[DECLARATION OF A QUORUM AND CALL TO ORDER] [00:00:03] OKAY, IT'S 12:01. WE'LL CALL THE PARKS AND REC BOARD MEETING TO ORDER FOR AUGUST 10, 2026. WE DO HAVE A QUORUM OF FOUR PRESENT. THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING HERE, I APPRECIATE IT. WASN'T SURE IF WE WERE GOING TO MAKE IT OR NOT. ALSO, THANKS TO COUNCILWOMAN SIMMONS FOR ATTENDING AND SERVING AS OUR LIAISON FOR THESE MEETINGS. OH, WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE. WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. GLAD TO SEE YOU. WELCOME. YOU GOT A NAME PLATE RIGHT OVER THERE IF YOU'D LIKE TO GRAB THAT. WE HAVE. SHE SAID SHE WAS GOING TO HAVE IT OR NOT. JUST PICK ONE OUT, WHOEVER YOU WANT TO BE. I THINK SHE MADE ONE. YEAH, THERE WAS ONE. LOOK BEHIND YOU. I THINK THEY'RE STACKED IN THERE. THERE'S SOME FACING THIS DIRECTION. OH. I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY. I THOUGHT THERE WAS. I'LL HAVE TO LOOK IN THE FOLDER. SO JUST GRAB A SEAT ANYWHERE. WE'LL FIND IT. OKAY. SO WE HAVE THREE AGENDA ITEMS TODAY. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE THE MEETING MINUTES FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MEETING ON JUNE 11, [1. Discussion and possible action to approve the minutes of the Parks & Recreation Board meeting on June 11, 2026.] 2026. I THINK THESE JUST GOT POSTED THIS MORNING. IS THAT RIGHT, JASON. YEAH, THAT WAS, MY APOLOGIES I THOUGHT THAT I DID THAT ON FRIDAY. SO HOPEFULLY PEOPLE HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THOSE. HAS EVERYBODY HAD. HAS ANYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THEM. EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THEM. WAS IT THE 1234. I'M JUST NOW LOOKING AT. I'M SORRY. IT IS NOT A MAJOR ONE THAT IF YOU ALL WANTED TO TABLE IT TO THE NEXT MEETING, THAT'S FINE AS WELL. IF YOU WANT MORE TIME TO REVIEW THEM. I LOOKED AT THEM. I DON'T SEE ANY ISSUES WITH HIM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DESIREE. I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED BECAUSE IT SAYS WE CONVENED ON MONDAY, APRIL 13TH AND THEN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, BUT WE WERE APPROVING THE MINUTES OF THE APRIL 13TH MEETING. SO I HAVE A FEELING THAT DATES WRONG AT THE VERY TOP. IT SAID JUNE. OR IS THAT. WELL, I GUESS THAT IS THE MINUTES. START OF THE MINUTES. OKAY. OKAY, SO I SEE JUNE. OKAY, I MAKE A MOTION WE APPROVE. I'M OKAY WITH THAT. OKAY. I'LL SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MEETING MINUTES. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? CALL FOR THE VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MEETING MINUTES FROM THE JUNE MEETING, SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO. [2. Update and discussion on current park projects and Parks Board priority projects.] UPDATE AND DISCUSSION ON CURRENT PARK PROJECTS AND PARKS BOARD PRIORITY PROJECTS, AND I'LL LET JASON TAKE IT FROM HERE. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU DAVID AND BOARD, ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO BE ABLE TO COME BEFORE YOU AND PROVIDE SOME UPDATES AND EVERYTHING. SO I WANTED TO GIVE YOU ALL A QUICK RUNDOWN OF SOME OF THE PROJECTS WE CURRENTLY HAVE GOING ON AS WE'RE STARTING TO WRAP UP THIS FISCAL YEAR. JUST A REMINDER FOR WHO'S NOT FAMILIAR, OUR FISCAL YEAR RUNS FROM SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER 1ST TO SEPTEMBER 30TH. SO BEING AUGUST, WE'VE GOT ABOUT TWO MONTHS LEFT IN OUR FISCAL YEAR. BUT I JUST WANT TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON CURRENT PROJECTS. AND THEN WE'LL ALSO GO IN AND TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE PRIORITY LIST ITEMS. I DID INCLUDE A COUPLE PICTURES HERE. SO AS I TALK ABOUT IT, BY ALL MEANS, FEEL FREE TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS THAT GO WITH IT. BUT ABIGAIL ARIAS PARK IS, AS YOU KNOW, CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION. A LOT OF WORK IS HAPPENING OVER THERE IN THE PAST TO 2 TO 3 WEEKS. EXCITED TO SEE THAT TAKE SHAPE. WE CURRENTLY HAVE THREE VENDORS OUT THERE WORKING, SO WE HAVE DL MEACHAM IS OUR GENERAL CONTRACTOR FOR THE FULL PROJECT [00:05:01] ITSELF, AS WELL AS VORTEX, WHO PROVIDED THE SPLASH PAD. THEIR CONTRACTOR IS THERE DOING WORK ON THE SPLASH PAD. AND THEN WE HAVE LONE STAR WHO'S DOING THE WORK ON THE PLAYGROUND. THE PLAYGROUND IS ALMOST COMPLETE. THAT ONE IS MOVING PRETTY QUICK. THEY'VE GOT THE MAJORITY OF ALL THE STRUCTURE UP. THE ONLY COMPONENTS REALLY REMAINING ARE THE SUBGRADE AND THE POUR IN PLACE SURFACE. SO PROBABLY WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS THE PLAYGROUND ITSELF WILL BE 100% COMPLETE. SO THAT'S ONE QUESTION I HAD. I COULDN'T SEE IT. IT WAS WAY FAR OUT THERE, I THOUGHT. I DIDN'T GO. BUT ANYWAY, I LOOKED AT IT FROM THE ROAD. YEAH. SO IT'S GOING TO BE THE SAME SURFACE AS LAKESIDE. LAKESIDE, YES. OKAY. YEP. PART OF THAT BEING JUST TRANSITION FROM THE WALKING PATH AND THE SPLASH PAD SECONDARILY IS BECAUSE THE SPLASH PAD PROXIMITY. TO HELP ENSURE THAT THE DRAINAGE OF THE SPLASH PAD DOESN'T GET IMPACTED BY ANY. SO THAT WAS A QUESTION I HAD. BECAUSE I ALWAYS, I MEAN, NOT ALWAYS, BUT OCCASIONALLY WE'VE HAD MARKINGS AND STUFF ON THE PAD AT LAKESIDE AND I WAS JUST WONDERING THE SURFACE HOW'S IT HOLDING UP? IS IT A FADE? IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S FADING AND IT LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO TAKE STUFF OFF OF IT OCCASIONALLY. I MEAN, IS IT WORTH IT TO PUT THAT KIND OF SURFACE ON IT? SO PART OF THE REASON FOR THAT SURFACE IS THE COMPLIANCE PIECE. SO WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE A MORE INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND, THAT SURFACING IS A HIGHER QUALITY AND GRADE COMPARED TO AN ENGINEERED WOOD FIBER. AND SO EVEN THOUGH THE WOOD FIBER DOES MEET REQUIREMENTS, IT IS NOT NECESSARILY AN EASY THING TO NAVIGATE. YOU CAN'T GET A WHEELCHAIR. YEAH. SO AND TECHNICALLY THEY COULD, BUT IT'S JUST MORE DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE SEAMLESS WITH THAT. BUT IT'S LIKE ANYTHING ELSE, EVEN THE PLAYGROUNDS THEMSELVES, BECAUSE THEY'RE EXPOSED TO THE SUNLIGHT, THEY'RE GOING TO FADE OVER TIME. IT'S JUST A NATURAL ATTRITION THAT COMES WITH IT. YOU KNOW, IDEALLY THE HOPE WOULD BE EVENTUALLY DOWN THE ROAD THAT WE COULD EXPLORE PUTTING A SHADE COVERING OVER IT TO HELP PROTECT THE POUR PLAY SURFACE AND THE PLAYGROUND ITSELF. BUT IT'S JUST ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH IS, YOU KNOW, OUR PROXIMITY TO THE COAST AND THE DIRECT SUNLIGHT IS GOING TO IMPACT THAT OVER TIME. SO THAT WAS MY SUGGESTION. WE NEED TO START COVERING THEM BETTER BECAUSE IT MIGHT LAST LONGER. AND THEY WOULD DEFINITELY HELP WITH THE LONGEVITY OF THEM LESS THAT YOU WOULD SEE SOME OF THAT WEAR AND TEAR ON THERE. BUT IT JUST COMES WITH THAT ADDED COST THAT WE JUST COULDN'T FIT INTO THIS CURRENT PROJECT. I MEAN, I CAN TELL YOU EVEN WITH THE POUR IN PLACE SURFACE, IT'S QUITE A BIT MORE EXPENSIVE TO DO A POUR IN PLACE SURFACE THAN IT IS TO DO THE WOOD FIBERS. BUT THE ACCESSIBILITY PIECE REALLY TIES INTO THAT. AND THEN AGAIN, WITH THE PROXIMITY TO THE SPLASH PAD, WE WANTED TO BE MINDFUL OF WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE. SO IT'S NOT TO SAY THERE'S. YOU WOULD END UP WITH ALL THAT MULCH AND THE. WET MULCH. YEAH. WELL THAT, AND THEN THE DRAINS FOR THE SPLASH PADS, JUST NOT MAKING THAT BECOME MORE OF AN ISSUE. AND BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE SYSTEM IS NOT ALLOWING THAT GETS INTO THE SYSTEM. AND SO THERE'S JUST MULTIPLE FACTORS THAT GO WITH THAT, TRYING TO ALLEVIATE THAT. SO YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO, THERE WILL BE CAMERAS OUT THERE. SO HOPEFULLY IT WILL DETER PEOPLE FROM YOU KNOW, ANY VANDALISM THAT MIGHT TAKE PLACE, BUT IT'S NOT ALWAYS A GUARANTEE. AND SO WE TRY TO JUST COMBAT IT THE BEST WE CAN. SO HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN PARK IN THAT PARKING LOT BECAUSE IT LOOKS HUGE. IT'S NOT AS LARGE AS IT APPEARS TO BE. I BELIEVE IF I REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, IT WAS REDUCED TO ABOUT 35 IS IF I THINK. REALLY IT LOOKS BIGGER. PART OF THAT JUST COMES FROM BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN OF IT AND HOW IT HAS TO MEET REQUIREMENTS FOR LIKE A FIRE TRUCK TO COME IN. AND SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT TURN RADIUS THAT LOOPS AROUND IT. SO IT'S DEFINITELY NOT AS BIG AS WE WANT IT TO BE. I BELIEVE THE ORIGINAL PLAN SETS CALLED FOR ABOUT 50 SPACES, AND SO WE HAD TO ELIMINATE A FEW WHEN WE WENT THROUGH DESIGN. SO IT'S STILL GOING TO SERVE ITS PURPOSE. AND WE HAVE PRELIMINARY PLANS OF HOW WE CAN LOOK TO EXPAND IT. BUT IT'LL BE A LITTLE SMALL AT THE CURRENT TIME. SO GREAT QUESTIONS. AND WHEN WILL IT BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC? I CAN'T GIVE. THE PLAY. OKAY. SO THE PAVILION IS THE LAST MAJOR COMPONENT THAT NEEDS TO GO IN. THEY HAVEN'T STARTED THAT YET, HAVE THEY? THEY HAVE STARTED THE CONNECTION PIECES. SO FOR UTILITIES. THEY BELIEVE FROM OUR ONSITE MEETING LAST WEEK, THEY SHOULD POUR THE FOUNDATION FOR THAT TO EITHER THE TAIL END OF THIS WEEK OR BEGINNING OF NEXT. ONCE THAT HAPPENS, THE STRUCTURE WILL START TO BE ERECTED FROM THERE. AND SO IT'S ALL TENTATIVE AS WE GO THROUGH IT. WEATHER DELAYS DID DELAY THE PROJECT A LITTLE BIT IN THE BEGINNING. BUT. ARE WE STILL LOOKING AT IT THIS YEAR. YES. YEAH. YEAH. IF WE DON'T, I THINK WE HAVE SOME MAJOR, EVEN MORE MAJOR THINGS HAPPENING. [00:10:05] BUT YEAH, IT SHOULD BE THIS YEAR. AND WHAT I TRY TO CONTINUE TO REMIND STAFF AND PUBLIC IS I KNOW THAT SPLASH PAD IS THE FUTURE OF IT. AND SO IT'S NOT GOING TO BE IN THE SUMMER. RIGHT. BUT AROUND HERE, WHO KNOWS WHEN SUMMER ENDS FOR ONE, BUT FOR TWO IS IT'S A REMINDER THAT THIS ISN'T A THIS YEAR THING. THIS ISN'T SOMETHING WE'RE TRYING TO DO FOR 2026. THIS PARK IS GOING TO BE A STAPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. AND SO WHILE THE SPLASH PAD MAY NOT OPEN AT SUMMER, IT'S SOMETHING THEY'RE GOING TO ENJOY FOR THE YEARS TO COME, NOT JUST IN 2026. SO WILL THERE BE CERTAIN SEASONS FOR THE SPLASH PAD IS OPEN THIS MONTH THROUGH THIS MONTH? OR WILL IT BE A TEMPERATURE DEPENDENT? OR WILL IT JUST BE ANYTIME ANYBODY WANTS TO GO OUT THERE? AND WE'RE STILL EXPLORING SOME OF THAT. MAINLY THIS FIRST YEAR MAY BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT JUST BECAUSE WHEN IT OPENS, WE WANT TO GIVE PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY. IF THE WEATHER DOES COOPERATE WITH US WE WOULD LOOK AT THAT BECAUSE WITH THE PASS THROUGH SYSTEM AS WELL BEING PART OF THE IRRIGATION AND HOW THAT WORKS. AND SO WE WOULD ENVISION THAT IT WOULD BE SEASONAL TO SOME DEGREE JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE OUT THERE. AND IF IT IS, YOU KNOW, 40 DEGREES AND PEOPLE GO TO TURN THE SYSTEM ON, IT COULD DAMAGE SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT. AND SO THEY'LL HAVE THAT. THAT WAS MY QUESTION, CAN PEOPLE TURN IT ON THEMSELVES OR IS IT. YEAH. SO IT'LL HAVE A PUSH BUTTON FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO PUSH. SO IT'S GOING TO BE ON A TIMER. AND SO IT WON'T BE JUST RUNNING NONSTOP. AND SO IT WILL SHUT OFF WHILE PEOPLE ARE ON IT. AND THEN THEY'LL HAVE TO GO AND JUST PUSH THE TIMER AGAIN. AND TO TURN IT BACK ON TO HOW LONG DOES THE TIMER LAST? WE HAVEN'T PRESET THAT YET. IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DETERMINE. SO WE MAY LOOK AT THAT DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS, HAVE IT RUN A LITTLE BIT LONGER. AND THEN AS IT TAPERS OUT SEASON WISE, WE'LL LOOK INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE. SO. AND THE WALKING PATH THERE IS GOING TO BE CONCRETE. IS THAT RIGHT? CONCRETE. OKAY. YEP. CONCRETE WALKING PATH. YEP. SO STILL MORE TO COME WITH THAT ONE. LOOKS GOOD THOUGH IF. IT LOOKS REALLY BIG. HAVE BEEN REALLY EXCITING BECAUSE AT FIRST, UP UNTIL ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO WHEN THEY STARTED, IT KIND OF STILL JUST LIKE A FLAT OPEN SPACE. AND NOW IT'S REALLY STARTING TO TAKE SHAPE AND GET DESIGNED AND SO. THREE DIMENSIONAL AND BRIGHT COLORS. YES. AND EVEN WHEN THE PAVILION COMES UP TOO, RIGHT? THAT'S GOING TO BE A WHOLE OTHER ELEMENT. SO WE'RE DEFINITELY EXCITED ABOUT SOME THINGS. GOOD, YOU KNOW, FOR THE SHADE BECAUSE THERE'S A GOOD SHADE OVER THERE. YOU KNOW. THAT WAS ONE OF THE DESIGN ELEMENTS THAT WE WERE HOPEFUL TO GET TO IS THROUGH THE MASTER PLAN HAS THAT AS A PICNIC AREA. IT JUST WASN'T SPECIFICALLY INCLUDED IN THIS PHASE. SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT. NOT AT THIS TIME. IT DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN'T EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FUTURE AS WE SECURE ADDITIONAL FUNDING OR WORK THROUGH THAT PROCESS. BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE MASTER PLAN. SO AT THIS POINT, WHAT IS YOUR TARGET DATE FOR OPENING? OCTOBER SOMETIME. IF EVERYTHING, IF WEATHER STAYS COOPERATIVE AND THINGS GO ALONG AS WELL. I MEAN, IF WEATHER STAYS COOPERATIVE, YOU COULD SEE STILL SEE A SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION END OF SEPTEMBER. REALLY. AND I WILL TELL YOU THERE WERE CONCERNS OF THE PLAYGROUND, NOT PLAYGROUND SPLASH PAD OF WHEN WE HEARD INITIAL MANUFACTURING DATES COMING IN FOR THAT, THAT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN EXTENDED FROM THAT. BUT I MEAN, THERE ONCE THEY GOT THAT BUMPED UP A LITTLE BIT, THEY'VE JUST BEEN MOVING RIGHT ALONG. AND I HONESTLY ENVISION THEM BEING DONE BY THE END OF THIS MONTH. WOW. FOR THE SPLASH PAD COMPONENTS. SO THE PAVILION WILL TAKE SOME TIME. AND THEN SOME OF THE GRADING COMPONENTS FROM THERE. SO IT'S STILL POSSIBLE, BUT I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE UNTIL WE HAVE A FEW OTHER ELEMENTS OUT OF THE WAY. PUTTING MORE OF A DEFINITIVE TIMELINE WITH IT, BUT I WOULD SAY SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER TIME FRAME SHOULD STILL BE WITHIN THE BALLPARK. GREAT. YEP. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON ABIGAIL? OKAY. I WILL SAY THERE ARE PICTURES INCLUDED IN THERE. YOU WILL SEE SOME OF THEM WE TALKED ABOUT WITH THE WEATHER DELAYS. SO I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF GIVE AN UPDATE ON A COUPLE OF THEM SO YOU CAN SEE THE FULL FOOTPRINT. AND THEN ONCE WE GET ANOTHER UPDATE FROM DL MEACHAM, IT WILL ACTUALLY PROBABLY SHOW AN AERIAL OF ALL THOSE COMPONENTS WITH THE PLAYGROUND AND SPLASH PAD, BUT THERE ARE A FEW THE VENDOR PROVIDED THAT DELINEATE THOSE SPACES AS WELL. SO THOSE ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKETS, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE ONES SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE MAJOR WORK BEING DONE THERE. THEY FLY A DRONE OVER TO GET THOSE? YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A BIG LAKE IN IT. YEAH. THAT'S ACTUALLY WHERE THE PLAYGROUND IS. OKAY. AND JUST BECAUSE OF THE GRADING THAT THEY HAD TO DIG OUT TO BE ABLE TO GET THE CONCRETE BASE AND THE POUR IN PLACE, IT WAS JUST GOING TO NATURALLY HOLD WATER BECAUSE OF THAT. SO SO THAT'S ABIGAIL FREEDOM PARK. WE'VE KIND OF HIT SOME DRAINAGE ISSUE COMPONENTS THERE. [00:15:01] SO I'M WORKING WITH DESIGN TEAM AND OUR CONTRACTOR TO RESOLVE THOSE. SO RIGHT NOW, FREEDOM PARK ADDITIONAL FIELD IS KIND OF AT A STANDSTILL. UNTIL WE CLEARLY IDENTIFY WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A PATH MOVING FORWARD. HOPEFULLY THAT SHOULD BE RESOLVED HERE IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO. BUT UNTIL THAT GETS RESOLVED, WE DIDN'T WANT THE PROJECT TO CONTINUE UNTIL WE'VE ADDRESSED SOME OF THOSE DRAINAGE CONCERNS. SO THAT WAS A PICTURE OF THAT SOMEWHERE. I DID NOT SHOW THAT BECAUSE ALL YOU WOULD REALLY SEE IS A FIELD. AND WE'RE NO MORE BECAUSE OF THOSE DRAINAGE ISSUES, THE FIELD HAS KIND OF BEEN GROWN OVER AGAIN. AND SO IT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING OF HIGHLIGHT TO SHOW. YEAH. SO IT'S ACTUALLY THE WATER STANDING ON THE FIELD. THERE WAS A PORTION OF THE FIELD THAT WAS HOLDING WATER AND HAS DELAYED SOME OF THAT PROJECT. SO. BG PECK SOCCER COMPLEX, JUST AN UPDATE KIND OF AS YOU TALK ABOUT PARK PROJECTS, WE DID EXPERIENCE A ELECTRICAL OUTAGE THERE. AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FUNDING AND HOW DIFFERENT THINGS BE CORRELATED TO EXPENSES FOR THE DEPARTMENT, THERE WAS A MAJOR ELECTRICAL ISSUE THAT CAME FROM TEXAS, NEW MEXICO SOURCE, BUT ALSO CAUSED ISSUES WITH THE CITY EQUIPMENT. AND SO THAT WAS A COSTLY REPAIR THAT WE HAD TO INVEST MONEY INTO. BG PECK TO GET THAT BACK ONLINE, BECAUSE THAT IMPACTED OUR RESTROOMS AND CONCESSIONS, RESTROOMS AND OUR, WATER SOURCE OR THE WELL WATER WELL THAT'S OUT THERE. AND SO JUST WANTED YOU ALL TO BE AWARE OF THINGS THAT ARE ONGOING THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO HAVE TO ADDRESS, BUT WAS OUTSIDE THE ONE THAT WE BUDGETED FOR. SO IT'S ONES THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PARK PRIORITIES, THAT SOMETIMES THE PRIORITY INTENT IS THERE, BUT SOMETHING MIGHT TAKE PRECEDENT OVER THAT THAT COMES UP. SO FREEDOM PARK PLAYGROUND, AS YOU ALL KNOW, IS COMPLETE. THE LAST COMPONENT OF THAT WAS OUR MULCH THAT WAS OUT THERE THAT HAS ALL BEEN REMOVED. AND SO ALL THE OLD MULCH AND THE ADDITIONAL MULCH THAT WE HAD, WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO REDISTRIBUTE TO OTHER PARKS. SO POSITIVE NEWS FOR US IS WE WEREN'T, DIDN'T HAVE TO GO SPEND ADDITIONAL FUNDING ON MULCH FOR BRUSHY BAYOU AND DICKEY PARK. WE WERE ABLE TO USE OUR ACCESS AND PUT THOSE ONES. SO IT ACTUALLY HELPED US IN OTHER AREAS AS WELL. BATES FIELD SIX IS COMPLETE AS WELL. ONLY A PIECE THAT WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH SOME THINGS. THERE IS A COUPLE DRAINAGE COMPONENTS DURING HEAVY RAIN, SO SOME OF THE RAIN THAT WE HAVE HAD COME THROUGH HAS BEEN PRETTY LARGE DOWNPOURS. AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH SOME COMPONENTS TO BE ABLE TO RELIEVE THE WATER ISSUE ON THAT FIELD. BUT FIELDS DONE, DUG OUTS ARE DONE, THE PLAYER BLEACHERS ARE IN AND SO THAT FIELD IS READY FOR USE. UNFORTUNATELY, THE GIRLS SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION WAS NOT ABLE TO HOST A NATIONAL TOURNAMENT THAT THEY HAD WON. THEY HAD EXTREME LOW REGISTRATION, WHICH COMES FROM A THIRD PARTY. SO THESE ARE TOURNAMENTS THAT THEY BID ON. AND THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION IS THE ONE THAT HOSTS IT. AND THEY JUST WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH ANGLETON GIRLS SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION. AND THE UPDATE THEY RECEIVED FROM THE NATIONAL LEAGUE WAS THAT THERE WAS ONLY A FEW TEAMS REGISTERED. SO IT WAS ACTUALLY CANCELED. SO THEY ARE LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL TOURNAMENTS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO HOST THROUGH AGSA TO HELP BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THOSE SPACES. BUT THAT FIELD IS, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH COMPLETE. AND JUST LIKE I SAID, SOME MINOR STUFF, BUT THEY, WE HAVE TURNED IT OVER TO THEM FOR MAINTENANCE WISE. SO IT'S ONE OF THE FIELDS THEY'RE STARTING TO MAINTAIN NOW. HAVE THEY PLAYED ON IT YET? THEY HAVE NOT PLAYED ON IT YET. YEAH. I MEAN JUST WANT TO COMPLETE IT AND EVERYTHING. WE WANTED A GROWING SEASON TO GET IT TO THAT TOURNAMENT. THAT TOURNAMENT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE FIRST OFFICIAL TIME TO BE ON THERE, BUT IT JUST DIDN'T. THAT DIDN'T MAKE. AND SO WE ANTICIPATE THEM USING IT IN THE FALL. PASSIVE AREA IS ONE THAT KEEPS COMING UP. SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THIS ONE TO LIGHT AS WELL AND ALSO SEE IT ON OUR PROJECT LIST, BUT WE DID GET THE OFFICIAL TURNOVER FOR THAT RECENTLY. AND SO AS YOU ALL KNOW, WINDROSE GREEN WAS HELPING TO DIG THAT FOR DETENTION AND THAT NOW HAS BEEN TURNED BACK OVER FOR CITY ACCESS AND MAINTENANCE. AND SO OUR TEAM IS GOING TO START MOWING THAT PROPERTY TO ENSURE THAT IT'S UPKEPT WELL. UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO FURTHER INVEST INTO THAT PROPERTY. AND SO THAT ONE'S STILL AN ONGOING ONE, BUT THAT WOULD BE THE AREA ACROSS FROM FREEDOM PARK. THE DETENTION SPACE THAT WE WERE GOING TO PUT THAT TRAIL AROUND IN AND DO A BRIDGE TO. AND SO WE'RE HOPEFUL TO, TO GET A LITTLE FUNDING. WE JUST UNFORTUNATELY HAVEN'T RECEIVED THAT YET. SO, SO THEY'RE NOT DIGGING OUT ANYMORE. NO, THAT PROJECT IS DONE. YEP. AND THEN THIS OTHER ONE, I KNOW THIS HAS KIND OF BEEN TALKED ABOUT A COUPLE TIMES. IT WAS ACTUALLY ASKED FOR ABLC AND COUNCIL. WE DID PUT A PLAN TOGETHER FOR A REVITALIZATION OF BATES PARK TREES. [00:20:06] SO THE TREE CANOPY THERE, KNOWING THAT WAS AN OLD PECAN GROVE, WE'VE STARTED TO SEE A LOT MORE OF THOSE TREES DIE OFF AND HAVE TO BE REMOVED. SO WE DID PUT A PLAN TOGETHER FOR CITY COUNCIL AND FOR ABLC TO CONSIDER FUNDING FOR THAT. IT WAS PUT IN PART OF OUR, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND UNFORTUNATELY AT THIS TIME DID NOT RECEIVE FUNDING FOR IT. AND SO WE'RE STILL TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO TO LOOK AT THAT TO KEEP THE CURRENT TREE CANOPY HEALTHY, AS WELL AS REPLACE THE ONES THAT HAVE KIND OF DIED OFF AND WE'VE LOST OVER TIME. SO LAST COMPONENT IS JUST TO KIND OF BRING UP, AS YOU ALL KNOW, YOU PRESENTED A GREAT PRIORITY LIST FOR US. AND SO THAT CONSISTED OF APPROXIMATELY 11 ITEMS. AND WANTED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT THAT WAS BROUGHT BEFORE ABLC AND WAS BROUGHT BEFORE CITY COUNCIL DURING OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP. OUR DEPARTMENT PRESENTED ON JUNE 11TH. AND SO FIRST BEING ABLC WAS EARLY ON AND THE REQUEST THAT THEY HAD, I'M SORRY, JULY 11TH IN JUNE, IT WENT TO ABLC AND THEY DID SUPPORT FUNDING FOR TWO PROJECTS. ONE PROJECT BEING THE PARKING LOT STRIPING. SO WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING QUOTES TO BE ABLE TO EXECUTE THAT ONE. AND THEN THEY ALSO PROVIDED FUNDING FOR TWO SHADE STRUCTURES OR SHADE CANOPIES FOR THE FIELDS AT BATES PARK, WHICH WOULD BE FIELD THREE AND FOUR. SO OF THOSE ITEMS, THEY DID PROVIDE FUNDING FOR TWO OF THEM. AND THEN THE REQUEST WAS MADE TO INCORPORATE THAT INTO OUR CIP PLAN. SO THAT WAS BROUGHT. THAT LIST WAS ADDED TO THE CIP PLAN AND BROUGHT TO CITY COUNCIL, BUT NO OTHER ITEMS WERE IDENTIFIED ON THAT LIST FOR CURRENT FUNDING. BUT WE ARE WORKING ON TWO OF THEM. THEY DID GIVE FUNDING FOR US TO DO THAT THIS YEAR AND ASKED THAT WE BRING BACK THAT PRIORITY LIST ONCE WE GET TO NEXT FISCAL YEAR, FOR THEM TO CONSIDER IF THERE IS CONTINGENCY FUNDS AVAILABLE TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THAT. SO AFTER OCTOBER, WE'LL MAKE ANOTHER RUN AT ABLC. YEP. WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THEM. SO THAT WAY THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO SEE HOW THEY ENDED THIS YEAR. AND THEN WHAT THEIR FUNDS ARE BASED ON THE END OF THIS YEAR, FINANCIALS TO KNOW WHERE THEIR CONTINGENCY KIND OF LIES IN THERE. SO DO YOU SEE US SPENDING THE MONEY BEFORE THE SEPTEMBER? THE MONEY THAT THEY PROVIDED? YEAH. YEAH, THAT'S THE GOAL. WE'RE JUST WAITING ON I'M WAITING ON THE STRIPING. I JUST HAD TO GET A COUPLE OTHER QUOTES FOR THE STRIPING, BUT THE OTHER ONES SHOULD BE WE SHOULD BE GOOD TO GO. I THINK THAT'S EVERYTHING IN AGENDA ITEM TWO. IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. YOU KNOW, IF I CAN BE OF HELP AT A MEETING IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER WHENEVER WE GO TO PRESENT THAT. ABSOLUTELY. JUST JUST LET ME KNOW. CAN DO. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? WE DIDN'T CONSIDER OR DID WE WAS THE PASSIVE AREA AROUND FREEDOM. WAS THAT EVEN ON OUR LIST? YES A ON OUR LIST? YES. THE TRAIL. THE BRIDGE AND TRAIL. THE BRIDGE NOT. NOT. NOT THE TRAIL. THAT'S THE BRIDGE AND TRAIL. THAT'S A DIFFERENT THING, RIGHT? NO, THAT'S THE SAME. WE LUMPED THEM TOGETHER. SO YOU GOT TO HAVE THE BRIDGE TO DO THE TRAIL? YEAH. NO. SO THAT ONE, WHEN WE PUT IT ON THE PRIORITY LIST, THE FUNDING THAT WAS INCLUDED, THERE WAS AN ESTIMATE FOR THE BRIDGE ONLY. SO WE COULD KEEP IT A NATURAL TRAIL AND MOW THAT MORE. BASED ON OUR LEVELS OF MOWING. SO WE CATEGORIZE THEM BASED ON USAGE. RIGHT. SO AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE LIKE THE WILDSCAPES. THAT IS THE LOWEST LEVEL TO WHERE WE REALLY JUST MAINTAIN IT TO A DEGREE VERSUS A LEVEL ONE BEING A PLAYABLE SURFACE, RIGHT. AND SO THE IDEA THERE WAS THINKING ABOUT FUNDING WHEN WE WENT OUT FOR THAT PROJECT, IT WAS ABOUT $1 MILLION TO DO THE BRIDGE, THE TRAIL AND THE WEIR. THE WEIR CROSSING. AND SO WHAT WE DID WAS ASK THEM TO SEE IF WE COULD GET A BRIDGE ACROSS, AND WE COULD DO A NATURAL TRAIL AND MAINTAIN AND MOW THAT AT A LOWER LEVEL AND GET LIKE OUR ZERO TURNS IN THERE AND CREATE A NATURAL TRAIL, WHICH WOULD GIVE PEOPLE THE ACCESS TO IT. WE HAVE A DESIGN. WE DO HAVE A DESIGN. WE DO ON THE NATURAL TRAIL. SO WE DO HAVE A DESIGN. THAT'S WHERE IT CAME. THAT FUNDING SOURCE OF $1 MILLION CAME INTO PLAY WAS THEY PROVIDED AN OPINION OF PROBABLE CAUSE. SO IT'S ALL THERE. WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. SO WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO WAS DO THAT IN STAGES TO WHERE WE COULD AT LEAST GET MAYBE A PORTION OF IT TO START, AND THEN WE CONTINUE TO ADD ON TO IT AS WE COULD. SO THERE'S A FULL DESIGN THAT WAS DONE BY BURDETT'S TWO YEARS AGO. [00:25:02] I THINK WE'RE AT NOW WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT IT. AND SO IT'S STILL A PRIORITY. IT'S STILL ON THE LIST. IT JUST HAS TO HAVE THE FUNDING DEDICATED TO IT. THAT IS ONE, THOUGH I'M HOPEFUL TO SUBMIT A GRANT IN FEBRUARY. THEY HAVE A TRAILS GRANT THAT MAY BE ABLE TO SUPPORT WITH THAT. NOW THERE WOULD BE A. IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, I BELIEVE THAT'S AN 80/20 SPLIT, WHICH IS A GOOD SPLIT CONSIDERING SOME OF THE OTHER ONES ARE 50/50. SO IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE MORE THAT WE COULD RECEIVE FOR THAT ONE. WHAT'S OUR TRAIL SURFACE WE'RE GOING FOR THERE. WHAT THE SURFACE. WHAT ARE WE THINKING? NOT CONCRETE ARE WE? ARE WE GOING TO. WE ARE. THAT WOULD BE THAT WOULD BE THE THAT WAS THE DESIGN PLAN WAS WOULD THAT WOULD BE A CONCRETE TRAIL. YEAH. WHICH MAKES SENSE ON WHY THE HIGH COST. BUT WE CAN FURTHER LOOK AND EVALUATE COST BASED ON WHAT WOULD BE FUNDED FOR IT. SO IF YOU GO FOR ONE OF THOSE TPW GRANTS, YOU HAVE TO GET THE CITY TO AGREE TO COVER THE 20. YES. BEFORE YOU CAN EVER GO TO THE APPLICATION PROCESS. SO AS WE GET CLOSER TO THAT ONE THE PLAN WOULD BE TO GO BEFORE ABLC AND CITY COUNCIL SAYING THAT WE WERE GOING TO SUBMIT FOR A GRANT AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO AGREE THAT IF WE WERE AWARDED THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO FUND IT. BUT THE CURRENT RUNNING TRAIL OUT THERE AT FREEDOM IS WHAT CALICHE OR SOMETHING. I MEAN, WHAT IS IT? IT'S A CRUSHED GRANITE. CRUSHED GRANITE OR WHATEVER. SO PEOPLE LIKE THAT OR DO WE LIKE IT? I MEAN IS OUR STANDARD NOW CONCRETE AND WE DON'T WANT CRUSHED GRANITE. WHAT'S THE DEAL? A LOT OF IT JUST COMES DOWN TO MAINTENANCE CONCRETE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE LESS MAINTENANCE TO HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT VERSUS THE CRUSHED GRANITE. SO IT MIGHT COME IN A LITTLE BIT OF A CHEAPER COST, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE MAINTENANCE IN THE LONG RUN. AND SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE CONCRETE ANYWAYS. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE YOUR CONCRETE BORDER THAT GOES AROUND THAT. BUT HOW YOU MAINTAIN THAT IS A LOT DIFFERENT THAN IF IT'S JUST CONCRETE. CONCRETE IS TYPICALLY GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE SET IT AND FORGET IT VERSUS LIKE RIGHT NOW, I CAN TELL YOU THIS YEAR WE'VE HAD A LOT OF WEED OVERGROWTH ON THE TRAIL. SO WE HAVE A LOT MORE MAINTENANCE ON A CRUSHED GRANITE TRAIL THAN YOU WERE IF YOU HAD A CONCRETE ONE. SO IT'S THINKING ABOUT LONG TERM, WHAT ARE YOU ABLE TO MAINTAIN TO HAVE TO REINVEST THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS TO DO THAT VERSUS CONCRETE, YOU MIGHT GET A LONG TIME FROM THERE. HAVE WE RULED OUT ASPHALT AS AN OPTION FOR THE TRAIL AROUND FREEDOM PARK AS IT IS NOW? WE HAVE NOT EXPLORED THAT. I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT IN THE PAST, THE ONE AT [INAUDIBLE] COLLEGE. I THINK THAT ONE IS ASPHALT. IT'S REALLY GOOD. I DON'T LIKE THE GRANITE OR GRAVEL BECAUSE IT GETS IN MY SHOES ALL THE TIME WHEN I'M TRYING TO GO OUT THERE. SO IT'S NOT TOO BAD. BUT YEAH. THAT'S A GOOD IDEA JUST TO SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN COST. AND WE CAN, WE DEFINITELY CAN. BECAUSE IT'S WAY MORE NATURAL OUT THERE. YEAH. YOU KNOW, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY TO SPEND FOR CONCRETE. AND IT DEFINITELY IS. I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THE CONCRETE. JUST AN OPTION TO CONSIDER IS, HEY, THAT. WELL. MAINTAINS THAT AND IT LOOKS PRETTY GOOD. IN REALITY TOO IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE NATURAL COMPONENT, RIGHT IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TO JUST HAVE A TRAIL BE A TRAIL. RIGHT. WE GET STUCK IN THIS IDEA SOMETIMES OF HOW YOU MAINTAIN A TRAIL. IF YOU WERE TO GO TO I DON'T KNOW BRAZOS BEND. YEAH. YOU'RE NOT GOING OUT IN THE WOODS AND FINDING A CONCRETE TRAIL TYPICALLY, RIGHT? YOU'RE USUALLY IN A GRAVEL TRAIL. NOT EVEN. YEAH, LIKE AT SOME DEGREE YOU MIGHT. MAYBE THEY'VE ENHANCED IT, BUT IT'S NOT A CRUSHED CONCRETE, RIGHT? ONE OFF 521 AND. RIGHT OFF TO THE SIDE IT'S IN LIKE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD, IT'S AT THE END OF A NEIGHBORHOOD. SO ANYWAY, IT'S SOME KIND OF TRAIL OR PARK AT THE BACK END. IT'S JUST GRASS. YOU'RE GOING OUT THERE IN THE WILDERNESS. AND YOU CAN MAINTAIN IT IN A WAY TO WHERE LIKE, YOU COULD BRING IT IN AND YOU COULD GRADE IT TO MAKE SURE THE DIVOTS OUT AND STUFF LIKE THAT. SO THERE'S DEFINITELY THINGS YOU CAN DO, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE PAVED OR CONCRETE OR EVEN CRUSHED GRANITE. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT. THAT'S WHY THE ORIGINAL PRIORITY LIST OF PUTTING THAT IN THERE WAS HOW DO WE GET ACCESS TO IT? LET'S START WITH ACCESS FIRST. THE ONLY HICCUP THAT COMES WITH THAT IS THE WEIR, BECAUSE IF IT'S OVERFLOWING, YOU DON'T HAVE A CONSTANT LOOP. YOU'RE STUCK ON ONE SIDE. SO WE NEED TWO BRIDGES. YOU WOULD NEED TWO BRIDGES, BUT THEN YOU'RE TALKING 600 TO $750,000. SO IS IT POSSIBLE? SURE. ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. THIS WAS JUST TRYING TO GET FUNDING TO GET OVER THERE. GETTING PEOPLE OVER THERE. THEY WOULD USE IT. THEY WOULD JUST KNOW NATURALLY, LIKE, OKAY, DON'T GO ALL THE WAY AROUND. CUT BACK AROUND LIKE IT'S ALL IN HOW YOU SELL IT. SO I MEAN, THERE'S TRAILS THAT GO OUT TO A LAKE AND COME BACK. IT DOESN'T ALWAYS LOOP. YEAH. I THINK GETTING, GETTING THE BRIDGE OVER THE BAYOU IS THE BIG THING. THAT IS THE BIGGEST COMPONENT RIGHT NOW. THERE IS NO ACCESS TO IT BECAUSE THE ACCESS THAT IS THERE IS NOT A PUBLIC ACCESS. [00:30:05] RIGHT. SO IF YOU GO ALONG THE EMBANKMENT, THAT'S ANGLETON DRAINAGE DISTRICT. AND SO IT'S NOT LIKE YOU COULD JUST CREATE IN THERE THAT'S CURRENTLY MAINTAINED BY THEM. IT'D BE GETTING ACROSS IT TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS IT WAS THE HURDLE ONE. SO THAT WAS THE HOPE AND GOAL WOULD BE ABLE TO GET SOMETHING THERE FIRST. AND THEN IT CAN EVOLVE FROM THERE BASED ON FUNDING AND WHAT WE WANT TO PUT IN THERE. YEAH. OYSTER CREEK TRAIL. YEAH. YEAH. IT'S THE TERM TRAILS WERE TYPICALLY JUST ALL NATURAL. THEY'RE NOT A PAVED SPACE. SO WHAT ARE THE CHANCES OF THAT GRANT THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IN FEBRUARY. IS IT LIKE THE WHOLE STATE IS COMING AFTER IT TYPE OF THING. YES. THERE'S A CERTAIN LIST OF CANDIDATES. OR IS IT LIKE BY REGIONS. YEAH. THE WHOLE STATE IS COMING UP. BUT YOU GUYS HAVE HAD PRETTY GOOD LUCK IN THE PAST. YEAH. AND THAT'S I'VE BEEN ON THAT REVIEW PANEL A NUMBER OF TIMES WITH PARKS AND WILDLIFE, AND THAT THAT MATTERS A LOT. IF YOU GOT THE GRANT IN THE PAST AND YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB ON YOUR PAPERWORK, YOU'RE GOING TO GET A BIG GOLD STAR FROM PARKS AND WILDLIFE ON THAT. WHAT ABOUT GATHERING UP LETTERS OF SUPPORT? WILL THAT. YEAH. AND THAT WOULD DEFINITELY HELP. AND LIKE DAVID HAD MENTIONED. SO WE HAVE TWO PROJECTS CURRENTLY. ABIGAIL IS ONE OF THEM. AND THE REC CENTER IS ANOTHER ONE THAT WE WERE ACTUALLY THE TOP SCORED GRANTS FOR THOSE. AND SO IT REALLY JUST DEPENDS ON WHO IS FUNDING AND WHO WHAT, WHO'S PUTTING IN FOR THESE GRANTS. BUT I MEAN, IT WAS YOU KNOW, TOOT OUR OWN HORN, WE WERE TOP SCORED FOR IT. SO IT'S A DEFINITELY A GOOD THING TO SAY. RIGHT. WE ALSO HAD LAKESIDE HAD OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT AS WELL. YEARS AGO WAS WELCH PARK IS TIED TO A TPW GRANT. SO WE HAVE A GOOD TRACK RECORD THAT GOES WITH IT. BUT YOU JUST NEVER KNOW YEAR TO YEAR WHO'S APPLYING FOR IT. SO YOU MIGHT HAVE A YEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S ALSO FUNDING WHAT FUNDING THEY'VE ALLOCATED TO SUPPORT THESE PROJECTS AND WHAT THE REQUESTS COMING IN ARE, BECAUSE THEY HAVE A POT OF MONEY THAT THEY'RE DISHING OUT. SO SOME YEARS THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO GIVE IT TO FIVE, SOME YEARS THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO GIVE IT TO 50. YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR FUNDING LEVELS ARE. AND YOU'RE JUST PUTTING THE REQUEST IN. AND THEN THEY'RE DETERMINING FROM THERE. AND SO IT'S JUST, IT'S WHAT THEY SEE AS A PRIORITY, IF YOU WILL. SO BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY HAD IT DESIGNED, THAT'S ALSO BEEN, IS A BENEFIT TOO BECAUSE WE CAN CLEARLY SHOW WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. WHEREAS I CAN TELL YOU OTHERS IN THE INDUSTRY, LIKE THEY'RE GOING IN WITH IDEAS AND IT DOESN'T SELL THE STORY AS WELL VERSUS SOMETHING THAT IS CLEARLY DEFINED, WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO DO AND THE IMPACT AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO FOR THE COMMUNITY. SO HOW SOON DO YOU HEAR BACK ON THAT GRANT? USUALLY JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS. I'M TRYING TO THINK ABOUT. SO THE ONE WE SUBMITTED PREVIOUSLY FOR THE REC CENTER, AND ABIGAIL WAS WE SUBMITTED IT IN EARLY AUGUST. AND WE HEARD ABOUT SIX MONTHS BECAUSE I THINK WE HEARD IN JANUARY IS WHEN IT CAME THROUGH AND I THINK. IT MAY HAVE BEEN DECEMBER. I THINK JANUARY WAS WHEN THEY HELD THE MEETING. AND THEN IT'S THE PROCESS AFTER THAT. NOPE. THINK BACK. MAYBE IT'S FULLY. IT TAKES ABOUT A YEAR BECAUSE IT WAS. WE HEARD IN JANUARY AND THEN WE DIDN'T GET THE CONTRACTS OFFICIALLY SIGNED AND EXECUTED UNTIL MAY. SO IT WAS ALMOST A YEAR. SO IT TAKES TIME. BUT I MEAN AN 80/20 SPLIT IS MORE PALATABLE FOR US. AND BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING LIKE I WOULD GO IN FOR THE FULL PROJECT, I WOULD GO IN WITH AN IDEA FOR FULL FUNDING, KNOWING THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO GET $1 MILLION PROJECT FOR $200,000 KIND OF THING VERSUS, WELL, WE'RE JUST GOING TO PUT IN FOR $300,000, BUT YOU CAN DO IT IN PHASES TOO. I CAN TELL YOU THEY ENCOURAGE US TO DO A GRANT, AN ADDITIONAL GRANT FOR THE REC CENTER. AND THEY HAD IT OPEN AGAIN THIS YEAR. AND IT JUST WE WEREN'T FAR ENOUGH ALONG IN OURS TO BE ABLE TO REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL YET. SO IS THERE WATER IN THAT DITCH ALL THE TIME OR RARE. YES. ALL THE TIME. SO WHEN YOU SAY DITCH OR POND. WELL, THE THING WE WANT TO PUT THE BRIDGE OVER. YES. THE DITCH. YES. SO YOU COULDN'T JUST WALK IT. NO, NO. THAT ONE WILL ALWAYS HAVE WATER IN IT. MINUS A MAJOR, MAJOR, MAJOR DROUGHT. BUT THE POND ITSELF, ACTUALLY THE POND DOES TOO. THERE'S A SECTION OF THE POND THAT WILL ALMOST ALWAYS HAVE WATER. AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER SECTION, WHICH IS THE EXPANSION OF THAT. I'VE WALKED THROUGH THAT BEFORE AND THERE'S BEEN NO WATER, SO IT'S QUITE EXPANSIVE. HOW DEEP IS IT? ABOUT THREE FOOT, I BELIEVE, AT CERTAIN SECTIONS. IT'S NOT VERY DEEP, JUST ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO HOLD THE EXCESS. AND THEN YOU GO TO THE OTHER SIDE AND WE'VE WALKED IN AND THERE'S BEEN NO WATER IN IT. AND SO I'VE NEVER SEEN IT ACTUALLY GO UP TO THE BANKS. THAT'S WHERE THE WEIR COMES IN IS THAT THEN DRAINS OFF FROM THERE. [00:35:02] SO BUT IN THE EVENT THAT THERE'S, IT SERVES THE PURPOSE AND THE NEED. SO SO YOU'RE SAYING WE WOULD PURPOSELY TRY TO DRAIN WATER TO IT FROM RAINS. YEAH. AND THAT'S THE DESIGN OF IT IS IT'S SUPPOSED TO HOLD IT TEMPORARILY. AND THEN WHEN YOUR HEAVY RAIN GOES THROUGH OR YOU HAVE A LULL AND THEN IT'LL DRAIN OUT INTO THE NATURAL DRAINAGE DITCH AND MAKE ITS COURSE. SO IT HAS SOME DESIGN PURPOSE THAT IT'S GOING TO HOLD A LITTLE BIT OF WATER. BECAUSE IT WON'T COME OVER THE WEIR. AND SO IT'S SUPPOSED TO CREATE SOME OF THAT. THEN IT HAS THE EXCESS THAT IF IT FLOODS IT CAN HOLD ADDITIONAL TO IT. SO YEAH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON TWO. GOOD DISCUSSION, EVERYBODY. ITEM NUMBER THREE UPDATE AND. I'M SORRY, [INAUDIBLE]. GO AHEAD. I WAS WATCHING THE MEETING, BUT I DON'T THINK I SAW IT ALL. WHAT DID THE COUNCIL DID THEY LIKE OUR PRIORITY LIST? DID THEY AGREE WITH OUR PRIORITY LIST? EVEN ABLC, WHAT WAS THE, I GUESS, AGREEMENT WITH OUR LIST COMPARED TO WHAT THEY THOUGHT? I THINK THEY HAD THEY LIKED THE NEW IDEA OF HOW THE PROCESS IS GOING AND TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT SOME OF THAT. AND THERE WERE SOME DISCUSSIONS ON WHICH, WHERE THE RANKING WAS AND WHAT THINGS WERE THERE AND THAT NEED THAT GOES WITH IT. AND SO EXAMPLE WAS LIKE VETERANS PARK. LIKE, DO WE WANT TO EVEN INVEST ANYTHING INTO VETERANS PARK? RIGHT. AND SO THEY UNDERSTOOD SOME OF THAT PRIORITY THAT WENT THERE. THEY TALKED ABOUT THE ADDITIONAL NEED FOR PARKING AND HOW THAT PLAYS INTO BATES PARK, BUT ALSO HAD DISCUSSIONS ON BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT DISTRIBUTING THE FUNDS THROUGHOUT PARKS. AND SO BATES PARK JUST GOT A NEW FIELD. WELL, SO WE'VE ALREADY INVESTED SOME MONEY IN THERE, BUT WE'VE ALSO FREEDOM PARK HAS THE SHADE COVERS ALREADY. SO THEY HAVE THAT AND THEY'RE GETTING A NEW FIELD. AND WE HAVEN'T ADDRESSED SHADE AT BATES PARK. AND SO I THINK THAT THE LIST HELP OPEN THEIR EYES TO SOME THINGS TO UNDERSTAND AND ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE, BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU DISCUSSIONS THAT WERE HAD AS WELL AS WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE AN AMAZING PARK SYSTEM, BUT WE DON'T ENVISION A NEW PARK COMING ONLINE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. RIGHT? ANYTHING CAN CHANGE THAT. BUT THE IDEA IS TO REINVEST INTO WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE THAT THERE ARE SOME BIGGER ITEMS THAT ARE GOING TO COME INTO PLAY THAT NEED A LITTLE TLC. SO LIKE BATES PAVILION OR PLAYGROUND IS ONE OF THOSE, RIGHT? THAT IS GOING TO COME UP FOR REPLACEMENT SOON. AND WE'VE GOT TO BE THINKING ABOUT THE COSTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. AND SO THEY APPRECIATED SOME OF THAT, OF THE IDEA OF TAKING CARE OF SOME OF THE THINGS WE CURRENTLY HAVE AND KNOWING THAT THERE ARE SOME OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO INVEST INTO OUR MASTER PLAN. SO FREEDOM PARK PAVILION WAS ANOTHER ONE THAT WAS IN THE MASTER PLAN. AND SO IT HELPS THEM TO REITERATE OR TO SHOW THAT THERE IS ANOTHER GROUP THAT IS SAYING THAT'S A PRIORITY, THAT WE'VE GOT TO GET BACK TO THOSE THINGS. SO I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THAT SIDE. IT'S JUST CONTINUING TO SELL THAT STORY OF BEING INTENTIONAL ON HOW WE DO SOME OF IT. AND SO I THINK IT WAS GOOD THAT THEY TOOK SOME OF THAT LOW HANGING FRUIT AND SAID, WE CAN KNOCK THOSE OUT QUICK. AND THEN THEY WERE HESITANT ON SOME OF THE BIGGER ONES, WHICH IN MY EYES CAN BE A POSITIVE AS WELL, THAT YOU MAY RESERVE SOME OF YOUR FUNDING FOR THAT FUTURE THING, THAT IT'S GOING TO COST US MORE. WELL, WE'VE GOT TO HOLD BACK ON SPENDING ALL OUR MONEY SO WE CAN INVEST IN THAT. WHEREAS IF THEY SPEND ALL THEIR MONEY AT ONE TIME, THEY'RE NEVER GOING TO GET TO THAT BIG ITEM BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE TOO COSTLY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. SO THEY SEEM ENCOURAGED BY THE LIST. AND JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A PRIORITY OF THIS IS COMING FROM PARKS BOARD, AND THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE SEEING AND HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY AS THE NEEDS AND REPRESENTING THE CITY WELL. AND THEN WE'RE COMING TO A FUNDING BOARD THAT IS DETERMINING IF THEY WANT TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR IT SO. I THINK THEY REALLY APPRECIATED ALL THE WORK THAT WE PUT IN ON IT, TO GOING OUT AND EVALUATING THE PARKS AND GOING THROUGH THAT MATRIX THAT YOU HAD SET UP, NOT JUST FIVE OF US SITTING AROUND SAYING, I LIKE THIS PROJECT. I LIKE THIS PROJECT. WE EVALUATED IT. WE TOOK THE EMOTION OUT OF IT. WE LOOKED AT WHAT SERVED THE PUBLIC. AND I THINK THEY APPRECIATED THE WORK THAT WE PUT INTO IT. YEP. AND LASTLY, I WILL SAY, AND I KNOW ERIN'S NOT HERE, BUT I KNOW THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT ONE FOR HER. WE DID TALK ABOUT ADA AS WELL THAT'S ON THE LIST. AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT WAS SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE DOING, MAKING SURE WE'RE INTENTIONAL WHEN WE'RE DOING THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE ALSO BRINGING THAT ADA COMPONENT IN THERE. SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED COULD HELP ADDRESS SOME OF OUR ADA DEFICIENCIES. IT'S JUST MAKING SURE WE DO THAT. IF WE, YOU KNOW BATES PLAYGROUND AND PAVILION, IF THAT WAS IDENTIFIED AS AN ADA ISSUE, WHEN WE DO THAT PROJECT, MAKE SURE WE DO THAT TOGETHER. SO IT'S GOING TO KNOCK THINGS OFF THE ADA LIST WITH A PROJECT. [00:40:01] AND THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAVE TO JUST BE JUST THE ADA COMPONENT WHERE SOME OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE THAT INTENTIONAL BECAUSE IT MIGHT BE MISSING SIDEWALK HERE. WELL, THAT MIGHT NOT BE ANOTHER PROJECT THAT MIGHT JUST BE THAT ONE. SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY TALKED ABOUT AS WELL. IT WAS VERY HELPFUL. IT WAS, IT WAS, IT WAS WELL DONE, WELL THOUGHT OUT. AND THEN COUNCIL HAD THEIR OWN IDEAS, BUT IT WAS NICE TO HAVE IT CONTAINED. YEAH. THEY, THEY FOLLOWED YOUR DIRECTION AND DISCUSSED THE LIST YOU GAVE. SO I CAN SAY, I MEAN, JUST LIKE WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT IT PRIOR, WE'VE GOT A LARGE LIST. AND SO THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE ON OUR CIP THAT WEREN'T ON THE PRIORITY LIST. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TWO IT GETS EXPANSIVE. AND SO IT'S A LOT OF FUNDING TO HAVE TO BE TO LOOK AT. AND THAT'S WHAT BECOMES DIFFICULT IS BATES PARK PLAYGROUND BEING THE EXAMPLE AS IT MAY ALREADY BE ON THE CIP. SO IT'S GOOD TO IDENTIFY THAT THAT SHOWS THAT IT'S ALIGNING WELL, RIGHT. THAT IT'S COMING UP FOR REPLACEMENT. AND PARKS BOARD HAS SAID, YEAH, IT SURELY NEEDS IT. RIGHT. AND SO WE HAD THAT FORECASTING FOR OUR NORMAL CIP, BUT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE THINGS THAT MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY BE PART OF A REPLACEMENT OF A PLAYGROUND OR PAVILION OR EQUIPMENT, RIGHT? THAT YOU MIGHT NOT BE THINKING ABOUT FOR AN ACTUAL CIP THAT NEED TO BE INCLUDED IN THERE, LIKE STRIPING THE PARKING LOT MIGHT NOT BE A CIP ITEM, RIGHT? IT'S JUST ONE THAT YOU KIND OF SEE HOW THE WEAR AND TEAR ASSOCIATES WITH THAT. SO THE LIST FOR OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT STUFF IS QUITE EXPANSIVE. AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, THERE'S A HIGH COST THAT COMES WITH IT. SO THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WHILE THEY'RE ON THERE MIGHT BE IMPORTANT. THEY ARE GOING TO FALL OFF, FALL TO THE WAYSIDE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE FUNDING TO ADDRESS ALL THE THINGS TO GET TO ALL OF THEM, BUT IT'S STILL IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT THEM BECAUSE THEY SHOULD BE TALKED ABOUT AS A PRIORITY IF FUNDING COMES AVAILABLE, IF WE'RE ABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE THINGS. SO IT'S A DIFFICULT BALANCE LOOKING AT ALL OF IT AND THE COST THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH IT. SO. ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT ITEM? OKAY. THE LAST ITEM IS [3. Update and discussion on the Phillips 66-funded pollinator garden project at Abigail Arias Park.] UPDATE AND DISCUSSION ON PHILLIPS 66 FUNDED POLLINATOR GARDEN PROJECT AT ABIGAIL ARIAS PARK. THANK YOU AGAIN, DAVID, FOR INTRODUCING THIS ONE. I WANTED TO PROVIDE YOU ALL AN UPDATE ON THIS. THIS IS AN EXCITING ADDITION TO ABIGAIL ARIAS. AND EVEN WITH ALL THE EXCITING THINGS ALREADY TAKING PLACE THERE. I WANTED TO BRING THIS BEFORE YOU ALL TO HAVE A QUICK DISCUSSION ON THIS. THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION IN THE PACKET. BY ALL MEANS, I'LL GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ THAT OVER KIND OF AT YOUR OWN TIME. IF YOU WANT TO DIVE MORE INTO SOME OF THE SPECIES SELECTIONS, WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED THERE. BUT THIS IS JUST A GREAT OPPORTUNITY THAT CAME FROM US FROM PHILLIPS 66, THAT THEY ARE FULLY FUNDING AN ADDITIONAL PLAYGROUND OR PLAYGROUND GARDEN ENHANCEMENT TO ABIGAIL ARIAS. AND THIS SECTION THAT WE'RE REFERRING TO IS THERE WERE MULTIPLE NATIVE MEADOW MIXES THAT WERE GOING TO GO THROUGHOUT THE PARK. THERE WAS A SECTION THAT WHEN YOU COME INTO THE PARK FROM THE SIDEWALK THAT KIND OF TEES OFF ON YOUR WALKING TRAIL THAT IS WHERE THIS POLLINATOR GARDEN IS GOING TO BE JUST SOUTH OF THE OTHER, ONE OF THE OTHER GARDENS THAT WE HAVE PLANNED BY THE PAVILION. AND SO THEY ARE GOING TO COME IN AND PROVIDE A A WIDE VARIETY OF SPECIES TO ENHANCE THAT AREA, TO INCREASE THAT POLLINATOR PIECE THAT COMES WITH IT, CREATING THAT NATURAL HABITAT FOR SOME OF THE NATIVE WILDLIFE THAT'S OUT THERE, THE ECOSYSTEM AND THE BIOSWALES THAT ARE PART OF IT. AND SO THE FIRST COUPLE THINGS YOU'LL SEE IN YOUR PACKET IS EXAMPLES OF THOSE SPECIES. SO YOU CAN KIND OF JUST GET AN IDEA OF WHAT SOME OF THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE. I NEED TO COMMEND DAVID. HE HAS BEEN HELPING ME ON THIS PROJECT AND TAKING LEAD HAVING A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPERTISE THAN I DO IN THE SPECIES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND WHAT WOULD MAKE SENSE HERE. AND SO THEY'VE COLLECTIVELY COME TOGETHER TO IDENTIFY SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD BE GREAT FOR US IN THAT SPACE THERE. AND SO THEY ARE GOING TO BE DOING A PLANTING EVENT THE FIRST WEEKEND IN NOVEMBER. AND WE'RE GOING TO GO IN AND PLANT ALL THESE SPECIES THERE. AND SO IT SHOULD LINE UP FAIRLY WELL WITH WHERE THE PROJECT ITSELF FOR ABIGAIL ARIAS WILL START WILL COME TO AN END. THEY WILL LEAVE THIS AREA UNDISTURBED AND THEY WILL PREP IT FOR THIS GARDEN, BUT THEY WILL NOT ADD THE METAL MIX THAT WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL PROJECT. IT WILL TURN INTO THIS GARDEN PIECE. AND SO THERE'LL BE AN IN PROGRESS ONE THAT WILL BE ABLE TO DO A COMMUNITY PLANTING FOR. SO WE'LL BE SEEKING VOLUNTEERS TO COME OUT AND SUPPORT THAT PROJECT. IT'S THE WEEKEND OF THE SIXTH AND THE SEVENTH OR SIXTH THROUGH THE EIGHTH. I GUESS IF YOU WILL. AND SO MORE INFORMATION TO COME ON THAT ONE. [00:45:01] SIXTH THROUGH THE EIGHTH OF WHAT MONTH. NOVEMBER. SATURDAY AND WE NEED SOME SUNDAY. YEAH. THIS WILL LINE UP. IT'S ALSO AN INITIATIVE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE BRINGING IN A KAB FOR THIS ONE. WE TYPICALLY DO OUR FALL SWEEP ON THAT SAME WEEKEND. SO IT TIES INTO, WE WOULD NORMALLY DO OUR TREE PLANTING. AND SO WE THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO SUPPLEMENT THIS THIS YEAR TO DO A DIFFERENT KIND OF PLANTING EVENT TO SUPPORT THIS. YOU'LL ALSO SEE IN YOUR PACKET, WHICH IS KIND OF A REALLY COOL ONE. THEY WANTED TO REALLY TIE ABIGAIL INTO IT IN SOME DEGREE. AND SO THERE IS A LLAMA SIGNAGE THAT WOULD BE PART OF IT. IT'S ONE OF HER FAVORITE ANIMALS. THAT WOULD BE LIKE A BEE MOTEL. AND SO IT CREATES SOME OF THAT DIVERSITY AND JUST A MEMORY FOR HER IN THAT PORTION AS WELL AS SOME ADDITIONAL SIGNAGE THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON. BUT I THOUGHT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT ONE AS A COOL LITTLE ADD ON THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO INCORPORATE IT INTO IT. AND THEN THE LAST COMPONENT OF IT IS JUST SOME FEEDBACK QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING AS FAR AS SOME MOCK DESIGN THEY PUT TOGETHER FOR THE SIGNAGE THAT WE WOULD PUT OUT THERE HIGHLIGHTING THAT THE PLANTING AND PROGRESS IS COMING TO JUST KEEP THEM MINDFUL THAT NOT TO DISTURB THE SPACE AND WHEN IT'S IN ITS GROWTH PHASE TO KEEP PEOPLE OUT OF THAT SPACE. SO YOU'LL JUST SEE A COUPLE THERE AND JUST WANT TO GET FEEDBACK FROM YOU ALL AND MAKE SURE Y'ALL HAD AN UPDATE ON SOME OF THE EXCITING THINGS THAT ARE COMING. WHO IS TANDEM GLOBAL ARE THEY WHO PHILLIPS OUTSOURCE IT TO? YEAH. YEAH. SO IT'S A THIRD PARTY CONTRACTOR THAT THEY WORK WITH THAT IS KIND OF DESIGNING THIS PROJECT OF IT. SO THEY WORKED WITH THEM ON ANOTHER PROJECT IN LAKE CHARLES. AND SO THEY HAVE DONE ONE PREVIOUSLY SIMILAR TO THIS AND HAVE USED THEM TO HELP TO SOURCE THE SPECIES AND EVERYTHING AND WORK THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS. THE GREAT PART ON THIS ONE IS THEY ARE HANDLING THE MAJORITY OF EVERYTHING. IT IS JUST COORDINATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND TANDEM GLOBAL FOR THE MOST PART TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THIS WOULD, THIS PROJECT WOULD ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE DEFINED TO BE, AND THEN JUST WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE THE EVENT SPECIFICALLY HAPPEN. BUT THIS IS ALL FUNDED BY PHILLIPS 66. SO IT DOESN'T COST THE CITY ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT IT. SO HOW BIG OF AN AREA IS IT? IT'S ABOUT 5000FT², TECHNICALLY TWO SECTIONS. SO THEY DECIDED WHAT WAS BEING PLANTED. THEY PRESENTED A LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS. SO GOT WITH DAVID ON THIS TO REVIEW SOME THINGS AND CUT IT DOWN TO THINGS THAT WOULD MAKE MOST SENSE FOR OUR AREA. THEY HAVE BOTANISTS GO TO MOODY GARDENS IS ALL I CAN SAY. 35 DIFFERENT SPECIES. MY BACKYARD HAS ABOUT. I BET I HAVE 50 SPECIES. I CAN TELL YOU WHAT WORKS AND DOESN'T WORK. 3,000 INDIVIDUAL PLANTS? YES. 3,000. 3,000. WE NEED THAT MANY DIFFERENT ONES. THE MORE, THE BETTER. TO MAKE SURE TO ENSURE THAT IT DOES ITS JOB. WE HAVE FOUR INCH PLUGS. AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF STUFF IS NOT AVAILABLE. YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME STUFF THAT WE'D LIKE TO HAVE, BUT IT'S JUST NOT COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE. AND THIS STUFF IS GETTING SOURCED THROUGH THREE DIFFERENT NURSERIES, ONE IN NORTH CAROLINA, ONE IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND ONE IN TEXAS, I THINK. AND THEY'RE ALL FOR OUR ZONE. THEY ARE ALL NATIVES THEY ARE ALL NATIVE TO THIS AREA. THERE ARE A COUPLE THAT I REQUESTED THAT JUST AREN'T COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE, BUT THESE ARE ALL PRETTY GOOD CHOICES. AND THERE ARE A MIXTURE A FEW SHRUBS, SOME NATIVE GRASSES, AND THEN LOTS OF NATIVE WILDFLOWERS, OBVIOUSLY. ARE THEY GOING TO BE LABELED? OKAY. THEY'RE DOING GOOD. PROBABLY NOT. PROBABLY NOT. ONE THING THAT I WOULD I'D LOVE TO HAVE A WATER SPIGOT IN THIS AREA. JUST A WATER PIPE RUN OUT THERE THAT WE COULD HOOK A HOSE ON TO, AT LEAST ESPECIALLY TO GET THIS STUFF ESTABLISHED. SO IS THAT A POSSIBILITY? THEY ARE LOOKING AT TRYING TO GET IRRIGATION. OKAY. EVEN BETTER. THAT IS THE ONLY PIECE THAT COMES WITH THAT IS THE ONCE WE GET A CHANGE ORDER OF WHAT THAT WOULD BE, BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE IRRIGATION JUST NORTH OF THAT AT THE GARDEN. AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO SEE WHAT THAT WOULD BE. HOWEVER, I DO NEED TO DOUBLE CHECK THOUGH, TOO, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE TREES RIGHT THERE MAY HAVE IRRIGATION TIED TO THEM AS WELL. OKAY. WHICH WOULD MAKE A NATURAL TRANSITION AND JUST ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE. SO WE ARE TRYING TO IDENTIFY IF WE CAN GET WATER THERE. SPEAKERS] A MINIMUM THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED. THAT'S CONVERSATIONS WE HAD. THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST QUESTIONS THEY ASKED WAS WHAT MAINTENANCE SUPPORT WOULD BE AVAILABLE. AND I WAS VERY TRANSPARENT TO SAY THAT OURS, OUR GUYS ARE BY NO MEANS EXPERTS. AND SO THIS NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING THAT IS ATTAINABLE. THEY'RE TRAINABLE, BUT VERY LITTLE MAINTENANCE. [00:50:03] AND, I'M GOING TO VOLUNTEER A VOLUNTEER THAT'S CURRENTLY IN THE ROOM THAT HE WOULD COME IN AND SUPPORT AS WELL, JUST LIKE HE'S DONE AT LAKESIDE. I WAS LIKE, OKAY. OH YEAH. YOU DIDN'T KNOW? NO. DAVID HAS BEEN A HUGE SUPPORT AT SOME OF THE STUFF OUT AT LAKESIDE. AND SO THERE WOULD BE SOME THINGS THAT YEAH, WE WOULD WORK ON. SO IN THEORY, YES, I MEAN. THAT LOOKS GOOD. THAT'S WHAT I LIKED ABOUT LAKESIDE IS BEING MAINTAINED WELL AND WE CAN KEEP DOING THAT HERE. YEAH. THAT WAS THE INTENT WAS THAT IT WOULD REQUIRE LITTLE TO NO MAINTENANCE. WE ARE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT PARTNERSHIPS THOUGH WITH LIKE TEXAS MASTER NATURALIST OR TEXAS MASTER GARDENERS THAT THEY MAY BE ABLE TO COME IN AND SUPPORT THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS. THAT'D BE GOOD. YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHY YEAH, WELL, THIS WAS THIS WAS ALL DONE WHEN THIS CAME IN. YEAH. SO. OKAY. SO I THINK YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT MASTER NATURALIST, MASTER GARDENERS, PHILLIPS 66 EMPLOYEES. SO DID HE SAY. ALL OF THOSE WERE CHOSEN OR THAT'S WHAT THE METRO NATURALIST. CAN ALL PARTICIPATE IN THIS. YEAH. THESE ARE THE SELECTED. ARE THOSE THE FINAL? I WOULDN'T SAY THEY WERE FINAL. THERE ARE LISTS RIGHT NOW, BUT I WOULDN'T SAY THEY WERE NECESSARILY FINAL, BUT THE LIST NEEDS TO BE FINALIZED HERE PRETTY QUICK, RIGHT? YES. I'VE GOT TO GET THEM ORDERED AND DELIVERED. AND BY WHEN WE SAY FINAL, IT IS BASED ON AVAILABILITY TOO. SO THERE MAY BE THINGS IN THERE THAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH. ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT, SO WHEN LIKE DAVID GAVE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WENT WITH IT AND REVIEW AND HIM AND I DISCUSSED SOME OF IT. SO AS WE STARTED TO CUT SOME OF IT DOWN AND REALLY FOCUS ON SOME OF THE SPECIES, BECAUSE WHAT NOT TO SAY IT WAS DOUBLE, BUT THERE WAS QUITE A FEW MORE SPECIES THAT WERE TALKED ABOUT. THEY HAD A LIST OF HOW MANY THEY WERE SOURCING. AND SO WHEN WE STARTED TO NARROW THAT DOWN, THE ONES WE'VE SELECTED, THE AMOUNT NEEDED HAS STARTED TO GROW. AND SO LET'S SAY THEY'RE BUYING 150 PLANTS OF ONE VERY SPECIFIC SPECIES. NOW WE'RE ASKING FOR 500. WE DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN GET 500 OF THAT SPECIES. SO WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH SOME OF THAT. SO THIS RIGHT NOW IS THE INTENT TO GO THERE TO BE ABLE TO INCORPORATE THEM IN, BUT IT'S ALL GOING TO COME DOWN TO WHAT IS AVAILABLE TO BE SOURCED. AND FEEDBACK IS THAT A LOT OF THESE ARE GOING TO BE SPRING SUMMER PRETTY MUCH. AND THEN YOU DON'T REALLY I MEAN, THE GRASSES ARE WILL HELP YOU OUT THROUGH THE WINTER AND THE SUMMER. RIGHT? BUT YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT IT IN TERMS OF SEASON AND I'M A LITTLE BIT WORRIED THAT IT'S GOING TO NOT LOOK PRETTY YEAR ROUND. IF YOU DON'T SPACE OUT THOSE GRASSES A LITTLE BIT. OKAY. OKAY. YEAH, THAT'S GOOD GOOD GOOD IDEAS. ALSO ON THIS SPECIES SELECTION WAS WHAT THEY WHAT GLOBAL TANDEM KEPT REFERRING TO WAS WELL-BEHAVED SPECIES. OH YEAH. LIKE LANTANA GOES NUTS. YEAH, I LOVE LANTANA. BUT YEAH, WE WANT TO ELIMINATE THAT KIND OF STUFF. IT'S GOING TO GO AND YOU KNOW, VINES. OR CAN GO NUTS. YEAH. YES. YEP. YEAH, I LOVE TURK'S CAP. I LOVE SOME OF THESE. AND I CAN SEND OUT THIS PLANT LIST IF ANYBODY WANTS TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT, I DO. OKAY, I'LL SEND IT OUT. I'M OKAY WITH IT. YOU'RE OKAY WITH THAT, RIGHT? DEADLINE FRIDAY. OKAY. TO GET FEEDBACK ON IT? YES. OKAY. YEAH, I JUST I WENT TO MOODY GARDENS RECENTLY AND HAVE A LITTLE MY LITTLE PLANT PICTURE OUT AND OH MY GOSH, THERE'S SOME GORGEOUS PLANTS THERE. AND YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO WORK IF IT WORKS IN GALVESTON. SO I'M JUST. BUT ARE THEY NATIVE? TWO THINGS I WOULD PREFACE THERE IS ARE THEY NATIVE AND MAINTENANCE? BECAUSE THERE ARE THINGS THAT MAY LOOK AMAZING AND WONDERFUL, BUT WHAT IS THE MAINTENANCE THAT'S GOING TO GO WITH THAT? I CANNOT PROMISE THAT WE ARE GOING TO MAINTAIN SOME OF THESE THINGS, LIKE A FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATION, RIGHT? LIKE FUNDED. SO THEY'RE ABLE TO. WHAT'S THAT? THEY'RE PRIVATE FUNDED, SO THEY'RE ABLE TO. EXACTLY. RIGHT. AND SO KEEPING IN MIND TOO. SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THREE GARDENS THAT ARE BEING ADDED TO THE PARK SYSTEM. YOU HAVE THE NATIVE MIX, THE MEADOW MIX THAT'S GOING TO BE AT ABIGAIL AND THE OTHER AREAS. THAT IS VERY MUCH LIKE LAKESIDE. IT'S GOING TO COME IN FOR A SEASON. WE'RE GOING TO MOW IT OVER AFTER IT DIES OFF, RIGHT? YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THE INTENTIONAL GARDEN RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE PLAY, THE PAVILION. THAT IS GOING TO REQUIRE SOME MAINTENANCE WITH IT AS WELL AS WELL AS THIS ONE. AND THAT'S WITHOUT A CURRENT BEAUTIFICATION PERSON ON OUR IN OUR DEPARTMENT. THAT WAS MY SUGGESTION. CAN WE GET THE BEAUTIFICATION FOLKS TO HELP MAINTAIN IT OR EVEN MASTER GARDENER OR SOMETHING? WE CAN. BUT THAT YOU'RE WHILE THE INTENT YES IS THERE. IT'S ALSO A VOLUNTEER. RIGHT? AND SO WHILE WE MAY WANT THEM TO COME IN, YOU'RE ALSO RELYING ON A VOLUNTEER. [00:55:04] NOT TO SAY THEY WON'T, RIGHT. BECAUSE THEY DO AMAZING WORK, RIGHT. IT'S JUST WE DON'T HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S STAFF DEDICATED TO ENSURE BECAUSE I CAN GO OUT THERE AND SAY, HEY, MASTER GARDENERS, YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO DO IT MONTHLY AND THEY CAN COME BACK AND BE LIKE, OH, WE HAD THIS COME UP AND THIS COME UP. AND, NOT TO SAY THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT WE JUST HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT, RIGHT? IS WE MIGHT ENTER IN A PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM. WHAT MAY COME OF IT, THOUGH, IS THEY DON'T DO THEIR PART IN THE PARTNERSHIP. AND WE'RE JUST AT A LOSS THERE. RIGHT. AND SO IT'S NOT TO SAY WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT. IT'S JUST BEING MINDFUL OF WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT BEING A VOLUNTEER VERSUS STAFF, SOME OF THAT GETS A LITTLE BIT DICEY. RIGHT NOW. WE DON'T HAVE A BEAUTIFICATION PERSON ON OUR STAFF, SO IT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT TO MANAGE. TO KEEP UP WITH ALL THESE GARDEN SPACES, YOU'RE GOING TO END UP NEEDING A OKAY, HAVE YOU SEEN ANY OF THAT STUFF? SO WE HAD A BEAUTIFICATION PERSON ON OUR STAFF. WE ARE CURRENTLY WHEN WE WENT THROUGH SOME BUDGET STUFF TWO YEARS AGO NOW, RIGHT? TWO, I THINK ARE WE AT THREE YEARS NOW? 2 TO 3 YEARS AGO. TWO YEARS. TWO YEARS AGO. THE BEAUTIFICATION POSITION WAS ONE OF THE ONES THAT WAS NOT THAT WE LOST DURING THAT TIME. SO THAT INDIVIDUAL RETIRED. AND IT WAS NEVER FUNDED AGAIN. AND SO THERE'S THAT. WE HAVE TWO PARKS WORKERS IN THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR POSITION THAT WERE NEVER REFUNDED. AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO THAT. BUT RIGHT NOW THERE'S NOT THE FUNDING DEDICATED TO THAT. PROBABLY HARD TO COME BY TOO. FUNDING WISE. NO PERSONNEL WISE PERSONNEL WISE. I MEAN, IF THE POSITION WAS THERE, WE COULD FIND SOMEBODY TO DO IT, I'M SURE. BUT WE JUST DON'T. THE POSITION WAS WAS NO LONGER FUNDED. SO. ANY OTHER INPUT ON THIS IDEAS. SO THIS STILL GET THE FINAL PLANT LIST. AND TANDEM GLOBAL IS GOING TO DO THIS LLAMA SCULPTURE BOARD KIND OF THING. YEP. AND THAT'S NOT THE FINAL DESIGN. THAT IS JUST A MOCK UP OF SOMETHING. WHERE IS THAT GOING? IN THE GARDEN. OH, IN THE GARDEN. SO ANYTHING ELSE WE NEED TO BE DOING RIGHT NOW AS A BOARD? JUST KEEP LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY. GET THEIR FEEDBACK. OKAY. STUFF LIKE THAT. WE'D LOVE TO HAVE SOME BOARD INVOLVEMENT ON THE PLANTING DATES OUT THERE. ON NOVEMBER 6TH AND SEVENTH. IF YOU GUYS WERE AVAILABLE WE'D LOVE TO HAVE SOME REPRESENTATION OUT THERE. I IMAGINE WE'LL BE OUT THERE GETTING STUFF READY AND LAYING IT OUT THE DAY BEFORE BECAUSE THERE'LL BE LOTS OF GETTING READY, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF PHILLIPS WILL BRING SOME VOLUNTEERS OUT AND WE'LL WANT EVERYTHING READY TO GO, OR WE CAN JUST READY TO GO. YEAH, BECAUSE WE GOT 5,000 PLANTS TO DO. WE NEED TO LOOK FOR VOLUNTEERS TOO. OR AS WE GET CLOSER, I THINK WE'LL PROBABLY DO SOME RECRUITING. I THINK TANDEM GLOBAL IS GOING TO REACH OUT TO THE MASTER NATURALISTS. THEY'VE KIND OF BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS. IT'S ALREADY ON THEIR RADAR. AND THE MASTER NATURALISTS OR THE MASTER NATURALIST AND THE MASTER GARDENERS WE MAY DEPENDING ON KIND OF HOW THINGS SHAKE, YOU KNOW, WE MAY GET SOME SCOUT GROUPS THAT KIND OF STUFF TOO, OR SOME, JUST SOME INTERESTED INDIVIDUALS. THERE'S SOME TALK ABOUT GETTING BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF BRAZORIA COUNTY WAS INVOLVED IN THE ORIGINAL PLANNING OF THIS, AND THEY MAY BE ABLE TO SEND SOME KIDS OUT TO, YOU KNOW, HELP OUT ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND DO SOME GOOD PHOTO OPS, THAT KIND OF STUFF. SO THERE'LL BE A LOT MORE INFORMATION COMING OUT ABOUT THIS. HOW MANY PLANTS DID YOU SAY THERE WERE? 3,000. 03,000. 3,032. YEAH, I KNOW, THAT'S A LOT. OKAY. IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT TIME. I JUST HOPE WE CAN KEEP THEM ALIVE. YEAH. THAT'S GOING TO BE THE WHOLE OTHER ISSUE IS WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT. THAT'S A LOT. I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE CONVERSATION OF BEING INTENTIONAL WITH HAVING THAT MANY IS IT CREATES MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO SURVIVE. VERSUS WHEN YOU HAVE A FEW THAT YOU'RE PLANTING AND YOU LOSE A FEW, THAT'S WHEN YOU RUN INTO ISSUES. THEN YOU HAVE NOTHING, RIGHT? SO I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE INTENT IS TO PLANT A LOT OF STUFF THAT IS, IT'S ALSO NOT JUST SEEDS THAT'S GOING OUT. IT'S PROVIDING THE BEST OPPORTUNITY OF PLANTING PLUGS THAT ARE ALREADY PRE-ESTABLISHED. SO IT'S A LOT OF PLANTS. I'M JUST SURPRISED WE'RE PLANTING IN NOVEMBER. I MEAN, IT COULD BE WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT COLD. THESE ARE ALL NATIVE PLANTS. THEY OUGHT TO DO JUST FINE. AND I THINK YOU KNOW. PHILLIPS PHILLIPS WANTED THIS TO HAPPEN SOON. SO WE'RE KIND OF AT THEIR MERCY ON SOME OF THIS. WELL, AND WE DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMERTIME, OBVIOUSLY. WELL NO. BUT I WOULD HAVE PLANTED IN THE EARLY SPRING. I MEAN, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE COULD HAVE A HARD WINTER AND THEY'RE JUST NEW PLANTS. I MEAN, YOU REALLY DON'T WANT TO PLAN ON, YOU KNOW, AND WHEN THEY'RE ESTABLISHED, THEY CAN HANDLE THE COLD, [01:00:03] BUT THEY DON'T DO THAT WELL EARLY. SO I WOULD JUST THINK YOU WOULD WAIT TILL LIKE MARCH, LATE FEBRUARY. SO PROS AND CONS WITH ALL OF IT. EVEN IF YOU GO INTO MARCH AND YOU HAVE LIKE A YEAR LIKE WE DID THIS YEAR, YOU MIGHT RUN INTO PROBLEMS THAT WE GET SO MUCH WATER AND RAIN THAT IT CHOKES THEM OUT. RIGHT? OR WE GET TO ZERO RAIN. AND WORST CASE SCENARIO, WE'RE IN A DROUGHT AND THEY SAY, CUT OFF THE WATER SUPPLY. AND YOU'RE KIND OF AT THE MERCY AS WELL, RIGHT? REALISTICALLY, YOU PLAN ON 3,000. YEAH. BUT YOU CAN WATER. YES. YOU CAN WATER. YEAH. SO YOU CAN FIX THAT PROBLEM WITH THE FREEZE. YOU DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER THE PROBLEM. THE I WILL SAY THAT SOMEWHAT IF YOU WILL. GOOD NEWS WOULD BE IN NOVEMBER IS TYPICALLY FAR ENOUGH OUT FOR FREEZES. BUT WE YOU COULD RANDOMLY GET ONE IN DECEMBER. YOU KNOW, WHEN PHILLIPS COMES AND SAYS, WE WANT TO FUND THIS. WE WANT TO PAY FOR THIS. WE WANT TO DO IT NOW. WE SAY OKAY. YES. YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S A NICE COMBINATION OF BEING ON A ARBOR DAY, TEXAS ARBOR DAY. YES. IT'S KIND OF A NEAT THING. THE FACT THAT IT'S A BRAND NEW PARK AND WE'VE GOT THIS BRAND NEW PROJECT GOING TO IT, IT'S GOING TO DRAW ATTENTION TO IT. SO YEAH, I AGREE. YOU KNOW, MARCH WOULD BE IDEAL, BUT I THINK EVERYTHING ELSE CONSIDERED. AND PHILIP SAYS WE WANT TO DO IT IN NOVEMBER. I THINK WE DO IT IN NOVEMBER. YOU DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH MONEY THEY'RE SPENDING ON THIS, DO YOU KNOW? I KEEP ASKING FOR MORE THINGS. SO WE'RE GOOD. KEEP DOING THAT. I STILL THINK THE SPINNING LLAMA IN THE WATER PARK WOULD BE A NICE FEATURE. BUT IF YOU KNOW, IF YOU KNOW A DONOR THAT WANTS TO DO THAT. HOW TALL IS THIS LLAMA? YOU'RE SHOWING THAT WOULD LLAMA. OH, I DON'T KNOW. I'M SCARED HE'S GOING TO GET COVERED UP BY THE PLANTS TOWARDS THE BOTTOM AFTER THE PLANTS. YEAH. I'M SCARED HE'S GOING TO GET COVERED UP BY THE PLANTS. PUT HIM UP CLOSE. NO, NO, I THINK THAT IT'S GOING TO BE QUITE LARGE. WHEN I SAY LIKE SOME OF THE LIKE, ESPECIALLY YOU HAVE TO BE INTENTIONAL. WHAT PLANTS IT'S NEARBY, BUT YOU'RE TRYING TO CREATE THAT EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT AS WELL. SO YOU WANT IT TO BE PROMINENT SO PEOPLE CAN SEE IT, ESPECIALLY WITH BEING AN INSECT MOTEL. SO PEOPLE CAN SEE LIKE NATURE DOING NATURE. SO I DON'T THINK BY ANY MEANS IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT IS SMALLER IN CAPACITY. SO. OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT? I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S INVOLVEMENT AND DISCUSSION ON THAT. SO WHAT'S THE BEE OR INSERT IN THE TORSO. THEY'RE LITTLE LITTLE WOODEN TUBES. A LOT OF THE NATIVE BEES NEST IN LITTLE HOLLOW TUBES AND PLANT STEMS AND THAT SORT OF STUFF. SO THESE ARE INTERCHANGEABLE LITTLE VARYING DIAMETER WOODEN TUBES THAT GO IN THERE. SO A LOT OF THE NATIVE BEES WILL GET IN THERE AND REPRODUCE. WE'RE NOT TALKING LIKE A SWARM OF HONEYBEES, RIGHT? BUT A LOT OF NATIVE BEES, THEY DON'T BITE PEOPLE. INTERESTING. YOU PUT ONE IN YOUR HOUSE, YOU CAN OPEN YOUR WINDOW, HAVE IT SET UP RIGHT THERE SO THE BEES CAN GO IN AND OUT OF YOUR HOME. AND YOU CAN SEE THE BEES ON THE INSIDE OF YOUR HOUSE AND THEN GO OUT. WE HAVE SOME ON OUR PATIO. LITTLE HOUSE. DO YOU HAVE BEES IN THEM. WE HAVE ONE YEAR. IT WAS EXCITING TO WALK OUT THERE AND WAS LIKE, OH MY GOD, THERE'S BEES COMING OUT JUST LIKE THEY SAID. YEAH, IT WORKS, IT WORKS. YEP. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT? OKAY. VERY LAST THING IS COMMUNICATION FROM BOARD MEMBERS. [COMMUNICATION FROM BOARD MEMBERS] ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DISCUSS, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO BRING UP WHAT'S GOING GOOD? WHAT'S GOING BAD? ADDISON ANYTHING TO ADD? NO. AMBER. NO. NO. ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? JUST ONE QUESTION. THIS IS COMMUNICATION FROM THE BOARD. THAT'S TRUE. COULD WE LOOK INTO. A POSSIBLE WAY OF MAKING OUR PARKS MORE CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER. WITH LIKE A TRAIL SYSTEM. WE PASSED THAT OUT EARLIER. I KNOW MEGAN HAD A I HAD SENT MEGAN SOME PATHWAYS. RIGHT. AND I HAD MASKED OUT A POSSIBLE PATH BETWEEN. YEAH. HIKE AND BIKE PATH BETWEEN. HIKE AND BIKE COMMITTEE. THERE WE GO. YEAH. YEAH, WE HAD ONE OF THOSE. I WAS ON THAT ONE. YEAH. I'M JUST TRYING TO SEE. BUT YOU WANT TO BRING IT BACK TO THE THE FOREFRONT. KIND OF. YES. OKAY. I FEEL LIKE THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BENEFIT THIS AREA A LOT. I AGREE. BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW NEIGHBORHOODS COMING UP. THAT'S ONE PART OF IT. BUT ALSO THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE HERE SHOULD ALSO KNOW THAT, HEY, THERE'S THIS PARK HERE. OH, THERE'S THIS ONE HERE. OH, IT'S REALLY NOT THAT FAR. OH. SOUTH SIDE OF TOWN SOUNDS REALLY FAR FROM RANCHO. ABOUT TWO MILES. IT'S NOT THAT BAD. AND, YOU KNOW, WE LOOKED AT UTILIZING SOME OF THESE DRAINAGE DITCHES EASEMENTS. [01:05:03] AND YOU CAN GET AROUND THIS TOWN QUITE A BIT ON DRAINAGE DISTRICT EASEMENTS. SO WHAT WOULD BE THE PROCESS IN LOOKING AT SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO REVAMPING THAT TO SEE WHO'S INTERESTED AND GET A MEETING TOGETHER? 1 OR 2 THINGS WE COULD DO IS WE COULD DO IT AS A SUBCOMMITTEE, LIKE IT WAS PREVIOUSLY AND NARROW THAT DOWN OR IT COULD BRING IT BACK TO THE NEXT MEETING. WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE CURRENT LIKE WHAT, WHERE WE LEFT OFF AND THEN DECIPHER FROM THERE. I GUESS SOMEWHERE IN YOUR FILES IS A LIST OF WHO'S ON THE SUBCOMMITTEE NOW. I KNOW I WAS ON IT, I GUESS [INAUDIBLE] WAS ON IT WHEN I STARTED. WHAT IF, WHAT IF YOU REACHED OUT TO THOSE PEOPLE AND SAID, HEY, WE'D LIKE TO REVIVE THIS. ARE YOU GUYS STILL INTERESTED IN THIS? AND THEN WE BRING IT UP AT THE NEXT MEETING. AND I'M CERTAINLY INTERESTED IN IT. JUST A WAY TO CONNECT SOME PARKS BACK TO DOWNTOWN ANGLETON IF WE WANT TO TRY TO REVAMP ALL THAT TOO, EVENTUALLY. I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. AND A SAFE CROSSING BETWEEN 35 AND 288 B TO GET US TO BATES. OKAY, GREAT. YEAH, I THINK THAT'S GREAT. I DID HAVE A COMMENT. DO WE HAVE ANY PICTURES OF THEIR PARK IN LAKE CHARLES THAT THEY PUT IN ALREADY? WHERE THEY DID A LOT OF THIS. IT WASN'T THE PARK. IT WAS ONE PLANTING AREA. KIND OF LIKE WHAT THEY'RE DOING HERE. RIGHT? HE HAD SOME PICTURES OF. I DON'T HAVE PICTURES OF THAT. I CAN ASK. BUT MITCH, MITCH WAS SHOWING PICTURES WHEN WE HAD THAT EVENT THAT AND. THEY KEPT IT, THEY KEPT, THEY KEPT IT FOR A WHILE. OH THEY DON'T MAINTAIN IT. THEY JUST BRING IT IN AND. BUT I MEAN, HOW DOES IT LOOK AFTER A YEAR. THAT I, THAT I DON'T KNOW. I WOULD BE CURIOUS FROM CITY. HONESTLY I WAS I DIDN'T GET A FEEL FOR WHEN THAT ONE HAPPENED. BUT THAT THAT IS GOING TO BE A REAL CHALLENGE IS WHAT THIS THING IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE A YEAR FROM NOW OR TWO YEARS FROM NOW. AND SOME OF IT WILL BE SELF MAINTAINING, BUT SOME OF IT'S GOING TO NEED SOME WORK. AND YOU KNOW, EITHER THE MASTER GARDENERS OR MASTER NATURALISTS OR JUST COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS TO HELP OUT. BUT THAT, THAT IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE. ONE THING I WANTED TO MENTION IS THE PUBLIC EVENTS THAT WE'VE DONE IN PARKS, I THINK IS REALLY A GREAT THING. WHETHER IT'S THE MOVIE NIGHT AT THE REC CENTER OR YOGA AT LAKESIDE OR THE STARRY NIGHTS AT LAKESIDE, OR WE DID AN ICE CREAM SOCIAL WITH KSBJ AT LAKESIDE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. I THINK THOSE ARE REALLY GREAT. I'D LOVE TO SEE MORE OF THOSE. I KNOW IT'S TAXING ON YOUR BUDGET AND TAXING ON YOUR STAFF. IF WE AS A BOARD CAN HELP OUT WITH SOME OF THAT STUFF, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO REACH OUT. I THINK IT JUST SPEAKS, IT MAKES PUTS PARKS ON PEOPLE'S RADARS WHEN THEY SEE STUFF THAT'S GOING ON IN CITY PARKS, OTHER THAN JUST, I CAN GO OUT HERE AND PLAY ON THE PLAYGROUND WHEN I WANT. WE GET MORE OF THOSE SPECIAL EVENTS. THAT WOULD BE GREAT, I THINK. YEAH, I THINK THE ICE CREAM AND THE YOGA SPECIFICALLY WERE LIKE THE HOTTEST DAYS OF THE YEAR. YEAH. I'D LIKE TO. I'D LIKE ICE CREAM. MAKES SENSE. RIGHT UP UNDER THE PAVILION. YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WERE OUT. YOU WERE OUT THERE. IT WAS OUT WAY IN THE PARKING LOT AND PEOPLE WERE COMING. THEY WERE GETTING THEIR ICE CREAM AND THEY WERE LEAVING. AND I THOUGHT IF WE'D HAVE MOVED THE ICE CREAM DISTRIBUTION UNDER THE PAVILION, PEOPLE WOULD HAVE CAME AND GOT AN ICE CREAM AND HUNG OUT AT THE PARK. I THINK SOME OF THAT WAS JUST BASED ON THEIR CURRENT SETUP OF HOW THEY DISTRIBUTE. YEAH. BUT YEAH, IN THE FUTURE, IT'S YEAH. ANYWAY, IF WE CAN GET MORE SPECIAL EVENTS IN PARKS, I'D BE ALL FOR THAT. I'D BE WILLING TO HELP OUT WITH THAT IF WE COULD. OKAY. OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY. IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, WE'LL ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 1:09. THANK YOU. THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH FOR COMING. AND THANKS FOR THE PARTICIPATION. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.