[00:00:05]
THE ORDER, MR. MAYOR AGENDA AS PA YEAH, THAT'S AS A PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE.
YOU HAVE TO AMEND THE AGENDA AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING.
MA'AM, WE'RE GONNA, OKLAHOMA OPENS MEETINGS THAT STATES THAT ALL GOVERNMENT MEETINGS ARE RAN ACCORDING TO ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER.
THIS IS A PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE.
COULD YOU PLEASE JUST ADD THAT TO THE AGENDA FOR US? YOU CAN RESPOND RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE NOT IN CITIZEN COMMENT, MA'AM.
WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THAT WHEN WE GET TO IT.
I, I'LL APPRECIATE YOU HOLDING TRUE TO YOUR WORD.
[1. Call to Order by Mayor Darrell A. Davis.]
ON THIS BEAUTIFUL MONDAY, AUGUST 14TH, I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.[2. Consideration of Approval of City Council Meeting Minutes:]
ITEM TWO, A CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING, MINUTES OF JULY 24TH, 2023, AND CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES JULY 24TH, 2023.MR. MAYOR, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
THOSE MEETING MINUTES HAVE BEEN PASSED.
NOW WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PRESENTATIONS WE'RE SO HONORED TO, FOR OUR FIRST PRESENTATION
[A. Presentation of the Police Chief of the Year Award by the Oklahoma Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP).]
IS A PRESENTATION OF THE POLICE CHIEF OF THE YEAR AWARD BY THE OKLAHOMA ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE.WE HAVE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WITH US THIS BEAUTIFUL EVENING, MR. STEVE WHITLOCK.
HE'S COMING DOWN ALONG WITH OUR POLICE CHIEF.
MY NAME IS STEVE WHITLOCK AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE OKLAHOMA ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE.
TONIGHT I'M ALSO JOINED BY MEMBERS OF THE OKLAHOMA ASSOCIATION, CHIEFS OF POLICE BOARD AND OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONALS IN RECOGNIZING ONE OF OUR OWN.
AS YOU KNOW, 2022 WAS A HARD YEAR FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA, AND IT WAS NO DIFFERENT FOR THE EDMUND POLICE DEPARTMENT AS WELL.
THE DEPARTMENT EXPERIENCE ITS FIRST LINE OF DUTY DEATH IN DEPARTMENT'S HISTORY.
WHEN SERGEANT CJ NELSON LOST HIS LIFE SERVING THIS WONDERFUL COMMUNITY DURING THIS TIME, CHIEF YOUNGER DID NOT FALTER.
IN FACT, HE LED, HE LED THE AGENCY THROUGH THE DARKEST DAYS WITH COMPASSION, STRENGTH, AND HUMILITY.
DESPITE THE STRUGGLES WITH HIS OWN AGENCY THAT THEY WERE EXPERIENCING, CHIEF YOUNGER WAS ALSO PRESENT AND ENGAGED WITH OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS WHO WERE ALSO EXPERIENCING LOSSES AS WELL.
WHEN OKLAHOMA CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT, SERGEANT MEGAN BURKE WAS KILLED, CHIEF YOUNGER MADE HIMSELF AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT THE OKLAHOMA, OKLAHOMA CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT IN WHATEVER WAY HE COULD.
HE NEVER FAILS TO SHOW UP WHEN HIS LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS EXPERIENCE HARDSHIPS.
CHIEF YOUNGER HAS DEMONSTRATED HE'S MEANT TO LEAD NOT ONLY UNDER THE WORST CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT ALSO UNDER THE BEST.
HE VALUES EMPLOYEES WELLNESS, ENSURING A CULTURE OF WELLNESS STARTS AT THE TOP OF THE ORGANIZATION.
HE'S ACTIVE IN IDENTIFYING AND PRESENTING LAW ENFORCEMENT CONCERNS TO MEMBERS OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
HE'S BECOME AN ACTIVE CHAMPION FOR SPECIAL OLYMPICS, OKLAHOMA, AND THE LAW ENFORCEMENT TORCH RUN.
AND HIS DEPARTMENT IS NOW ONE OF THE THREE AGENCIES IN OKLAHOMA WHO PROUDLY DISPLAY A TORCH RUN, WRAP ON ONE OF THEIR PATROL CARS AND ALL THIS FROM ONE WHO HAS WITNESSED CHIEF YOUNGER'S LEADERSHIP ONLY FROM THE OUTSIDE.
WE CANNOT IMAGINE WHAT THOSE WHO ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO WORK WITH HIM TONIGHT MIGHT HAVE TO SAY THIS INDIVIDUAL WAS CHOSEN FOR THIS AWARD BY HIS PEERS, AND IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE ALONGSIDE WITH HIM AND THE O E C P CANNOT THANK OF ANYONE MORE DESERVING THAT CHIEF JD YOUNGER FOR THE CHIEF OF THE YEAR FOR THE LOWER JANE SAY, PLEASE HELP ME CONGRATULATE CHIEF YOUNGER
[00:05:02]
NICE.SO WE HAD A, THE O A C P THAT ISSUED THIS AWARD ACTUALLY HAD OUR BANQUET IN MAY.
UH, AND, AND THEY PULLED A FAST ONE ON ME THEN AS WELL, UH, BY TELLING ME, HEY, WE NEED YOU TO BE THERE TO HELP WITH THIS AWARD.
AND SO I GET UP ON STAGE AND THEY START READING THROUGH THAT AND THE PERSON THEY TOLD ME THAT WAS RECEIVING, AND I'M LIKE, THAT SOUNDS AN AWFUL LOT LIKE OUR DEPARTMENT.
UH, AND SO I WAS, I WAS HONORED THEN.
UH, I GOTTA TELL YOU, FOR ANYBODY THAT'S EVER GOT AN AWARD FROM YOUR PEERS, WHETHER IT'S IN LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL OR, OR DRAMA OR, OR WHEREVER YOU WORK, UH, TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT DO THE SAME THING YOU DO, SAY, HEY, YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB.
THAT'S, THAT'S EXTREMELY HUMBLING.
UH, BUT I'LL ALSO SAY THEY KNOW JUST AS WELL AS I DO.
UH, WE ONLY GET TO DO THE THINGS THAT, THAT WE'RE ALLOWED BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE WE WORK WITH.
AND I'M IN A TERRIFIC SITUATION WHERE I HAVE TREMENDOUS COWORKERS, UH, NOT JUST IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT IN THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
UH, THE MANAGEMENT TEAM THAT THE CITY HAS IS TOP NOTCH.
UH, THEY'RE NOT AFRAID TO TELL YOU WHEN THEY THINK YOU'RE MAYBE GOING OFF THE RAILS A LITTLE BIT.
AND, AND ACCOUNTABILITY IS SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY, YOU KNOW, WE TAKE PRIDE IN AROUND HERE.
UH, AND SO OVER THAT DIFFICULT YEAR IN 2022, THERE'S A LOT OF POLICE CHIEFS AND OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS IN THE ROOM THAT WERE GETTING TEXTS AND CALLS FROM ME REGULARLY, HEY, HOW DO I DO THIS? OR HAVE YOU EVER EXPERIENCED THAT? AND SO IT'S JUST, IT'S ALWAYS COMFORTING WHEN YOU KNOW YOU HAVE PEOPLE AROUND YOU, UH, THAT'LL LOVE ON YOU.
WE'LL POUR INTO YOU, HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE WHEN THEY NEED TO.
UH, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT IN IT ALONE.
AND SO I THINK THAT IS A HALLMARK FOR OUR ORGANIZATION AS A CITY.
AND I BELIEVE THAT'S A HALLMARK FOR OUR PROFESSION IN THIS STATE, UH, THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMMITTED TO SERVING OTHERS.
AND I COUNTED, UH, ONE OF MY GREATEST TREASURES TO BE ABLE TO BE A MEMBER OF THAT.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES THAT HAVE MADE THAT TRIP UP HERE, EVEN FROM OKLAHOMA CITY
[B. Presentation by Fire Chief Chris Goodwin on the Status of RFP23-012, a Request for Proposal for a Qualified Vendor to Operate, Maintain, and Administer an Ambulance Transport Service in the City of Edmond, and Discussion of the Selection Committee’s Recommendation to Proceed with Negotiations with Vendor.]
PRESENTATION BY THE FIRE CHIEF, UH, CHRIS GOODWIN ON THE STATUS OF R F P 23 DASH 0 1 2.A REQUEST FOR A PROPOSAL FOR A QUALIFIED VENDOR TO OPERATE, MAINTAIN, AND ADMINISTER AN AMBULANCE TRANSPORT SERVICE IN THE CITY OF EDMOND.
AND DISCUSSION ON THIS OF THE SELECTION COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION TO PROCEED WITH NEGOTIATIONS WITH VENDOR.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UH, YOU'LL REMEMBER I CAME TO YOU BACK IN, UH, APRIL, I BELIEVE IT WAS ASKING FOR PERMISSION TO PROCEED WITH AN R F P FOR TRANSPORT SERVICES.
AND TONIGHT I JUST WANTED TO UPDATE YOU ON WHERE WE ARE IN THAT PROCESS.
WE DID GO, WE DID DEVELOP THE R F P.
UM, AND, UH, WE RECEIVED PROPOSAL.
BUT SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THEIR REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL WAS THIS WOULD BE AN ENFORCEABLE CONTRACT WITH DEFINED FINES AND LIQUIDATED LIQUIDATED DAMAGES FOR NON-COMPLIANCE.
UH, ONE YEAR CONTRACT WITH OPTION TO RENEW ANNUALLY FOR UP TO FIVE YEARS, AS YOU'RE AWARE, ARE, ARE, UH, PROCEDURES WON'T ALLOW US TO GO OUT THE CONTRACT FOR MORE THAN ONE YEAR.
BUT THAT WOULD BE OUR INTENT TO CONTINUE TO RENEW.
UH, AMBULANCES DEDICATED THE CITY OF EDMOND.
CURRENTLY, WE DON'T HAVE AMBULANCES DEDICATED TO OUR CITY.
UM, THEY'RE COMING FROM DIFFERENT LOCATIONS ACROSS THE METROPOLITAN AREA.
SO WE WANTED AMBULANCES IN OUR CITY, 24 7 365, STANDBY COVERAGE FOR SPECIAL EVENTS IN OUR CITY.
CONTINUE THE MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE THROUGH OUR UTILITIES, UM, FOR THE RESIDENTS, NO AUTOMATIC EXCLUSIONS FOR LATE CALLS, CO-BRANDED AMBULANCES THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, ARE, ARE HERE CUSTOMIZED TO THE CITY OF EDMOND.
UM, AND CONTINGENCY CONTINGENCY ALLOWANCES.
SHOULD WE EVER, UH, BE FACED WITH ANOTHER PANDEMIC SUCH AS C O V I D AND EXPERIENCE WHAT WE DID.
WE WANT SOME CONTINGENCY IN THERE TO ALLOW US DIFFERENT OPTIONS TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THAT TRANSPORT AGENCY TO GET PEOPLE TO THE HOSPITAL IN A TIMELY MANNER.
WE DID GO OUT, UM, AND THAT CLOSE ON JUNE 15TH, WE RECEIVED THREE PROPOSALS.
ONE WAS FROM AMERICAN MEDICAL RESPONSE, AMBULANCE SERVICE, A M R.
THE OTHER WAS FROM EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES AUTHORITY, WHO WE'RE CURRENTLY WITH.
AND THE OTHER WAS FROM PAYFORD MEDICAL SERVICES INCORPORATED.
WE DID PUT A COMMITTEE TOGETHER OF, UH, MY STAFF AND ALSO CITIZENS AND PROFESSIONALS, UH, WITHIN THE CITY.
UM, AND I'M GONNA INTRODUCE YOU TO THAT COMMITTEE RIGHT NOW.
IT WAS A SEVEN MEMBER COMMITTEE, UH, MYSELF.
I WAS ON THAT, UH, I'LL JUST START RIGHT HERE.
[00:10:02]
OUR DEPUTY CHIEF OF OPERATIONS, CHAD WEAVER.WE HAVE A CITIZEN AND A RETIRED BANKER, UH, MIKE SANDERS.
UH, AND THERE, I'LL JUST SAY EVERYONE THAT WAS ON THE COMMITTEE BROUGHT CERTAIN SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE TO THE COMMITTEE THAT WAS VERY HELPFUL AS WE WORKED THROUGH THIS DEPUTY CHIEF OF ADMINISTRATION, CHRIS DENTON, I'M NOT SURE IF LESLIE IS HERE.
UM, LESLIE BUFORD, WHO IS THE, UH, VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS AT OU MEDICAL CENTER.
UM, AND ALSO, UH, THE CHAIRWOMAN OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
UM, AND THEN CA COUNCILWOMAN, STACY PETERSON.
UM, AND THAT WAS THE SEVEN MEMBER COMMITTEE, UH, THAT WENT THROUGH AND REVIEWED ALL OF THESE PROPOSALS.
UH, THE COMMITTEE DID MEET WEEKLY FOR FOUR WEEKS.
IN ADDITION, A WHOLE LOT OF WORK WENT ON OUTSIDE THE COMMITTEE.
THEY WERE PRESENTED ALL OF THOSE RFPS.
THEY ALL REVIEWED THEM MET, AND THEN WE MET TOGETHER AND DISCUSSED THEM.
COMMITTEE DID IDENTIFY TWO FINALISTS OUT OF THAT GROUP OF THREE.
AND THEN WE BROUGHT THOSE COMPANIES IN TO MEET WITH THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND HAD HEAR THEIR PROPOSALS, TALK ABOUT THEIR PROPOSALS, AND, UH, AND ALLOW THE COMMITTEE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS OF THAT GROUP.
COMMITTEE HAS SINCE ARRIVED UNANIMOUSLY AT A RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE FORWARD.
WE NEGOTIATED A CONTRACT FOR SERVICES WITH THE AMERICAN MEDICAL RESPONSE INCORPORATED.
I'VE GOT SOME REPRESENTATIVES FROM A M R I'LL INTRODUCE HERE IN JUST A MINUTE.
BUT A FEW REASONS FOR THAT RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMITTEE.
ONE WAS THE ANNUAL SUBSIDY COST OF THE CITY OF EDMOND WAS THE LOWEST OF THE THREE THAT WE RECEIVED.
ANOTHER WAS THE TRANSPORT FEES TO THE CITIZENS WERE THE LOWEST OF THE TWO FINALISTS.
THE MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTION BENEFITS WERE THE BEST OF THE TWO FINALISTS.
THE SIZE AND THE EXPERIENCE AND THE RESOURCES OF AMERICAN MEDICAL RESPONSE IS IMPRESSIVE, SHOULD ALLOW FOR A GOOD TRANSITION FOR OUR CITY.
AND THEN THE COMPATIBILITY OF A LOT OF THE SOFTWARE, THE DISPATCHING, THE CAD TO CAD, UM, THE EQUIPMENT, THE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT THAT, THAT THEY USE, AS WELL AS WHAT THE EDMUND FIRE DEPARTMENT USES IS GONNA ALLOW FOR A GOOD TRANSITION ALSO.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FOR WHY THE COMMITTEE, UH, CAME TO THIS RECOMMENDATION.
UM, I DID WANNA BRIEFLY MENTION WHO WE HAVE HERE, UM, WITH US TONIGHT FROM A M R.
WE'VE GOT, UM, THE, WE'VE GOT TINA WELLS, THE DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS, RIGHT HERE WITH US.
WE'VE GOT STEVE BATES NEXT TO HER, OR STEVE LEY NEXT TO HER, THE REGIONAL PRESIDENT OVER OKLAHOMA, TEXAS, KANSAS, AND COLORADO.
AND WE'VE GOT STEVE BATES, THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF OKLAHOMA.
SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? BUT I, I DID WANNA BRING TINA UP JUST TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
THANK YOU, CHIEF MAYOR DAVIS COUNSELORS.
UM, MR. RIGBY, WE ARE SO HONORED TO BE CHOSEN, UM, TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH YOUR COMMUNITY, TO PARTNER TOGETHER.
UM, I HAD THE, THE ADVANTAGE, THE, THE TRUE HONOR OF SPENDING ABOUT 14 YEARS WORKING IN AND AROUND THE E M S SYSTEM IN TULSA, OKLAHOMA CITY AND EDMOND PREVIOUSLY.
AND SO I GOT TO SEE A LOT OF WHAT WORKED.
UM, ONE OF THE TOP THINGS I HAVE TO SAY IS YOU'VE GOT A FIRE DEPARTMENT HERE THAT IS VERY INTERESTED IN ENGAGING IN PARTNERING, UM, VERY ADVANCED IN THE SKILLS THAT THEY, THAT THEY PROVIDE.
UM, BUT I'VE SEEN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVEN'T WORKED AS WELL.
AND I THINK ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT, THAT WE DO DIFFERENTLY IS PARTNERING TO BUILD A CUSTOM SOLUTION FOR YOUR COMMUNITY THAT GOES, UM, WITH, WITH THE COSMETIC THINGS SUCH AS AMBULANCES THAT HAVE YOUR NAME ON THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO BE AMBULANCES SERVING YOUR COMMUNITY AND YOUR CITIZENS.
BUT ALSO THINGS THAT WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AND, AND COUNCILLOR PETERSON, YOU HEARD ABOUT PROTOCOLS, WORKING TOGETHER ON DEVELOPING THOSE, WORKING TOGETHER ON, ON WHO'S SERVING YOUR COMMUNITY HERE, SUCH AS OUR LEADERSHIP AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST FIGURING THOSE THINGS OUT TOGETHER.
SO EVEN THOUGH YOU KNOW THIS, THIS RECOMMENDATION IS FOR A ONE YEAR CONTRACT WITH, UM, UP TO FIVE YEARS IN RENEWALS, WE INTEND TO BE A LONG-TERM PARTNER TO HELP YOU BUILD THE, THE SYSTEM THAT YOU WANT AND DESERVE.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR A M R? THANK YOU.
I JUST WANNA SAY A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE COMMITTEE ITSELF TOO.
UM, THIS TRULY, YOU COULD SEE THE PASSION OF EVERY MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE FOR THE CITY OF EDMOND, AND FOR THE PROBLEMS THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED WITH AMBULANCE TRANSPORT AND JUST LOOKING FOR A SOLUTION.
SO MY HAT'S OFF TO THE COMMITTEE WITH THE DILIGENCE THAT THEY PUT INTO THIS WORK.
UM, AND OTHER THAN THAT, A FEW TIMELINES.
[00:15:01]
FINE WITH US MOVING FORWARD, WE WILL IMMEDIATELY BEGIN WORKING ON NEGOTIATING A CONTRACT.WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WITH OUR IT DEPARTMENT, WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.
WE'LL BE LOOKING AT, AT SPECIFICS OF THE CONTRACT AND MOVE FORWARD.
UM, AND TIMELINE WISE, WE WOULD BE LOOKING TO DO THIS AS SOON AS WE POSSIBLY CAN TO WHERE WE ROLL OUT A SEAMLESS TRANS, UH, TRANSITION.
UM, SO WE HOPEFULLY WOULD BE WITH 30 TO 60 DAYS WOULD BE OUR GOAL TO SHOOT TOWARDS COMING BACK TO YOU, UM, WITH A CONTRACT AND THEN MOVING INTO THAT TRANSITION NO LATER THAN THE, THE END OF THIS YEAR, IF NOT SOONER.
SO, ANY QUESTIONS OF ME? THE COUNT OR THE COMMITTEE OR MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, I JUST WANNA GIVE KUDOS OUT TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UM, ALL OF US HAVE LOOKED OVER RFPS IN OUR, IN OUR TENURE.
AND I'M TELLING YOU WHAT, I HAVE NEVER GONE THROUGH AN R F P GONE THROUGH THE INFORMATION THAT WAS SO ORGANIZED AND SO PUT TOGETHER SO WELL FOR US TO GO THROUGH.
IT HAD ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY NEED AND MORE, BUT IT WAS IN AN ORGANIZED MANNER.
YOU SET UP THE INTERVIEWS, IT WAS, IT WAS A SEAMLESS, SEAMLESS PROCESS.
AND IT, IT DOESN'T ALWAYS GO THAT WAY.
SO I WANNA GIVE KUDOS OUT TO ALL OF THE EXTRA TIME PUT INTO THIS PROJECT BEFORE WE EVEN SAT DOWN AT THE TABLE AND STARTED LOOKING AT THIS INFORMATION.
AND FOR SOMETHING THAT'S THIS IMPORTANT TO EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THIS CITY IS THEIR SAFETY, THEIR HEALTH AND WELLBEING.
UM, IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND YOU TOOK IT VERY SERIOUSLY.
AND FOR THAT, I JUST WANNA SAY KUDOS TO YOU.
AND EVERY, EVERY CITIZEN OF THIS CITY SHOULD HAVE THEIR THINGS PUT OUT TO YOU.
AND I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THE, THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'RE GETTING READY TO ENTER.
I AM THRILLED AT THE, UM, EXPERIENCE THAT'S COMING ON BOARD.
THE FACT THAT WE'RE FINALLY HAVING DEDICATED AMBULANCE IN OUR CITY EVERY DAY, EVERY NIGHT.
THIS IS AMAZING, AMAZING FOR OUR CITIZENS.
AND, UM, THE SEAMLESS TRANSITION THAT THAT'S GONNA GO THROUGH WITH THIS, WITH ALL THE MEMBERSHIPS AND, AND OF COURSE WE, WE WANNA SET YOU UP FOR, FOR SUCCESS AND NOT FAILURE.
SO WE WANT YOU ON AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, HOWEVER, WE WANNA SET YOU UP TO SUCCEED.
SO, UM, I AM SO THRILLED AT THIS WHOLE PROCESS AND EXCITED TO HAVE YOU ON BOARD.
WELL, ONE THING IS ABOUT ANY TRANSITION IS, AS WE'VE SAID MANY TIMES UP HERE, UH, I'LL ASK THE QUESTION, HOW DO WE PLAN ON OVER-COMMUNICATING TO THE COMMUNITY AND EVEN THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY THAT, UH, THAT THIS IS, THIS IS A CHANGE, THIS IS A TRANSITION, THIS IS GONNA BE SOMETHING NEW.
UH, HOW ARE WE GONNA OVER-COMMUNICATE TO THE COMMUNITY THAT, UH, WE'VE TAKEN THEIR BEST INTEREST AT HEART AND THERE'LL BE A DIFFERENT SERVICE IN THE NEAR FUTURE PROVIDING FOR THEM? YEAH, WE WILL, WE WILL DEFINITELY BE DOING THAT.
UH, WE'LL BE GETTING THE WORD OUT EVEN ABOUT THE SUBSCRIPTIONS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
TRYING TO SIGN UP ADDITIONAL PEOPLE ON THE SUBSCRIPTIONS WORKING WITH, UH, BILL BAGLEY IN OUR MARKETING.
WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA GET THE WORD OUT AS OFTEN AND AS EVERY OUR SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE'LL, WE'LL DEFINITELY GET THE WORD OUT TO OUR CITIZENS AND THOSE AROUND US.
AND I LOVE HOW THEY WERE ALSO SUPER INTERESTED, MAYOR, AND TO GOING, HAVING PUBLIC RELATIONS, GOING TO OUR OUTINGS, OUR THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THE CITY.
VIBES HEARD UNHEARD, HAVING A PRESENCE AT THE FARMER'S MARKET.
DIFFERENT THINGS WHERE PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC CAN SEE THEM AND, AND MEET THEM AND GET TO KNOW THEM.
A LOVE THE RELATIONSHIP THAT Y'ALL ARE GONNA HAVE WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
IT JUST, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE, IT SEEMS LIKE A WIN-WIN FOR EVERYBODY IN THE CITY OF EDMOND.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE ONE BRIEF COMMENT.
SO THE TECHNICAL JARGON ON THE AGENDA IS LIKE ALL AGENDA ITEMS, IT'S TECHNICAL IN NATURE, BUT FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS, THIS IS HUGE.
WE THINK ABOUT WHAT DOES A CITY DO IN FAR AS QUALITY OF LIFE AND SUPPORTING ONE ANOTHER.
THERE ISN'T A TIME THAT WE NEED THE BEST SUPPORT AND SERVICES THAT WHEN WE CALL 9 1 1, UH, FOR SOMEBODY THAT WE LOVE AND CARE FOR, AND WE'RE PRAYING THAT THAT SERVICE GETS THERE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND WHEN I WAS THINKING AS A CITIZEN TO GET MORE INVOLVED, THAT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES I EVER MET MY NEIGHBOR WHO MADE ME AWARE OF THE CURRENT SITUATION.
AND I WENT TO OUR CHIEF, AND THAT WAS PROBABLY THE FIRST OR SECOND QUESTION I ASKED HIM.
AND THEY JUST, LIKE THE COUNCILWOMAN SAID, WE'RE PREPARED.
[00:20:01]
REALLY, UM, EXCITED.UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT THAT WE CAN ALWAYS POKE HOLES AT OR DO, BUT I HOPE WE TAKE A SENSE OF PRIDE AS A COMMUNITY THAT WE DECIDED THAT THIS YEAR WE WANTED TO HAVE OUR OWN DEDICATED, FOCUSED SERVICE WITH EXCELLENCE.
SO, AND IT'S A SERVICE I HOPE I NEVER HAVE TO USE, BUT WITH CONFIDENCE, I LOOK FORWARD, UH, TO BEING ABLE TO HAVE THAT AVAILABLE TO OUR CITIZENS.
SO I JUST WANT TO THANK, UH, STACY WHO SERVED IN DOING THAT.
EVERYONE WHO DID THAT, UH, WITH YOUR TEAM.
AND IT'S BECAUSE OF OUR DEDICATED, UH, FUNDING FOR FIRE AND OTHER THINGS THAT ALLOW US TO HAVE THE STAFF AND THE SUPPORT AND THAT INVESTMENT IS PAYING OFF.
AND I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND, AND, AND THANK YOU FOR THIS BIG TRANSITION, WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT.
[4. Consideration of Nominations, Appointments, and Reappointments:]
IS CONSIDERATION OF NOMINATION APPOINTMENT AND REAPPOINTMENTS THE MAYOR NOMINATION APPOINTMENTS APPOINTMENT OF BARRY KAY MOORE TO THE EVAN MOBILITY COMMISSION TERM EXPIRES MAY, 2027.REAPPOINTMENT OF GARY BARTLEY TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD.
WARD ONE NOMINATION APPOINTMENT, UH, APPOINTMENT OF RANDY GRW TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS ADVISORY BOARD.
WARD TWO NOMINATION APPOINTMENT OF JOHN HARIS TO THE EDMUND MOBILITY COMMISSION.
APPOINTMENT OF BRITAIN CHAPMAN TO THE ADMIN MOBILITY COMMISSION'S TERM EXPIRES JUNE, 2026.
COUNSEL, THOSE ARE OUR APPOINTMENTS.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO? UH, MOVE TO APPROVE SECOND.
SECOND, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
YEAH, THOSE APPOINTMENTS ARE, ARE NOW APPOINTMENTS.
YES, THOSE NOMINATIONS ARE NOW APPOINTMENTS.
[5. City Council General Consent: Items listed under General Consent are usually approved as a group with the proper motion from a member of the Council. Members of the Council may request discussion or separate action on any item under General Consent. ]
UH, NEXT IS ITEM NUMBER FIVE, WHICH ARE GENERAL CONSENT ITEMS. UM, WE, WE HAVE FIVE ITEMS HERE.WE DO HAVE A, A STAFF PRESENTATION ON NUMBER FIVE.
UH, IS THERE ANY COUNSEL, ANY OTHER OF A FIVE, A ONE THROUGH FOUR THAT YOU WANT PULLED FOR ANY DISCUSSION? MARY, CAN WE DISCUSS ITEM A ONE? YES.
SO WE'LL DO A ONE AND THEN WE'LL, UM, DISCUSS A, A FIVE MAYOR
[1. Consideration of Approval of 2024 City Council Schedule of Regular Meetings. (Citywide)]
AND COUNSEL.UM, ITEM A ONE IS THE SCHEDULE OF REGULAR MEETINGS FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2024.
UM, THE CHARTER AND CITY ORDINANCES PROVIDE THAT.
GENERALLY SPEAKING, UM, MEETINGS ARE SCHEDULED FOR THE SECOND AND FOURTH MONDAY OF EACH CALENDAR MONTH.
HOWEVER, IT DOES PROVIDE THAT Y'ALL MAY ADJUST THAT CALENDAR AS, UH, NEEDED.
UM, AS, AS HOWEVER YOU WANT TO DEFINE IT IN THE SCHEDULE OF REGULAR MEETINGS.
UM, SO BASED ON, UH, HOLIDAYS THAT OCCUR NEXT YEAR, UM, THERE ARE A FEW DEVIATIONS FROM THAT NORMAL PATTERN.
UM, SO THE SECOND MEETING IN MAY IS SCHEDULED FOR A TUESDAY RATHER THAN A MONDAY BECAUSE OF MEMORIAL DAY.
AND THE FIRST MEETING IN NOVEMBER IS SCHEDULED FOR A TUESDAY INSTEAD OF MONDAY BECAUSE OF VETERAN'S DAY.
UM, AND THEN AS IS OUR NORMAL PRACTICE, A SECOND MEETING IN DECEMBER IS NOT SCHEDULED.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
WELL, I'M, I UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BECAUSE SOMETIMES THE HOLIDAYS, UM, MOVE THOSE DATES TO TUESDAY.
BUT COUNCILWOMAN, DID YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC ITEM THAT, OR A SITUATION THAT YOU WANTED TO DISCUSS ABOUT OUR CALENDAR FOR UPCOMING YEAR? I, I HAD TALKED TO THE MAYOR A LITTLE BIT AND THE, THE MA CITY MANAGER, AND MAYBE NOT THIS YEAR, BUT DID WANT TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSION AT SOME POINT ABOUT DO WE TAKE ONE MEETING IN THE SUMMER, UM, AND NOT HAVE A MEETING, SAY SOMEWHERE IN JULY THAT GIVES, UM, COUNCIL STAFF AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL WITHOUT MISSING A MEETING.
UM, JUST SOMETHING, SOMETHING TO DISCUSS, UM, IF ANYONE'S INTERESTED IN THAT.
UM, I, I THINK WE HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION.
UH, AS I THOUGHT ABOUT IT MORE, I SAID, WELL, A LOT OF OUR CITIZENS THINK, FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, THEY KNOW HOW MANY MEETINGS WE'RE GONNA HAVE EACH YEAR AND, UH, THEY TAKE THEIR VACATIONS.
OUR APPLICANTS TAKE THEIR VACATION.
AND I KNOW THAT AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN UP HERE, IT'S BEEN RARE TO THAT COUNSEL TAKES VACATIONS EXCEPT DURING OUR LIKE THREE WEEK PERIOD.
I WOULD IN THAT DISCUSSION, TAKE YOUR VACATION JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.
PLAN IT WHEN YOU NEED TO BE WITH YOUR FAMILY.
'CAUSE IF YOU ANYONE KNOWS ME, FAMILY'S NUMBER ONE.
[00:25:01]
BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS ON THAT AND GET FEEDBACK.AND I DIDN'T WANNA NECESSARILY TAKE A LOT OF TIME, BUT I, I JUST, I HADN'T DISCUSSED IT WITH THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS MM-HMM.
SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF OTHER, HOW OTHER FOLKS FELT ABOUT THAT.
UM, SO NOT TO BELABOR IT, JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK OTHER CITIES DO.
UM, MAYOR, I WOULD ALSO STATE THAT, UM, THERE'S NO TIMELINESS NEEDED FOR THIS.
IF YOU WANTED TO DELAY ACTION ON THIS TO A FUTURE MEETING TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD DO.
IT'S WHATEVER Y'ALL WOULD PREFER.
I'M, I'M FINE DELAYING IT, THEN WE CAN HAVE THE CONVERSATION.
DO WE NEED TO DATE CERTAIN TO DELAY IT TOO? I'D RECOMMEND IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE IT FOR TWO WEEKS OR FOUR WEEKS, WHATEVER YOU WANNA DO.
I THINK TWO WEEKS IS SUFFICIENT, SO I WOULD NEED A NOMINATION, I MEAN RECOMMENDATION TO CONTINUE.
WE HAVE A, UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON THAT NOW TO CONTINUE FOR TWO WEEKS.
[5. Consideration of Acknowledgment of Receipt of the Edmond Housing Assessment Plan. (Citywide)]
ITEM, UM, 5 85, WHICH IS CONSIDERATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RECEIPT OF THE EDMUND HOUSING ASSESSMENT PLAN.WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE ROOM.
I'M GONNA MAKE THE NATURAL ASSUMPTION THAT THEY'RE HERE FOR THAT, FOR THIS AS ASSESSMENT PLAN, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS NOT UNDER, IT'S UNDER GENERAL CONSENT ITEMS. UH, THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
I WOULD, UH, WE'RE GONNA DO THAT IN AN ORDERLY FASHION, BUT I WOULD ASK THE PEOPLE WHO WANNA MAKE COMMENTS THAT IF YOU'RE HEARING, UH, WHAT YOU WANTED TO SAY OVER AND OVER AGAIN UP HERE, UM, WE'VE HEARD IT, BUT THIS, BUT TODAY WHAT WE'RE DOING IS, IS RECEIVING A DOCUMENT THAT THE COUNCIL HAS HAD COMMISSIONED FROM, FROM EXPERTS TO IN, IN THE, IN THE PROCESS TODAY IS TO RECEIVE THAT BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITH IT UNLESS WE RECEIVE IT.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE.
BUT WE DO HAVE CHRISTY BATON HERE TODAY TO GIVE US AN UPDATE.
ALRIGHT, UM, I'M KRISTY BATTERSON.
I'M THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF EDMOND.
ITS MY HONOR TO PRESENT OUR DOCUMENT OF THE HOUSING PLAN ASSESSMENT.
THE PLAN TELLS THE STORY OF OUR HOUSING NEEDS THAT OUR VITAL TO OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE HEARD THE SAYING, HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS.
A ROOF OVER ONE'S HEAD HOME IS COMMUNITY.
EDMOND IS COMMUNITY CONTINUING TO BUILD A THRIVING COMMUNITY AND CREATING A QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL.
SO WHY WAS THE HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT RECOMMENDED? IT WAS RE RECOMMENDED OUT OF THE 2018 EDMOND PLAN.
CONCERNS RAISED BY MAJOR EMPLOYERS SUCH AS EDMOND PUBLIC SCHOOLS OR MAJOR HOSPITALS AND OTHER WORKFORCE, UM, HAD ISSUES OF, RELATED TO THE LACK OF HOUSING, OF RECRUITING EMPLOYEES, CITY COUN.
IT WAS A CITY COUNCIL STRATEGIC GOAL, AND EDMOND HASN'T SEEN THE SAME MIX OF HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN MOST MARKETS.
IT HAS LONG TERM IMPLICATION, IMPLICATIONS.
I'LL TOUCH ON IT IN A FEW MINUTES, BUT OVER THE LAST DECADE, 94% OF OUR PERMITS HAVE BEEN SINGLE FAMILY.
WHAT ARE THE HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT? WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO? IT GAUGES OUR FUTURE DEMAND FOR VARIOUS TYPES OF HOUSING IN DIFFERENT CONTEXTS.
EVERYTHING FROM SINGLE HOUSING TO DUPLEXES, TRIPLEXES AND UP PROVIDES A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOUSING SITUATIONS IN CERTAIN MAJOR GEOGRAPHIC AREAS OF THE COMMUNITY, AND INCLUDES DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY TO ADDRESS HOUSING NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY IN THE FUTURE.
SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE WE STARTED.
THIS HAS BEEN ABOUT AN EIGHT, NINE MONTH, UM, PROCESS.
WE STARTED IN NOVEMBER AND KICKED IT OFF.
UM, DURING THAT TIME, WE HAD DATA COLLECTION.
UM, OUR CONSULTANT DID DATA COLLECTION, MET WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS CONDUCTING TWO SURVEYS FOR FOCUS GROUPS, AND WHICH ALL PROVIDED VITAL FEEDBACK ABOUT EXISTING CONDITIONS AND PRIORITIES.
UM, AFTER THAT, WE DID SOME ANALYSIS.
UM, THE CONSULTANT DID SOME ANALYSIS.
WE CONTINUED MEETING WITH THOSE, UM, KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND FOCUS GROUPS TO STRATEGIZE.
AND WE'RE FINALLY HERE AT THIS POINT OF THE REPORT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE ASSESSMENT.
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE DID IS WE CREATED A STEERING COMMITTEE TO HELP US IN THIS PROCESS.
IT WAS A 13 BOARD, UH, MEMBER BOARD REPRESENTING A CROSS SECTION ACROSS THE EDMOND COMMUNITY.
UM, IT BROUGHT EXPERTISE FROM HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, REAL ESTATE, EDMOND, NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE REPRESENTATIVE, SOCIAL SERVICES, EDUCATION, FINANCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND THE FAIR HOUSING COUNCIL AS WELL.
STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS MET,
[00:30:01]
UM, THROUGHOUT THE ASSESSMENT A APPROXIMATELY FOUR TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF THE EIGHT MONTH PROCESS.AND THEY HELPED WITH STAFF PRIORITIZE THE STRATEGIES THAT I'LL BE PRESENTING HERE SHORTLY.
WE ALSO CONDUCTED STAKEHOLDER ROUND TABLES, UM, INVOLVING OVER 25 INDIVIDUALS, AGAIN, FROM DIVERSE SETS OF PERSPECTIVES OF HOUSING IN EDMOND, INCLUDING DEVELOPERS, LENDERS, MAJOR EMPLOYERS, NONPROFITS, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, UNIVERSITY STAFF, REAL ESTATE AGENTS, AND MORE.
FOUR FOCUS FOCUS GROUPS WERE HELD, UM, AROUND DEVELOPERS.
THERE WAS A FOCUS GROUP ON RENTERS DEDICATED TO RENTERS, YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, PROVIDING THE OPPORTUNITIES TO DISCUSS THEIR SPECIFIC CHALLENGES AND INPUTS ON WAYS TO COMBAT THEM.
WE HAD THREE PRESS RELEASES, ONE IN JANUARY, MARCH, AND JUNE.
SEVERAL NEWSPAPER ARTICLES AND THREE, UH, TV REPORTS.
OVER THE COURSE OF THIS PROJECT, A DIFFERENT ADDITIONAL PUBLIC OUTREACH.
WE HAD A WEBSITE THAT WAS DEDICATED ON THE CITY WEBSITE TO THE HOUSING ASSESSMENT.
TWO ONLINE SURVEYS WERE CREATED TO INVITE THE COMMUNITY FOR THEIR INPUT.
THE HOUSING NEEDS SURVEY WAS THE FIRST ONE AND HAD RESULTED IN MORE THAN 1700 RESPONSES.
THE SECOND ONE WAS A HOUSING PREFERENCE SURVEY AND RESULTED IN MORE THAN 450 RESPONSES.
OF THOSE 2100, UH, LITTLE OVER 2100 RESPONSES, 93% OF THOSE RESPONDENTS WERE INSIDE EDMOND CITY LIMITS.
OTHER OUTREACH EVENTS INCLUDED THE POP-UP BOOTH AT MOST, BOTH THE FARMER'S MARKET AND HERD ON HERD IN EARLY APRIL.
AND AGAIN, WE HAD A DEDICATED WEBSITE, UM, TO INCLUDE A KICKOFF VIDEO THAT ONE OF OUR STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UM, PROVIDED AS WELL.
UM, OUR WEBPAGE WAS VIEWED OVER 680 TIMES BETWEEN FEBRUARY AND AUGUST.
AND OVER THE COURSE OF THE PROJECT, UM, ON AVERAGE ACROSS FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, AND, UH, TWITTER, ALL THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, WE HAD OVER 3000, UM, LOOKS AT OUR POSTS AND AVERAGES.
WE DID ABOUT 23 SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS OVER THE COURSE OF PUTTING INFORMATION OUT ABOUT THE SURVEY, ABOUT THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY AND HOW PEOPLE CAN GET INVOLVED.
SO WHAT DOES THAT ASSESSMENT SHOW? THERE ARE THREE SIX KEY THEMES, KEY FINDINGS OUT OF THE ASSESSMENT.
EDMOND HOUSING IS UNATTAINABLE FOR MOST.
64, 60 4% OF EDMOND RESIDENTS CANNOT AFFORD THE AVERAGE NEW HOME PRICE.
AND I'LL REMIND YOU, THE AVERAGE NEW HOME PRICE, ONE THAT IS NEWLY CONSTRUCTED IS OVER $400,000.
THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH UNITS AVAILABLE TODAY.
I'LL TOUCH ON THAT IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.
AND THE CITY'S POPULATION IS CHANGING.
WE KNOW THAT YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, YOUNG FAMILIES AND EMPTY NESTERS DO NOT HAVE A LOT OF OPTIONS.
UM, OUR EARLY WORKFORCE, THOSE THAT ARE 25 TO 35 YEAR OLDS CANNOT FIND AN AFFORDABLE HOME HERE IN EDMOND.
AND THOSE THAT ARE ARE AGING POPULATION AS WELL, ARE WANTING TO AGE IN PLACE.
THEY'RE NOT WANTING TO GO INTO ASSISTED LIVING.
THEY'RE WANTING TO AGE IN THEIR HOMES THAT THEY MIGHT'VE BEEN LIVING IN, OR THEY MAY NEED TO D DOWNSIZE.
AND THOSE HOMES ARE NOT AVAILABLE.
THE HOUSING MARKET IS CREATING CHALLENGES FOR EMPLOYERS.
OVER 75% OF THE WORKFORCE COMMUTES INTO EDMOND TO WORK.
HOUSING CHALLENGES VARY ACROSS THE CITY.
WE DO HAVE AN OLDER HOUSING STOCK.
WE HAVE CURRENT PROGRAMS THAT HELP WITH REHABILITATION OF THOSE HOMES, BUT THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH FUNDS TO COVER THOSE COSTS.
EDMOND'S MARKET TRENDS ARE UNUSUAL.
AGAIN, OVER THE LAST DECADE, 94% HAVE BEEN SINGLE FAMILY OVER THE 10 YEAR DEMAND.
IT IS ESTIMATED THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED OVER 89 UNITS.
AND WHEN I SAY UNITS, I MEAN ROOFS.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY APARTMENTS, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY SINGLE, UH, DWELLING HOMES.
IT'S A WIDE RANGE, WIDE RANGE OF HOMES THAT ARE NEEDED.
WE CURRENTLY, UH, PERMIT AROUND 500 HOMES PER YEAR.
SO WE WOULD NEED AN ADDITIONAL 400 PER YEAR TO MEET THAT PROJECTED 10 YEAR GOAL.
40% OF DEMAND IS FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING.
THERE IS A DEMAND IN EDMOND FOR HOUSING OF ALL TYPES AND PRICES FOR SALE AND RENT, DIVERSIFYING THE HOUSING STOCK THAT WILL HELP MEET THIS, THIS NEED OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
NEW HOUSING DEMAND WILL BE DRIVEN PRIMARILY BY NEW DEVELOPMENT AS THE CITY HAS A LOW FOR SALE AND FOR RENT VACANCY.
AND JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, A TEACHER, AND WE'RE NOT OUR A TEACHER WHO MAKES APPROXIMATELY 44 TO 50,000 PER YEAR.
ALL IN HOUSING COSTS WOULD ONLY BE $1,200 A MONTH.
THAT'S AN APPROXIMATE, APPROXIMATELY A HOME THAT IS, UH, FOR SALE FOR $150,000.
A NURSE BRINGING AN INCOME OF $84,000 A YEAR WITH A HOUSEHOLD OF FOUR HAS A MAXIMUM RENT OR MORTGAGE OF $2,000.
THAT APPROXIMATE HOME PRICE IS 251,000.
[00:35:03]
EDMOND'S ECONOMY IS GROWING.WE KNOW THAT, UM, THE HOUSING MARKET IS CREATING CHALLENGES FOR EMPLOYERS.
WE ARE GROWING AT A FASTER RATE THAN THE OKLAHOMA CITY METRO AREA, DOUBLING, AND AS WELL AS OKLAHOMA AND EVEN THE UNITED STATES.
UH, THERE IS EXPECTED TO BE 38,000 JOBS OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
AND AGAIN, 75% OF ALL THOSE WORKERS EMPLOYED IN EDMOND.
THOSE ARE YOUR ESSENTIAL WORKERS, YOUR PUBLIC SERVANTS, YOUR TEACHERS, YOUR BARISTAS, YOUR SERVERS, ET CETERA.
COMMUTE FROM OUTSIDE OF EDMOND INTO EDMOND TO WORK BASED ON GROWTH CALCULATIONS.
MANY ESSENTIAL JOBS IN EDMOND WILL NOT PAY A WAGE THAT ALIGNS WITH THE HOUSING MARKET.
THIS MAP SHOWS WHERE OUR LOW TO MOD INCOME INDIVIDUALS LIVE.
UM, WHEN I SAY LOW TO MOD INCOME, THAT IS 80% BELOW AREA, UH, UH, AVERAGE MEDIAN INCOME.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S IN THE CORE OF OUR CITY.
UM, AND THIS IS ALSO OUR C D B G, UM, AREA, WHICH I'VE, I'VE TOUCHED ON BEFORE IN PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS.
THIS SHOWS APPROXIMATELY THE MEDIUM HOME VALUE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, OR SORRY, UNITED STATES ACROSS THE CITY.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE MEDIAN HOUSE PRICE RIGHT HERE, THE AVERAGE HOME PRICE RIGHT HERE IS APPROXIMATELY 192,000.
OF COURSE, OUR HOMES ARE, UM, COST MORE TO THE NORTH AND TO THE EAST.
SO WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED? THERE'S A BROAD SUPPORT FOR MORE HOUSING VARIETY IN EDMOND.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S ALL VARIETY OF HOUSING, THAT SINGLE FAMILY DUPLEXES ON UP AND SUBSTANTIAL DEMAND FOR MORE HOUSING ACROSS ALL PRICE POINTS.
EDMOND MEANS 8,900 MORE HOMES OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
ACHIEVING THIS TARGET WILL REQUIRE A CHANGE IN APPROACH FROM EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THE HOUSING ECOSYSTEM.
AGAIN, CURRENTLY WE PERMIT AROUND 500 A YEAR, AND WE'LL NEED AN ADDITIONAL 400 A YEAR.
NO SINGLE PROGRAM ADDRESSES ALL THE HOUSING CHALLENGES FACING, UH, FACING EDMOND AND RESPONSE TO THESE FI FINDINGS.
EDMOND HOUSING ASSESSMENT PROPOSES STRATEGIES, POLICIES, AND TOOLS THAT THE CITY AND THEIR PARTNERS CAN USE TO HELP ENSURE HOUSING OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE COMMUNITY FOR HOUSEHOLDS OF ALL TYPES, AGES, AND ALL INCOME LEVELS.
OUT OF THE PLAN, THERE ARE SIX GOALS THAT MEET THE CHALLENGES.
INCREASING HOUSING SUPPLY, CREATE MORE ATTAINABLE OPTIONS FOR YOUNG FAMILIES, CREATE MORE OPTIONS FOR AGING IN PLACE, AND THOSE WHO WANT TO DOWNSIZE, SUPPORT AFFORDABLE AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSING OPTIONS THAT SUPPORT AREA, BUSINESSES AND INSTITUTIONS.
IMPROVE THE CONDITION OF OLDER HOMES OF THE HOUSING STOCK WHILE PRESERVING AFFORDABILITY AND EXPAND SUPPORT FOR ALL TYPES OF NEW CONSTRUCTION, INCLUDING MULTIFAMILY.
SO OUT OF THE SIX HOUSING, UM, GOALS OR FOUR STRATEGIES WERE CREATED TO PROVIDE THE CITY WITH PROGRAMS AND POLICIES.
OF THE FOUR STRATEGIES, NUMBER ONE IS TO REDUCE THE BARRIERS TO EXPANDING PRODUCTION OF ALL HOUSING TYPES FOR SALE AND FOR RENT.
DIVERSIFYING TYPES AND PRICE POINTS OF HOUSING FACILITATE THE IMPROVEMENT ON OLDER HOUSING STOCK CONDITION WHILE PRESERVING AFFORDABILITY AND SUPPORT EMPLOYERS E ECONOMIC, E ECONOMY, AND WORKER WORKERS THROUGH WORKFORCE HOUSING.
THERE'S ACTUALLY 20 PRIORITIES.
THAT WAS MY MISTAKE, UM, THERE, BUT THERE'S 20 PRIORITIES OR TACTICS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED THAT WILL HELP US FOCUS ON COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND BUILDING CAPACITY FOR FUTURE ACTIONS.
UM, THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND STAFF, UH, DISCUSSED THESE 19 PRIORITIES AND CAME UP WITH FIVE PRIORITY EFFORTS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED, UM, THROUGH THE HOUSING NEEDS WITH INPUT, UM, THAT WE WILL FOCUS ON FIRST.
UH, ONE IS TO ENSURE THE NEW ZONING CODE WILL ALLOW FOR MORE HOUSING DIVERSITY.
UM, WE HAVE AN ONGOING, UH, ZONING CODE UPDATE RIGHT NOW GOING ON.
WE'RE IN MONTH NINE OF A TWO YEAR PROCESS THAT SHOULD COME BEFORE YOU NEXT YEAR FORM A HOUSING TASK FORCE.
ESTABLISH A HOUSING FUND, ESTABLISH BASELINE OF HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOOD CONDITIONS, AND CREATE AN EDUCATION CAMPAIGN.
SO THESE PRIORITY TACTICS, THERE'S THINGS THAT GO UNDER EACH ONE, UM, FORM A HOUSING TASK FORCE AND ESTABLISHING A HOUSING FUND, CREATING NEW STAFF.
UM, RIGHT NOW THERE'S ONLY MYSELF AND ANOTHER PERSON THAT HANDLES ALL HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UM, ITEMS RIGHT NOW, UM, TO GO AFTER SOME MORE ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND OTHER PROGRAMMING, WE WOULD NEED TO ADD STAFF, ESTABLISH LISTS OF BASELINE AND HOUSING, NEIGHBORHOOD CONDITIONS, UM, USE FUNDING TOOLS TO HELP PAY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, STREAMLINE INTERNAL REVIEW AND APPROVAL PROCESS, AND OF COURSE, UPDATE OUR ZONING CODE.
LIKE I MENTIONED, THERE ARE OTHER ITEMS, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE FOUR TO FIVE, UH, FOUR TO FIVE SEVEN YEAR RANGE, UM, THAT WE CAN BUILD ON.
ONCE THESE FIRST FEW TACTICS CAN
[00:40:01]
BE, UM, IDENTIFIED.MY NUMBER ONE GOAL IS TO ESTABLISH A HOUSING COMMITTEE THAT WILL HELP PRIORITIZE AND DISCUSS AND COLLABORATE ON THE NEXT TACTICS THAT WE DIS, UM, YOU KNOW, TACKLE.
UM, AND THEN ALSO TO CONTINUE THE CURRENT PROGRAMMING THAT WE HAVE.
UM, WE DO HAVE FEDERAL FUNDING THAT WE USE IN OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROGRAM THAT ASSIST THOSE THAT, UM, IN BUYING HOMES OR REHABBING HOMES, UM, AS WELL AS ALL, UH, YOU KNOW, ALL OTHER THINGS LIKE A D A ACCESSIBILITY AND SUCH.
UM, AT THIS TIME I DO HAVE, UM, THE CONSULTANT IS HERE, DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES AS WELL AS I HAVE MEMBERS OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK.
I THINK I'LL CALL ON THE CHAMBER FIRST.
UM, MY NAME IS KRISTEN KING AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AT THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
UM, ON BEHALF OF THE EDMOND CHAMBER, WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE CITY FOR THEIR FORWARD THINKING WITH THE HOUSING ISSUES THAT ARE ADDRESSING EDMOND TODAY.
UM, I'M ONE OF THE MANY YOUNG PROFESSIONALS THAT LIVES OUTSIDE OF CITY LIMITS, BUT I LOVE EDMOND.
I WORK IN EDMOND, AND I WORK EVERY DAY TO SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES OF EDMOND.
AND YOU'LL GET TO HEAR FROM ANOTHER YOUNG PROFESSIONAL SOON.
UM, THAT'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT SOME YOUNG PROFESSIONAL MINDSET AS OF THAT AS WELL.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, OUR CHAMBER MEMBERS ARE FACING A WORKFORCE SHORTAGE THAT IS INCREASING DUE TO THE SHORTAGE OF ATTAINABLE HOUSING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HOPE THAT ALL THE OPTIONS WILL BE EXPLORED IN FINDING SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM OF ATTAINABLE HOUSING.
ON BEHALF OF THE CHAMBER, WE APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL FOR YOUR TIME AND SERVICE TO THE CITY OF EDMOND, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING US.
MY NAME IS SAVANNAH WHITEHEAD.
UM, I AM THE CHAIRPERSON FOR EDMOND YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, AS WELL AS THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR AT EDMOND FINE ARTS INSTITUTE.
UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I'D LIKE TO ECHO ECHO KRISTEN'S, UM, THANKS TO THE COUNCIL FOR PROVIDING THIS, UM, ASSESSMENT FOR US AND FOR THE CITY FOR PURSUING THIS.
UM, THROUGH THE HOUSING ASSESSMENT, THE CITY UNCOVERED TRUTHS THAT CHRISTIE SPOKE OF ABOUT 75% OF YOUNG PROFESSIONALS AGES 25 THROUGH 34, BEING UNABLE TO PURCHASE A HOUSE OF $430,000 IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, ANOTHER FUN FACT THAT YOU GUYS HAVE PROBABLY TALKED ABOUT RECENTLY IS THE FACT THAT IT TOOK A DECADE FOR A MULTI-FAMILY, UM, PROJECT TO BE APPROVED IN THE CITY LIMITS.
AND THEN THE FACT THAT IS LESS PUBLIC, BUT TRUE NONETHELESS, IS THAT OF THE 12 MEMBERS OF OUR ADVISORY BOARD, ONLY ONE OF US LIVES AND OWNS A HOME IN THE CITY.
12 OF YOUR MOST INVOLVED YOUNG PROFESSIONALS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, AND ONLY ONE OF US OWNS A HOME HERE.
ALL OF THESE FACTS POINT TO ONE ROOT ISSUE THAT THE CITIZENS OF EDMOND AT LARGE ARE NOT PROPERLY SEEING WHO IN OUR COMMUNITY IS IN NEED OF AFFORDABLE AND ATTAINABLE HOUSING.
IT'S PEOPLE LIKE ME, PEOPLE LIKE OUR SCHOOL TEACHERS AT INTEGRIS MERCY IN OU, OUR CITY'S FIRST RESPONDERS, AND U RECENT U C O GRADUATES ENTERING THE WORKFORCE IN SO MANY MORE.
SOME OF YOUR MOST ACTIVE AND INVOLVED YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT WE CAN'T CALL EDMUND HOME.
I ENCOURAGE ANY PERSON THAT IS OPPOSED TO THE SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE AND ATTAINABLE HOUSING, TO CONSIDER REFRAMING WHO IT IS THAT YOU VISUALIZE NEEDING THESE SOLUTIONS.
A PERSON SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WORK IN THEIR CAREER FOR 10 PLUS YEARS AND HAVE A DUAL INCOME SITUATION TO LIVE IN OUR CITY.
THANK YOU COUNSEL, AND ALL OF THE CITY ENTITIES THAT HAVE TAKEN THE TASK OF TACKLING THIS ISSUE.
WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO BROADEN THE GROUP OF EDMUND YOUNG PROFESSIONALS THAT CALL EDMOND HOME AND UPHOLD THE TAGLINE THAT EDMOND IS A GREAT PLACE TO GROW.
I'M A REALTOR IN EDMOND, UM, AND I WAS A MEMBER OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE.
I WAS ALSO ASKED TO WRITE THE FORWARD FOR THE REPORT, WHICH I AM GOING TO READ RIGHT NOW.
WE ARE THRILLED TO PRESENT THE FINAL REPORT OF THE EDMOND HOUSING ASSESSMENT, WHICH ENCAPSULATES MONTHS OF DEDICATED RESEARCH, ANALYSIS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
OUR MISSION WAS TO STUDY EDMOND'S HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES, UNDERSTAND ITS CHALLENGES, AND DEVELOP STRATEGIES AND POLICIES TO ENHANCE THE C'S HOUSING GOALS.
WITH THE SUPPORT AND COLLABORATION OF THE CITY COUNCIL, HOUSING PARTNERS AND THE COMMUNITY, WE HAVE ACHIEVED A COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF EDMOND'S HOUSING LANDSCAPE.
THE HOUSING ASSESSMENT AIMED TO ENSURE THAT SUITABLE HOUSING OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE IN EDMOND FOR ALL RESIDENCES, REGARDLESS OF THEIR BACKGROUNDS, AGES, AND INCOME LEVELS.
OUR COMMITTEE'S RESEARCH CONSIDERED THE CONVERSATIONS AND CONCERNS EXPRESSED BY FRONTLINE WORKERS, EDUCATORS, HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS, AND OTHER VITAL OCCUPATIONS WHO FACE DIFFICULTIES FINDING SUITABLE HOUSING IN OUR CITY.
WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THE ONGOING DEBATE SURROUNDING RENTAL, HOUSING, DISTRIBUTION, AND THE SCARCITY OF AVAILABLE OPTIONS IN BOTH THE SALE AND RENTAL MARKETS.
[00:45:01]
AS SOMEONE WHO WORKS DAY IN AND DAY OUT IN THE REAL ESTATE AND HOUSING INDUSTRY, I WAS NOT SURPRISED BY THESE RESULTS.I OFTEN HEAR STORIES ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT IT CAN BE TO FIND HOUSING AT EDMOND, ESPECIALLY AT LOWER PRICE POINTS.
IN MANY CASES, THESE INDIVIDUALS GREW UP IN EDMOND AND ARE RETURNING HOME, YET FINDING IT A STRUGGLE TO SECURE HOUSING AT A PRICE THEY CAN'T AFFORD.
WE FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS WITHIN THIS REPORT WILL EMPOWER THE CITY OF EDMOND AND ITS HOUSING PARTNERS TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT PLANNING AND INVESTING IN SUITABLE HOUSING FOR ALL RESIDENTS.
THE STRATEGIES, POLICIES, AND TOOLS OUTLINED HEREIN WILL EQUIP DECISION MAKERS WITH THE MEANS TO NAVIGATE THE COMPLEXITIES OF OUR HOUSING LANDSCAPE.
EFFECTIVELY, WE EXTEND OUR HEARTFELT GRATITUDE TO THE CITY COUNCIL, CITY STAFF, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND HOUSING PARTNERS WHO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROCESS.
YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS, INSIGHTS, AND UNWAVERING SUPPORT HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN SHAPING THIS REPORT.
THE EDMOND HOUSING ASSESSMENT STANDS AS A TESTAMENT TO OUR SHARED DEDICATION TO IMPROVING THE LIVES OF OUR RESIDENTS AND ENHANCING THE VIBRANCY OF OUR COMMUNITY.
ONE THING I FORGOT TO MENTION ON THE EDUCATION, UM, WE ARE AND HAVE PARTNERED, I THINK YOU HAVE A COUNCIL OR A AGENDA ITEM FOR, UM, A DONATION THAT WAS ACCEPTED FROM THE EDMOND BOARD OF REALTORS IN PARTNERING WITH US ON THIS, UM, ASSESSMENT PLAN.
BUT WE ARE ALREADY MOVING FORWARD WITH AN EDUCATION PLAN OR THE FACES OF EDMOND, AS YOU SAID, COUNCIL MEMBER ROBBINS AT OUR WORKSHOP IN JUNE, AND DEVELOPING A STRATEGY TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND WITH THESE STRATEGIES AND TACTICS.
SO ANYBODY ELSE READY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS? OH, AT THIS TIME I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
I'M LIKE, ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? WELL, I APPRECIATE THE EFFORT FROM THE WHOLE COMMITTEE.
UM, MANY OF US HAVE, IF YOU ALL SAW MY STATE OF THE CITY SPEECH A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO ON THURSDAY, YOU SAW THE DIFFERENT SEGMENTS OF TIME THAT I TALKED ABOUT.
1960, THE POPULATION, 1980, 2020, 22 20, 20 20 AND 2040.
AND I REFERENCED SINCE THE LAND RUN, EDMOND'S POPULATION'S BEEN GROWING.
AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO HERE IS FIGURE OUT WAYS TO FACILITATE THAT GROWTH.
IT'S, PEOPLE HAVE MOVED HERE FOR VARIOUS REASONS AND THEY ALL HAVE THEIR REASONS AND OTHER PEOPLE ARE STANDING AT THE, THE DOOR TO COME HERE.
AND SO WE ARE FIGURING OUT WAYS TO HELP ACCOMMODATE THAT AND ALSO RUN OUR CITY BECAUSE I, I HAVE TO REMIND EVERYBODY RIGHT NOW, ALL WE RECEIVE ARE TAX DOLLARS TO FUND OUR CITY UNLESS WE GO INTO SOME TYPE OF, UH, TAKE SOME DEBT OUT.
AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO BE AS CREATIVE AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU WHO ARE SITTING IN THIS ROOM TODAY, YOU WANT A QUALITY OF LIFE THAT WE'RE, WE ARE WORKING FEVERISHLY TO MAINTAIN FOR EVERYBODY.
SO, CHRISSY, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK.
UM, NOW MAY, CAN I ASK A POINT OF YES.
CLARIFICATION FOR YOU? SO, UM, BEING NEW AND THEN LOOKING OUT AND SEEING MANY FOLKS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE AND SOME HAVEN'T BEFORE, UM, MAYBE HISTORICALLY WHEN REPORTS HAVE COME UP LIKE THIS THAT HAVE BEEN COMMISSIONED BY, BY, BY CITY COUNCIL, THE LANGUAGE THAT'S BEEN UTILIZED IS, YOU KNOW, THE COUNCIL'S VOTING OR WOULD ADOPT, RIGHT? UH, THIS ONE VERY SPECIFICALLY SAYS TO RECEIVE.
COULD YOU SPEAK A MINUTE TO WHAT SORT OF THAT MEANS AS FAR AS, UH, US RECEIVING IT AND, UM, POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS? SO WE WENT UNDER JUST, I WANNA TALK TERMS THAT I SPEAK ALL THE TIME.
CONTRACTING TERMS. WE WENT UNDER CONTRACT WITH A SPEAK UP A LITTLE.
I HAVE THE, WE WENT UNDER CONTRACT COUNSEL TO DO A HOUSING ASSESSMENT.
WE WENT OUT COMPETITIVELY AND FOUND A COMPANY TO DO THAT FOR US.
THAT COMPANY HAS MET THEIR REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAD, THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS THAT WE HAD IN THE CONTRACT.
PART OF THE TERMS AND CONDITION IS THAT THEY ARE TO PRODUCE A REPORT AND GIVE IT TO THE CITY.
THAT'S WHAT THIS EVENT HERE TONIGHT IS FOR US TO RECEIVE IT.
WE ARE COMPLETING THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THAT CONTRACT TO RECEIVE THE REPORT.
THEN COUNSEL, STAFF, CITIZENS, WE CAN ALL START DISSECTING IT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WORKS HERE AND WHAT DOESN'T.
[00:50:01]
MEAN THAT JUST BECAUSE WE RECEIVE IT THAT IT'S GONNA BE IMPLEMENTED OR 100 DOESN'T DOESN'T MAKE THAT DETERMINATION.LET ME STATE IT A DIFFERENT WAY.
WHEN YOU GO INTO THE GROCERY STORE, THERE'S A CON YOU'RE CREATING A CONTRACT WITH THE GROCERY STORE FOR THEM TO, YOU'RE GONNA PAY THEM FOR SOME FOODS, SOME FOOD FOODS.
WHEN YOU GO IN THERE, YOU PICK YOUR, YOUR SER YOU GET YOUR SERVICE, YOU PAY FOR IT, AND YOU RECEIVE IT.
IT'S THE SAME THING WE'RE DOING HERE.
AND THIS IS THE ACTION THAT WE'RE GONNA TAKE TONIGHT TO RECEIVE IT.
IS IT? YEAH, I THINK AS SOMEBODY NEW AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE MANY DON'T, YOU KNOW, TRY TO FIND ACRONYMS AND, AND CONTRACTING, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR SPENT 20, 30 PLUS YEARS AT TINKER AND KNOWS THAT SPACE VERY WELL.
I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT TO NOTE, UH, THAT WE'RE NOT VOTING OR TAKING ACTION TO ADOPT WHERE WE ARE TO RECEIVE IT.
AND THAT, AS THE MAYOR SAID, IT'S INCUMBENT ON ALL OF US TO HAVE THAT ROBUST CONVERSATION AS A COMMUNITY.
WHAT IS IT THAT WE WANT TO SUPPORT AND ADOPT AND CHAMPION OR OTHERWISE? IS THAT, I DON'T WANNA PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH, IS THAT, WOULD THAT BE FAIR? THAT'S, THAT'S IT.
AND, UH, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE GONNA ALLOW THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME CITIZENS TO SPEAK.
I'M GONNA OPEN THE FLOOR UP FOR CITIZENS' COMMENT.
WHAT I ALSO, UM, MENTIONED BEFORE THAT SOMEBODY WAS READY.
WAIT, LET ME, LET ME GIVE THE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST.
IF, IF YOU HEAR IT, IF YOU HEAR WHAT YOU WANTED TO SAY, REPEATED SEVERAL TIMES, WE'RE JUST SAYING WE'VE HEARD YOU, WE UNDERSTAND, KNOW THAT WE'RE, WE'RE JUST LIKE THE REPORT WE RECEIVED.
WE'RE GONNA RECEIVE YOUR COMMENTS.
SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE FOR, IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK RIGHT NOW, YOU RAISE YOUR HAND.
I WILL ACKNOWLEDGE YOU, YOU WILL COME ON DOWN AND YOU WILL INTRODUCE YOURSELF, AND THEN YOU WILL HAVE YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK OVER HERE.
ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE WAS FIRST AND THEN THE MAN IN ORANGE.
AND THEN I'M ALSO GONNA SAY, PLEASE BE VERY CONCRETE IN YOUR WORDS.
MEANING LET'S BE AS SHORT AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE.
ACTUALLY, I HAD SPENT ALL DAY TRYING TO COME UP WITH WHAT I WANTED TO SAY.
SIR, WILL YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF? OH, SORRY.
ROBERT SIEMENS LIVED IN EDMOND FOR, UM, 27 YEARS, MOSTLY AT 1821.
I ALSO SERVE ON THE COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING LEADERSHIP COUNCIL.
SO I VOLUNTEER MY TIME, UH, TO THE CITY.
UH, I'VE BEEN MOSTLY, UH, FOCUSED ON LAW ENFORCEMENT ISSUES IN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS VERY GOOD.
I MEAN, I, I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE TOPS.
I GET ALONG VERY WELL WITH JD.
UM, ANYWAY, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT I HAD INTENDED TO DO, UH, TONIGHT PEACEFULLY AND AS KINDLY AS I KNOW HOW TO BE, IS TO CHALLENGE SOME OF THE THINGS IN THIS REPORT.
YOU'VE MADE ME FEEL A LOT BETTER THOUGH, BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE TO ME, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO INPUT, UH, ABOUT THINGS THAT WE SEE IN THIS REPORT.
WE ALSO ON OUR SIDE, WHO MAY DISSENT FROM THIS NEED TIME TO DECONSTRUCT THIS THING, LOOK AT ALL THE PIECES OF IT, SEE WHAT WE THINK ABOUT THE WAY THAT THEY'VE GONE ABOUT DOING THESE THINGS.
UH, I HAVE CONCERNS BECAUSE THERE WERE PROGRAMS THAT SEEMED TO FIT THIS PATTERN THAT I'M EXTREMELY AWARE CAME OUT OF THE UNITED NATIONS UNDER UN AGENDA 21 INTO OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
AND ALL, UH, ALL OF THE AGENCIES OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF OUR GOVERNMENT JUST SWALLOWED THIS HOOK LINE AND SINKER STARTING IN, UH, 1993 UNDER BILL CLINTON.
UH, GEORGE BUSH ACTUALLY SIGNED US UP TO SUPPORT A LOT OF THESE THINGS.
NOW, THERE, THERE THERE'S ISSUES, UM, IN HERE IS, AND NOW I, I SAW THIS LAST WEEK TOO AT THE PLANNING MEETING, AND IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AS, UH, THAT PRESENTATION.
AND I COULD IMMEDIATELY SEE THINGS.
I'M GOING, WAIT A MINUTE, 1700 PEOPLE, YOU'VE SURVEYED 1700 PEOPLE, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THAT, UH, OR WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THAT IS OUR POPULATION? AND WE ALL HAVE HUGE INVESTMENTS, UH, OF TIME, ENERGY, MONEY, MORTGAGES, WHATEVER, TO LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND I KNOW I CAN, I CAN TELL YOU I WORKED MY BUTT OFF TO GET HERE.
AND, AND, UH, BECAUSE AS SOON AS I GOT TO OKLAHOMA
[00:55:01]
FROM TEXAS, SORRY, UH, I'M AN ADOPTEE OF OKLAHOMA.OKAY? UM, BUT I, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME.
SO I CONSIDER MYSELF AN OKLAHOMAN AND I HAVE MADE A LOT OF EFFORT TO GET INTO OKLAHOMA.
MY WIFE AND I BOTH, WE WORKED VERY HARD TO GET HERE.
YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU TAKE ON A MORTGAGE, YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU DO ALL THE STUFF YOU NORMALLY DO.
AND SO I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT THOSE INVESTMENTS.
OUR STOCK IN THIS PLACE, UM, BEING PROTECTED.
UH, I TOTALLY BELIEVE IN PROMOTING AND PROTECTING OUR PLACE HERE, UM, BECAUSE IT'S SPECIAL.
AND I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANYTHING HAPPEN HERE THAT COULD DIMINISH OUR STOCK, YOU KNOW, OUR INVESTMENT IN THIS COMMUNITY AS INDIVIDUAL, UH, RESIDENTS HERE.
NOW, JUST ONE OTHER QUICK THING.
UH, I'M, I'M ACTUALLY NOT GONNA GO INTO SOME OF THESE THINGS, YOU KNOW, UH, AS YOU KNOW, TO POINT OUT ABOUT THIS STUDY RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE AS I'M, I'M HEARING YOU, I HOPE I'M HEARING YOU CORRECTLY, THAT YOU'RE JUST RECEIVING THE STUDY AND THERE WILL BE TIME FOR US TO INPUT AND LET ME SUGGEST MAYBE A TOWN HALL.
'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT VENUE FOR US TO, TO, TO, UH, VENT ALL OF OUR CONCERNS ABOUT THIS BECAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO GET BUSINESS DONE, AND THIS KIND OF NEEDS TO BE A SINGLE ISSUE, KIND OF A, A TOWN HALL OR SOMETHING WHERE, WHERE WE CAN ALL COME TOGETHER AND WE CAN GO BACK AND FORTH WITH YOU.
AND I THINK THAT WOULD ALLEVIATE A LOT OF THE, THE BAD FEELINGS THAT HAVE COME UP BECAUSE WE FEEL LIKE, UH, SOMETIMES THAT YOU'RE NOT LISTENING TO US AND WE FEEL LIKE WE DESERVE TO BE LISTENED TO.
AND PROBABLY MOST OF WHAT YOU'VE EXPERIENCED IS FRUSTRATION FROM PEOPLE WHO, WHO WERE, WHO WERE, UH, WELL, ACTUALLY THEY'RE TERRIFIED THAT THIS MAY WIND UP CREATING, UH, LOW DENSITY, UH, LOW INCOME, HIGH DENSITY KINDS OF APARTMENT, UH, UH, COMPLEXES.
AND ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS LOOK AT O Y O AND THAT'S THE KIND OF THING YOU'RE GONNA WIND UP WITH.
AND, AND THERE'S, SO THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF RISKS HERE.
AND I'M NOT SURE THAT ALL THOSE RISKS HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED AND MITIGATED.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S MITIGATION STRATEGIES, ET CETERA.
SO, UM, THERE, THERE'S JUST A LOT HERE THAT WE NEED TO, UH, STUDY A LITTLE MORE DEEPLY.
A A LOT OF THESE ISSUES ARE COMPLETELY OUT OF OUR CONTROL, AND THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT 'EM.
AND, AND, AND ONE OF THOSE THINGS IS THAT THE FEDERAL RESERVE KEPT INTEREST RATES SO LOW FOR SO LONG, AND YOU HAD PEOPLE THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN GRANTED MORTGAGES THAT WERE, AND THEY WENT OUT AND BOUGHT HOUSES LIKE CRAZY WHEN INTEREST RATES WERE, YOU KNOW, 2% ON A MORTGAGE OR TWO AND A QUARTER PERCENT ON A MORTGAGE OR WHATEVER.
IT, IT'S, IT, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING IN EDMOND.
PLUS, WE, WE ALL WENT THROUGH TWO AND A HALF YEARS OF LOCKDOWNS, LOW PRODUCTIVITY BUSINESSES CLOSING AND ALL OF THAT KIND OF THING.
AND THEN WHAT HAPPENED? THE, THE, THE FEDS DUMPED GIGANTIC AMOUNTS OF MONEY INTO THE ECONOMY.
AND THAT'S THE TEXTBOOK DEFINITION, DEFINITION OF INFLATION.
IT'S TOO MUCH MONEY CHASING TOO FEW THINGS.
AND THERE'S NOBODY IN THIS ROOM THAT CAN DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
UM, SO YOU, YOU KNOW, THE, THE IDEA THAT THE, I MEAN, EDMOND'S MARKET IS WHAT EDMOND'S MARKET IS.
EDMOND HAS BECOME WHAT IT IS BECAUSE IT ATTRACTS PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE CAPACITY TO, UH, UH, TO CARRY A MORTGAGE, TO BUY A HOUSE.
I COULDN'T AFFORD A $400,000 HOUSE.
I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO COME HELP ME TO BUY A 400, DO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS HOUSE.
SO YOU, YOU KNOW, THIS IDEA OF HELPING PEOPLE AND GIVING THEM THINGS ONLY MAKES THEM WEAKER.
AND I, I REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT PE.
UM, I, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT I DID IN MY CAREER IS WHEN I WANTED MORE MONEY, I WANTED TO ADVANCE, I WENT OUT AND GOT THE SKILLS.
YOU GO GET ANOTHER DEGREE, YOU GO FIND SOMETHING ELSE TO DO THAT DOES MAKE MONEY.
AND IF YOU LOVE A PARTICULAR PURSUIT AND IT DOESN'T PAY THE MONEY, THAT'S NOT THE FAULT OF THE MARKET.
THAT'S THE FAULT OF THE DECISIONS THAT THE INDIVIDUALS MAKE.
AND I, I, I, I THINK, UH, FINALLY HERE, I
[01:00:01]
I THINK THAT HAVING ANY GOVERNMENT GET INVOLVED IN A MARKET AND START MESSING AROUND WITH IT, OR TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, IS A TICKET TO DISASTER.IT JUST SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING.
ONE, ONE QUICK LAST THING I THOUGHT ABOUT.
SO WE'RE SAYING WE NEED MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OVER HERE.
BUT OVER HERE IN THAT TIFF, THE CITY IS ACTUALLY INCENTIVIZED TO SUPPORT THE DESTRUCTION OF THE MOST AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THIS CITY, WHICH IS THE OLDER PARTS OF THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, WE EDMUND AS IT WAS GROWING, WENT THROUGH THIS PHASE OF, OF, OF SMALLER HOUSES AND MORE MODEST, UH, SITUATIONS AT THE TIME.
AND THOSE ARE THE VERY HOUSES THAT, UH, I MEAN, OF COURSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT CHEAP.
UH, BUT THOSE ARE THE HOUSES THAT ARE MOST AFFORDABLE IN OUR ENTIRE TOWN.
OKAY? SO WHY ARE WE TEARING THEM DOWN AND PUTTING TWO $500,000 HOUSES RIGHT THERE ON THE SAME LOT? PLUS YOU'RE, YOU'RE EXPANDING THE, YOU'RE GIGANTICALLY EXPANDING.
I'M TALKING A FACTOR OF 5, 6, 7, 8, UH, THE TAX BASE.
IT'S THE COUNTY THAT CONTROLS THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE, THE TAXATION AND SO FORTH AND DETERMINING WHAT PROPERTIES ARE VALUED OUT AND SO FORTH.
SO, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO ALL THOSE PEOPLE IN THE TIFF OR THEY SURVEYED BEFORE THAT HAPPENED? PROBABLY NOT.
THERE'S, THERE'S YOUNG FAMILIES AND STUFF IN A LOT OF THOSE HOUSES, AND THEY'RE GONNA GET HAMMERED BY TAXES.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT, IT, IT, WHAT I WAS THINKING, THIS SOUNDS LIKE KIND OF A SCAM TO ME, THAT, THAT OVER HERE YOU'RE TELLING US WE NEED MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSES, AND OVER HERE YOU'RE DESTROYING AFFORDABLE HOUSES.
SO HOPE, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GO THROUGH A PHASE HERE WHERE, UM, WE CAN ALL HONESTLY INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER WITHOUT ALL THE DISSENSION.
AND ALL IT TAKES ON YOUR PART IS JUST LISTEN.
UH, AND, UH, I INTEND TO BE RESPECTFUL WITH ANYTHING I'M INVOLVED IN.
UM, SO ANYWAY, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
THE MAN DOWN HERE IN THE ORANGE WAS NEXT.
AND, UH, STEVE CURRY LIVE IN WARD FOUR.
UM, I, I WILL BE VERY BRIEF HERE.
I HEARD A LOT ABOUT STAKEHOLDERS AND, BUT I DIDN'T HEAR ONE OF THE STAKEHOLDERS MENTIONED.
AND BEFORE I GET TO THAT, I WANT TO, UH, SAY THAT I DO APPRECIATE WHAT SOME OF THESE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS AND YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE COME UP HERE AND SPOKEN ABOUT.
I STARTED OUT WITH MY FAMILY, LIVING IN AN APARTMENT, THEN A DUPLEX, THEN EVENTUALLY A SMALL HOME, AND THEN WORKED MY WAY UP.
AND I'M FORTUNATE, I LIVE IN ONE OF THOSE DISTRICTS THAT YOU MENTIONED UP THERE THAT'S IN A HIGHER PRICE TAG.
BUT I WORKED LONG AND HARD OVER MANY, MANY YEARS TO GET THERE.
AND MY WIFE AS WELL, WE'RE STAKEHOLDERS TOO.
WHAT WE CAN'T AFFORD, FOR A LOT OF US THAT HAVE INVESTED A LOT OF MONEY IN OUR HOMES, THAT'S IN MANY CASES THE BIGGEST ASSET WE HAVE.
WE CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE THOSE ASSETS DEPRECIATED ON US BECAUSE OF WHAT GOES ON AROUND US.
WE WORKED HARD ALL OF OUR LIFE TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE LIVE, AND WE TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN WHERE WE LIVE.
I'VE TAKEN A LOT OF PRIDE IN LIVING IN EDMOND, AND I'M JUST ASKING YOU THAT IT, I'M, I'M GOOD.
I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT THIS IS NOW FOR REVIEW.
BUT DON'T FORGET THOSE OF US THAT HAVE WORKED HARD TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE AND THE VALUES THAT WE'VE CREATED FROM WORKING HARD.
AND I HOPE THESE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT FOLLOW BEHIND US DO THE SAME THING, BUT ASK YOU TO GIVE DUE RESPECT AND DO THOUGHT AND YOUR DILIGENCE ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO AND ITS IMPACT ON US.
UM, I'VE LIVED IN EDMOND MY ENTIRE LIFE, AND I, I JUST, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT I DON'T THINK THAT THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT NEED TO LISTEN AND NEED TO HEAR SOME OF THE THINGS THAT SOME OF US YOUNGER GENERATION HAVE TO SAY.
UM, I, LIKE I SAID, I'M A LIFELONG EDMOND RESIDENT.
WENT TO, YOU KNOW, HIGH SCHOOL, WENT TO COLLEGE HERE.
I GOT MY MASTER'S DEGREE, MY BACHELOR'S, AND MY MASTER'S DEGREE HERE AT U C O.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THEN I WENT OFF TO THE MILITARY.
I WENT TO, YOU KNOW, I DID MY SERVICE IN THE ARMY
[01:05:01]
AND I'M NOW A FULL 100% TOTAL AND DISABLED VETERAN.AND SO, YOU KNOW, HERE I AM WITH MY 100%, YOU KNOW, DISABILITY.
BUT MY, UH, MY HUSBAND IS A POLICE OFFICER IN OKLAHOMA CITY.
HE WAS ALSO A VETERAN, YOU KNOW, SO HERE WE ARE WITH, YOU KNOW, MINIMAL INCOME, LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK, YOU KNOW, BUT WE, YOU KNOW, WE WERE LUCK LUCKY AND ABLE TO BUY A HOUSE IN TIMBER RIDGE.
WE WANTED TO RETURN TO WHERE WE HAD GROWN UP.
AND LUCKILY, YOU KNOW, AFTER, YOU KNOW, THE HOUSING CRASH, YOU KNOW, COME IT, YOU KNOW, IT CAME BACK UP IN 2012 AND WE WERE ABLE TO PURCHASE THE HOME THAT WE WANTED.
AND I CONSIDER US VERY, VERY LUCKY.
BUT, UM, I CAN GIVE YOU A REALLY PRIME EXAMPLE.
UM, MY BROTHER-IN-LAW, MY HUSBAND'S BROTHER WAS NOT AS LUCKY AS WE WERE.
UM, HE WAS DEPLOYED DURING THAT TIME.
AND, YOU KNOW, UH, WHEN YOU'RE DEPLOYED, YOU'RE NOT BUILDING CREDIT, YOU'RE NOT BUILDING THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND IT'S, IT'S REALLY HARD WHEN YOU COME BACK TO ALMOST START FROM NOTHING.
I MEAN, IT'S LIKE STARTING AT NOT AT ZERO, BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S JUST REALLY HARD.
I MEAN, IF YOU'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED IT, AND, YOU KNOW, HE CAME BACK FROM THIS BIG DEPLOYMENT, GOT MARRIED, AND HIM AND HIS WIFE, YOU KNOW, THEY COULDN'T LIVE HERE IN EDMOND.
IT JUST WASN'T, IT WASN'T FEASIBLE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY DID NOT GET THE CHANCE THAT WE HAD.
AND FOR THE, THE PAST FIVE YEARS, THEY HAVE BEEN LIVING WITH MY HUSBAND'S PARENTS BECAUSE THEY WANNA STAY HERE AND SIT, YOU KNOW, IN THE CITY CLOSE TO EVERYONE.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A PERSON WHO, YOU KNOW, HAD THE SAME EXACT BACKGROUND COMING UP WE DID.
AND HIS WIFE IS, SHE WORKS IN HEALTHCARE LIKE THE LADY SAID, YOU KNOW? AND I JUST, I JUST THINK IT'S A, IT'S A, I DON'T WANNA CALL IT A TRAVESTY, BUT IT'S SO HARD FOR OUR GENERATION TO BE PLACED AGAINST, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE FROM THE SEVENTIES WHO COULD WORK ONE JOB AND AFFORD, YOU KNOW, A HOME HERE IN EDMOND.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, THEY COULD RAISE A FAMILY, YOU KNOW, OF TWO KIDS AND A WIFE, YOU KNOW, BUT NOW YOU, YOU PITCH THAT AGAINST US, YOU KNOW, IN OUR GENERATION.
AND THERE'S, THERE'S NO WAY THAT THAT'S ACHIEVABLE.
IT'S, IT'S JUST NOT, IT, THE WORK THAT THIS COMMITTEE DID, AND LIKE THE LADIES WERE SPEAKING OF, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL WE WANT IS THE SAME.
ALL WE WANT IS THE SAME CHANCE.
YOU KNOW, NO ONE'S, NO ONE'S SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA BRING DOWN EDMOND.
WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE THINGS MORE DIFFICULT.
WE DON'T WANT TAKE, YOU KNOW, WHAT PEOPLE HAVE WORKED ALL THEIR LIVES FOR.
WE DON'T WANT THAT TO, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANNA TAKE WHAT YOU'VE WORKED YOUR WHOLE LIFE FOR AND MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW.
I, I
IT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT'S ACHIEVABLE, YOU KNOW? AND I JUST, I JUST THINK THAT SOME PEOPLE NEED TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.
AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE ON THIS, IT'S JUST OUTSTANDING BECAUSE WE NEED ALL THESE DIFFERENT LEVELS.
PEOPLE NEED TO HAVE ACCESS TO APARTMENTS, TO CONDOS, TO ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS BECAUSE I MEAN, IT'S JUST ALL THE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, LIFE DOESN'T LOOK THE SAME AS IT DID IN THE SEVENTIES.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE SINGLE PARENTS, YOU HAVE BLENDED FAMILIES, YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO LIVE WITH THEIR, YOU KNOW, GRANDPARENTS WHO LIVE WITH, YOU KNOW, A MULTITUDE OF FAMILY MEMBERS, AND IT'S JUST NOT THE SAME MOM, DAD, SON, DAUGHTER IN, YOU KNOW, A HOUSE LIKE IT USED TO BE.
AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AS TIMES CHANGE, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE REALIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, LIFE LOOKS DIFFERENT NOW AND, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO KIND OF ROLL WITH THAT AND, YOU KNOW, ADVANCE AS WE GO ALONG.
SO I JUST, I, I THINK THAT EVERYONE SHOULD TRY AND KEEP THAT IN MIND.
SIR, OVER HERE? NO, MY WIFE CALLED.
[01:10:07]
THANK YOU.MY NAME IS CALEB MCKAY, 2208 SUMMER HAVEN WAY HERE IN EDMOND.
I'VE BEEN A BUILDER AND A DEVELOPER HERE IN TOWN SINCE THE EIGHTIES.
I'VE BUILT A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
I WOULD LIKE FOR SOME OF THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE STANDING UP AND SAYING, WE'VE WORKED HARD, WE'VE WORKED LONG TO COME OUT AND WORK IN OPEN HOUSE WITH A SOME WEEKEND.
THE PRAY TO HOMES BRINGS IN HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE, RIGHT? NURSES, TEACHERS, THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE HERE.
IT'S SAD, RIGHT? WE'VE GOTTA DO SOMETHING ABOUT AFFORDABILITY.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK IT'S ABOUT GIVEAWAYS.
IT'S NOT, EXCUSE ME IF I'D SOUND NERVOUS.
I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS THOUGH.
ATTITUDE HAS GOTTA STOP WHEN 75% OF YOUR WORKFORCE CAN'T LIVE IN THE TOWN THEY WORK IN.
SO ALL I ASK FOR IS AN OPEN MIND.
THIS IS NOT BEING VOTED ON TONIGHT.
JUST HAVE AN OPEN MIND ABOUT DIFFERENT IDEAS.
I'M IN LOTS OF NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOME BUILDER COMMITTEES, AND THERE'S PROGRAMS OUT THERE, MANY, MANY PROGRAMS OUT THERE.
THEY'RE NOT GRANTS, THEY'RE NOT GIVEAWAYS, BUT IT'S TO GET PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO LIVE WHERE THEY WORK.
AND THAT'S ALL THAT I'M ASKING IS KEEP AN OPEN MIND.
DOES ANYONE ELSE, OKAY, HOLD ON.
I'M GOING TO GET YOU, YOU AND YOU.
THEN WE'RE GONNA GO IN THE BACK.
DO YOU WANT ME TO GO FIRST? GO AHEAD.
LYDIA LEE, UH, I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE EDMOND NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE.
I WAS ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WAS QUOTED IN THE SURVEY THAT GOT, UH, INTERVIEWED IN ONE OF THE ORIGINAL, UM, FOCUS GROUPS, ALTHOUGH IT WAS A ZOOM CALL, AND I WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT SHOWED UP
IT WAS A FOCUS CALL, UM, BUT HAD A VERY, VERY GOOD CONVERSATION WITH THE, THE FOLKS WHO DID THIS SURVEY.
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY A NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE CITY OF EDMOND.
THAT'S, THAT'S WASN'T A SURPRISE TO ME A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.
IT'S NOT A SURPRISE AS A RESULT OF, OF THIS SURVEY.
THE ONLY THING I WANT TO SAY IS, AS, AS ALL OF YOU KNOW, I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THREE REFERENDUM PETITIONS REGARDING APARTMENTS IN THE CITY OF EDMOND.
AND SO PEOPLE LOOK AT ME AND GO, OH, YOU'RE ANTI APARTMENT.
THERE IS NOTHING FARTHER FROM THE TRUTH THAN, THAN TO SAY THAT I ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE IN APARTMENTS.
I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS A NECESSARY AND ACCEPTABLE LOCATION FOR NEWCOMERS, FOR, UH, MIDLIFE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THEIR OWN, WHO WANT TO LIVE, UH, IN EDMOND, WANT TO LIVE CLOSE TO THEIR JOBS.
THAT IS ABSOLUTELY AN APPROPRIATE HOUSING SOURCE.
THE THING THAT I WOULD CAUTION YOU ABOUT IS CONSIDERING THE LOCATION FOR THESE.
THAT IS WHY SO MANY OF THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES, PEOPLE GET UP IN ARMS AND, AND OBJECT TO THEM BECAUSE YOU SIT THEM DOWN, NOT YOU BUT
THEY SAY, OH MY GOSH, NO, NOT, NOT IN MY BACKYARD.
NOW I'VE GOT A THREE STORY APARTMENT COMPLEX BEING PROPOSED.
IT'S ALL ABOUT LOCATION AND CONSISTENCY WITH THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR THIS COUNCIL TO FOCUS ON GOING FORWARD WITH THIS SURVEY, IS LOOK AT HOW IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY.
AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE OBJECTIONS.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT BACKS UP TO THAT, UH, DOING THE REFERENDUMS AND OUT PROTESTING AND, AND DOING ALL THAT.
SO PLEASE CONSIDER, UH, LOCATION AND CONSISTENCY WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS HOUSING STUDY GOING FORWARD.
UM, I APPLAUD YOU FOR DOING THIS.
I THINK IT CAN, UM, BE VERY PRODUCTIVE IN THE CITY OF
[01:15:01]
EDMOND.I'M NOT ONE OF THOSE THAT SAYS, HEY, I GOT MINE SO NOBODY ELSE GETS THEIRS.
UM, BUT I DO AGREE WITH ONE OF THE STATEMENTS THAT WAS MADE WHERE THE INDIVIDUAL TALKED ABOUT ALL OF THESE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES THAT ARE AFFORDABLE IN THE CITY OF EDMOND BEING BOUGHT UP, MOWED DOWN, AND GIANT CONDOS BEING PUT ON THEM THAT NO ONE CAN AFFORD.
I DRIVE AROUND DOWNTOWN AND SEE IT EVERY DAY.
SO I WOULD CAUTION YOU ON THAT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
BE CAREFUL AND NOT TAKE AWAY THE EXISTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO NEED THAT.
SIR, YOU'RE NEXT, THEN YOU ARE YOU? GOOD EVENING.
UH, I LIVE AT 1 5 4 EVER MAY DRIVE, AND MY LAW FIRM'S AT 1503 EAST 19TH STREET IN EDMOND.
AND I'M HERE IN FRONT OF YOU A LOT ON BEHALF OF DIFFERENT CLIENTS.
AND I'M HERE TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF A GROUP THAT WE RECENTLY FORMED CALLED EDMOND ALLIANCE 2050.
AND IT'S A NEW ORGANIZATION, BUT IT'S MADE UP OF OVER 50 BUSINESS MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE SOME OF THE LARGEST CAPITAL INVESTORS IN NONPROFIT SUPPORTERS IN THE HISTORY OF EDMOND.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT CONCENTRATED GROUP, AND OUR MISSION IS TO COLLABORATE AND SUPPORT GOOD POLICIES AND GOOD GOVERNMENT AND GOOD VISIONING FOR THE CITY OF EDMOND.
AND SO I'M HERE JUST TO SAY THANK YOU BECAUSE THIS IS LONG OVERDUE, MUCH NEEDED AND HAS ALREADY WAS STATED.
THE RESULTS WERE NOT SURPRISING.
I MEAN, I'VE BEEN IN FRONT OF YOU, I'VE HAD A PROJECTS APPROVED AND THEN DEFEATED BY REFERENDUMS BECAUSE THEY WERE ON I 35, WHICH WAS AN ODD PLACE FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD TO BE.
AND I'VE ALSO BEEN IN FRONT OF YOU ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
BUT HERE'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT.
I THINK IT'S NOT ABOUT THE PAST.
IT'S NOT ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT SOMEONE CAN BE PRIVILEGED TO LIVE INTO EDMOND AS A RESIDENT OR A STUDENT.
IT'S ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WHEN I LOOK AROUND AND I THINK, WELL, I WORKED HARD AND I BOUGHT A HOUSE HERE, AND SO SOMEONE ELSE NEEDS TO SUCK IT UP AND DO IT.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, THE, THERE'S BEEN 2000 JOBS CON UH, DEVELOPED ON I 35 IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, AND WE HAVEN'T APPROVED A MULTI-FAMILY PROJECT IN 10.
IT TELLS YOU THAT IT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE.
AND AT PLANNING COMMISSION, I HEARD SOMEBODY COME UP AND SAY, HEY, THE IDEA THAT SOMEONE CAN'T LIVE IN OUR CITY LIMITS, WELL, THEY CAN JUST DRIVE IN.
AND SO THE QUESTION IS, WELL, WHAT KIND OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT DOES A POLICEMAN OR A FIREMAN OR A NURSE THAT LIVES OUTSIDE OUR CITY LIMITS COMPARED TO THOSE THAT LIVE HERE AND SUPPORT THEIR TOWN BY THEIR RESIDENCY HERE? AND SO WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO SAY IS, THE IDEA IS IT'S NOT JUST A PRIVILEGE ISSUE, ALTHOUGH THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED AND OUR PAST IS UGLY ABOUT THAT, AND I HOPE THAT'S NOT OUR FUTURE.
AND SO WHEN I LOOK AT OUR TIME, I LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN DO AS OUR ORGANIZATION AND WE'RE HAPPY TO DO IT.
AND I THINK WE'VE COMMUNICATED THAT TO YOU INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY TO SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THINGS THAT MAKE SENSE.
NOBODY DOES A POLICY, A PROGRAM LIKE THIS AND ADOPTS EVERYTHING.
THEY TAKE THE COLLECTIVE MINDSET OF THE GROUP AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S BEST.
NOT EVERYTHING FITS HIGHLAND PARK OR NICHOLS HILLS OR BETHANY OR ANY OTHER PLACE.
BUT I DO KNOW WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
WE'RE GONNA STAND BESIDE YOU AND WE'RE GONNA COME ALONGSIDE RANDY ENTON WHEN HE COMES UP WITH THE EDMOND ZONING CODE THAT HE THINKS MAKES SENSE.
WE'RE GONNA BE PART OF THE PROCESS AND PART OF THE SOLUTION.
AND PEOPLE THAT COME UP AND SAY NO AND DON'T OFFER A SOLUTION ARE WORTHLESS.
THEY PROVIDE NO VALUE TO THE FUTURE.
AND SO I HOPE YOU'LL FIND THAT TO BE NOT US, THAT YOU CAN HOLD ME PERSONALLY ACCOUNTABLE IN OUR ORGANIZATION WHEN WE SAY WE WILL BE PART OF THE COLLABORATIVE SOLUTION, WHETHER IT'S WITH THE EDMUND NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE OR WITH THE EDMUND CHAMBER, OR WHOEVER THAT IS, THAT WE WILL BE AT THE TABLE SUPPORTING THE FUTURE OF EDMOND.
AND IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW LONG YOU'VE LIVED HERE, MY, THERE, THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO BACK AND FORTH.
IT MATTERS HOW LONG YOU'RE GONNA BE HERE AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO INVEST IN THE FUTURE.
AND TONIGHT'S NOT ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT MULTIFAMILY IS GOOD OR BAD, OR DUPLEXES ARE GOOD OR BAD.
IT'S NOT ABOUT ECONOMIC THEORY.
IT'S ABOUT WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO TO SUSTAIN EDMUND'S FUTURE GOING FORWARD? AND I BELIEVE THIS IS A WONDERFUL STEP, AND OUR ORGANIZATION BELIEVES WE'LL BE HERE FOR THE FUTURE IMPLEMENTATION OF IT, AS LONG AS IT'S GOOD POLICY AND GOOD GOVERNMENT AND GOOD VISIONING GOING FORWARD.
AND WITH THAT, WE'RE THANKFUL TO BE A, A PARTY AT THE TABLE AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU GOING FORWARD.
ANTHONY TOMPKINS IN WINDMILL ONE.
AND UH, I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE WHAT, UH, COUNSELOR AND, UH, UH, ANOTHER PERSON WERE SAYING ABOUT, UH, HOW THE COMMUNITY,
[01:20:01]
UH, NEEDS TO GROW AND, UH, DEFINITELY GETTING IN THE LOCATION OF WHERE THINGS NEED TO GO IS CERTAINLY OF IMPORTANCE.BUT AGAIN, TO THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT GENERATIONS, WHEN MY PARENTS BOUGHT THEIR FIRST HOME THAT I WAS RAISED IN, IT WAS $18,000.
I HAD A SEVEN AND A QUARTER PERCENT INTEREST RATE.
SO WHEN I HEAR PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF OR FIVE RIGHT NOW, I JUST KIND OF CHUCKLE.
YOU KNOW, THE HOUSE I LIVE IN CURRENTLY WAS PURCHASED FOR $130,000.
I INHERITED IT BECAUSE MY MOTHER, WELL, I WON'T GO INTO THAT, BUT, UH, SHE'S NO LONGER WITH US IN ANY CASE, THERE'S NO WAY I COULD HAVE AFFORDED THAT WORKING FOR 19 YEARS AT U C O.
SO I THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT, AND YOU ALL ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING TO GET THIS TYPE OF HOUSING AVAILABLE.
IT IS NOT A HANDOUT TO GIVE SOMEBODY AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE INTO AN APARTMENT.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT COMES FROM.
WE'RE NOT RUSSIA, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT PICKING UP ALL THAT STUFF.
WE'RE LITERALLY TRYING TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING, AND I THANK THE ALLIANCE AS WELL.
SO IF YOU'RE STARTING TO HEAR A THEME HERE, WE CAN, WE'VE GOT A CART BEFORE THE HORSE GOING ON RIGHT HERE, FOLKS.
SIR, WILL YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF? I SAID WE GOT A CART GOING BEFORE THE HORSE RIGHT HERE.
SIR, WILL YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF? OH, SIR LEONARD, SCOTT, WE, WE GOTTA TALK ABOUT PRIORITIES FIRST.
WE UNDERSTAND ALL THE STUFF GOING ON, BUT MAN, WHEN YOU SIT AT THE KITCHEN TABLE, YOU'VE GOT MONEY IN FRONT OF YOU.
YOU GOT WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU'VE GOT.
YOU ALL WANNA MAKE MONEY BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO, TO PAY YOUR, YOU GET YOUR MONEY FROM TAXES.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO RING PEOPLE IN.
I'M GONNA SPEAK FOR THE CHILDREN TONIGHT BECAUSE OUR CHILDREN, NOW YOU'RE THIS THING.
WE'RE TALKING SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO PLAN A A HIGH SCHOOL? WE'VE GOT A HIGH SCHOOL.
WE NEED RIGHT NOW, SOME OTHER SCHOOLS BECAUSE OF OUR POPULATION AND WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT BRINGING IN HERE.
WE'RE TWO, WE'RE WE'RE 10, 15 YEARS OF PLANNING OUT FOR RURAL HIGH SCHOOLS, GRADE SCHOOLS, MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
WE CAN'T EVEN AFFORD POLICE OFFICERS ASSIGNED TO 16 OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW.
AND SO WE CAN'T PROTECT OUR CHILDREN AND CAN'T EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN BASED ON FUNDS.
THEN WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? WE HAVE TO HAVE THE PRIORITIES.
WHEN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS, PUT THIS OVER HERE IN MONOPOLY GAME AREA, ALL OF THIS STUFF, WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
OUR INFRASTRUCTURE'S HORRIBLE RIGHT NOW.
'CAUSE WE CAN'T SUPPORT THE SCHOOLS.
WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T DRIVE, JUST DRIVE DOWN A ROAD WHEN SCHOOL STARTS AND SEE THE CARS BACKED UP AND LINED UP TO LET KIDS OUT.
SO LET'S GO BACK TO THE PRIORITIES.
WHAT IS THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY? IT SHOULD BE, YOU ALL HAVE YOUR PRIORITIES.
MAKE MONEY AND SAFETY SECURE THE POPULATION.
BUT MY PRIORITY RIGHT NOW IS CHILDREN.
AND THE OTHER THING IS IN THIS REPORT THAT THEY HANDED OUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT A FOCUS GROUP, GROUP ON ELDERS.
EVERYBODY IN THERE WAS IN THE THIRTIES, TWENTIES, THIRTIES TALKING ABOUT THIS.
AND THE FOCUS GROUP DID NOT HAVE ONE FOCUS GROUP WITH ELDERS.
'CAUSE WE'RE AFFECTED BY THIS.
REMEMBER THIS DOWNSIZE, THEY TALK ABOUT, OH, WE GOTTA GET 'EM OUTTA THE HOUSE.
'CAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO DOWNS.
SO WE WANT A PRIORITY ON ELDERS AND OUR CHILDREN.
MA'AM, YOU, MY NAME IS APRIL WOLFE, AND I'VE BEEN A CITIZEN HERE IN EDMOND FOR JUST TWO YEARS.
SO I JUST WANNA BRING UP A COUPLE OF POINTS BECAUSE, UM, MY HUSBAND WORKS AS A MANAGER FOR A POLE COMPANY AND I AM A STAY-AT-HOME MOM.
WE TRIED TO GET INTO EDMOND EIGHT YEARS AGO, COULDN'T GET IN BECAUSE WE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S COST MORE TO GET A HOUSE HERE.
TWO YEARS AGO, I WANTED TO BE HERE SO BAD FOR THE SCHOOL SPECIFICALLY.
SO WE WOUND UP SELLING A CAR SO THAT WE COULD PAY THAT EXTRA MONEY.
AND I WOUND UP SPENDING LIKE $13,000 MORE THAN THE HOUSE WAS WORTH.
NOW I LIVE IN THAT, UM, THE LARGEST GREEN CIRCLE ON THAT SCREEN.
BUT SHOULD THAT HAVE BEEN THE CASE? I DON'T THINK
[01:25:01]
SO.SO I AGREE THAT THERE DEFINITELY IS AN ISSUE.
HOWEVER, LOCATION, PLEASE THINK ABOUT LOCATION AND WHERE YOU'RE ALLOWING THIS TO HAPPEN BECAUSE MY GREEN BELT BEHIND MY HOUSE JUST SOLD.
AND I'M TERRIFIED OF THAT BECAUSE OF THIS.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING DOES NEED TO BE AFFORDABLE FOR PEOPLE LIKE THE MIDDLE CLASS.
BUT HOW I'VE NEVER SEEN A GOVERNMENT PROGRAM DO THAT.
NOT STATE, NOT LOCAL, NOT NOT FEDERAL.
IT'S ONLY BELOW A CERTAIN INCOME.
AND I'VE NEVER FALLEN INTO THAT GROUP.
SO THAT'S WHY WE DECIDED TO SELL A CAR TO GET INTO A CITY WITH THE KIND OF SCHOOLS WE WANT.
NOW THE LOCATION COMES BACK BECAUSE OF THE SCHOOLS.
SO IF MY GREEN BELT GOT SOLD, RIGHT? SO IF THEY PUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING OF SOME KIND ON THAT, NOW YOU'RE OVERLOADING THE SCHOOLS IN MY AREA.
SO WHAT'S THE PLAN ON EXPANSION FOR SCHOOLS? SO LOCATION MATTERS BECAUSE WHEN GREENBELTS ARE SOLD, YOU'RE, YOU'RE AFFECTING THE SCHOOLS RIGHT IN THAT AREA.
LIKE THE GENTLEMAN BEFORE ME SAID THE LINES ARE AN ISSUE AT MY SCHOOL IN PARTICULAR, BUT THAT JUST MEANS OUR SCHOOLS ARE MAXED OUT.
SO THE LOCATIONS ARE SO IMPORTANT ON THIS ISSUE.
AND THE AFFORDABILITY FOR WHO, WHAT, WHAT, WHO? THE YOUNG PEOPLE TALKING.
I JUST WANTED TO BRING THOSE THINGS UP BECAUSE THERE ARE ISSUES.
THERE WAS THE U OKAY, LET'S DO THIS U LADY IN BLUE THEN.
WE WE'RE GETTING TO A THEME HERE.
I WAS A MEMBER OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE.
AND I JUST WANT TO, UH, MAKE A COMMENT THAT THE REAL ISSUE HERE, THE BOTTOM LINE ISSUE, THE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO AFFORD IT ARE THOSE WHO ARE LIVING IN APARTMENTS NOW AND SPEND 50% OF THEIR INCOME JUST TO STAY IN THAT APARTMENT.
THEY DON'T HAVE A CAR, THEY RIDE THE BUS ADDRESS THIS HERE.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT WE NEED AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR SO THAT THEY DON'T SPEND 50% OF THEIR INCOME.
AND I THINK THE BOTTOM LINE ISSUE IS THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE AND PEOPLE WHO JUST WANNA MAKE A BETTER LIFE FOR THEMSELVES.
AND WE SHOULD PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO DO THAT.
I'VE LIVED HERE IN EDMOND, UH, QUITE A NUMBER OF YEARS.
AND, UM, WE'VE ENJOYED EDMOND A LOT.
I FEEL CO I FEEL COMPELLED TO SPEAK BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH, THERE'S SO MUCH THAT I'VE SEEN IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS OF BECOMING ACQUAINTED WITH THIS HOUSING, AFFORDABLE HOUSING ASSESSMENT.
AND PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT, HEY, IF WE CAN JUST WORK ON MAYBE, YOU KNOW, GIVING SOME ROOM BETWEEN THIS AREA AND THAT AREA IN DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE 2018 PLAN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE 2030 PLAN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE 2050 PLAN, ALL OF THAT, YOU JUST HAVE TO BRING TOGETHER AND SAY, OKAY, WE'RE TALKING HIGH DENSITY.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION RIGHT NOW IS TALKING ABOUT RAIL, BRINGING RAIL HERE.
WE KNOW THAT EDMOND'S GROWING, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO BE HERE CAN AFFORD TO BE HERE.
I MAY WANT TO LIVE SOMEWHERE ELSE AND I CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE NECESSARILY IN MONTECITO, CALIFORNIA.
I DON'T EXPECT MONTECITO TO SAY, JULIE, WE'RE GOING TO LET YOU LIVE IN MONTECITO.
SO I FEEL COMPELLED TO COME FORWARD BECAUSE THERE'S REALLY A LACK OF COMMUNICATION.
AND EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE SO MANY WEBSITES, THERE ARE SO MANY PLATFORMS OUT THERE GIVING INFORMATION ABOUT ALL OF THIS, IT'S GOTTEN REALLY CONFUSING TO PEOPLE.
AND I'M ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T KNOW ANY OF THIS WAS GOING ON UNTIL THE ZOOM MEETING.
SO WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY, WHAT THE COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPARENCY HAS
[01:30:01]
A PROBLEM.AND I'M GOING TO BACK THAT UP BY MENTIONING THE LETTER FROM THE FORMER MAYORS TO THE COUNCIL, OR I SHOULD SAY RATHER TO, OR THE MAYOR AND CITY MANAGER.
AND I WILL MENTION THE PODCAST BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO DO WITH THE CITY.
AND THAT WAS IN JULY EDMOND WAY.
SO THERE'S A LACK OF COMMUNICATION THEY SAY WITHIN THE CITY.
I THINK IT'S UNCONSCIONABLE TO THINK THAT AN OUT-OF-STATE GROUP THAT WAS CLEARLY BROUGHT HERE TO SHOWCASE THEIR IDEAS, THEIR CHOICES TO BRING TO EDMOND IS WRONG.
ONE CAN SIMPLY GO TO DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES WEBPAGE.
WEBSITE AND SEE WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM.
WHEN I, WHEN I FOUND OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON AND I HAPPENED TO GO ON THE ZOOM CALL ON THE 28TH OF JUNE, I IMMEDIATELY WAS JUST FLABBERGASTED.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU ACTUALLY LISTENED TO IT, BUT THE WAY THEY, THE WAY IT WAS DONE WITH THE FIVE SCREEN AND THEN YOU COULD ASK QUESTIONS AND MAKE COMMENTS.
EVERYONE WAS SEPARATED OUT, WHICH IS A GREAT PSYCHOLOGICAL TACTIC.
'CAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHO ELSE MIGHT FEEL THE SAME WAY YOU DO.
I WAS MARGINALIZED BY THE GROUP AND THE PEOPLE COULDN'T ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.
THEY JUST COULDN'T, UM, DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES.
THEY REACHED OUT TO ABOUT 2% OF THE PEOPLE IN EDMOND.
AND YOU GUYS ARE ACTING LIKE, AND I KNOW IT'S A PRESENTATION, SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE RECEIVING THIS.
BUT FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN OF THE MEETINGS IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT'S A FAIR TO COMPLETE.
BUT NOW WE'RE BEING TOLD, WELL, THIS IS JUST, THIS IS JUST BRINGING IT TO YOU TO, TO THE, UH, COUNCIL TO MULL IT OVER.
SO YOU'VE GOT THE STICKY NOTES AT THE FARMER'S MARKET AND A HERD ON HERD.
YOU REACH OUT TO ABOUT 2% OF THE PEOPLE.
I'VE GOT SO MANY DETAILS, I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN TO EVEN COME UP HERE BECAUSE IT'S JUST MADDENING.
BUT EDMOND NEEDS TO BE GOVERNED LOCALLY.
AND WHEN YOU START BRINGING IN FORCES THAT HAVE PRECONCEIVED IDEAS OF WHAT WE WANT IN A CITY OR WHAT THEY WANT IN THE CITY, THAT'S NOT GOOD.
THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR ANY OF US.
AND IN THE END, WHAT I CAN SEE IS HIGH TAXES, HIGH TAXES, HIGH DENSITY OVER TIME.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE RAIL PROBABLY UNLESS IT'S VOTED DOWN IN ABOUT 12 TO 14 MONTHS.
OKAY? I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, GETTING MORE POLICE AND FIRE BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HIGHER DENSITY IN OUR HOUSING.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BRINGING IN WORKFORCE.
WHY DO WE NEED TO EDUCATE WORKFORCE PEOPLE? AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW THAT PARTICULAR VOCABULARY WORD, THEN FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHO THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, MS. BATTERSON SAID THAT, THAT IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THERE WILL BE NEGATIVE SIDE EFFECTS.
AND EDMOND, IF WE DON'T PASS THIS PLAN, THAT IS THE OPPOSITE ACTUALLY, OF WHAT ANDY FEER SAID ON THE 26TH.
SO I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT MEETINGS.
PEOPLE HAVE PUT THINGS OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA NEXT DOOR.
THEY TAKE YOUR STEP OFF FACEBOOK, THEY TAKE OFF ANYTHING YOU WRITE.
SO IF YOU DISAGREE WITH THE CITY OR DISAGREE WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PUSHING THIS FOR THE CITY, YOU'RE MARGINALIZED.
AND THAT'S HOW I THINK 98% OF THE PEOPLE, IF THEY KNEW THIS WAS GOING ON, THEY WOULD FEEL THE SAME WAY.
IN FACT, 94% OF ONE OF THE, UH,
[01:35:01]
SURVEYS, IF I CAN CALL IT A SURVEY, WAS EDMOND NIGHT.SO IT'S NOT EVEN ALL THE PEOPLE IN EDMOND.
SO I'M JUST COMING UP HERE SAYING THAT I KNOW PRICES ARE HIGH.
I KNOW IT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE TO AFFORD HOUSING WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG, BUT NOBODY EVER GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY FROM A CITY.
WELL, I SURE YOU NO LAUGHING THEN.
ARE WE'RE GONNA STOP THIS PART OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO IT IT TAKES A LOT TO BUY A HOME AND WE DO HAVE CIRCUMSTANCES FROM C O V I AND BECAUSE OF THE INTEREST RATES AND BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE WANNA MOVE HERE, THEY WANNA MOVE HERE BECAUSE WE WERE ON SO MANY GOOD LISTS ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO ON BEING A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE.
AND I SAID, BECAUSE EVERYWHERE I'VE LIVED, IT'S THE KISS OF DEATH.
AS SOON AS YOU GET ON A BEST LIST WITHIN 10 YEARS, YOUR CITY CHANGES.
SO I, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY, BUT I, I REALLY HOPE THAT GOVERNING EDMOND WILL BE DONE ON A LOCAL BASIS.
WE DON'T NEED TO BRING IN ALL OF THIS OTHER STUFF.
I CAN, I MIGHT DO THAT IN THE FUTURE.
JUST BEFORE YOU SAY WE HAVE TWO MORE PEOPLE.
IF, IF, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING DIFFERENT TO SAY, WE'VE HEARD YOU.
I, I SAID WE HAVE TWO MORE PEOPLE.
YOU'RE YOU AND THE, AND THE FIA.
MY NAME IS DANIELA DUWELL AND I'M A CONSTITUENT IN WARD THREE.
I'VE LIVED IN OKLAHOMA FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, RELOCATING FROM ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO FOR MY JOB.
AND I'VE LIVED IN EDMOND SINCE FEBRUARY, SINCE MY TIME HERE IN OKLAHOMA.
HOWEVER, BECAUSE MY JOB IS HERE IN EDMOND, I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH EDMOND YOUNG PROFESSIONALS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE YOU ALL TO KNOW IS THAT THERE IS A GROUP OF PASSIONATE YOUNG PEOPLE, SOME OF US SINGLE, SOME OF US SINGLE PARENTS, SOME OF US MARRIED WHO ARE ALL EMPLOYED HERE, GAINFULLY WORKING HARD AT THE TOP OF OUR GAME.
WELL EDUCATED, HAVE MANY CERTIFICATIONS AND QUALIFICATIONS, AND WE CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THIS CITY.
WE CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THE CHILDREN HERE THAT ARE NOT OUR OWN.
WE CARE DEEPLY ABOUT SENIORS THAT ARE NOT OUR GRANDPARENTS.
AND WE CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THOSE OF US, UM, IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE NOT AS PRIVILEGED REGARDLESS OF WHAT THAT PRIVILEGE MAY OR MAY NOT LOOK LIKE.
AND I WOULD LIKE YOU TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE A GROUP OF US WHO WANNA GET INVOLVED.
WE'D LOVE TO BE SEEN AS PART OF THE SOLUTION AND NOT THE PROBLEM.
I UNDERSTAND THAT MY GENERATION HAS GIVEN US A BAD RAP.
AND YES, THERE ARE SOME WHERE I WOULD SAY SIT DOWN.
BUT THERE ARE A SIGNIFICANT GROUP OF US THAT WANT TO BE THE FUTURE OF EDMOND.
WE ARE HERE, WE ARE PASSIONATE, AND WE WOULD LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO THE TABLE WITH OUR FELLOW CITIZENS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS AND ALL AGES AND HAVE A CONVERSATION.
WE WANNA BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION AND A PART OF THE SOLUTION AND WOULD LOVE TO BE HEARD AND WOULD LOVE TO LISTEN BECAUSE WE CARE.
I'M GONNA CALL THIS YOU'RE THE LAST ONE.
I JUST WANT TO, UH, SPEAK TO INFORMATION, VARIOUS BITS OF INFORMATION THAT WERE IN THE PRESENTATION, UM, IN HERE.
THE, UH, HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT CONCERNS RAISED BY MAJOR EMPLOYERS, EDMOND PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND OTHER OTHERS ABOUT WORKFORCE ISSUES RELATED TO LACK OF HOUSING.
I MEAN, THESE, THESE PEOPLE, THESE ARE NOT THE, THE LARGEST PART OF COMMUNITY
[01:40:01]
WE AND MEAN AS A BEDROOM COMMUNITY.WE COME HERE BECAUSE WE WANT OUR PRIVACY.
WE WANT OUR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, AND WE, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT BE CONCERNED WITH WHO CAN COME AND LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
WE SHOULDN'T BE SETTING UP FUNDING TO BRING PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
OUR COUNTRY IS RUNS ON THE FREE MARKET.
IT, IT'S, WE'RE NOT A SOCIALIST, COMMUNIST SOCIETY THAT OUR GOVERNMENT WOULD SHAPE OUR COMMUNITY ACCORDING TO WHAT THEY WANT, ACCORDING TO WHAT THEIR, UM, FUNDING NEEDS ARE.
BECAUSE THAT IS, IS, YOU JUST SPOKE OF IT EARLIER, EDMOND HOUSING IS UNATTAINABLE FOR MOST 64%.
I DIDN'T LIVE IN EDMOND PROPER WHEN I FIRST CAME.
I LIVED IN AN APARTMENT AND THEN I MOVED INTO A HOUSE, BOUGHT A HOUSE, AND IT STILL WASN'T EDMOND PROPER.
AND THEN LATER ON I WAS ABLE TO MOVE INSIDE EDMOND PROPER AS YOU PROGRESS.
SO IS YOUR ABILITY TO LIVE IN A CERTAIN PLACE.
WE'RE NOT A SOCIALIST SOCIETY WHERE THE GOVERNMENT GIVES US CAPABILITIES TO LIVE IN A CERTAIN AREA BECAUSE THEY WANT TO CHANGE OUR COMMUNITY, CHANGE THAT COMMUNITY.
THE CITY'S POPULATION IS CHANGING.
YES, BUT THE CITY HAS A BEDROOM COMMUNITY.
WHAT WE KNOW AND WHAT WE COME HERE FOR IS NOT, WE STILL WANT THAT.
OKAY? THE HOUSING MARKET IS CREATING CHALLENGES FOR EMPLOYERS.
I MEAN, IT IS NOT YOUR JOB TO TAKE CARE OF THE EMPLOYERS.
IT IS YOUR JOB TO REPRESENT THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE AND TO SHOW OUR FREEDOMS ARE BEING UPHELD.
OKAY? ON, UM, YOU HAVE A FEW CHARTS HERE.
IT SHOWS ABOUT EDMOND'S ECONOMY GROWING AND BASED ON THE PROJECTED JOB GROWTH RATE, UM, THAT PEOPLE WON'T BE ABLE TO LIVE HERE.
75% OF WORKERS LIVE OUTSIDE THE CITY.
JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE THAT HAS SPOKE BEFORE ME HAS SAID.
AND UM, I NOTICED ON THE BOTTOM OF THESE CHARTS, IT SAYS OKLAHOMA CITY AND EDMOND ARE, I MEAN, IT SAYS THE SOURCE OF THIS INFORMATION IS O E S C, OCCUPATIONAL GROWTH, 2018 TO 28 FOR OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA EMPLOYMENT SECURITY COMMISSION.
UM, OVER, OVER AND OVER IN THIS REPORT, IT TALKS ABOUT HOW WE ARE DIFFERENT.
WE'RE DIFFERENT THAN OKLAHOMA CITY.
WE'RE DIFFERENT THAN EVERYWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY.
IF THAT'S SO WHY ARE YOU MAKING A PRESENTATION USING INFORMATION THAT IS FROM OKLAHOMA CITY AND NOT FROM EDMOND? YOU, YOU PUT A COUPLE MAPS UP HERE SHOWING HOUSEHOLDS UNDER POVERTY AND MEDIAN HOME VALUE IN COMMUNITIES ALL OVER.
IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT THIS CENTRAL PART OF YOUR COMMUNITY HAS LESSER HOME VALUE IN IT.
AND THE FARTHER YOU GO OUT, THE BIGGER THE PROPERTIES ARE, THE MORE THE PROPERTIES COST.
THAT'S NOT A, A BIG NEW THING.
AND IT SHOULD NOT BE A CONCERN THAT YOU GUYS HAVE TO ADDRESS.
YOU GUYS AREN'T, UM, THE SOCIAL ENGINEERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU ARE THE REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR WILL AND YOU ARE TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO ABIDE FREELY.
OKAY? YOU GOT, YOU HAVE GOALS TO ME.
WE ARE HAPPY FOR YOU TO, TO DO THAT, BUT WE ARE NOT HAPPY FOR YOU TO CHANGE THE MAKEUP OF OUR COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DO SO.
UM, YOU HAVE ON HERE IMPROVED CONDITIONS OF OLDER HOMES, HOUSING STOCK WHILE PRESERVING AFFORDABILITY.
AND SOMEBODY SPOKE ABOUT SOMEBODY MAKING, UM, CODE.
WE DO NOT WANT OUR GOVERNMENT TO TELL US HOW WE HAVE TO UPGRADE OUR HOME AND ENFORCING US TO MAKE CHANGES WITHOUT US HAVING AN INPUT.
AND THEN WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO MAKE CHANGES ACCORDING TO WHAT YOU GUYS WANNA DO.
THERE IS A, A BASE STANDARD, YES, WE SHOULD ADHERE TO, BUT WE SHOULDN'T BE FORCING PEOPLE AND HAVING TO COME UP WITH PROGRAMS TO FUND FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO UPGRADE THEIR HOMES ACCORDING TO THESE NEW CODES THAT YOU GUYS WANT TO IMPLEMENT.
OKAY? YOU HAVE TACTICS THAT YOU HAVE LISTED.
ENSURE NEW ZONING CODES ALLOW FROM OUR HOUSING DIVERSITY, OKAY? YOU HAVE ON HERE ALSO TO DO THIS STUFF THAT YOU HAVE TO GET FUNDING.
YOU'RE GONNA MAXIMIZE FUNDING, YOU'RE GOING TO USE IT ENTITLEMENT FUNDING, FUNDING FUNDING FUNDING.
AND YOU WANNA HIRE MORE PEOPLE AND BLOKE GOVERNMENT THAT ARE BIGGER THAN IT ALREADY IS.
IT IS NOT YOUR GUYS' JOB TO ENSURE A CERTAIN MAKEUP OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THAT IS A FREE MARKET PRINCIPLE THAT WILL BE
[01:45:01]
NATURALLY, WILL OCCUR ACCORDING TO PEOPLE'S INCOME AND HOUSEHOLD AND THEIR DESIRE AND WILL TO LIVE SOMEWHERE AND DO WHAT IT TAKES TO BE ABLE TO LIVE THERE.THIS, AND YOU HAVE ONE TO THREE ALL THE WAY UP TO SEVEN PLUS YEARS.
SO YOU, YOU WANT TO DO ALL OF THESE THINGS AND IT'S GONNA BE ONGOING.
AND, UM, LASTLY, I JUST WANNA SAY, UM, YOU, YOU GUYS SAY THAT YOU'RE DOING THIS FOR PEOPLE.
PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE HERE.
THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO COME HERE.
I LIKE THE OTHER LADY THAT SPOKE AM DISABLED.
I LIVE IN A HOUSE HERE IN EDMOND.
I DON'T EVEN LIVE IN AN APARTMENT.
I FIND A WAY TO BE IN THIS COMMUNITY BECAUSE I LOVE THIS COMMUNITY.
I CAME THIS TO THIS COMMUNITY FOR WHAT IT HAD TO OFFER MY CHILDREN, LIKE MANY PEOPLE DO.
I DON'T WANT THIS COMMUNITY TO BE CHANGED BY THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE THEY WANNA GET SOME FUNDING.
WE ALL APPRECIATE ALL OF THE COMMENTS.
UM, AS I SAID EARLIER, ALL WE'RE DOING IS RECEIVING THE REPORT OF, OF COURSE WE'RE GONNA DO ADDITIONAL ANALYSIS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO SEE WHAT IS POSSIBLE, WHAT'S NOT POSSIBLE.
BUT WE, AS I SAID, WE APPRECIATE YOUR, UH, COMMENTS.
I'M GONNA CLOSE THIS PART OF THE, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT.
SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT.
OH, I'M JUST, I, I JUST, I I FEEL LIKE WE MAY WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT OR TWO.
I WAS GONNA, I WAS GONNA ASK, BUT I WAS, I WAS JUST CLOSING THE PART OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE'RE GONNA END WITH COUNSEL TO SEE IF COUNSEL WANTED TO SAY ANYTHING ON THIS.
SO THEN WE CAN PROCEED WITH THE YES, MS. MUG.
UH, YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN ROBBINS, HE AND I WENT OUT TO THE EDMUND YOUNG PROFESSIONALS ORGANIZATION THE OTHER MORNING TO SPEAK.
MS. WHITEHEAD HAD US OUT THERE, AND, UH, I THINK YOU ASKED HOW MANY, I DON'T KNOW.
HOW MANY OF YOU LIVE HERE IN EDMOND? HALF A DOZEN HANDS WENT UP.
WHAT? UH, THAT KIND OF SURPRISED ME.
I, I'VE HEARD WHAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID TONIGHT.
1, 1, 1 OF THE SPEAKERS INDICATED THAT WE DON'T LISTEN.
I'VE LISTENED TO EVERY WORD AND, UH, EVERY ONE WORD, EVERY ONE WORDS, UH, HAVE VALUE.
AND YOUR, YOUR OPINIONS ARE IMPORTANT TO ME.
MY MOTHER RAISED SIX KIDS BY HERSELF IN A HOUSE.
THE MORTGAGE PAYMENT WAS $54 A MONTH.
SHE SOLD HAMBURGERS FOR 35 CENTS.
WE GOT FOOD FROM THE COUNTY, PEANUT BUTTER CHEESE, TO KEEP OUR BELLIES FULL.
AND THAT HOUSE PAYMENT WAS $54 A MONTH.
HELL, I BET FOUR OR FIVE OF US COULD HAVE PUSHED IT OVER IF WE HAD TO.
THAT WAS OUR HOME, AND SHE TOOK CARE OF IT THE BEST SHE COULD.
AND SO, WHEN PEOPLE SAY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, I DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
I KNOW THAT PEOPLE TRY TO DO WHAT THEY CAN TO PUT A ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD.
AND IF, IF IT'S THE BEST THEY CAN DO TO LIVE IN A $54 A MONTH HOUSE, THAT'S THE BEST THEY CAN DO.
FAST FORWARD 2023, MY WIFE AND I, WE LIVE IN EAST EDMOND.
SHE AND I TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER.
THAT HOUSE IS WORTH MORE THAN $54 A MONTH.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WHERE MY MOTHER RAISED SIX KIDS BY HERSELF IS ANY LESS.
AND I HEAR PEOPLE SAY, WE WORKED HARD TO GET IN THERE.
SHE WORKED HARD TO PUT THAT ROOF OVER OUR HOUSE OR OVER OUR HEADS.
SHE WORKED HARD TO SEE THAT WE WERE FED AND HAD ONE PAIR OF JEANS TO WORK IN AND ONE PAIR OF JEANS TO GO TO SCHOOL IN.
I WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE WHAT THEY WANT.
[01:50:01]
LIVE IN A 1.5, $2.5 MILLION HOUSE.IF ALL YOU CAN AFFORD IS $140,000 HOUSE, THAT DOESN'T MAKE YOU LESS HUMAN THAN SOMEONE THAT LIVES IN A $2.5 MILLION HOUSE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL THE UNITED NATIONS HAS TO DO WITH MY HOUSE.
IF WE CAN, AS A COMMUNITY, WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO WHERE CITIZEN SCOTT AND MYSELF, WE DON'T BICKER AT EACH OTHER.
I MEAN, I KIND OF LIKE BICKERING AT HIM, BUT I, I DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN ON EVERY ISSUE.
SO TONIGHT WHAT WE'VE HEARD IS A REPORT.
I DON'T KNOW, I PUT IT IN MY BRIEFCASE.
I MEAN, WE'VE HEARD IT AND HEARD IT AND HEARD IT.
WE CAN TAKE THE BEST OUT OF IT.
WE CAN LEAVE SOME OF IT BEHIND.
WE CAN, FOR ALL THAT MATTER, WE CAN STICK THE WHOLE THING IN THE SHREDDER IF WE CHOOSE TO.
BUT WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT AS A COMMUNITY.
AND I, FOR THOSE THAT HAVE DONE WELL IN LIFE AND ENJOY WHAT THEY HAVE IN EDMOND, I'M HAPPY FOR THEM.
I APPLAUD YOU FOR YOUR SUCCESS.
FOR THOSE THAT WANNA MOVE HERE, THOSE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS I SAW THE OTHER DAY AT THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WHO WANNA LIVE HERE, I WANT 'EM TO LIVE HERE.
THEY'RE BRIGHT, THEY'RE HARD WORKERS.
SO LET'S ALL TAKE A PAUSE AND TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND BREATHE THROUGH OUR NOSES, AND WE WILL EVENTUALLY GET TO A SOLUTION ON HOUSING.
SO LET'S TRY TO WORK THROUGH THIS AND SEE IF WE CAN'T COME TO SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ALL SHAKE HANDS ON AND BE HAPPY ABOUT.
UM, THERE WERE A LOT OF COMMENTS TONIGHT SAYING WHAT THIS HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT WAS.
THAT IT IS NOT, THERE WAS OUT AND OUT MISINFORMATION ABOUT OUR MOTIVES.
THERE'S NO MOTIVE HERE OTHER THAN TO MAKE EDMOND A GREAT COMMUNITY, RIGHT? THAT'S WHY, AS I'VE SAID, WE'RE UP HERE SPENDING HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS AND MAKING NEXT TO NOTHING BECAUSE WE LOVE THIS COMMUNITY.
WE ARE NOT HERE WITH AN AGENDA.
WE, UM, THIS ORGANIZATION IS NOT TRYING TO FORCE IDEAS.
THEY'RE AN OBJECTIVE PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT ASSESSES HOUSING NEEDS.
THEY'RE NOT HERE TO SHOVE CHEAP HOUSING DOWN YOUR THROATS.
THERE ARE NO GOVERNMENT HANDOUT PROGRAMS IN THIS.
SO AGAIN, THE LISTEN PART I'VE BEEN POINTED FINGERED AT AND TOLD ME TO LISTEN.
I'VE LISTENED TO EVERY WORD SAID TONIGHT.
I READ EVERY EMAIL AND I'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
BUT DO NOT ACCUSE US OF THINGS THAT ARE JUST NOT TRUE.
THERE IS, THERE WAS SO MUCH SAID TONIGHT THAT WAS FRANKLY EMBARRASSING.
I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU AS MY NEIGHBOR.
AND YOUR HOUSE WAS CHEAP, RIGHT? BUT THEY'RE GOOD PEOPLE.
AND SO THIS IDEA THAT PEOPLE WHO PAY LESS FOR THEIR HOME OR GOD FORBID RENT ARE NOT GOOD PEOPLE AND NOT GOOD NEIGHBORS IS GROSS.
AND IT'S EMBARRASSING AND IT'S GOTTA STOP.
SO DON'T SAY IT TO ME BECAUSE I AM NOT LISTENING TO THAT.
ALRIGHT? UM, SO COMMUNICATION GOES TWO WAYS.
AND WE ARE TRYING DESPERATELY TO BE TRANSPARENT, TO COMMUNICATE.
PART OF CHRISTIE BATTERSON'S PRE UH, PRESENTATION TODAY WAS NOT, I, I MEAN, EVERYONE DOESN'T GO TO HERD ON HERD.
BUT THE IDEA WAS HOW CAN WE REACH AS MANY RESIDENTS AS POSSIBLE TO GET THEIR INPUT? WE WANTED MORE INPUT.
I'D LOVE TO HAVE HAD MORE THAN 1700 PEOPLE ON A SURVEY, BUT FROM WHAT I
[01:55:01]
UNDERSTAND ABOUT SURVEYS, THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.AND IT'S PROBABLY A GOOD CROSS SAMPLING OF FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO TRY TO COMMUNICATE.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO PUT THINGS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THINGS AT FARMER'S MARKETS.
UM, BUT THERE IS NO CRAZY CONSPIRACY AGENDA.
I'M NOT TRY, NOBODY'S TRYING TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN MAKE THIS A GREAT COMMUNITY.
AND BACK TO SUSTAINABILITY, IF WE CONTINUE TO HAVE 75% OF THE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THIS CITY NOT BE ABLE TO LIVE HERE, WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE PEOPLE WHO WORK HERE ANYMORE.
AND THE PEOPLE WHO SAY, OH, THEY'LL DRIVE AN HOUR AND A HALF A HALF, NO, THEY'RE NOT GONNA DRIVE AN HOUR AND A HALF.
THEY'RE GONNA TAKE A JOB CLOSER TO WHERE THEY CAN AFFORD TO LIVE.
AND SO WE'RE ALSO NOT GONNA CROWD OUR SCHOOLS.
A LOT OF THE HOUSING NEEDS ARE NOT PEOPLE WITH KIDS.
UM, AGAIN, THERE'S JUST SO MUCH HERE THAT IS JUST NOT RIGHT AND NOT ACCURATE.
AND CONTINUING THIS MISINFORMATION ABOUT PEOPLE WHO RENT OR PEOPLE WHO, YOU KNOW, A SINGLE YOUNG PROFESSIONAL SHOULD BE ABLE TO OWN A CAR AND STILL LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE THEY WORK, RIGHT? RESPONSIBILITY.
IT IS ALL OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
BUT THE PEOPLE WHO COME UP HERE AND SAY, I LIVED IN AN APARTMENT AND THEN A DUPLEX, AND THEN A SMALL HOME AND A BIGGER HOME, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO AFFORD THOSE, THE MAYOR AND HIS STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS CAME TO HERE BECAUSE THE SAFETY OF THIS CITY AND TO RAISE HIS KIDS IN GREAT SCHOOLS.
AND THAT'S STILL WHY PEOPLE WANNA COME HERE AND LIVE, RIGHT? BUT HE WAS A GS NINE WHEN I MOVED HERE.
YES, HE WAS A GSS NINE WHEN HE MOVED HERE.
HE CAN'T, A GSS NINE CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN EDMOND RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT? BUT THAT THE, THE MAIN, I I GO BACK TO SUSTAINABILITY.
WE'RE HERE TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR CITY.
AND IF IN 30 YEARS NO ONE'S HERE TO WORK AND TO SERVE YOU AND TO WORK IN THE HOSPITALS AND TO DO ALL OF THESE THINGS, THEN WE HAVEN'T DONE OUR JOB.
AND SO ASKING YOUR PROFESSIONAL, REPUTABLE ORGANIZATION TO COME IN AND OBJECTIVELY ASSESS OUR NEEDS AND MAYBE TELL YOU THINGS THAT YOU DON'T REALLY WANT TO HEAR OR SUGGEST IDEAS THAT YOU DON'T LIKE.
THAT'S WHAT DOING OUR JOB LOOKS LIKE.
AND SO I I JUST ALMOST COULDN'T STAND HERE AND LISTEN TO PEOPLE ACCUSING US OF THINGS.
YOU WANT PEOPLE TO RUN FOR THESE POSITIONS.
QUIT ACCUSING US OF HAVING SOME HORRIBLE AGENDA.
I I, I AM NOT MAKING ANY SENSE ANYMORE.
SO I'M JUST, I'M, I'M DISGUSTED.
I APPRECIATE CHRISTY BATTERSON'S WORK AND THE OTHER TEAM MEMBERS, THE RESIDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED, UM, THE PEOPLE WHO VOLUNTEERED IN THE FOCUS GROUP, THE STEERING COMMITTEE.
I THINK IT'S A REALLY, REALLY GOOD REPORT WITH REALLY GOOD INFORMATION THAT WE'RE GONNA TAKE SERIOUSLY AND CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT AND LISTEN TO YOU.
BUT JUST STOP FOR A MINUTE AND LISTEN TO WHAT SOME OF YOU PEOPLE SAID TODAY.
AND I'LL GET THE EMAILS ABOUT HOW, I MEAN, GO AHEAD.
ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE COUNCIL? UM, I WAS GONNA, I WAS GONNA MAKE A, A COMMENT, MAYOR.
UM, I THINK SOMETIMES WHEN WE DEAL IN DEMOCRACY, WE VIEW FRICTION AS A FLAW.
IT'S ONE THAT THOSE WHO DESIGNED THE SYSTEM KNEW VERY WELL, BUT SOMEHOW THEY ENTRUSTED THAT A GROUP OF CITIZENS WOULD BE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AND SOLVE PROBLEMS. AND OUR COMMUNITY, UM, HAS BEEN AROUND FOR SOME TIME AND A LOT OF ITS HISTORY HAS BEEN STEEPED IN HOUSING.
AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND WHO DO WE ALLOW TO LIVE HERE AND WHY? AND SO AS WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE, FOR ME, IT'S WHAT ARE THE SORT OF GUIDING PRINCIPLES.
ONE IS THAT I WANT US TO BE COLLABORATIVE AS A STAKEHOLDER.
IF WE ALL AGREED, THAT WOULD BE CREEPY, TO BE HONEST.
SO I WELCOME PEOPLE THAT HAVE STRONG OPINIONS IN MY PRAYER.
I HOPE WE ALWAYS LOOK TO SEE AND, AND TRY TO FEEL EMPATHY FOR SHOES THAT WE HAVEN'T PARTICULARLY WALKED IN.
BUT I UNDERSTAND AND RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ANTICIPATING THIS MEETING TODAY.
I TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF TIME IN BETWEEN WORK AND DROVE AROUND MY DISTRICT, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE WARD ONE.
AND WARD ONE PROBABLY HAS A LITTLE BIT OF ALL OF ALL OF THIS GOING ON IN A BIG INSIGNIFICANT
[02:00:01]
WAY.AS I SAW, WE HAVE MANUFACTURED OR MOBILE HOMES, WE HAVE TOWN HOMES, WE HAVE APARTMENT COMPLEXES ACROSS MY STREET WHERE I LIVED IN TIMBER RIDGE AND, AND NOW LIVE IN OLD TOWN.
WE HAVE, UH, UH, SECTION EIGHT ROLLING, ROLLING GREENS.
WE HAVE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENTS.
WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT THINGS AND INVESTMENTS HAPPENING DOWNTOWN AT A, AT A, AT A RAPID, AT A RAPID PLACE.
I STOPPED IT AND REFLECTED AT THE THREE BROTHERS STATUE.
IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, IT'S, IT'S BRAND NEW.
IT SPEAKS TO THIS HISTORY THAT WE HAVE IN EDMOND.
FACTS ARE FACTS JUST WHAT IT IS.
BUT AS WE LOOK AT OUR HISTORY IN, IN EDMOND, WE VERY MUCH DECIDED WHO AND WHERE AND WHAT WE WANTED LIVING HERE.
AND WITH INTENT, COMMUNITY LEADERS CAME TOGETHER AND DECIDED, YOU KNOW, WE WANT A PLACE, UH, WHERE PEOPLE CAN HAVE A COMMUNITY AND, AND LIVE THEIR VALUES THAT WOULD EXCLUDE OTHER PEOPLE OF OTHER, OF OTHER GROUPS OR OTHER COLORS.
AND SO IT WASN'T UNTIL 1973, UNTIL WE HAD AN AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY, UH, PURCHASE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY IN THE CITY OF EDMOND.
SO WE HAVE A VERY INTERESTING HISTORY WHEN IT COMES TO HOUSING AND OUR ORDINANCES AND THE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE.
BUT I'M EXCITED BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT WANT TO, UM, FIGURE OUT WHAT'S NEXT.
AND SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? ONE OF THE PROJECTS IN MY DISTRICT THAT I DROVE THROUGH TODAY IS PIVOT.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY WITH ONE CAR GARAGES, UM, THAT IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE A HOME THERE.
AND I MET WITH THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
THAT INDIVIDUAL NEEDS TO GO THROUGH CREDIT COUNSELING.
THEY GO THROUGH DAVE, DAVE RAMSEY, WHICH I GO IN AND OUT OF, OF HOW CLOSELY I'M FAR
IT BRINGS PEOPLE IN WHEN THAT HOME, AND I'LL BE GOING TO ONE ON SUNDAY, THE KEYS ARE BROUGHT.
UM, THERE'S AN AGREEMENT AS FAR AS UPKEEP AND STUFF.
AND THEY REFER TO IT AS A HOME BLESSING.
'CAUSE I TRULY BELIEVE IT BLESSES THE COMMUNITY.
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TALKED TO ME ABOUT A MEMBER OF THE MILITARY WHO LIVES THERE AND, AND EVERYTHING.
AND SO THERE'S A PLACE AND A SPACE FOR WHAT WE NEED.
AS LONG AS WE'RE ABLE TO SEE FRICTION, I BELIEVE AS A FEATURE, NOT A FLAW.
AND WE'RE ABLE TO BE, UM, WILLING TO LOOK FROM A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T ADOPT IT.
I PUT, RECEIVE THE REPORT, NOT ADOPT THE REPORT.
'CAUSE IT'S TIME FOR US TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
WE MIGHT NOT ARRIVE AT THE SAME, UH, DESTINATION THAT ALL OF US WANT TO, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY, UM, HAVE A CONVERSATION OF WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE.
HERE'S A COUPLE LENSES THAT I HAVE IN CONVERSATIONS THAT I'VE HAD.
NUMBER ONE IS I ASK PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT AND PEOPLE THAT I TALK TO IN THE COMMUNITY, DO WE WANT TO BE A COMMUNITY WHERE PEOPLE SERVE US, PUT THEIR LIFE ON THE LINE, AND THEN LIVE SOMEWHERE ELSE? THAT'S A REAL DECISION THAT ACTUALLY HAS TO BE MADE IN PRINCIPLE WHEN IT COMES TO POLICY IN AND AROUND HOUSING.
FOR EXAMPLE, MY SISTER AND, AND HER HUSBAND, THEY LIVE IN MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA WHERE GOOGLE IS.
AND THERE'S AN EXPECTATION THAT PEOPLE COME AND TAKE CARE OF MOM AS A NURSE OR PROTECT THE CITIZENS AS A POLICE OFFICER OR A FIREMAN.
AND THEN THERE IS NO PLACE IN THAT COMMUNITY ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM THAT THAT PUBLIC SERVANT OR THAT TEACHER OR ANYONE CAN LIVE IN THAT COMMUNITY.
THEY SERVE THAT COMMUNITY AND THEY LEAVE THAT COMMUNITY.
SO THAT'S QUESTION NUMBER ONE IS, UM, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS INTERESTED IN ASKING PEOPLE, DO YOU WANT US TO BE A COMMUNITY THAT WHERE PEOPLE SERVE US AND THEN LEAVE US OR SERVE US AND THEN STAY? THE NEXT QUESTION I HAVE TYPICALLY FOR PEOPLE IS, AFTER THOSE KIDS THAT YOU'VE INVESTED AND THAT YOU'VE FRUSTRATED YOU IN TEARS AND THAT YOU LOVE AND HATE AND HAVE ALL, ALL THESE TYPES OF EMOTIONS AROUND AFTER YOU SEND THEM TO U C O OR OKLAHOMA STATE OR OU OR ANYWHERE ELSE, UM, DO YOU EVENTUALLY WANT 'EM TO COME BACK? THAT INVESTMENT TO COME BACK AND, AND LIVE IN EDMOND? AND SOMETIMES I JUST JUMP AND I SAY, OKAY, KIDS, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE GRANDKIDS? RIGHT? IF THAT HAPPENS.
AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER CONSIDERATION.
DO WE WANT TO BE A COMMUNITY THAT HAS PLACES? 'CAUSE THEY COULD LIVE IN SHAWNEE YUKON, OTHER, OTHER PLACES.
SO MY DISTRICT, I THINK IS STEEPED IN HISTORY, STEEPED IN POLICIES THAT SHAPED HOW AND WHO AND WHY WE WELCOME PEOPLE.
IT ALSO IS REPRESENTATIVE OF PRETTY MUCH EVERY TYPE OF HOUSING THAT YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT EXISTS WITHIN THE CITY OF EDMOND.
AND IT ALSO HAS PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY EAGER TO DEVELOP THINGS.
MY QUESTION IS, WILL YOU BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION? UM, I ACTUALLY DON'T WANT THE CITY TO FORM A HOUSING TASK FORCE.
I WANT PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED TO FORM THAT HOUSING TASK
[02:05:01]
FORCE AND HAVE THE CITY PARTICIPATE.WHO HAS OWNERSHIP? IF IT'S THE CITY, THEN IT'S US DICTATING IN SOME WAY.
AND BY THE WAY, SOMETIMES YOU'LL BE LIKE, OH, YOU DEVELOPERS, I OWN ONE HOME AND I HAVE THIS REALLY NEAT AGREEMENT WITH MY BANK.
IF I KEEP MAKING MONTHLY PAYMENTS, THEY LET ME STAY THERE.
SO THAT'S ME AS FAR AS MY PROPERTY INVESTMENTS IN THIS CITY.
AS A CITIZEN WHO LOVES OUR COMMUNITY AS ALL OF US DO AND SERVES OUR COMMUNITY, LET'S HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
SO I WOULD, I WOULD SAY A, A TASK FORCE THAT'S MADE UP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED, WHO WILL COME TO EVER COME TOGETHER OVER COFFEE, WHICH THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT PLACES IN WARD ONE BY THE WAY.
AND THEN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AND THEN WE'RE A PART OF IT.
I THINK WE'RE DOING THAT WITH MENTAL HEALTH.
WE'RE DOING THAT WITH SOME OTHER HOMELESSNESS AND OTHER THINGS WHERE YEAH, THE CITY COULD TAKE THE LEAD, BUT THEN AGAIN, THEN IT'S NOT OUR SOLUTION.
AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION.
I SORT OF LIKE CHALLENGING AND DIFF DIFFICULT, UH, PROBLEMS TO TACKLE.
AND I BELIEVE IN THE CHARACTER AND OUR COMMUNITY AS SUCH, UH, THAT WE'LL FIND NOT THE ALL THE PERFECT SOLUTIONS, BUT WE'LL FIND SOLUTIONS ENOUGH THAT WILL PROVIDE A, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE EDMOND OKLAHOMA THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE AND RAISE A FAMILY.
WELL, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO NOW, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A 5.4 MINUTE BREAK.
I'D LIKE TO CALL OUR MEETING BACK TO ORDER.
THAT WAS THE QUICKEST 5.4 MINUTES BREAK.
MR. MAYOR, IF YOU'LL RECOGNIZE ME, I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
UM, COUNSEL, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION FOR FIVE A 2 3 4 5.
PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE FOR THOSE ITEMS PASSED.
[B. Consideration of Approval of Purchases:]
NEXT, WE HAVE CONSIDERATION APPROVAL OF PURCHASES.UH, WE HAVE THE CONSIDERATION APPROVAL OF PAYMENT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 ASSOCIATION OF, UH, CENTRAL OKLAHOMA ACOG FOR $64,563.
CONSIDERATION, APPROVAL OF BID DISPOSITION BY THE PURCHASING MANAGER FOR THE GENERATOR, UH, MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR SERVICES FOR $40,000.
WE HAVE CONSIDERATION APPROVAL OF CONTRACT AMENDMENT NUMBER FIVE TO THE AMENDMENT TO THE AGREEMENT FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CITY WORKS PERMIT, LAND AND LICENSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, UH, FOR NOT TO EXCEED 50,000 WITH CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL TO CHANGE ORDER NUMBER ONE RELATED TO THE HOUSING ASSESSMENT WITH THE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES FOR $3,900.
WE HAVE A CONSIDERATION APPROVAL OF AMENDED GENERAL MUTUAL, UH, COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF OKLAHOMA COUNTY AND THE CITY OF EVAN FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION OF COFFEE CREEK ROAD BETWEEN AIR DEPOT AND MIDWEST BOULEVARD.
UH, FOR A $35,000 INCREASE CONSIDERATION, APPROVAL OF MASTER SERVICES AND HOUSING AGREEMENT WITH, UH, ELECTRON, UH, FOR 31,000, UH, CONSIDERATION APPROVAL OF THE SO SUPPLIER PURCHASE EQUIPMENT, UH, FOR $130,700.
UH, NUMBER EIGHT IS CONSIDERATION.
APPROVAL OF CHANGE ORDER NUMBER TWO, DID CONTRACT WITH SHILOH ENTERPRISE, UH, DEALING IN REGARDS TO THE SERVICE.
BLAKE, UH, COMPLEX RENOVATION FOR $20,545.
AND CONSIDERATION APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT TO SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE AGREEMENT FOR A HUMAN RESOURCES INFORMATION SYSTEM.
UH, IT'S AN ESTIMATED ANNUAL COST UP TO $330,000 AND THEN WE HAVE A CONSIDERATION OF, OF EXCEPTION BID, APPROVAL OF CONTRACT, AND APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 26 DASH 23.
26 DASH 23 APPROVING EMERGENCY AGENT FOR SOONER ROAD IMPROVEMENT WITH TJ CAMPBELL CONSTRUCTION FOR THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT FOR $3,304,860 AND 45 CENTS.
COUNSEL, THOSE ARE OUR PURCHASES FOR TONIGHT.
UNDER COUNCIL AGENDA, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO WITH THEM? MOTION TO APPROVE.
THOSE PURCHASES BEEN APPROVED.
THE NEXT WE HAVE THE CONSIDERATION,
[6. Consideration of Approval of Resolutions and Ordinances:]
APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION ORDINANCE, IT'S CONSIDERATION, APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 27 DASH 23, 27 DASH 23, AMENDING THE AMENDMENT, EDMOND BICYCLE COMMITTEE, PURPOSE, COMPOSITION AND DUTIES.UM, AND THEN WE HAVE THE, DO WE NEED TO HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT ONE? UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COME USE THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE BICYCLE COMMITTEE.
THEN ITEM NUMBER SIX B IS THE PUBLIC HEARING IN CONSIDERATION.
39 64 AMENDING TITLE 22 OF THE ADMIN MUNICIPAL CODE ZONING ORDINANCE BY AMENDING SECTION 22 DASH TWO DASH THREE E.
JURISDICTION OF CENTRAL EDMOND URBAN DISTRICT, THE C E U D UH, BOARD AND SECTION 22 DASH SIX DASH FOUR, THE C E U D, INCLUDING CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, THE C B D IN THE DOWNTOWN RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT,
[02:10:01]
D R D DISTRICT'S, SUPPLEMENTAL SITE DESIGN STANDARDS MAP ONLY, AND EXPANDING THE C E U D OVERLAY BOUNDARY.IN PROVIDING THE REPEAL AND SEVERABILITY.
I'D MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE SIX A AND B.
SECOND, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
NEXT WE NEED A MOTION TO RECESS THE CITY COUNCIL AND CONVENE THE PUBLIC FIRST.
NOW WE'RE IN THE PUBLIC WORKS MEETING
[7. Consideration of Approval of Public Works Authority Regular Meeting Minutes: July 24, 2023.]
AND WE HAVE THE CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS. WE HAVE THE CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF THE 2024 PUBLIC WORKS AUTHORITY SCHEDULE.SO WE'RE GONNA PROBABLY MOVE THIS ONE.
WELL, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA APPROVE THE MINUTES.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO SCHEDULE, WE NEED TO CONTINUE THAT TO AUGUST, 2018.
UM, WE DID NOT MAKE A MOTION ON THE MINUTES.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
THOSE MINUTE MEETINGS ARE BEEN APPROVED.
[1. Consideration of Approval of 2024 Public Works Authority Schedule of Regular Meetings. (Citywide)]
EIGHT A ONE, WHICH IS CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF THE 2024 PUBLIC WORKS AUTHORITY SCHEDULE SINCE WE CONTINUED IT FOR TWO WEEKS.WE WILL CONTINUE THIS ONE FOR TWO WEEKS, PLEASE.
I MOVE TO CONTINUE ITEM EIGHT, OR EXCUSE ME, A ONE EIGHT.
SECOND, PLEASE PASS YOUR VOTE.
[2. Consideration of Approval of Supplemental Appropriation from the Wastewater Fund Emergencies and Shortfalls Reserve to the Wastewater Fund Contract Services Budget for Additional Sludge Lagoon Cleaning and Biosolids Hauling Costs for the Coffee Creek Water Resource Recovery Facility; $1,040,000.00. (Citywide)]
TWO CONSIDERATION APPROVAL OF SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION FROM THE WASTEWATER FUND, EMERGENCY AND SHORTFALL RESERVE TO THE WASTEWATER FUND.CONTRACT SERVICES BUDGET FOR ADDITIONAL SLUDGE, A LAGOON CLEANING AND BIO SOLIDS HAULING COSTS FOR THE COFFEE CREEK WATER RESOURCE RECOVERY FACILITY FOR ONE MAIN $40,000.
MADAM COUNSEL, UH, RICK OAT WATER RESOURCES SUPERINTENDENT.
UM, THIS WON'T BE NEAR AS GLAMOROUS AS THE LAST ITEM BEFORE ME TONIGHT.
SO, UH, THIS IS CONSIDERATION OF, UH, ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR A MILLION DOLLARS FOR, UH, ADDITIONAL SLUDGE HAULING.
THE BACKGROUND TO IT IS WE, UH, BUDGET FOR ABOUT 10 MILLION GALLONS TO BE HAULED OF, UH, BALL SAWS, TO BE LAND APPLIED TO FARMER'S FIELDS, UM, THROUGHOUT OUR, OUR PLANT PROCESS.
UM, THIS YEAR WE ONLY INTENDED ON BUDGET ONLY, ONLY INTENDED ON HAULING, UH, 10 MILLION GALLONS 'CAUSE THAT'S ALL THE FIELDS THAT WE HAD AVAILABLE, UH, TO US AT THE TIME DURING, UH, THIS, UH, BUDGET CYCLE.
THE, UM, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY WITH ADDITIONAL, UH, FARM LAND, UH, UNDER THIS FISCAL YEAR TO HAUL AN ADDITIONAL 10 MILLION GALLONS OF, UH, BIOSOLIDS SLUDGE OUT OF OUR LAGOONS.
THAT WOULD ALSO BE THE LAST, UH, UH, OF OUR EXISTING PROCESS, UH, ON THE LIQUID BIOSOLIDS OPERATION.
WE'RE CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION, AS YOU KNOW.
UH, WE'RE MOVING INTO A CAKE TYPE PRODUCT, AND THAT SHOULD BE UP AND GOING IN ABOUT DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR.
SO THAT'LL LEAVE US FROM, THAT'LL MOVE US FROM A LIQUID OPERATION TO A CAKE OPERATION.
UM, SO WE'D LIKE TO DISPENSE OF THIS ADDITIONAL 10 MILLION GALLONS OF BILE SOLIDS SO THAT WE, UH, CLEAN OUT OUR LAGOONS AND EFFECTIVELY, UM, AND POTENTIALLY REDUCE ODOR COMPLAINTS AND OR, UM, ANY FORESEEABLE ODORS THAT COME WITH OUR LAGOONS THAT WE EXPERIENCE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
UM, WE'LL, WE WILL BE HAULING A, UH, CAKE PRODUCT PROBABLY INITIALLY TO THE LANDFILL.
UM, OVER THE, OVER FROM DECEMBER TILL, UH, JUNE OF, OF THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, WE'LL HAVE THE DATA AVAILABLE TO US TO, UH, SEND OUT AN R F P FOR, UH, BALS TO BE TRANSPORTED TO LANDFILL UNDER THE CAKE OPERATION VERSUS THE LIQUID OPERATION THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING.
AND THE ISSUE IS, AGAIN, WE CURRENTLY ONLY BUDGETED FUNDS TO HAUL THE 10 MILLION GALLONS.
UH, WE'RE REQUESTING THE ADDITIONAL 10 MILLION GALLONS TO BE HAULED, UM, AND UH, A CAKE PRODUCT STARTING IN DECEMBER OF 23 OF THIS YEAR.
AND FUNDS HAVE TO BE TRANSFERRED FROM THE RESERVES TO COVER THIS COST.
SOME OF THE ALTERNATIVES IS TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR.
UH, IT MAY HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE POTENTIAL OF ODORS, UH, SO ISSUES WITH OUR, UH, NEIGHBORS IN THE VICINITY OF THE WATER RESOURCE RECOVERY FACILITY.
SO WE'RE ASKING THAT YOU RECOMMEND THE ADDITIONAL, UH, $1.04 MILLION, UH, FROM THE RESERVE FUNDS TO PAY FOR THE ADDITIONAL 10 MILLION GALLONS HAULING, AND THAT LEAVES US WITH ABOUT $20.5 MILLION IN OUR RESERVES.
IT'S NOT
YOU CAME FOR THE HOUSING STATEMENT, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT.
NOT, NOT LOVELY, BUT IMPORTANT.
[02:15:01]
IT'S YUCK, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT.IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OUR CITIZENS HAVE RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT ODORS IN THAT AREA.
AND WE'VE HAD MEETINGS AND TALKING ABOUT SURE.
JUST WAIT, JUST WAIT, JUST WAIT.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACCELERATE THAT MM-HMM.
TO REDUCE AND I'LL, WE, RICK AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS, WE'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO SAY A HUNDRED PERCENT, THEY'LL NEVER BE AN ODOR AGAIN AT A WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, BUT THIS WILL BE SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION OF IT.
AND THE USES WITHIN LITTLE GROOMS, YOU'LL BE FILLING THAT WITH CLEAN WATER VERSUS THAT IS CORRECT.
IT'S CURRENTLY GOING IN THERE.
SO IT'S NEEDED, IT'S, IT'S HIGH VALUE.
IT JUST TALKS ABOUT OUR TRANSFER OF OUR EXISTING OPERATIONS TO AN ENHANCED OPERATION, SO.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS, COUNSEL? THANK YOU.
SO COUNSEL, I NEED A, A MOTION ON, UM, ITEM EIGHT EIGHT A TWO.
HAD THAT ITEMS PASSED, NOW WE ARE IN A
[B. Consideration of Approval of Purchases:]
B.WE'RE CONSIDERATION APPROVAL OF PURCHASES, CONSIDERATION PROOF, PUR APPROVAL OF BID DISPOSITION BY THE PURCHASING MANAGER FOR SPENT WASTE LINE REMOVAL.
UM, THIS IS WITH HEADQUARTERS RANCH, L L C FOR $1 PER CUBIC YARD.
CONSIDER NUMBER TWO IS CONSIDERATION APPROVAL OF CHANGE ORDER NUMBER THREE TO THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH BELL CONSTRUCTION FOR 32,000.
UH, NUMBER THREE IS CONSIDERATION ACCEPTANCE OF EASEMENT FROM THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF EDMOND, OKLAHOMA.
UM, FOR WASTE, MANAGE WASTE, OR FOR WATER MASTER PLAN PROJECTS, U P SS DASH THREE U PS C DASH FIVE B AND NEW N E W DASH FIVE WATERLINES.
33RD WATERLINE PROJECT PANEL PARTIALS EIGHT NINE FOR $23,330 25 CENTS.
FOR NUMBER FOUR IS CONSIDERATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF EASEMENT FROM TROY, S S AND GENIE L S FOR WATER MASTER PLAN PROJECTS U P SZ DASH THREE AND U P SZ DASH FIVE B IN N E W DASH FIVE WATERLINES 33RD STREET WATERLINE, UH, PROJECT PARTIAL NUMBER SIX FOR $69,837.
AND THEN WE HAVE CONSIDERATION OF EASEMENTS FROM THE SMITH LIVING TRUST DATED FEBRUARY 26TH, 1999.
FOR WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN PROJECTS, E ONE DASH ONE B E THREE DASH ONE E THREE DASH TWO E THREE DASH THREE E THREE DASH FOUR COFFEE CREEK INTERCEPTOR PHASE TWO PARTIALS 28 AND 29 FOR $20,000.
UH, NEXT IS CONSIDERATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF EASEMENT FROM DONNIE L BRILEY AND BRENDA L GREENLEY.
FOR WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN PROJECTS E DASH E ONE DASH ONE B E THREE DASH ONE E THREE DASH TWO E THREE DASH THREE, AND E THREE DASH FOUR.
THE COPY CREEK INTERCEPTOR PARTIALS 27.1 AND 27.2 AND 27.3 FOR $5,000.
THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONTRACT WITH COWEN GROUP ENGINEERING L L C FOR WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN PROJECT E W ONE DASH ONE AND EW ONE DASH TWO, THE HUNTER CREEK SEWER INTERCEPTOR FOR $749,200.
THE NEXT IS CONSIDERATION OF CHANGE ORDER NUMBER ONE TO THE CONSTRUCTIVE CONTRACT WITH CRAFT REYNOLDS CONSTRUCTION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 22 SANITARY SEWER REHABILITATION PROJECT, PHASE ONE FOR $46,409 INCREASE.
AND THEN THE LAST IS CONSIDERATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF BIDS FOR MISCELLANEOUS ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION MATERIALS FOR U GOV SHOP MEMBER PARTICIPATION FROM WESCOM TECHNOLOGY CITYWIDE COUNSEL, THOSE ARE OUR PURCHASES UNDER PW PUBLIC WORKS.
MR. MAYOR, I'D MAKE A MOTION TO PROVE EIGHT B ONE THROUGH NINE.
ALRIGHT, THOSE ITEMS HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
NEXT WE NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE PUBLIC WORKS AND TO RECONVENE THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
WE'RE BACK IN THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING NOW.
UM, I I I'M SORRY I WAS REMISS.
UH, I SHOULD HAVE TOLD YOU'ALL BEGINNING IF ANYBODY WAS HERE FOR NINE A, THAT A APPLICATION HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN BY THE APPLICANT, SO WE
[B. Case No. PR23-00008; Consideration of Approval of the Final Plat for Blackjack Oaks, Located East of Bryant Ave, on the South Side of Kickingbird Road. (Juniper Kickingbird, LP; Ward 2)]
NOW HAVE NINE B.THIS IS CASE NUMBER PR 23 DASH EIGHT.
CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF THE FINAL PLATT FOR BLACKJACK OAKS LOCATED EAST OF BRYAN ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF KICKING BIRD ROAD.
UH, REAL BRIEF, UM, THIS IS, UH, ONE A PLATT APPROVAL FOR ONE LOT COVERING 20 ACRES.
IT DOES CONFORM TO THE PRELIMINARY PLAT AND THE SITE PLAN THAT HAVE BOTH BEEN PREVIOUSLY APPROVED.
UH, PLANNING COMMISSION REVIEWED AND RECOMMENDED APPROVAL AT THEIR JULY 18TH MEETING.
COUNSEL, ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF APPLICANT LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING.
[02:20:01]
COUNSEL ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE? COUNSEL, WHAT WOULD YOU, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO? MOTION TO APPROVE.SECOND, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE, THEN I APPROVE.
[C. Case No. PR23-00009; Consideration of Approval of the Final Plat for 103 N. Broadway, Located on the Northwest Corner of Broadway and Hurd. (103 Broadway, LLC; Ward 1)]
IS CASE NUMBER PR 23 DASH 0 0 0 0 9.CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF THE FINAL PLATT OF 1 0 3 NORTH BROADWAY, LOCATED ON THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF BROADWAY AND HERD 1 0 3 BROADWAY IS THE APPLICANT.
DO WE NEED TO ADD ALL OF THE ONE OH THREES TOGETHER, C D E AND, OR, I'M SORRY, OUR RULES SAY WE VOTE ON THE SEPARATE.
UH, SO WE'LL TAKE THE PLATT FIRST.
UH, AS YOU SAID, THIS IS RELATED TO THE NEXT THREE ITEMS AS WELL, BUT THE PLATT CONTAINS TWO BLOCKS IN A COMMON AREA.
UH, IT DOES CONFORM TO THE APPROVED PRELIMINARY PLATT AND THE SITE PLAN, WHICH IS THE NEXT ITEM, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION REVIEWED AND RECOMMENDED APPROVAL AT THEIR JULY 18TH MEETING.
COUNSEL, ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF COUNSEL? WOULD, UH, APPLICANT LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING? COUNSEL ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE? COUNSEL, WHAT, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO? MOTION.
[D. Case No. SP23-00003; Public Hearing and Consideration of Approval of a Commercial Site Plan for 103 N. Broadway to be Located on the Northwest Corner of Hurd and Broadway. (103 Broadway, LLC; Ward 1)]
CASE NUMBER SSB TWO THREE DASH 0 0 0 0 3.PUBLIC HEARING CONSIDERATION APPROVAL OF COMMERCIAL SITE PLAN FOR 1 0 3, NO BROADWAY TO BE LOCATED ON THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF HERD AND BROADWAY.
UH, AS YOU SAID, THE APPLICANT IS SEEKING APPROVAL OF A MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT ON THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF BROADWAY AND HERD.
UH, THE SITE SITE PLAN SHOWS SEVERAL BUILDINGS THE MOST PROMINENT OF WHICH IS, UH, BUILDING NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS ON THE HARD CORNER.
IT'S A FOUR STORY BUILDING, UH, 11,270 SQUARE FEET.
UH, IT'S PROPOSED FOR, UM, A CONTAINER RESTAURANT ON THE FIRST FLOOR AND THEN OFFICES ON THE SECOND AND THIRD FLOOR WITH THE ROOF TERRACE, UH, FOR PRIVATE EVENT SPACE.
UH, THE OTHER BUILDINGS ARE A MIX OF LIVE WORK UNITS AND TOWN HOMES.
I THINK THE PROJECT WAS, UH, DESIGNED WITH THE BUILDINGS FACING BROADWAY AND HERD TO BE CLADED AND RED BRICK VENEER WITH PAINTED COMMERCIAL STOREFRONTS ON THE GROUND FLOOR METAL COLUMNS, UH, WITH AND ACCENT AND DARK METAL WINDOW, WINDOWS AND METAL CORNICES.
UH, THE PLAN DOES INCLUDE 24 PARKING SPACES, WHICH MEETS THE C B D REQUIREMENT.
UH, NO VARIANCES ARE BEING REQUESTED.
THE CENTRAL EDMOND URBAN DISTRICT BOARD REVIEWED AND RECOMMENDED APPROVAL AT THEIR JULY 11TH MEETING.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF APPLICANT LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING, COUNCIL, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE? COUNSEL, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO? MOTION TO APPROVE.
[E. Case No. ES23-00009; Public Hearing and Consideration of Ordinance No. ___ Closing a Portion of Public Right-of-Way Adjacent to 103 N. Broadway, a Mixed-Use Development to be Located North of Hurd Street and West of Broadway. (103 Broadway, LLC; Ward 1)]
A CASE NUMBER, E S TWO THREE DASH 0 0 0 0 9 PUBLIC HEARING CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 39 65 39 65 CLOSING A PORTION OF PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY ADJACENT TO 1 0 3 NORTH BROADWAY AND MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT TO BE LOCATED NORTH OF HERD AND, AND WEST BROADWAY.OKAY, UH, THIS GOES ALONG WITH THE SITE PLAN THAT, SO THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TO CLOSE A COUPLE OF PIECES OF PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.
SO ONE IS A SMALL PIECE HERE ON, UH, THE WEST SIDE OF THE ALLEY, AND THEN THE OTHER IS ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE ALLEY.
UH, THE REQUEST TO ALLOW STOOPS AND SMALL AREAS IN FRONT OF THE BUILDINGS TO BE USED AND TECHNICALLY NOT BE IN THE RIGHT OF WAY, UH, THE APPLICANT IS PROVIDING AN EASEMENT OVER THESE AREAS TO COVER AN EXISTING WATERLINE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE NEW BUILDING.
UH, THE APPLICANT IN ENGINEERING CAME UP WITH THE SOLUTION AS A PART OF ACCOMMODATING THE NEW DEVELOPMENT PLANNING COMMISSIONER.
REVIEWED AND RECOMMENDED APPROVAL AT THEIR JULY 18TH MEETING.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF, APPLICANT.
HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD? COUNCIL ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE COUNCIL, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO? MAKE A MOTION TO PASS THAT MOTION.
SECOND, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
[F. Case No. ES23-00010; Public Hearing and Consideration of Ordinance No. ___ Closing a Portion of a Public Right-of-Way Adjacent to 103 N. Broadway, a Mixed-Use Development to be Located North of Hurd Street and West of Broadway. (103 Broadway, LLC; Ward 1)]
WE HAVE CASE NUMBER E S TWO THREE DASH 0 0 0 1 0 PUBLIC HEARING CONSIDERATION OR ORDINANCE NUMBER 39 66.39 66 CLOSING A PORTION OF A PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY ADJACENT TO THE 1 0 3 NORTH BROADWAY TO A, A MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT TO BE LOCATED NORTH OF HERD.
EXACT SAME THING YOU SAID LAST TIME.
COUNSEL ANY QUE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ANY APPLICANT I ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE FROM THE COUNCIL? FOR THE APPLICANT? ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE? COUNSEL, WHAT
[02:25:01]
WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO? MOTION TO APPROVE.[G. Case No. ES23-00008; Public Hearing and Consideration of Ordinance No. ___ Closing an Easement for St. Mary’s Episcopal School Addition Located at 505 East Covell Road. (St. Mary’s Episcopal School; Ward 1)]
E S 23 DASH 0 0 0 8 PUBLIC HEARING CONSIDERATION ORDINANCE NUMBER 39 67.39 67 CLOSING AN EASEMENT FOR ST.
ADDITION LOCATED AT 5 0 5 EAST COVE ST.
MARY EPISCOPAL SCHOOL IS THE APPLICANT.
UH, AS YOU SAID, THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TO CLOSE A PART OF AN EASEMENT.
IT'S THE AREA HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW HERE, JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THEIR BUILDING.
UH, IT'S JUST TO THE SOUTH OF A RECENT ADDITION TO THE, UH, SCHOOL.
THE EASEMENT ONCE COVERED A PUBLIC WATER LINE, BUT THAT LINE HAD TO BE RE RELOCATED DUE TO THE ADDITION AND THAT EASEMENT IS NO LONGER NEEDED.
PLANNING COMMISSION REVIEWED AND RECOMMENDED APPROVAL AT THEIR JULY 18TH MEETING.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF APPLICANT LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING.
COUNSEL ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE? COUNSEL, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO? MOTION SECOND.
PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE THAT ITEM WAS PASSED.
[H. Case No. Z23-00010; Public Hearing and Consideration of Ordinance No. ___ Rezoning an Area Located Northeast of the Intersection of Fretz and Hurd from “D-0” Suburban Office and “A” Single-Family to “CBD” Central Business District. (Black Brick Ventures LLC; Ward 1)]
CASE NUMBER Z 2 3 0 0 0 1 0 PUBLIC HEARING CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE 39 68 39 68 REZONING AN AREA LOCATED NORTHEAST OF THE INTERSECTION OF FRETS AND HERD FROM DO SUBURBAN OFFICE AND A SINGLE FAMILY TO C B D CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT BLACK BRICK VENTURES, LLCS, THE APPLICANT APPLICANT HERE.AS YOU SAID, THE APPLICANT IS ASKING FOR A REZONING FROM DO, WHICH IS COMMERCIAL OFFICE AND A SINGLE FAMILY, UH, TO THE C B D OR CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT ZONING CATEGORY.
UH, THE PROPERTIES YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE ARE IN THE AREA THAT WAS JUST RECENTLY EXPANDED, UH, THAT THE URBAN BOARD OVERSEES, UH, AND THEY'RE A LONG HERD.
AND, UM, THE CB ZONING EXISTS TO THE SOUTH AND TO THE NORTH IS THE RETENTION POND AND A SINGLE FAMILY ZONING.
AND INTO THE EAST IS SINGLE FAMILY ZONING AND A P U D ALLOWING FOR APARTMENTS.
UH, THE EDMUND PLAN DESIGNATES AREA IS URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS IN WHICH C B D ZONING IS CONSIDERED APPROPRIATE.
UH, PLANNING COMMISSION REVIEWED AND RECOMMENDED APPROVAL AT THEIR JULY 18TH MEETING.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF APPLICANT LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING.
COUNSEL ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE? COUNSEL, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO? MOTION TO APPROVE.
[I. Case No. Z22-00031; Public Hearing and Consideration of Ordinance No. ___ Rezoning 307 East Clegern Avenue from “A” Single Family Dwelling District to “PUD Z22-00031” Planned Unit Development. (Michael Adel; Ward 1)]
NEXT WE HAVE CASE NUMBER Z TWO TWO DASH 0 0 3 1.PUBLIC HEARING CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 39 69.
39 69 REZONING 3 0 7 EAST CLARIN AVENUE FROM A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING DISTRICT TO A P U D Z 22 DASH 0 0 0 3 1.
PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT MICHAEL ADELL IS THE APPLICANT'S APPLICANT HERE.
AS YOU SAID, THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING APPROVAL OF A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT OR P U D AT 3 0 7 EAST CLARAN, WHICH WOULD ALLOW FOR THE ADDITION OF A TWO STORY DUPLEX ON THE LOT AND RETAIN THE EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE.
UH, THE P U D IS LIMITED TO THREE UNITS AND THE EXISTING LOT WILL NOT BE SPLIT IN THE FUTURE.
UH, ACCESS WILL BE FROM THE EXISTING DRIVE AND POTENTIALLY FROM THE ALLEY.
UH, THE AREA IS A MIX OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND TWO FAMILY STRUCTURES.
UH, WITH THE DENSER BRADFORD VILLAGE BEING A BLOCK TO THE NORTH, THE EDMUND PLAN DESIGNATES THIS AREA AS UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH SUGGESTS MORE INTENSE ZONING.
DISTRICTS SUCH AS B OR C THREE, HIGH DENSITY MULTIFAMILY ARE APPROPRIATE AND ENCOURAGES THE DENSIFICATION OF THE AREA DUE TO ITS RELATIONSHIP TO DOWNTOWN AND THE U C L CAMPUS.
UH, PLANNING COMMISSION REVIEWED AND RECOMMENDED APPROVAL AT THIRD JULY 18TH MEETING COUNCIL.
IS THAT, UH, ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF APPLICANT LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING? COUNSEL ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE? COUNSEL, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO OF THIS ONE? MOTION TO APPROVE.
[10. Executive Session to Discuss Pending Claims or Actions: Alex, et. al. vs. City; Judkins vs. City; Olson vs. City; Authorized Pursuant to 25 Okla. Stat. Section 307(B)(4).]
INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.WE'RE NOW IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I NEED A MOTION TO COME BACK FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE'RE WE'RE OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION BACK IN COUNSEL.
[11. Consideration of Claims or Actions:]
YOUR HONOR, WITH REGARD TO ITEMS 11 A, B, AND C.UH, I REQUEST A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE YOU TO PROCEED WITH SETTLEMENT IN THOSE THREE CLAIMS. MR. MAYOR,
[02:30:01]
I'D MAKE THAT IDENTICAL STATEMENT A MOTION.[12. Citizen Comments. This is an opportunity for citizens, both resident and non-resident, to address the City Council on city related matters not on the council agenda. Citizens must sign up to speak either online by 3:00 p.m. the day of the City Council meeting, or in person by the start of the meeting. Remarks should be directed to City Council as a whole and limited to three minutes or less.]
HAVE CITIZENS' COMMENTS.THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS, BOTH RESIDENTS AND NON-RESIDENTS.
TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON CITY RELATED MATTERS NOT ON THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA, CITIZENS MUST SIGN UP TO SPEAK EITHER ONLINE BY 3:00 PM THE DAY OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OR IN PERSON BY THE START OF THE MEETING.
REMARKS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL AS A WHOLE AND LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES OR LESS.
OUR FIRST RESIDENT IS ROBERT SEAMANS.
OUR NEXT, UH, RESIDENT IS LEONARD SCOTT.
LEONARD SCOTT, I HOLD A COPY OF THE COUNCIL, UH, AGENDA YOU HAD OUT HERE TODAY.
WE, THE PEOPLE NOTED THE AGENDA DOES NOT ADDRESS NOT ONE, NOT ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT PEOPLE PRESENTED TO YOU TO BE PLACED ON THE CITY AGENDA IN THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING.
ONCE AGAIN, YOU HAVE BLATANTLY COMPLETELY IGNORED.
WE, THE PEOPLE, THE CITIZENS ARE CONCERNS AND GRIEVANCES.
HERE ARE THE ISSUES WE ASKED BASED ON SUPREME COURT DECISION THAT ALL RACE-BASED REP PREFERENCES BE WERE DEEMED UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
UH, YOU ALL WERE WORKING ON MAKING SURE THOSE ARE STRICKEN.
YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO REPORT TO US TODAY AND TELL US, ARE YOU WORKING ON MAKING SURE THAT THE RACE PREFERENCES ARE GONE FROM THE CITY GOVERNMENT? UH, YOU DIDN'T DO THAT.
YOU IGNORED THE REQUEST AND DID NOT PRESENT THE REQUESTED INFORMATION OF WE THE PEOPLE SINCE THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY ATTORNEY ARE BOTH UNELECTED BUREAUCRATS WHO UNJUSTLY DECIDE WHAT'S ON BASED ON THE CITY AGENDA.
WE INCLUDE THEM AS A PARTY OF THIS REGIME'S TYRANNY THAT YOU WILLFULLY AND BLATANTLY IGNORED CITIZEN REQUEST AGAIN.
NUMBER TWO, MR. MAYOR, YOU DID NOT RESPOND TO MY QUESTION LAST COUNCIL MEETING.
THE QUESTION WAS, DO YOU AS MAYOR AGREE THE CLOCK IS THE PEOPLE'S CLOCK THAT WAS PAID FOR BY THE PEOPLE? OR DO YOU CLAIM THAT IT IS YOUR CLOCK THAT ALLOWS YOU TO MAKE ARBITRARY DECISIONS AND DISREGARDS ROBERT RULES OF ORDER FOR GOVERNANCE? MAYOR CITIZENS HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW YOU.
AGAIN, IGNORED THE PEOPLE'S QUESTION BY NOT ANSWERING YOU, ARE YOU FOR CLAIMING THE OWNERSHIP OF THE PEOPLE'S CLOCK? AND AS SUCH, PROCLAIM YOURSELF A KING WHO CAN ARBITRARILY DENY THE PEOPLE'S RIGHTS OF FREE SPEECH.
SIR, IS THE CLOCK YOURS OR IS IT THE PEOPLE'S SILENCE? THANK YOU.
SO YOU PROCLAIMING THE CLOCK IS YOURS AND YOU THIS ROBERT RULES OF ORDER OF GOVERNANCE DOES NOT APPLY.
YOU CANNOT HIDE BEHIND THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
THIS IS A QUESTION OF GOVERNANCE AND REQUIRES YOU TO ANSWER.
IS THE CLOCK THE PEOPLES OR IS IT YOURS, SIR? SILENCE.
WE THE PEOPLE REQUESTED FROM THE THIRD TIME IN TWO YEARS.
ED'S CHARTER ARTICLE 11, RECALLED ELECTIVE OFFICERS BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA FOR A COMMITTEE TO BE FORMED.
THE AMENDMENT ARTICLE WITH THE, WHICH THE CITY'S WRITTEN REQUIREMENTS ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE.
WE, THE PEOPLE BELIEVE THE PRESENT ARTICLE IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL BASED ON OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS AND OKLAHOMA'S RIGHTS OF REDRESS PARTS TWO AND THREE THAT PEOPLE'S REQUESTED THAT IF OUR REQUEST WAS NOT PLACED ON AGENDA, WE DEMANDED TO NOTE WHY OUR REQUEST WAS DENIED.
DOES ANYBODY HERE WANNA TELL US WHY YOU DENIED IT? THAT'S WHAT WE THOUGHT.
I WILL END IT THERE BECAUSE IT'S OBVIOUS THAT YOU ARE DENYING OUR RIGHTS, OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF FREE SPEECH.
NEXT RESIDENT IS CONNIE FAYER.
UH, I JUST WANNA START OUT BY THANKING YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE.
AND, UM, I WANT TO REITERATE WHAT YOU JUST HEARD FROM THE PRAIRIE RESIDENT LEONARD SCOTT.
UM, THERE ARE MANY OF US OUT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT ARTICLE 11.
WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT REWRITTEN TO SOMETHING THAT'S MORE FAIR FOR EVERYBODY,
[02:35:01]
SOMETHING CLOSER TO WHAT THE STATE REQUIREMENTS ARE INSTEAD OF WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.I WANT TO MOVE TO WHAT HAPPENED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING WHEN I TRIED TO COME IN, UM, IMPLEMENT A PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE.
AND YOU TOLD ME THAT WHEN WE GET TO THAT ISSUE, WE WILL HANDLE IT.
WELL, WE'RE ABOUT TO ARRIVE AT THAT ISSUE.
SO I'M GONNA USE THIS TIME TO SPEAK ABOUT, WELL, I DIDN'T GET TO SAY EARLIER.
UM, WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO ATTEMPT TO AN AMEN AGENDA, IT HAS TO BE DONE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING.
SO THAT'S WHY I CAME UP HERE AT THAT TIME TO DO THAT.
THE, UM, OKLAHOMA OPEN MEETINGS ACT REQUIRES THAT YOU GUYS USE ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER TO GOVERN YOUR MEETINGS.
AND WHEN YOU ARE IN A PUBLIC MEETING, ACCORDING TO ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER, IF SOMEBODY WANTS NEW BUSINESS ON THE AGENDA AND IT IS NOT ON IT, THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO COME AND REQUEST THAT IT GETS PUT ON THE AGENDA.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT NEW BUSINESS BE ON THE AGENDA FOR US BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S ALWAYS WANTING TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING AND YOU, IT USED TO BE ON THE AGENDA, BUT WHEN WE TRIED TO UTILIZE IT, YOU SHUT US DOWN AND YOU TOOK IT OFF.
SO WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT ON THE AGENDA.
NEXT RESIDENT IS AN ANTHONY TOMPKINS.
THANK Y'ALL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
UH, I'D LIKE TO TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT STOCHASTIC TERRORISM.
IT'S A TACTIC USED BY INDIVIDUALS WHO DON'T WANNA GET THEIR HANDS DIRTY.
IT'S A TACTIC WHEREBY A PERSON TAKES A PIECE OF INFORMATION AND PUTS IT OUT IN THE, IN THE PUBLIC WITH THE INTENTION OF STIRRING IRE AGAINST AN INDIVIDUAL, A GROUP OR INSTITUTION.
UH, THE IDEA IS THAT A LONE WOLF OR A GROUP OF FOLLOWERS WILL, UH, TAKE UP, UH, THE, UH, THEY'LL TAKE UP, UH, THE IDEA TO, UH, TAKE VENGEANCE FOR THE PERSON THAT PUT OUT THAT PIECE OF INFORMATION.
IT'S A PRETTY DANGEROUS BUT SIMPLE CONCEPT.
THREE WEEKS AGO HERE IN OUR CITY'S COUNCIL CHAMBER, MY WIFE AND I WERE HAVING A PRIVATE AND QUIET CONVERSATION.
UM, DURING THE COUNCIL MEETING, WE WERE TEXTING BACK AND FORTH SO AS TO NOT BE, UM, TOO, UH, YOU KNOW, DISRUPTIVE RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, TO WHISPER.
THE CONTENT OF THAT CONVERSATION WAS MEANT FOR NO ONE ELSE BUT MY WIFE AND I TO THE PERSON THAT TOOK IT UPON THEMSELVES TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS OF MY PRIVATE TEXT CONVERSATION.
IF YOU TRULY BELIEVE THAT MY WIFE AND I WERE TRYING TO INCITE VIOLENCE THROUGH A PRIVATE TEXT CONVERSATION, THERE WAS A POLICE OFFICER STANDING IN THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE CHAMBER.
UM, UM, SORRY, I I DON'T NORMALLY, UH, SPEAK IN THIS.
SO THE PERSON CLAIMS THAT MY PHONE WAS IN THE PUBLIC VIEW AND, UH, WELL, I GET THAT TO YOUR PRIVILEGE, BUT BEAR IN MIND I HAVE A VISUAL DISABILITY AND, UM, SO I HOLD THE PHONE KIND OF CLOSE TO MY FACE TO READ IT, AND THIS PERSON TOOK OBVIOUS, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO BE A SNOOP.
NOT A WHOLE LOT I CAN DO ABOUT THAT.
YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD THIS DISABILITY ALL MY LIFE AND HAVE DEVELOPED A LOT OF, UH, MECHANISMS FOR, YOU KNOW, COPING WITH IT.
BUT WHEN THIS PERSON TOOK THOSE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THAT PRIVATE TEXT CONVERSATION TO THE INTERNET, IT WAS A LITTLE STEP TOO FAR.
I KNOW THIS WASN'T ABOUT YOU FEELING THREATENED OR THAT YOUR ACTIONS WERE WARRANTED.
THIS WAS ABOUT TAKING A PRIVATE CONVERSATION BETWEEN A HUSBAND AND WIFE AND PUTTING IT OUT IN THE, IN THE PUBLIC VIEW, IN CLEAR VIOLATION OF, UH, CRIMINAL MISCHIEF STATUTES THAT RELATE TO THE UNAUTHORIZED INTERCEPTION OF TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAM MESSAGES WITHOUT CONSENT.
THE FACT THAT YOU PUT THAT OUT ON THE INTERNET, POSTED IT TO A LOCALLY ORGANIZED FACEBOOK PAGE, THEN SUBSEQUENTLY BLOCKED ME.
WHEN I WARNED YOU THE LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS SPEAKS TO YOUR INTENTIONS.
WHAT WERE THEY
[02:40:04]
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME HAVE A CHANCE TO TALK.
I WANTED TO SPEAK EARLIER, BUT WASN'T ALLOWED TO.
I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I WAS NOT RAISED IN A RITZY AREA.
I WORKED IN THE FIELD SINCE I CAN REMEMBER WE OWNED THEM.
SO WE WERE OUT THERE AND HAD TO PICK BERRIES, PROBABLY TWO OR THREE YEARS OLD.
I WAS WORKING, WE, WE WORKED OUT IN THE FIELD SO WE COULD PAY FOR A NEW SET OF SHOES FOR THE WINTER.
AND MAYBE IF WE'RE LUCKY, WE GET TWO NEW OUTFITS OR HAD TO HAVE HAND-ME-DOWNS FROM OTHER PEOPLE.
WE WERE RAISED OUR OWN FOOD AND WE PRO WE PRESERVED IT IN THE EVERY YEAR AND IN THE FALL, WE EVEN HELPED HARVEST POTATOES IN ANOTHER, UH, FARMER'S FIELD SO WE COULD HAVE POTATOES FOR THE WHOLE YEAR TO EAT.
I DON'T COME FROM A RICH BACKGROUND.
MY HOME HAD TWO FIREPLACES TO KEEP US WARM.
I'M FROM OREGON, SO YOU KNOW, IT'S COLD.
WE MADE FIREWOOD GO OUT AND CUT AND WORK FOR WEEKENDS, CUTTING AND HAULING IN LUMBER.
SO WE'D HAVE, UM, WARMTH FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
WE HUNG OUR CLOTHES ON A CLOTHESLINE TO DRYER IN THE HOUSE.
I HAVE FOND MEMORIES AS A CHILD RIDING BIKES, PLAIN WORKUP SOFTBALL IN OUR BACKYARD WITH OUR NE MY NEIGHBORS AND SIBLINGS I BUILT, I WOULD BUILD SNOW FORTS AND SNOWBALL FIGHTS AND WE'D PLAY OUTSIDE GAMES LIKE SARDINES.
AND WHO'S AFRAID OF THE BIG BAD WOLF? THEY DIDN'T COST ANYTHING.
THEY WERE JUST KEPT US BUSY AND HAD TROUBLE.
WE HAD BARBECUES, WATER BALLOON FIGHTS,
SLEEPING OUTSIDE, SLIPPING SLIDES ON JUST A SHEET OF BLACK PLASTIC.
I'M SAYING THIS SO, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T COME FROM A VERY WELL BACKGROUND, BUT WHAT MY QUESTION IS, WHAT KIND OF LIFESTYLE DO YOU WANT TO LEAVE YOUR FAMILY'S GRANDCHILDREN AND OTHER FAMILIES FOR GENERATIONS TO COME? BEING SQUISHED IN BUILDINGS? I KNOW YOU GUYS SAID EARLIER, IT'S NOT ALL THAT, BUT STACK AND PACK.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT GENERATIONS ARE, YOU ARE TAKING AWAY FREEDOMS IF WE STICK 'EM ALL IN AND THEY'RE GONNA LOSE THAT.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS TO THESE CHILDREN GROWING UP IN CROWDED AREAS TOGETHER? WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE IN TIGHT AREAS AND SPACES, IT POTENTIALLY CAUSES HIGH CRIME RATE, SLOWER.
MORE VIOLENCE, WORSE INFRASTRUCTURE.
CROWDED SCHOOLS ALREADY HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING TEACHERS AND IF WE KEEP BRINGING THAT IN AND IT ALSO LEAD TO HIGHER TAXES, I WON'T GO ON IN THAT, BUT I JUST WANNA KNOW WHAT PLANS YOU HAVE TO MITIGATE ANY RISKS.
AND ALSO, I HANDED OUT THE ED NEWSLETTER THAT I ADDRESSED LAST TIME AND YOU GUYS SAID DIDN'T EXIST AND THAT CAME FROM THE MAIL, SOMEBODY ELSE'S MAIL.
I'VE BEEN HERE TWO AND A HALF YEARS AND NEVER RECEIVED ONE AND NEITHER IS OTHER PEOPLE WHO'VE LIVED HERE LONGER.
I JUST WANNA SPEAK VERY BRIEFLY IN SUPPORT OF MY FRIEND ANTHONY TOMPKINS.
UH, HE DIDN'T GET TO FINISH WHAT HE WAS SAYING.
WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM AT THIS MEETING THREE WEEKS AGO IN THIS CHAMBER IS DESPICABLE.
SOMEONE TOOK A PHOTOGRAPH OF HIS PHONE OVER HIS SHOULDER AND POSTED IT ON FACEBOOK ALONG WITH HIS NAME AND CHALLENGED PEOPLE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR.
NOW, THE BEHAVIOR THAT NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT IT IS THE BEHAVIOR OF THAT WOMAN WHO TOOK THE PHOTOGRAPH OVER HIS SHOULDER OF A PRIVATE CONVERSATION BETWEEN HIM AND HIS WIFE AND POSTED IT ON FACEBOOK.
A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE EDMUND POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND I HOPE THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY OF EDMOND WILL PROSECUTE THIS INDIVIDUAL BECAUSE THIS SHOULD NOT BE TOLERATED.
NOT IN THIS CHAMBER, NOT IN THIS TOWN.
NOT ANYTIME YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, ARE, ARE SUBJECT TO SOME OF THE, THE HATEFULNESS AND THE COMMENTS THAT ARE MADE IN THESE MEETINGS.
CITIZENS WHO COME AND, AND COME TO JUST LISTEN AND PARTICIPATE SHOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO THAT TYPE OF BEHAVIOR AND PERSONAL ATTACKS ON THE INTERNET.
AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO PLEASE FOLLOW THROUGH AND MAKE SURE
[02:45:01]
THAT SOMETHING HAPPENS TO THIS INDIVIDUAL FOR BEHAVING LIKE THAT.COUNSEL, THAT'S ALL OF THE CITIZENS' COMMENTS.
[13. Comments from the Mayor and Members of the City Council.]
WE HAVE OUR COMMENTS FROM THE MAYOR AND THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.AS YOU ALL REMEMBER, THIS PORTION REPLACED NEW BUSINESS.
ANYTHING FROM THE COUNCIL? UM, I JUST WANTED TO THANK THE MAYOR FOR THE STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS, UM, THIS WEEK.
UH, I THINK IT WAS WAIT, THURSDAY, RIGHT? THURSDAY, THURSDAY LAST WEEK.
AND SO I THINK THERE ARE RECORDINGS OF THAT.
IT WAS INCREDIBLY INFORMATIVE.
UM, SO IF FOLKS LISTENING ONLINE OR WHEREVER DIDN'T GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IT, I'D, I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK FOR IT.
UM, WANT TO THANK AGAIN, THE AMBULANCE TASK FORCE, ESPECIALLY, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, PETERSON.
SUPER PASSIONATE ABOUT THOSE RESPONSE TIMES AND GETTING GOOD SERVICE FOR OUR, OUR CITIZENS AND I'M REALLY, REALLY HAPPY WITH THAT AND APPRECIATIVE.
WE HAD A WORKSHOP TODAY AT 1130 ABOUT WATER AND WASTEWATER RATE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, AND SO ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO MAYBE WATCH THAT IF YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY.
WE OFTEN HAVE WORKSHOPS AT THREE OR THREE 30 ON COUNCIL DAYS, AND THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY INFORMATIVE.
AND I KNOW THAT'S A TOUGH TIME FOR, FOR FOLKS TO COME IN PERSON IF YOU WA UH, WORK, UH, DURING THE DAY, BUT YOU CAN ACCESS THOSE ONLINE.
ANOTHER CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR CHIEF OF POLICE.
YES, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S AN HONOR.
UM, WHAT ELSE? UH, WELL GROUNDBREAKING.
OH YEAH, WE DO HAVE THE GROUNDBREAKING TOMORROW FOR, UH, TED ANDERSON SPLASH PAD.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE A RIBBON CUTTING FOR ANOTHER, UM, UM, RESTAURANT COMING IN.
THEN, UH, SCHOOL STARTS, RIGHT? THAT WAS GONNA BE
UH, PLEASE BE FULLY AWARE THAT, UH, EDMOND PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL BE IN FULL SESSION ON AUGUST 17TH.
SO, UH, YOU HAVE YOUR FLASHING LIGHTS AND YOUR, YOUR, UH, SCHOOL ZONES AND YOU'LL HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNED PARENTS BECAUSE THEY, FOR THEIR CHILDREN TO GET TO SCHOOL AND SLOW DOWN FOR THOSE BABIES.
ANYTHING ELSE, COUNSEL? MOTION ADJOURN.
YOU DIDN'T ADDRESS THE NEW BUSINESS.
YOU MADE A GENERAL STATEMENT THAT WHAT YOU GUYS JUST DID REPLACE NEW BUSINESS, BUT YOU DID NOT ADDRESS IT.