'LL RECONVENE THIS MEETING OF THE HORIZON CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION DISCUSSION ON ITEM TEN ON A PETITION FOR PURCHASE OF PROPERTY REGARDING PROJECT HORNET BEING CONSIDERED FOR LOCATION WITHIN THE. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HHE DC TO PROCEED TO THE ACQUISITION OF THE PROPERTY DISCUSSED DURING EXECUTIVE SESSION. I HAVE A MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU SIR. ITEM NUMBER 11 IS * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.