Apr 08, 2024 City Council

YAY.

AND WHAT A LOT OF YOU DON'T KNOW IS YOU DON'T SEE THESE PEOPLE.

GUESS WHAT? THEY'RE TAKING CARE OF YOU EACH AND EVERY DAY.

AND THERE'S A LOT MORE THAT HELP WITH THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY.

AND IT'S JUST NOT FOR, YOU COULD SAY IT'S JUST NOT FOR EDNA, BUT IT'S, IT IS A REGIONAL TYPE THING.

THEY'RE, THEY'RE COMMUNICATING BACK AND FORTH WITH A LOT TO HELP WITH US.

SO THIS PROCLAMATION, A 1991 CONGRESSIONAL RESOLUTION NAMED THE SECOND FULL WEEK IN APRIL OF EACH YEAR.

NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATORS WEEK AND EMERGENCIES CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME OR ANY PLACE AND REQUIRE THE ASSISTANCE OF POLICE, FIRE, EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.

9 1 1 IS THE HOTLINE FOR HELP FOR THE PEOPLE IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.

AND THE NINE ONE ONE CALL TAKERS VOICE IS THE FIRST ASSURANCE THAT HELP IS ON THE WAY.

PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATION PROFESSIONALS REGULARLY MEET THE CHALLENGES OF EXTREMELY STRESSFUL SITUATIONS WITH CALMNESS AND EFFICIENCY.

WHEN AN EMERGENCY OCCURS, THE PROMPT RESPONSE OF POLICE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS, AND PARAMEDICS IS CRITICAL TO THE PROTECTION OF LIFE AND PRESERVATION OF PROPERTY.

THE SAFETY OF THESE EMERGENCIES RESPONDERS IS DEPENDENT UPON THE QUALITY AND THE ACCURACY OF INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM THE CITIZENS WHO CALL 9 1 1 THE COMMUNICATION CENTER, UH, AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATION PROFESSIONALS ARE THE FIRST, FIRST RESPONDERS PROVIDING ASSISTANCE BEFORE ANY OTHER EMERGENCY SERVICE ARRIVE ON THE SCENE.

PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS PROFESSIONALS ARE A VITAL LINK FOR OUR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS BY MONITORING THEIR ACTIVITIES, BY RADIO, PROVIDING THEM INFORMATION AND ENSURING THEIR SAFETY.

WHEREAS PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATION PROFESSIONALS IN THE CITY OF EBONY CONTRIBUTE SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE APPREHENSION OF CRIMINALS, UH, SUPPRESSION OF FIRES AND TREATMENT OF INJURIES AND ILLNESSES ON A DAILY BASIS.

EACH DISPATCHER AND CALL TAKER EXHIBITED COMPASSION, UNDERSTANDING, AND PROFESSIONALISM DURING THE PERFORMANCE OF HIS OR HER DAILY DUTIES.

NOW THEREFORE, I DARRYL A DAVIS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF EDMOND, OKLAHOMA, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 14TH THROUGH APRIL 20TH, 2024 AS NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATOR WEEK.

THE THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THIS.

WE, UH, REFER TO IT AS 9 1 1 DISPATCHER WEEK.

UH, BUT WE, UH, WE ARE VERY BLESSED TO WORK IN THIS CITY.

UH, I BROUGHT A COUPLE OF THE TEAM HERE WITH YOU TO, UH, UH, GET A CHANCE TO COME UP HERE AND, AND SEE EVERYONE.

WE ARE BLESSED TO WORK FOR A CITY THAT IS TRULY, UM, BACKED BY OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.

ALL THE OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT UNDERSTAND WHAT WE DO.

UH, A LOT OF WHAT WE DO IS BEHIND THE SCENES SO YOU DON'T SEE US.

BUT SHOULD SOMETHING HAPPEN WHERE YOU NEED US, JUST KNOW WE'LL BE THERE, UH, NO MATTER WHAT.

SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

ALSO, WE'RE HIRING SHOULD YOU WANT TO JOIN THAT TEAM OKAY.

GOV SLASH JOBS.

WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU.

GOOD TIMING.

NEVER MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY.

HOW MANY OF Y'ALL DID YOU KNOW THAT WE HAD A MAYOR'S ESSAY CONTEST?

[B. Recognition of First Place Winners in the Mayor's Essay Contest.]

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HOW MANY OF Y'ALL PARTICIPATED WHEN Y'ALL WERE LITTLE? OH, MAYBE WE'RE GONNA DO AN ADULT ONE.

MAYBE, MAYBE WE DON'T REMEMBER.

BUT THIS YEAR WE HOSTED THE 39TH ANNUAL MARRIAGE ESSAY CONTEST.

IT WAS OPEN TO ALL FIRST THROUGH FIFTH GRADERS IN THE CITY.

THE QUESTION FOR THIS YEAR'S CONTEST WAS, IF THE CITY OF EDMUND HAD A MASCOT, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHAT WOULD IT DO? THINK ABOUT THAT.

THAT'S A GOOD ONE.

WE HAD A LOT OF GREAT RESPONSES AND GREAT MASCOT IDEAS.

ONE WAS, WE HAD A LION BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE EDMOND A GOOD CITY.

AND A LION IS BRAVE, LIKE THE HEROES WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

ANOTHER MASCOT IS THE LARGEST, STRONGEST, SMARTEST, AND CUTEST.

ME.

NO EDDIE.

EDDIE, THE ELEPHANT EDDIE.

THE ELEPHANT EDDIE IS COOL AND COURAGEOUS THAT AT ANY HARD TIMES HE STANDS TALL AND FACES IT WITH A TRUMPET HELPING THE EDMOND COMMUNITY.

ONE MASCOT REPRESENTS KINDNESS IN THE COMMUNITY.

THEIR WISH IS FOR THIS MASCOT TO SHOW APPRECIATION TO COMMUNITY WORKERS WHO HELP THE PEOPLE OF EDMOND, SUCH AS TEACHERS AND SOLID WASTE WORKERS.

FINALLY, BECAUSE EDMOND IS KNOWN FOR ITS BEAUTIFUL WILDLIFE AND PLANTS, THE MASCOT SHOULD BE A BEE TO REPRESENT THE BEAUTY OF THE BEE POLLINATING THE PLANTS THAT WILL KEEP THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF EDMOND ALIVE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

SO THOSE ARE SOME PRETTY GOOD ONES.

SO WHAT I'M GONNA DO NOW IS I'M GONNA CALL UP THE WINNER, STARTING WITH SECOND GRADE.

AND WE HAVE CASEY PICTURE .

HERE WE GO.

THIS IS YOURS.

AND JUST TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW, WE DID TAKE FORMAL PICTURES OUTSIDE.

SO DO WE GET TO KNOW WHAT SHE SAID? NO.

OH, NO.

SHE COULD TELL US WHAT HER MASCOT IS.

I WANNA KNOW THE .

THIRD GRADE IS AIKA MINION.

ALRIGHT.

DID YOU WANNA KNOW? YEAH, KIND OF.

THEY SHOULD STAND UP AND TELL US WHAT THEIR MASCOT WAS.

I AM VERY, I'LL SECOND THAT.

NOW WE NEED A RECESS OF THE EDMOND CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND CALL TO ORDER OF THE EDMOND PUBLIC WORKS AUTHORITY MEETING.

SIR.

SEND YOUR LOCAL COUNCIL PERSON YOUR YOUR YOUR AWARD.

FIRST PLACE IN FOURTH GRADE.

DID KIMBRA WING SOMETHING? OKAY.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING RIGHT? THEN THE FIFTH, UH, FIRST PLACE FOR FIFTH GRADE IS NOAH HOFFMAN.

[3. Recess of the Edmond City Council Meeting and Call to Order of the Edmond Public Works Authority Meeting.]

THE PUBLIC WORKS AUTHORITY MEETING.

WE'RE NOW IN

[4. Public Works Authority General Consent Items: Items listed under General Consent are usually approved as a group with the proper motion from a member of the Public Works Authority. Members of the Public Works Authority may pull any item under General Consent for separate discussion and/or action.]

NEXT, WE HAVE TWO ITEMS UNDER OUR GENERAL CONSENT COUNSEL.

IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS ON THOSE TWO ITEMS? UH, ITEM FOUR A OR B? YES, SIR.

NOT HEARING ANY, UH, TAKE A MOTION.

MOTION TO APPROVE.

[00:10:01]

SECOND WE HAVE A MOTION.

WE HAVE A SECOND ON.

PLEASE CAST ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.

ANDY CONYERS, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER ADMINISTRATION.

THOSE PUBLIC WORKS.

UH, GENERAL CONSENT ITEMS, THOSE TWO ITEMS ARE PASSED.

NEXT WE HAVE THE PUBLIC WORKS AUTHORITY, UH, PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS. UM, WE HAVE ITEM FIVE

[B. Consideration of Approval of Change Order No. 3 with Milhaus to Improve the Operational Efficiency of the Streetlights in the Public Right of Way on 1st Street, Main Street, and Hurd Street just West of the Railroad Tracks and Remediate Soft Soil Conditions along Hurd Street to Add Public Parking; $139,508.00. (Previously Encumbered; Ward 1)]

B AND FIVE C.

AND, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE STAFF COMMENTS ON ITEM FIVE B, CORRECT? SURE.

THAT'S GREAT.

UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

SO I WANTED TO PROVIDE SOME BRIEF COMMENTS AND SUMMARY OF ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED IN YOUR PACKET.

SO ITEM FIVE B IS A CHANGE ORDER WITH MILLHOUSE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS IN DOWNTOWN RELATED TO, UH, THAT WE'RE TAKING PLACE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE OXLEY DEVELOPMENT.

SO IN JANUARY OF 2022, UH, THE EDMOND PUBLIC, THE EDMUND PUBLIC WORKS AUTHORITY, APPROVED AN AGREEMENT WITH MILLHOUSE TO CONSTRUCT PUBLIC PARKING, INSTALL STREET LIGHTS AND LANDSCAPING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE OXLEY PROJECT, WHICH IS A REMINDER, IT'S 276 MULTI-FAMILY UNITS THAT ARE BEING CONSTRUCTED RIGHT NOW ALONG WITH THE PARKING GARAGE.

AND THE COST OF THAT WAS $1.1 MILLION.

THE ITEM IN FRONT OF YOU THIS EVENING IS A CHANGE ORDER TO IMPROVE THE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY OF THE STREET LIGHTS THAT ARE GONNA GO IN, AS WELL AS TO REMEDIATE SOME SOFT SOIL CONDITIONS TO ALLOW FOR PUBLIC PARKING IN DOWNTOWN.

SO THIS IS A CHANGE ORDER WITH THAT PROJECT, AS CONSTRUCTION HAS GONE ON, THERE'S BEEN SOME CHANGES THAT CITY STAFF HAD SUGGESTED, AND THAT'S THE REASON FOR THE CHANGE ORDER.

SO THE FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT IS FROM THE 2000 CIP, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT SALES TAX.

AND THEN THE REPAYMENT OF THAT OVER THE LIFE OF THE 20 YEAR TIF WILL COME FROM THE INCREASE IN PROPERTY VALUES OF THE PROJECT.

THAT WILL BE THE OXLEY.

SO CITY IS FRONTING THE MONEY FOR PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, AND THEN THAT MONEY WILL ALL COME BACK TO THE CITY OVER THE LIFE OF THE 20 YEAR.

TIF HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.

COUNSEL, ANY QUESTIONS? MM-HMM.

FROM ITEM FIVE C, WHICH WE ALSO HAVE STAFF COMMENTS, WHICH WILL ALSO INCLUDE SOME REFERENCE COMMENTS FOR D THREE.

THEN WE, UM, HEAR

[C. Consideration of Approval of a Supplemental Transfer of Appropriation for the Main Street Improvements Project; $432,755.00. (Ward 1)]

LENA DOZIER, DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION MANAGER.

THERE'S ACTUALLY FOUR ITEMS, UM, IN REGARDS TO THE MAIN STREET IMPROVEMENTS.

UM, ONE OF THE BID PACKAGES FOR THE CITY CENTER PROJECT, UM, JUST TO THREE OF THEM ARE TO TRANSFER FUNDS TO, TO PAY FOR THE BID PACKAGES.

I DUNNO IF I'M TALKING TO THIS.

UM, AND ONE OF THEM IS TO APPROVE A PORTION OF THE BID PACKAGE THAT RECENTLY CAME IN.

UM, THE BID PACKAGE HAD THREE PORTIONS, CONCRETE WORK, UM, DEMO WORK AND UTILITY WORK.

UM, WHEN THE CONTRACTOR, WHEN WE BID AND THE CONTRACTOR OPENED THE BIDS, UM, THE UTILITY WORK AND THE DEMO WORK WERE, UM, WITHIN THE RANGE THAT WE WANTED IT TO BE THE CONCRETE WORK.

UM, THE CONTRACTOR THAT BID ON THAT, THE ONLY CONTRACTOR THAT BID ON THAT HAS ACTUALLY ASKED TO WITHDRAW THEIR BID.

THEY HAD AN ERROR IN THEIR BID TABULATION WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY SUBMITTED.

UM, IN ORDER FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO REJECT THOSE BIDS OR ACCEPT THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE BIDS.

UM, WE WILL REBID STARTING TOMORROW AND HAVE THE CONCRETE WORK READY FOR APPROVAL ON, UM, MAY 28TH.

THAT CONCRETE WORK BIDDING AND BEING ACCEPTED BY MAY 28TH SHOULD KEEP US ON SCHEDULE, UM, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO ACCEPT THE BIDS FOR CONCRETE AND I MEAN FOR DEMO AND, UM, SITE UTILITIES.

AND THEY'LL BE ABLE TO START IMMEDIATELY.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

COUNCIL? ANY QUESTIONS? YES, SIR.

MAY, CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW MAIN STREET WILL REMAIN? OH, SORRY.

A LOT OF NERVOUSNESS FROM VENDORS AND FOLKS THAT PARTICIPATED ON HEARD ON, HEARD.

SO MAIN STREET WILL BE FUNCTIONAL.

UM, IN THE LAST HERD ON HEARD, HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY NOTICED THAT THEY OPENED UP THE, THE MAIN STREET FROM LITTLER TO, UM, BROADWAY FOR FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

SO WE COULD, SO HERD ON HERD COULD ACCESS MAIN STREET DURING THAT TIME.

UM, IT WILL REMAIN OPEN, UM, FOR SPECIAL EVENTS.

WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE SPECIAL EVENTS, UM, CHAIRPERSON HERE IN OUR OFFICE TO KEEP THOSE OPEN.

UM, THIS RECONSTRUCTION IS ACTUALLY GOING TO INCLUDE, UM, DEDICATED RIGHT AND LEFT HAND TURN LANES TO KEEP MAIN STREET OPEN AND FUNCTIONAL ONCE WE, WE ALL MOVE INTO THE PARKING GARAGE IN THE, IN THE TWO BUILDINGS.

I JUST WANTED TO NOTE, MAYOR, I KNOW IN THE INITIAL PORTION OF THIS, A LOT OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED WAS

[00:15:01]

THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD GO AWAY, THAT THEIR BUSINESS WOULD BE IMPACTED, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO PROMISE AND MAKE A, YOU KNOW, COMMITMENT THAT WE WOULD WORK WITH THEM AND THEN BE ABLE TO KEEP IT OPEN.

AND SO THIS IS KIND OF A FRUITION OF THAT FROM A COUPLE MONTHS AGO WHERE WE MET WITH THOSE STAKEHOLDERS, GOT THAT FEEDBACK, UH, PULLED ANYTHING OFF THE TABLE AS FAR AS THAT, AND THEN KIND OF WORKED THROUGH IT.

SO, YES SIR.

AND THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.

ALL ACCOUNTS HEARD ON HER WENT REALLY, REALLY WELL.

SO, MM-HMM, VERY GOOD.

AND WE BORDERED GOOD WEATHER FOR HERD ON HER FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON.

, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MM-HMM, .

ALRIGHT, COUNSEL, WHAT WOULD, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO ON THESE ITEMS? FIVE.

I MOVE TO APPROVE.

YOU HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE TO APPROVE.

WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND.

THOSE TWO ITEMS PASSED.

NEXT WE HAVE THE CITY COUNCIL GENERAL CONSENT ITEM.

THERE'S .

OH, I'M SORRY.

[6. Adjournment of the Edmond Public Works Authority Meeting and Reconvene the Edmond City Council Meeting.]

WE NEED TO ADJOURN.

UH, I NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN THIS EDMOND PUBLIC WORKS AUTHORITY MEETING AND RECONVENE THE EDMOND CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

SO, MOVE SECOND.

MOTION SECOND.

WE HAVE 12 ITEMS ON OUR CITY COUNCIL, GENERAL CONSENT ITEMS. COUNSEL, ARE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS ON THOSE 12 ITEMS THAT THIS WOULD BE? ITEM SEVEN A THROUGH K, HEARING NONE.

WE'RE NOW IN THE BACK IN OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

NOW

[7. City Council General Consent Items: 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 pull any item under General Consent for separate discussion and/or action.]

MOTION TO APPROVE.

WE HAVE A MOTION.

SECOND HERE, A SECOND.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.

EIGHT B ONE WHERE WE'RE GONNA HAVE STAFF COMMENTS.

THOSE 12 ITEMS FROM THE CONSENT HAVE BEEN PASSED.

NEXT WE HAVE ITEM EIGHT.

THERE'S A CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION ITEMS. UM, WE HAVE ITEM

[B. Flock Group, Inc. Purchase:]

B, CHIEF, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

UH, CAN YOU REMIND ME, IS THAT ITEM ON, UH, FLOCK? IT IS.

FLOCK.

FLOCK, YES.

THE FLOCK CREW PURCHASED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS SEVERAL ITEMS ON THE COUNCIL, DIDN'T DENY, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I WAS SPEAKING TO THE, TO THE CORRECT ONE.

UH, ONCE AGAIN, THANKS FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THIS AND, UH, JUST FOR THE NATURE OF TRANSPARENCY, I DID NOT COLLUDE WITH NON DOC TO GET THAT ARTICLE PUBLISHED TODAY, , SO WE CAN HEIGHTEN THE ATTENTION TO THIS TOPIC.

UH, HOWEVER, I WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH HIM AS WELL.

SO, UH, SHARE SOME INFORMATION THAT I SHARED WITH THEM HERE RECENTLY.

UH, SO AS I HOPE, UH, MANY RECALL, UH, THE CITY OF EDMOND, SPECIFICALLY THE EDMOND POLICE DEPARTMENT, ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH FLOCK SAFETY, UH, IN MARCH OF 2023.

UH, THE CAMERAS, OUR LICENSE PLATE READER CAMERAS ACTUALLY WENT LIVE SOMETIME AROUND THE MIDDLE OF MAY OF 2023.

UH, SO IN EFFECT, WE, WE'VE HAD THIS CAPABILITY FOR ABOUT 12 MONTHS NOW.

UH, AND FOR THOSE NOT FAMILIAR WITH LICENSE PLATE READER CAMERAS, UH, I WANT TO CLEAR UP ONE, UH, KIND OF COMPARISON ISSUE.

THESE AREN'T LIVE FEED VIDEO CAMERAS.

UH, THESE ARE MORE LIKE STILL CAMERAS WHERE THEY TAKE, TAKE PICTURES OF CARS AND SPECIFICALLY THEIR LICENSE PLATES, AND THEN RETAIN THE PHOTO IN THEIR DATABASE SO THEY'RE NOT LIVE MONITORED.

UH, EVEN, EVEN IF YOU WANTED TO MONITOR THEM LIVE.

THAT'S NOT THE WAY THE TECHNOLOGY IS DESIGNED TO WORK.

IT'S REALLY INTENDED TO BE, UH, A RETROACTIVE OR A LOOK BACK INVESTIGATIVE TOOL, UH, BASED ON THE TAG THAT'S CAPTURED OR POSSIBLY THE VEHICLE DESCRIPTION.

UH, SO JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT BEFORE WE GET INTO THAT DISCUSSION.

NOW, WHAT YOU SEE IN FRONT OF YOU IS ACTUALLY A NEW ADDITION TO OUR AGREEMENT WITH FLOCK SAFETY.

AND THAT'S A TRANSPARENCY PORTAL PAGE, UH, THAT'S ACCESSIBLE BY ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC THAT HAS THE INTERNET.

AND SO YOU CAN GO THERE AND IT NOT ONLY DETAILS OUR POLICIES IN REGARD TO THIS TECHNOLOGY, UH, BUT ALSO OFFERS SOME CATEGORICAL INFORMATION ON HOW THE, UH, TECHNOLOGY'S BEEN USED OVER THE LAST 30 DAYS.

UM, AND AGAIN, I WANNA POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THINGS.

THERE MAY BE SOME CONFUSION ON.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT THAT RIGHT HAND COLUMN WHERE IT SAYS VEHICLES DETECTED IN THE LAST 30 DAYS, AND IT TELLS US ROUGHLY 317,000, THOSE ARE UNIQUE TAGS.

SO ACTUALLY IN THE LAST 30 DAYS, THEY'VE TAKEN PICTURES OF ALMOST 2 MILLION TAGS IN THE CITY OF EDMOND.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE TRAFFIC VOLUME THAT GOES THROUGH OUR LARGE ARTERIAL INTERSECTIONS.

BUT OF THOSE 2 MILLION SCANS, IT WAS 317

[00:20:02]

UNIQUE VEHICLES.

AND SO THE REASON I BRING THAT UP IS I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND, IF YOU SEE THOSE TWO DIFFERENT NUMBERS AND YOU THINK OF WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE, ONE'S TALKING ABOUT UNIQUE CARS, ONE'S TALKING ABOUT TOTALS, UH, ON THE HOT LIST IN THE LAST 30 DAYS.

UH, JUST TO, TO CLARIFY.

SO THIS SYSTEM HAS ACCESS TO THE NATIONAL CRIME INFORMATION CENTER, UH, DATA.

SO IF YOUR VEHICLE IS STOLEN AND WE COME OUT AND TAKE A REPORT ON IT, THE TAG AND THE VIN NUMBER FOR THAT VEHICLE IS ENTERED INTO THE SYSTEM.

SO ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY OR ANYWHERE THAT HAS ACCESS TO NCIC, IF THEY RUN YOUR TAG, IT'LL POP UP AND SAY, HEY, EDMOND'S TAKEN A REPORT THAT YOUR VEHICLE'S, THAT VEHICLE'S BEEN STOLEN.

AND SO WHAT THIS HOT LIST HERE IS, IS THESE ARE, THESE ARE CUSTOM HOT LISTS.

SO IF WE'RE LOOKING FOR A SUSPECT THAT THAT INVOLVES A VEHICLE TAG, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO IN AND POPULATE THAT TAG IN FLOCK WHERE IT WOULD NOT NECESSARILY BE AN NCIC BECAUSE THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN STOLEN, IT'S JUST ASSOCIATED WITH A CRIME THAT WE'RE INVESTIGATING.

SO THE HOT LIST HITS HERE, I UNDERSTAND, ARE THE ONES THAT WE HAVE CUSTOM CREATED.

SO IF WE WERE TALKING ABOUT JUST THE GENERAL HOT LIST FROM NCIC, YOU WOULD SEE OVER A HUNDRED HITS THERE IN THE LAST 30 DAYS.

UH, AND SO THE REASON THIS IS, IS LISTED THIS WAY, SO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW IT'S IMPACTING OUR SPECIFIC INVESTIGATIONS AS OPPOSED TO JUST GENERAL, UH, TAG READS.

AND THEN THE LAST ONE ON SEARCHES, JUST TO BE CLEAR ON THIS, THESE ARE THE NUMBER OF TIMES, UH, A REPRESENTATIVE WHO'S AUTHORIZED TO ACCESS THE SYSTEM FROM THE EVAN POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE SO.

SO IF I'M LOOKING FOR A TAG, UH, THAT'S BEEN GIVEN TO ME, HEY, WE THINK IT'S THESE SIX DIGITS AND I HAVE AUTHORITY TO ENTER THE SYSTEM, NOT EVERYBODY DOES, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH TRAINING AND, AND GET SIGNED OFF ON.

AND SO I ENTER THE SYSTEM AND I RUN THE TAG, AND YOU TOLD ME YOU THINK IT WAS 1, 2, 3 A, B, C.

AND SO I PUT 1, 2, 3 A, B, C, AND IT SAYS, NO RECORD.

AND I SAY, WELL, MAYBE IT WAS 1, 2, 8 A, B, C.

AND SO I PUT 1, 2, 8 A, B, C, BINGO.

IT HITS, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S SOMETHING I'M LOOKING FOR THAT'S GONNA SHOW UP AS ONE SEARCH BECAUSE IT'S ONE TIME I'M IN THE SYSTEM.

SO IT'S NOT COUNTING, IT DOES HAVE A LOG OF THE TAGS, BUT THE REPORT IT'S GIVEN ME IS THAT I'VE ENTERED THE SYSTEM AND WHAT I WAS DOING IN THERE.

SO WHEN WE GO BACK AND AUDIT IT, IT TELLS ME WHO WAS IN THE SYSTEM AND WHAT WERE THEY DOING, WHAT WERE THEY ACCESSING THE SYSTEM FOR.

AND THEN I CAN SEE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY SEARCHED.

BUT AGAIN, YOU MAY SEE SEARCHES, WELL, YEAH, THEY RAN 400 SEARCHES.

WELL THAT COULD BE A HUNDRED PEOPLE RUN ONE TAG FOUR DIFFERENT WAYS.

SO THE REASON I OFFER THAT TO YOU IS LOOKING AT THE DATA, IT MAY LOOK LIKE IT'S TELLING TWO DIFFERENT STORIES, BUT REALLY IT'S VERY TECHNICAL IN THE QUESTION YOU'RE ASKING.

AND SO I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING AT THIS, WHAT THIS INFORMATION IS RELAYING TO 'EM.

NOW THAT I'VE GIVEN THE LESSON ON FLOCK, UH, BACK TO WHY WE USE THE TECHNOLOGY, WELL, IT'S SIMPLY TO HELP OUR INVESTIGATORS, UH, FURTHER THEIR INVESTIGATIONS THEY MAY HAVE.

AND SO OVER THE LAST YEAR, WE'VE CLEARED A NUMBER OF STOLEN MOTOR VEHICLE, UH, CASES BASED ON THE LEADS, UH, FROM THIS TECHNOLOGY.

WE'VE HAD OTHER CRIMES THAT, THAT WERE IMPACTED BY THE INFORMATION THAT THIS TECHNOLOGY PROVIDES.

UH, BUT I THINK TWO VERY RECENT, UH, USES OF THE TECHNOLOGY ARE REALLY WHY WE HAVE IT.

SO TWO HOMICIDES.

ONE THAT OCCURRED IN EDMOND, ONE THAT OCCURRED IN OKLAHOMA CITY IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS.

FLOCK DID NOT SOLVE THOSE HOMICIDES, BUT FLOCK TAG REEDS DID GIVE INFORMATION TO INVESTIGATORS WHO WERE INVESTIGATING THOSE CASES THAT FURTHERED THEIR INVESTIGATION.

AND, AND FREQUENTLY WHAT IT DOES IS IT SHORTENS THE TIMEFRAME FROM WHEN WE MAY HAVE EVENTUALLY DONE THAT INFORMATION OR BEEN ABLE TO PIECE IT TOGETHER TO QUICKLY PUT IT TOGETHER, WHICH HELPS IN IMMEDIATE SEARCHES IF WE'RE ABLE TO LOCATE IT, UH, RETENTION OF EVIDENTIARY VALUE OF THINGS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THAT.

SO AGAIN, FLOCK DOESN'T SOLVE CRIME, FLOCK ASSISTS, INVESTIGATORS WHO ARE ATTEMPTING TO SOLVE CRIME.

BUT THOSE TWO HIGH PROFILE THINGS I THINK ARE REALLY, UH, THE, THE BENEFIT OF HAVING THIS.

IT'S GREAT TO RECOVER PROPERTY, IT'S GOOD TO GET STOLEN VEHICLES, BUT REALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIFE SAFETY ISSUES, THIS HAS PROVEN TO BE, I BELIEVE, WORTH THE EXPENSE THAT THE CITY, UH, IS EXPERIENCING FOR THE CONTRACT.

ANY COUNSEL, ANY QUESTIONS? AND ON THAT CHIEF, UM, OBVIOUSLY WE AS A COUNSEL AT ANY TIME COULD, COULD, YOU KNOW, CUT THE PROGRAM SHOULD WE DEEM IT NECESSARY, BUT WE HAVE AN ANNUAL CONTRACT.

CITY WERE TO WITHDRAW FROM THE SERVICE, UH, ANNUALLY, AT A MINIMUM IT'S GONNA BE PRESENTED TO YOU FOR CONSIDERATION.

SO IN THAT REGARD, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO AT LEAST ANNUALLY JUST REVIEW, AND THEN AS A CITY COUNCIL, WE JUST WEIGH IN OR NOT TO KEEP DOING THAT.

IS THAT KIND OF HOW IT'S SET UP? CORRECT, SIR.

IT'S, IT'S IN A, IT IS A CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER.

AND SO THERE ARE LEGAL OUTS IF THE

[00:25:01]

UH, AND SO YES, I THINK THE WAY YOU'VE CATEGORIZED THAT'S CORRECT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SO WE HAVE TWO ITEMS HERE, UH, EIGHT B ONE AND TWO COUNSEL, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO ON THOSE ITEMS? MOTION TO APPROVE.

HAVE A MOTION.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.

THOSE ITEM IS PASSED.

THE FIRST ONE IS NINE A IS A CONSIDERATION APPROVAL, A RESOLUTION NUMBER 11 DASH 24 11 DASH 24, ADOPTING THE REVIS ADMIN TIFF POLICY GUIDE REQUIRING THE APPLICATION FEE TO BE PAID UPON APPROVAL BY THE EDMOND CITY COUNCIL OF A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, RATHER THAN UPON SUBMISSION OF A APPLICATION FOR TIFF ASSISTANCE IN PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

NEXT WE HONOR NINE, WHICH IS THE CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING.

WE HAVE FOUR ITEMS HERE.

[A. Consideration of Approval of Resolution No. ___ Adopting the Revised Edmond TIF Policy Guide; Requiring the Application Fee to be Paid Upon Approval by the Edmond City Council of a Development Agreement Rather than Upon Submission of an Application for TIF Assistance; And Providing An Effective Date. (Citywide)]

UM, THIS ITEM WAS BROUGHT UP BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROBBINS.

UM, BECAUSE THE WAY WE CURRENTLY, WHAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY APPROVED IS THAT THERE IS A $2,500 FEE, UH, UPON SUBMITTAL OF YOUR APPLICATION.

AND, UM, SO COUNCILMAN ROBBINS, UM, THIS IS, YEAH, SIM I MEAN YOU KIND OF DESCRIBED IT PERFECTLY, MAYOR, BUT, UH, THIS, THIS UPDATE WILL ALLOW FOR THEN UPON APPROVAL THAT THE PAYMENT WOULD BE MADE.

AND THEN IT'S ANOTHER ITEM, UH, THAT WE CAN, UH, VISIT SINCE IT'LL BE THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE WOULD INSTITUTE THIS, THAT WE CAN GO BACK NEXT YEAR AND TO SEE IF THE APPROPRIATE FULLY, UH, FEE IS COLLECTED AND WHAT THE BALANCE IS.

'CAUSE WE ALWAYS WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MEETING THE NEEDS, BUT, YOU KNOW, NOT DOING ANYTHING THAT'S EXORBITANT.

SO I THINK IT STRIKES A BALANCE FROM THE COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED.

AND SO JUST THAT'S, THAT'S MY COMMENTS ON IT.

AND, OKAY.

ANY QUESTIONS? BECAUSE MY, THE REASON WHY WE HAD THE $2,500 IN THERE BEGINNING WAS, UH, THERE ARE, UH, LEGAL FEES, UH, THAT WE OCCUR BECAUSE WE, WHEN WE DO OUR TIPS, WE DO OUTSIDE COUNSEL.

SO UNDER WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING HERE IS THAT IF THE APPLICANT IS APPROVED, UH, WE WILL RECEIVE THE $2,500, BUT IF THE APPLICANT ISN'T APPROVED, APPROVED, WE WILL BE OUT OF THE $2,500.

AND, BUT WE WILL, THE CITY WILL STILL, UH, INCUR LEGAL CHARGES FOR US WORKING THAT APPLICATION.

SO THAT'S, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S THE, I GUESS YOU SAY THE PROS AND CONS.

UH, IF, IF THE, IF THE APPLICATION ISN'T APPROVED, THEN, UH, AS WE'VE LOOKED AT OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR AND, AND TRYING TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO EFFECTIVELY, UH, RECOVER COSTS THAT WE ARE OCCURRING, THAT'S, THAT'S WHY IT WAS PUT IN THERE.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF ANY, UH, THE OTHER COUNCILS MEMBERS HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS ON THAT? YES, I WAS GONNA COMMENT.

I, I APPRECIATE COUNCILMAN ROBBINS BRINGING THIS UP, AND I THINK IT'S A WORTHWHILE DISCUSSION.

UM, WE'VE HAD SOME FOLKS IN THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, UM, REACH OUT TO, I THINK ALL OF US PROBABLY, UM, INITIALLY WE HAD LOOKED AT A, A FEE OF $5,000.

UM, AND THEN BEFORE PASSING THE POLICY, WE AGREED ON $2,500.

UM, I THINK WHAT THE MAYOR WAS SAYING, I AGREE WITH IN THAT, UM, WE INCUR THOSE LEGAL FEES WRITING A CHECK TO ATTORNEYS.

THIS IS A VERY, VERY SPECIALIZED AREA OF THE LAW.

UM, AND WE HAVE SPECIALIZED COUNSEL THAT HELPS US.

AND SO THE CITY IS INCURRING THOSE LEGAL FEES.

AND THEN IF LATER, UM, EITHER THE, THE PROJECT DOESN'T ON, ON THE, UM, APPLICANT'S END, THE PROJECT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE SOMETHING THEY WANT TO DO, FINANCING DOESN'T HAPPEN, OR SOME OTHER REASON THAT WE DON'T MOVE FORWARD WITH APPROVAL, UM, THEN WE'VE STILL INCURRED THE FEE.

AND SO I, AFTER REALLY THINKING THROUGH THIS, I MEAN, I THINK THERE'S THREE OPTIONS KIND OF, WE HAVE NO FEE.

WE HAVE A $25, $2,500 FEE ON APPLICATION.

WE HAVE A $2,500 FEE ON APPROVAL.

UM, AND FOR ME, I JUST FEEL LIKE TO BE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO OVERALL AND REALLY ASSESSING THE CITY'S SERVICES AND FEES, UM, I FEEL LIKE 2,500 IS A REALLY REASONABLE FEE, UM, TO HELP PAY FOR THE LEGAL SERVICES.

AND IN MOST CASES, THAT'S PROBABLY NOT EVEN GONNA COVER ALL OF THE LEGAL SERVICES WE PAY.

UM, BUT SHARING THOSE EXPENSES.

SO, UM, I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS I'M IN FAVOR OF KEEPING THE POLICY AS IT IS, BUT AS YOU SAID, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO,

[00:30:01]

UH, REVIEW ANNUALLY.

LOOK AT THE, IS THE FEE APPROPRIATE? IS THE TIMING OF THE FEE APPROPRIATE? UM, SO APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY.

DO WE KNOW, AS A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, DOES THE FEE GO INTO THE GENERAL REVENUE FUNDERS THAT GO DIRECTLY INTO LIKE LEGAL SERVICES? IS YOU WANT ME? GO AHEAD.

SORRY.

I'M JUST, MM-HMM.

, UM, I DUNNO IF KATHY'S OUT THERE.

NO, SHE'S NOT.

UM, THE $2,500, THE AIM OF THAT $2,500 WOULD BE TO GO INTO THE TIFF FUND TO PAY FOR LEGAL SERVICES FOR PROJECTS.

ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, SIR.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL SINCE THIS IS A PUBLIC COMMENT PART OF OUR MEETING? IS THERE ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE? SEEING NONE, COUNSEL.

SO, SO I'D MAKE A MOTION FOR ITS ADOPTION SO WE HAVE A, A MOTION.

WE HAVE A SECOND.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? COUNSEL, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.

THAT ITEM HAS THREE, TWO.

ITEM NINE B, UM, B NINE B ONE, UH, CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 12 DASH 24 12 DASH 24.

SO NEXT WE'RE GOING TO

[B. Arcadia Lake:]

CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL AMENDING THE ARCADIA LAKE FEE SCHEDULED TO ADD ONLINE PROCESSING, CREDIT CARD PROCESSING AND CANCELLATION FEES, ESTABLISHING A TIMELINE FOR CANCELLATION AND REFUNDS AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

WE HAVE STAFF COMMENTS ON THIS ACTUALLY BE FOR B ONE AND TWO, WHICH WE MIGHT AS WELL GET THAT ORDINANCE TOO.

SO, BECAUSE YOU'RE GIVING BOTH PRESENTATIONS, RIGHT? SO THIS NINE B TWO IS A PUBLIC HEARING CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 3 9 9 0 3 9 9 0 AMENDING SECTION 9.3 2.030 OF THE EDMOND MUNICIPAL CODE CAMPSITES AND EXTENDING THE 14 DAY CONSECUTIVE CAMPING LIMIT TO YEAR ROUND, PROVIDING FOR REPEAL AND SEVERABILITY AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DAY.

UH, DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND REC, BRAD.

I THINK OUR CITIZENS WILL APPRECIATE THE CUSTOMER SERVICE.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, BRAD RAINEY, PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR.

JUST A FEW COMMENTS ON THIS, UH, RESOLUTION AND ORDINANCE.

UM, FIRST, THE GOAL OF THIS TONIGHT IS TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT AN ONLINE RESERVATION SYSTEM FOR CAMPING AT ARCADIA LAKE AND ALSO FOR, FOR RENTALS.

UM, STAFF HAS WORKED FOR, FOR SEVERAL YEARS ON THIS.

WE, WE'VE HAD THE SOFTWARE FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND WE'VE BEEN ROLLING OUT PIECES OF IT.

AND THIS IS A, A MAJOR, UM, ELEMENT OF THE SOFTWARE THAT, THAT WE'RE TRYING TO, TO PROVIDE TO USERS OF THE LAKE.

UM, IF WE APPROVE THIS ONLINE, RESERVATIONS WILL ROLL OUT ON APRIL 30TH AND WE'LL START AT CENTRAL STATE PARK AND THEN EXPAND FROM THERE.

UM, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO BOOK THREE MONTHS IN ADVANCE AS, AS WE START OUT.

AND SOME OF THESE THINGS MAY ADJUST.

SO WITH, UM, SOFTWARE AND THE CONVENIENCE THAT IT, THAT IT PROVIDES, THERE'S FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS.

SO THAT'S THE RESOLUTION PART OF IT.

UM, WE'RE LOOKING TO ADD AN ONLINE PROCESSING FEE OF 3.5%, WHICH WOULD APPLY TO RENTALS AND, UH, CAMPGROUND RESERVATIONS.

UM, ALSO A $10 CANCELLATION FEE IF SOMEONE CANCELS WITHIN 14 DAYS, UM, OF, OF THEIR RESERVE DATE.

AND THEN FINALLY, UM, WITH PUSHING MORE PEOPLE TO CREDIT CARDS, A ONE AND A HALF PERCENT FEE FOR ALL CREDIT CARD USAGES OUT THERE AT THE, AT THE LAKE TO HELP RECOUP SOME OF THAT COST.

SO THAT'S KIND OF THE RESOLUTION PORTION OF THIS.

THE ORDINANCE PORTION IS JUST SIMPLY, UM, EXTENDING THE 14 DAY CAMPING LIMIT TO YEAR ROUND AS OPPOSED TO JUST A SEASON.

AND JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION, A FEW INTERNAL POLICY CHANGES THAT WILL OCCUR IN ORDER FOR THIS TO ROLL OUT ARE CHECK-IN TIMES AND CHECKOUT TIMES, SIMILAR TO A HOTEL OR AN AIRBNB.

AND MINIMUM STAY TIMES WALKIN SAME DAY CAMP SITES WILL STILL BE AVAILABLE.

AND I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY.

I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE MOVING IN THIS DIRECTION FOR THE, UH, FOR THE FEES.

UH, COUNSEL, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COMMENTS,

[00:35:01]

THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT, DIRECTOR.

THANKS.

SO, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE? YES, SIR.

COME ON DOWN AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

MAYOR.

I'M LEONARD SCOTT.

UH, HOW MUCH ARE WE, UH, CHARGING PEOPLE TO GO TO THE LAKE AND FISH TODAY? CAN ANYBODY TELL ME? KIDS, WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY NO, HOW MUCH WE'RE CHARGING? JUST WAIT A MINUTE.

HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON.

WE KNOW HOW MUCH IT IS, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER IT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

IT'S, IT'S ON OUR WEBSITE.

IT'S $8 OR $10 A CAR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THE QUESTION I'M ASKING IS, YOU'VE GOT VETERANS, YOU'VE GOT POLICE OFFICERS, YOU'VE GOT FIRE DEPARTMENT, YOU'VE GOT WATERWORKS ALL SHEPHERDS PROTECTING US EVERY DAY.

EVERY DAY.

AND WE DON'T GIVE A DISCOUNT TO THEM TO USE OUR LAKE.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.

WHY ARE THEY PAYING $8 FOR A POLICE OFFICER OR A MILITARY FAMILY GUY TO TAKE HIS FAMILY OUT AND GO FISH? WHY CAN'T WE DO THAT? I'M JUST ASKING THE QUESTION.

WELL, SIR, HE SEEMS LIKE WE'RE NOT TAKING CARE OF OUR SHEPHERDS.

SIR, IF YOU HAD TAKEN THE TIME TO LOOK AT OUR WEBSITE, YOU WILL SEE THAT OUR ACTIVE DUTY DO GET 20% OFF.

I'M SORRY, OUR ACTIVE DUTY RECEIVE 20% OFF.

UH, WELL, ACTIVE DUTY AND, AND VETERANS, I'M SORRY, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT ACTIVE DUTY.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POLICE OFFICERS, RETIRED POLICE OFFICERS, MILITARY, RETIRED MILITARY.

WHY ARE WE NOT THOSE ARE VETERANS HONORING THOSE PEOPLE.

OUR LAKE, THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE VETERANS.

I'M SORRY.

THOSE ARE THE RETIRED, UH, MILITARY.

THOSE ARE VETERANS.

AND THEY RECEIVE 20% OFF, 20% OFF OF $8.

DO THEY GET THE FISH FREE? NO, THEY DON'T.

MY POINT IS, LET'S PLEASE FOCUS ON THE PEOPLE THAT PROTECT US IN THIS COMMUNITY AND GIVE THEM SOME BENEFIT AND HONOR THEM.

PLEASE, PLEASE.

OUR WATER WORKS GUYS, OUR ELECTRICAL GUYS, FIRST AND LAST OUT OUR FIREMEN, PLEASE GUYS, PUT IT ON THE LINE FOR US EVERY DAY.

AND WE CANNOT GIVE THEM AT LEAST HALF OFF, NOT 20%.

I'M DONE.

ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE? WELL COUNSEL, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO IN THESE TWO ITEMS? CAN DO WE VOTE ON THEM SEPARATELY? WE NEED TO VOTE ON 'EM SEPARATELY.

SO, ITEM NINE B ONE.

UH, MOTION TO APPROVE A MOTION.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.

THAT ITEM IS PASSED.

AND NOW FOR ITEM NINE B TWO.

MOTION TO APPROVE.

HAVE A MOTION.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.

THAT ITEMS PASSED.

NOW WE'RE ON ITEM

[C. Consideration of Approval of Amended and Restated Festival Market Place Ground Lease with Lap 7 Development, LLC for Development of a Two-Story Building to Operate a Microbrewery and Tap Room Along with Ancillary Food Service Uses. (Ward 1)]

NINE C.

THIS IS THE CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF AMENDED AND YOU STATED FESTIVAL MARKETPLACE GROUND LEASE WITH LAPS SEVEN DEVELOPMENT LLC FOR DEVELOPMENT OF A TWO STORY BUILDING TO OPERATE A MICROBREWERY IN TAP ROOM ALONG WITH ANCILLARY FOOD SERVICES.

HI THERE.

HI, HOW ARE YOU? GOOD.

I'M LENA DOZIER, DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION MANAGER.

UM, I ACTUALLY HAVE THE DEVELOPER, BRANDON LODGE, THAT I'LL INTRODUCE YOU TO FOR SOME BRIEF COMMENTS AT THE END OF THIS.

I ALSO HAVE, UM, WADE WITH PRAIRIE ARTISAN ALES HERE, UM, THAT WE'LL ALSO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO, UM, THE END USER, UM, OF THE FIRST FLOOR.

SO JUST AS A REMINDER, IN JANUARY OF 23, UM, WE HAD RECEIVED TWO SUBMITTALS TO AN RFQ THAT WE HAD, UM, PUT OUT IN, IS THAT RIGHT? 23.

LAP SEVEN DEVELOPMENT LLC.

THAT WE HAD PUT OUT AT THE END OF 2022.

I THOUGHT I HAD A TYPO.

UM, WE HAD A SELECTION COMMITTEE THAT WAS LOOKED THROUGH THE APPLICATIONS, UM, THE RESPONSES THAT WAS MADE UP OF THE ED, THE CENTRAL EDMOND URBAN DISTRICT BOARD, DOWNTOWN EDMOND BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, UM, THE EDMOND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, THE CITY OF EDMOND PARKS AND RECREATION, AND THE CITY OFFICE, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.

UM, BOTH OF THOSE SUBMITTALS WERE INTERVIEWED.

LAP SEVEN DEVELOPMENT WAS SELECTED.

UM, AND WE BEGAN LEASE NEGOTIATIONS SHORTLY THEREAFTER IN MAY OF 23, CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE FESTIVAL MARKETPLACE GROUND LEASE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF A MICROBREWERY, WHICH IS PRAIRIE OTTERSON ALES, UM, IN A TAP ROOM WITH LAP SEVEN DEVELOPMENT.

THE ORIGINAL LEASE IN THE ORIGINAL LEASE, THE CONSTRUCTION WAS SLATED TO BEGIN IN JANUARY OF, UM, 2024.

AS THAT DID NOT HAPPEN, THE CITY DID SEND A DEFAULT LETTER TO

[00:40:01]

AND SINCE THAT TIME WE'VE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER, UM, TO AMEND THE LEASE.

OH, JUST AS AN FYI AND BRANDON MAY PULL THIS UP LATER.

THIS IS THE, UM, LAYOUT OF THE SITE, UM, ONCE THE CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETED, JUST SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE BUILDING WILL TAKE PLACE.

SO THE LEASE TERMS NOW WITH THE AMENDMENT, UM, WE ARE GOING TO START CONSTRUCTION NO, NO EARLIER THAN NOVEMBER 11TH, 2024.

THIS ALLOWS US TO AVOID THIS YEAR'S FARMER'S MARKET.

UM, IT WILL BE COMPLETED NO LATER THAN THE, THE END OF JULY OF 25.

UM, THE BUILDING WILL BE NOW TWO STORIES WITH AN ESTIMATED 6,000 SQUARE FEET.

UM, THE FIRST FLOOR OBVIOUSLY IS STILL GONNA BE THE TAP ROOM IN THE BREWERY.

UM, AND THE SECOND FLOOR IS TO BE DETERMINED STILL.

UM, THE RENT WILL COMMENCE AS SOON AS THIS LEASE IS APPROVED, AS OPPOSED TO WHEN CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETE.

UM, IT IS $12,750 ANNUALLY FOR FIVE YEARS, AND THEN WE'LL INCREASE, UM, 10% EACH.

SUBSEQUENT FIVE YEAR PLANS WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE CITY FOR REVIEW NO LATER THAN SEPTEMBER 1ST OF THIS YEAR.

THAT WILL MAKE SURE, THAT WILL HELP ME MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STAYING ON TRACK FOR CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN IN NOVEMBER OF, UM, 24.

AND THEN NO ADDITIONAL EXTENSIONS WILL BE GRANTED.

UM, CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY WILL NOT NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE FARMER'S MARKET THIS YEAR.

YOU KNOW, PARKING IS GONNA BE DELETED THIS YEAR OR ANY OTHER YEAR.

UM, I WANTED TO SHOW THIS WAS THE FIRST SUBMITTAL, UM, OF WHAT PRAIRIE WAS GONNA LOOK LIKE.

I WANTED TO SHOW HOW MUCH EXTRA SPACE, UM, THE SECOND STORY WILL TAKE.

SO IT'S GOTTA JUST BE AN INCREASED 10 FEET.

UM, SO IT IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN FOR A HEALTHY, VIBRANT, WALKABLE URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD FULL OF PEOPLE LIVING, WORKING, EATING, PLAYING, SHOPPING, AND LEARNING.

UM, THE FESTIVAL MARKETPLACE CONTINUES TO BE THAT HUB FOR DOWNTOWN EDMOND.

UM, AND IT'S ACTUALLY THIS, THIS DEVELOPMENT IS GOING TO ACTIVATE THE AREA, UM, ESPECIALLY DURING THE NIGHTS AND THE WEEKENDS AND THE MONTHS THAT THE FARMER'S MARKET IS NOT, UM, TAKING PLACE.

SO RIGHT NOW I HAVE ANY, ANY QUESTIONS I DID WANT TO ADDRESS.

WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF, UM, COMMENTS VIA EMAIL.

UM, WE ALSO MET WITH THE FARMER'S MARKET VENDORS LAST WEEK, UM, ON FRIDAY.

AND I MET WITH SOME OF 'EM OUT IN THE FIELD, UM, WITH THE DEVELOPER, UM, ON SATURDAY.

UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY ONE MORE TIME THAT THIS IS NOT GONNA TAKE AWAY ANY PARKING, EVEN DURING CONSTRUCTION.

IT'S NOT GONNA TAKE AWAY ANY PARKING.

UM, IT WILL DECREASE THE, THE USE OF THE ALLEY IN BETWEEN THE, THE SHADED STRUCTURE AND THE BUILDING.

UM, BUT THAT WILL MOST LIKELY BE OPEN BEFORE THE FARMER'S MARKET BEGINS, AS CONSTRUCTION WILL BE INTERIOR AT THAT POINT.

UM, JUST ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE ARE BUILDING A, A PARKING GARAGE.

UM, IT'S GOT 216 SPACES THAT WILL HOPEFULLY BE EMPTY ON THE WEEKENDS 'CAUSE NO CITY EMPLOYEES SHOULD BE WORKING.

UM, SO THEN THAT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, AS INCREDIBLY FAR AWAY FROM THE FARMER'S MARKET.

SO THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE.

WE ALSO, AS ANDY MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'RE GONNA HAVE 50 PARKING SPACES IN THE MILLHOUSE PARKING LOT OR MILLHOUSE PARKING GARAGE THAT WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE.

UM, I KNOW THAT COUNCILMAN ROBBINS CHECKED WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT REGARDING SAFETY IN THIS AREA.

UM, IT HAS BEEN A CONCERN OF SOME PEOPLE.

THERE WERE NO NOTABLE, UM, INCIDENTS IN THE AREA, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A FRENZY BREWERY JUST RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.

UM, SO I, WE DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY ADDITIONAL SAFETY ISSUES.

UM, ONE OF THE COMMENTS WAS ABOUT THE LENGTH OF THE LEASE.

THE LONG-TERM LEASE IS 25 YEARS.

UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN YOU'RE DOING LARGE SCALE DEVELOPMENT, IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO GET FINANCING IN PLACE IF YOU HAVE SHORT TERM LEASES.

GROUND LEASES ARE TYPICALLY 25 YEARS, SO IT'S NOT AN UNUSUAL LENGTH OF TIME FOR, FOR A LEASE IN ONE OF THESE INSTANCES.

UM, I KNOW THE ART IS VERY IMPORTANT, UM, TO THE AREA.

UM, OH, I'M GONNA GET HER NAME WRONG, KENTUCKY DAISY GOMI, UM, WILL NOT BE AFFECTED BY THIS.

UM, IT WON'T BE IN THE CONSTRUCTION ZONE AND IT'S CERTAINLY NOT GONNA BE ANYWHERE NEAR THE BUILDING.

OH, WITHIN REASON 10 FEET I THINK IS IN BETWEEN IT.

SO, UM, I WILL INTRODUCE BRANDON LODGE IF HE WANTS TO COME UP AND, AND SAY HELLO, LENA, REAL QUICK.

OH YEAH, THE STORAGE BUILDING.

UM, SO WE ALREADY HAVE A STORAGE BUILDING PUR UH, PURCHASED.

UM, SINCE CONSTRUCTION WAS DELAYED A LITTLE BIT, IT WENT OUT TO MITCH PARK.

THE FIRST ONE CONTRACT THAT WAS IN DEFAULT.

UM, I AM WORKING WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT NOW TO FIND ALTERNATE SOLUTIONS.

UM, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A DESIRE TO HAVE SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT LARGER THAN WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED.

UM, THANKFULLY WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE UNTIL NOVEMBER TO FIGURE THAT OUT.

BUT IT'S, BUT THERE WILL BE SOMETHING THERE.

THERE WILL BE SOMETHING.

ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR ME BEFORE I STEP AWAY? UH, THE RENT, THE, UH, THE $12,750 PER YEAR, THAT WAS THE SAME AS THE,

[00:45:01]

THAT HASN'T BEEN ADJUSTED.

IT HAS NOT.

WE HAVE A LAND LEASE.

THE LAND, UM, UNDER LEASE IS STILL 4,000 SQUARE FEET, GIVE OR TAKE.

UM, I DIDN'T, WE'RE NOT LEASING THE BUILDING.

HE'S PURCHASING, HE'S BUILDING THE BUILDING.

SO THE LAND LEASE IS THE SAME.

I'D SEEN SOME EMAILS ABOUT LIGHTING.

DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT LIGHTING OR SURE.

I HAVEN'T.

SAFETY BY THE RAILROAD TRACKS.

RAILROAD TRACKS ARE INHERENTLY, UM, DANGEROUS.

DANGEROUS, MM-HMM.

SO, UM, I HAVEN'T LOOKED INTO LIGHTING.

I HAVE NO PROBLEM DOING THAT WITH OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND OUR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT.

UM, I'M HOPEFUL.

I HAVEN'T TALKED TO BRANDON ABOUT IT, BUT I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY GONNA BE EXTERIOR LIGHTING ON THE BUILDING THAT WILL HELP WITH LIGHTING IN THE AREA.

UM, IF NOT, I'M SURE WE CAN FIGURE SOMETHING OUT.

JUST, JUST A REMINDER ON THE, ON THE TRAIN SITUATION.

THIS IS BEFORE I GOT HERE, ANDY.

THERE WAS AN EVALUATION BY KIMBERLY HORN ABOUT, SAY, TRAIN OVERPASS.

TRAIN'S NOT GOING, UH, PEDESTRIAN.

UM, THAT WAS DESIGNED, WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE FUNDING FOR IT, BUT THE IDEA WAS TO MITIGATE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC AT GRADE LEVEL.

IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF MAYBE YOU OR MR. LODGE CAN EXPAND ON YOU.

YOU, YOU SAID YOU DON'T BELIEVE THERE WOULD BE ANY ILL EFFECT IN THE ALLEYS.

DO WE KNOW THAT OR ARE WE JUST GUESSING? SO THE ALLEY THAT I WAS SPEAKING OF IS THE ALLEY BETWEEN THE FARMER'S MARKET AND WHERE THE BUILDING WILL BE THAT WILL BE CLOSED DURING CONSTRUCTION.

UM, I WILL LET HIM SPEAK TO THAT, BUT THE ALLEYS THAT GO NORTH SOUTH, UM, AREN'T, WON'T BE AFFECTED AT ALL.

UM, I WILL SAY I'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH STAFF, UM, RECENTLY ABOUT PUTTING SOME, UM, SPEED BUMPS, BUMPS, ARE THOSE THE WORDS? UM, SPEED BUMPS IN THE ALLEYS TO SLOW FOLKS DOWN.

JUST MM-HMM, YEAH.

TO, TO KEEP TRAFFIC FROM, FROM FLYING THROUGH THERE.

AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE LOOKING INTO THAT RIGHT NOW, SO IF THOSE, IF THAT WAS THE ALLEY YOU WERE REFERENCING, WE'RE LOOKING INTO THAT AS WELL.

UH, GOING ON THE SECOND FLOOR.

SURE.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT ME TO GO BY ALLEY AND I HAVE SOME, MY QUESTIONS WILL COME IN AFTER MR. LODGE'S SPEAKS.

MR. MAYOR, COUNSEL, UH, THANK YOU FOR, UH, TAKING THE TIME TO LET ME, ME COME UP HERE AND TALK ABOUT THIS.

UH, BRANDON LODGE LAP SEVEN DEVELOPMENT.

UM, LENA WENT THROUGH THE HISTORY OF THE PROJECT, SO I WON'T TAKE A WHOLE LOT OF TIME DOING THAT.

UM, THE FIRST VERSION, THE SINGLE STORY VERSION, SINGLE TENANT, UM, VERSION OF THIS PROJECT.

IT GOT DERAILED LIKE A LOT OF PROJECTS HAVE LATELY BY INTEREST RATES AND RISING CONSTRUCTION COSTS.

UM, WITH ONLY 4,000 SQUARE FEET OF, OF FOOTPRINT, THERE'S, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF AREA TO SPREAD THAT COST OVER.

UM, THE ONLY SOLUTION THAT I COULD COME UP WITH WAS TO GO VERTICAL AND DOUBLE THE AREA OF LEASEABLE SQUARE FOOTAGE WITHOUT NECESSARILY DOUBLING THE COST OF THE PROJECT.

UM, THERE'S STILL A ONE SLAB, ONE ROOF, ONE SET OF UTILITIES THAT HAS TO COME TO THE BUILDING, BUT I'VE GOT TWICE THE AREA, UM, THAT I CAN LEASE OUT.

UH, THIS PROJECT ALREADY REQUIRED TOP OF THE MARKET RENTS TO MAKE IT WORK FINANCIALLY.

UM, GETTING A SECOND FLOOR TENANT TO DO THE SAME THING AND PAY THE SAME RENTS WAS A, WAS A TALL ORDER.

UH, IT ALSO, UH, INCREASED THE PRICE OF THE PROJECT SIGNIFICANTLY.

THIS WILL BE A $3 MILLION PLUS PROJECT BY THE TIME IT'S DONE.

FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO FIND, UH, A, AN OPERATOR FOR THE SECOND FLOOR AND A NEW PARTNER FOR THE BUILDING TO COME IN TO HELP ME, UH, HELP ME DO THIS.

UM, AND SO BETWEEN THE THREE OF US THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT, WE REPRESENT THE OWNERSHIP AND THE FULL TENANCY OF THE BUILDING, UH, FOR BOTH FLOORS.

THESE WILL BRING TWO KIND OF ENTERTAINMENT, UH, SALES TAX GENERATING CONCEPTS TO DOWNTOWN EDMOND.

AND AS LENA MENTIONED, WE WILL ACTIVATE, UH, THAT PARKING LOT AREA, UH, DURING THE OFF TIMES OF FARMER'S MARKET, DURING THE EVENINGS, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.

UM, THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT I WILL SAY, AND THEN I'M, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, IS THAT ON, ON THE SLIDE UP THERE, IT SAID 6,000 SQUARE FEET.

THE PROJECT WILL BE ABOUT 8,000 SQUARE FEET.

IT'LL BE TWO 4,000 FOOT PLATES.

UM, THE ORIGINAL PROJECT WAS 4,000 FEET.

THIS ONE JUST STACKS ANOTHER BOX ON TOP OF IT.

UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID DO IN THE ORIGINAL VERSION, WE HAD SOMETHING LIKE A 20 FOOT CLEAR HEIGHT IN THAT TAP ROOM, WHICH IS JUST HUGE.

IT'S A VERY, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF VOLUME IN THAT BUILDING IN ORDER TO HELP KEEP COSTS DOWN AND TO KEEP THE OVERALL OVERALL SIZE OF THE BUILDING DOWN.

WE REDUCED, UH, THE PRAIRIE TAP ROOM DOWN TO 14 FEET, CLEAR HEIGHT WITH 12,

[00:50:01]

UM, SO IT'LL STILL BE A VERY NICE, UM, BEAUTIFUL BUILDING WITH PLENTY OF ROOM AND VOLUME, BUT IT'LL BE COMMENSURATE WITH EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S AROUND THERE IN DOWNTOWN.

IT'LL BE A COUPLE OF FEET TALLER THAN THE RAIL YARD ACROSS THE STREET, AND PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY SHORTER THAN THE, UH, THE OUTDOOR PORTION OF THE RAIL YARD THAT, UH, THE OVERHANG PORTION.

UM, AESTHETICALLY YOU WANNA TELL ABOUT THE BRICK? YES.

THAT WAS THE OTHER THING THAT WAS IMPORTANT IN THIS ORIGINAL PROJECT THAT WE'VE, WE'VE REALLY, REALLY TRIED TO MAINTAIN AND HAVE MAINTAINED IN THIS TWO STORY PROJECT IS THAT THIS WILL STILL BE BUILT, UH, WITH STRUCTURAL MASONRY, UM, WHICH IS WHAT WE INITIALLY WANTED TO DO.

UM, IT'S HOW ALL OF THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE NOW REHABBING, IT'S HOW THEY WERE BUILT.

IT'S WHY THEY'RE STILL STANDING.

UM, THIS IS A LONG-TERM GROUND LEASE, BUT THIS BUILDING WILL BE AROUND A HUNDRED AND FIFTY, TWO HUNDRED, TWO HUNDRED FIFTY YEARS, JUST LIKE THE, THE OLD HISTORIC BUILDINGS THAT WE HAVE DOWNTOWN RIGHT NOW THAT HAVE BEEN REHABBED AND, AND REUSED.

SO THIS WILL, UH, BE, UM, ALONG THE SAME, UH, LINES OF THOSE BUILDINGS AS WELL.

COUNSEL, ANY QUESTIONS FOR, UM, ARE YOU ABLE TO SAY THE SECOND FLOOR TENANT, WHAT TYPE OF BUSINESS THAT IS GOING TO BE? I HATE TO SAY, I HATE TO SAY IT PUBLICLY.

UM, OKAY.

THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.

I KNOW IT'S .

I KNOW, AND I KNOW EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW.

AND I DO HAVE THE TENANT AS LONG AS, AS NO ONE LIKE HOLDS MY FEET TO THE FIRE TOO HARD ON THIS.

IT'S GONNA BE AN ENTERTAINMENT VENUE, IT'S GONNA BE GOLF SIMULATORS, AND WE'RE STILL WORKING ON WHAT THE PROGRAMMING OF THAT IS.

UH, A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE HAS A CONCEPT IN BRICKTOWN THAT'S DONE EXTREMELY WELL.

IT'S A LOT OF FUN.

I GO THERE QUITE A BIT ON DATE NIGHTS WITH FRIENDS.

IT'S A, IT'S A FUN, FUN USE.

AND SO WE'VE GOT THE OPERATOR, UH, FOR THAT.

I THINK IT'S HELPFUL TO KNOW THE TYPE OF THING YOU HAVE IN MIND.

UM, YEAH.

BASED ON SOME CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE EXPRESSED.

THAT SOUNDS LIKE A WHOLESOME THING.

IT'LL, IT'LL BE ALONG THE LINES OF, OF THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT I DO.

I MEAN, EVERY PROJECT THAT I DO, I, I DO IT BECAUSE I WANT TO GO TO IT.

I'VE GOT FOUR KIDS.

I TAKE MY, I HAVE TO TAKE MY KIDS A LOT OF PLACES.

UM, AND SO THE PLACES THAT I GO AND, AND THAT I BUILD AND, AND THE PROJECTS THAT I DO, I WANT THEM TO BE FAMILY FRIENDLY AND I WANT THEM TO BE PLACES THAT I WANT TO GO HANG OUT AND, AND COMFORTABLE TAKING MY KIDS.

SO THERE'S OTHER WAYS TO ME THAT CAN BE ACTIVATED THAT IF, IF SOMEONE FEELS THAT AREA NEEDS TO BE ACTIVATED MORE, THAT IT IS, IS FOR THAT I DO LIKE THE, THE PARTS IN THE CONTRACT THAT, UH, THERE IS NO EXTENSION.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

SO THE, MY AREA OF CONCERNS OF THIS IS THAT, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT THIS IS THAT WE OWN THE LAND CITY OF EDMOND OWNS THE LAND.

AND, UH, JUST FOR THE RECORD, IF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW, I DID VOTE YES FOR THE INITIAL ONE BECAUSE IT WAS A SMALLER FOOTPRINT, UM, 3000, 4,000 SQUARE FEET AND ALL THAT.

NOW WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US TODAY.

AND WE, WE HAD AN IDEA OF WHAT IT WAS GONNA LOOK LIKE AND SCALE AND STRUCTURE AND WHAT WAS GONNA GO IN THERE.

BUT WHAT I SEE IN MY DOCUMENTS HERE IS THAT, UM, ON OR BE, OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2024, UM, LAP SEVEN WILL GIVE US DRAWING SITE PLANS, FLOOR PLANS, ELEVATIONS AND OTHER, UH, DOCUMENTS, UH, ILLUSTRATING FIXINGS AND DESCRIBING THE SCALE SIZE AND, AND THE CHARACTER, UM, OF THE IMPROVEMENTS NECESSARY TO SUBMIT A BUILDING PERMIT.

WELL, THAT'S SEVERAL MONTHS FROM NOW.

AND WHEN THE FIRST APPLICATION CAME IN, WE, WE HAD ALL THAT STUFF.

BASICALLY WE, WE KNEW IT WAS GONNA BE THERE AND PLUS IT WAS A SMALLER, SMALLER FOOTPRINT.

UH, IF YOU REMEMBER, I WILL REPEAT IT AGAIN THAT, UM, I, WHEN I, UH, DID CAST MY YES VOTE, IT WAS BECAUSE THERE WAS GUARANTEES THAT THERE WAS GONNA BE NO IMPACT TO THE FARMER'S MARKET.

UM, AND JUST TO REMIND EVERYBODY, OUR FARMER'S MARKET WAS CROWNED, BASICALLY THE BEST IN THE STATE THIS MONTH.

AND, UM, I'M NOT COMFORTABLE RIGHT NOW THINKING THAT THIS WAS NOT GOING TO AFFECT THAT BECAUSE ONE, WHEN I LOOK AT OUR GOALS HERE, WE WANT FAMILY FRIENDLY THINGS TO BRING DOWNTOWN.

UH, SOME OF THE OTHER EVENTS WE BROUGHT DOWNTOWN, UM, FARMER'S MARKET IS STARTED THAT EXPANSION.

UH, SO I DO, I DO HAVE THAT CONCERN.

UM, I HAVE A CONCERN EVEN WITH THE 25 YEARS NOW OF THAT BECAUSE WE OWN THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY.

AND I REMEMBER WHERE I WAS AT AN EVENT THIS, THIS WINTER DOWN THERE, AND THEY SAID, HEY, WE HAVE LIKE OVER 3000 PEOPLE DOWN THERE.

IT'S FAMILY FRIENDLY AND THE BUSINESS HAS STAYED OPEN AND ALL THAT.

AND

[00:55:01]

IT'S IF YOU CAN'T DO IT THIS TIME, BUT I'M NOT THERE, UM, RIGHT NOW.

THEN, UM, SO THOSE ARE MY MAIN THINGS IS THAT I CAN'T SEE IN MY MIND HOW THIS IS NOT GONNA AFFECT THE ACTIVITIES, NOT TO, NOT ONLY WHAT THE FARMER'S MARKET IS DOING RIGHT NOW, BUT ANY POTENTIAL OTHER POTENTIAL ACTIVITIES THAT ARE COMING ON, UM, FROM THIS OR HORSE CARRIAGES AND, AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE WERE BRINGING DOWNTOWN FROM THE FAMILY FRIENDLY.

UM, AND SO RIGHT NOW I, I'M NOT IN SUPPORT OF THE AMENDMENT.

UM, OKAY.

I I, I THINK THAT, UH, I WOULD, I WOULD, I WOULD RECOMMEND, I WOULD LOVE FOR THE CITY TO PULL BACK AND SAY, HEY, LET'S, LET'S REGROUP.

UH, LET'S LOOK INTERNALLY WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON DOWN THERE.

UM, UH, AND THEN I KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA TRY TO INCREASE DENSITY, BUT WE HAVE THE RAIL YARD ACROSS THE STREET THAT'S BEEN EBBING AND FLOWING.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE, THE, THE NEW RESIDENTIAL COMING IN.

UH, BUT TO ME RIGHT NOW AFTER THIS, THE INITIAL APPLICATION DIDN'T GET DONE.

I, I'VE, I'VE PULLED BACK MY SUPPORT OF THIS PROJECT.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

I SHARE A LOT OF YOUR THOUGHTS.

I, UH, I WAS ASKED RIGHT AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR IF I WAS IN FAVOR OF AMENDING THE CONTRACT AND I SAID, NO, I'M NOT.

AND I READ IN THE STAFF MEMO, THE CITY SENT A NOTICE OF DEFAULT TO LAPSE SEVEN LLC IN JANUARY 24 AND HAVE SINCE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER TO AMEND THE LEASE.

I HAVEN'T HAD A CONVERSATION WITH ANYONE ABOUT THE, THE NEW LEASE, UH, OTHER THAN THE QUESTIONS I'VE POSED, UH, VIA EMAIL, UH, TO THE STAFF.

UH, SO I'M NOT SURE QUITE SURE THAT'S ACCURATE.

I HAVEN'T BEEN WORKING TOGETHER TO AMEND THE LEASE.

I HAVE NOT, UH, I HAVEN'T BEEN ASKED MY OPINION ABOUT IT OTHER THAN THE INITIAL TIME RIGHT AFTER THE DEFAULT.

SO, UH, MR. LODGE, I CALLED YOU SATURDAY TO TELL YOU I WAS GONNA VOTE NO.

AND I EXPLAINED WHY.

AND, UM, I DO HAVE A QUESTION THOUGH.

UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY, UH, IDEA OF THE ANTICIPATED REVENUE FROM THIS PROJECT? ANNUAL REVENUE, TOTAL SALES FROM IT? YEAH.

UM, IT WOULD BE AN EDUCATED GUESS.

SURE.

I WOULD THINK THAT EACH CONCEPT WOULD DO A MILLION DOLLARS OR MORE IN SALES.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE FARMER'S MARKET DOES IN 25 WEEKS, 26 WEEKS, SOMEWHERE ALONG IN THERE.

UH, THAT'S, THAT'S BEEN ALL IT WAS ABOUT.

THEY, THEY WERE TELLING US THE OTHER DAY AT THE FARMER'S MARKET MEETING THAT THEY DID ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS IN REVENUE.

SO IT TAKES THAT PARKING LOT FROM A MILLION DOLLAR REVENUE GENERATING DEAL TO A $3 MILLION REVENUE GENERATING, IF YOU WANNA LOOK AT IT THAT WAY.

UH, I DON'T, BUT YOU CAN.

UH, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS ON WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO.

I DON'T APPRECIATE THE, THE TWO STORY.

AND YOU'VE KNOWN THAT EARLY ON, UH, IT'S NOT QUESTIONING YOUR ABILITIES OR YOUR VISION FOR DOWNTOWN EDMOND OR YOUR PROJECTS.

IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT I, I DON'T BELIEVE WE SHOULD HAVE AMENDED THE CONTRACT.

I THOUGHT WE SHOULD HAVE STARTED OVER AND TRIED THIS PROCESS ANEW.

UH, I DON'T KNOW HOW TONIGHT'S GONNA TURN OUT, BUT I WISH YOU LUCK IF IT PASSES AND, UH, IF IT DOESN'T, PERHAPS YOU CAN REAPPLY AND WE'LL GO FROM THERE.

NOW, THAT THAT CONSTRUCTION WON'T STOP UNTIL IT'S OVER WITH.

ARE WE, GO AHEAD, MR. WELL, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, YOU KNOW, I HAVE TREMENDOUS EXPECT RESPECT FOR, YOU KNOW, MY FELLOW MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.

I THINK ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT IT IS WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT LENS THAT WE VIEW THINGS AND DIFFERENT LIFE EXPERIENCES AND DIFFERENT BOARDS THAT WE'VE SERVED ON, UM, UH, DIFFERENT POINTS WHERE WE'RE AT WITH DIFFERENT FAMILY AND STUFF.

YOU KNOW, I LOOK AT DOWNTOWN WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE AND IT WASN'T EVEN A PASSING THOUGHT TO GO THERE PAST FIVE O'CLOCK.

UM, NOW I HAVE RELATIVES WHO COME IN, UH, EVEN A OLDER BROTHER WHO'S HARD TO IMPRESS SOMETIMES IF YOU KNOW HOW THAT WORKS AND YOU SAY, HEY, WE'RE GONNA GO DOWNTOWN AND THERE'S SUCH AMAZING THINGS, UH, THAT ARE HAPPENING THERE CONSISTENTLY, AND THERE'S

[01:00:01]

AN ENERGY THAT'S THERE.

I DIDN'T, UM, AND I THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UH, I KNOW THERE'S AT LEAST ONE GOLF SIMILAR CONCEPT DOWN DOWNTOWN AND, AND I'VE GONE THERE SPECIFICALLY WITH MY, MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND PEERS AND STUFF WHEN I WAS FIRST ELECTED.

I MEAN, ALL OF US, WE DO THIS FOR LOVE, FOR LOVE OF, YOU KNOW, OUR CITY.

UM, SOMETIMES WE GET PROPOSED STUFF IN LIKE MORAL EQUIVALENCE.

LIKE THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS RIGHTEOUS OR THIS IS UNRIGHTEOUS, THIS IS TERRIBLE OR WHATEVER.

I ACTUALLY THINK THIS IS THE SORT OF FRICTION THAT'S CREATED WHEN WE'RE GROWING AS A CITY AND THE CONVERSATIONS WE WANT TO HAVE.

AND I ACTUALLY THINK THAT IT'S NOT A FLAW IN THE SYSTEM THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION TODAY, BUT A FEATURE OF WHAT, WHAT IT IS THAT WE WANT TO DO.

AND I SEE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR, OUR CITY, UM, TO ENHANCE THIS BETTER.

AND I, AND I, I WAS LOOKING AT THE AGENDA.

I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS FIRST ELECTED, I MEAN, I'M MORE ONE AND I'M NEW TO EVERYTHING.

AND, UM, THERE WAS A PROJECT WITH THE CITY SETTER COMPLEX AND THE COURT MUNICIPAL COURT THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY MY FORMER CITY COUNSELORS WITH, YOU KNOW, ALL THE INFORMATION THAT THEY HAD.

AND THEY SAID YES.

AND I IMMEDIATELY GOT A CALL FROM TWO OR THREE VERY WELL KNOWN, UH, ESTABLISHED SENIOR FOLKS THAT HAVE SERVED IN VERY GOOD LEADERSHIP POSITIONS OVER MANY DECADES, FARTHER THAN I GOT TO, AND SAID, HERD UN HER'S GONNA GO AWAY AND YOU BETTER DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.

AND IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF THAT DOWNTOWN DEAL.

AND I HAD TO WORK FOR, AND I WAS SCARED TO DEATH.

'CAUSE WE LOVE HERD ON HERD.

AND WE GO THERE AND THERE'S VENDORS THAT SUPPLY.

SO ONE OF THE DIFFERENCES THAT WE HAVE NOW IS MS. LENA DOZIER.

I'M LUCKY THAT I'M THE FIRST, I THINK, I THINK THERE'LL BE OTHERS, MAYBE IN OTHER WARDS, BUT WE HAVE A SPECIFIC PERSON WHO'S, UH, YOU KNOW, DOWNTOWN THAT IS, YOU KNOW, BOOTS ON THE GROUND, EYES ON THAT'S WORKING, UH, SPECIFICALLY WITH ALL OF OUR, UH, FOLKS, UH, THAT ARE THERE.

AND, UH, AFTER GETTING THE FEEDBACK PARTICULARLY UNHEARD, UNHEARD, MYSELF AND OTHERS, WE LOOKED THOSE LEADERS IN EYE AND MADE 'EM A PROMISE AND SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'LL DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN NOT TO CLOSE THIS STREET AND WE'LL MOVE FORWARD.

AND WE'VE BEEN GOOD TO OUR WORD ON THAT.

UM, SO I THINK WHEN, WHEN PEOPLE SAY, HEY, I HAVE A CONCERN HERE.

THE REASON WHY THEY FEEL THAT ANXIETY, 'CAUSE IT'S A CONCERN AND I DON'T DISCOUNT THAT.

AND ANOTHER REASON WHY SOMEONE SAYS, WELL, THIS IS A GREAT PROJECT.

AND I SAY, WELL, YEAH, TO ME IT ISN'T BLACK AND WHITE.

IT ISN'T WRONG OR, OR RIGHT.

IT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING IN CREATING, AND I LIKE WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN CREATING, AND I THINK WE CAN DEFINITELY CREATE SOMETHING IN WARD ONE DOWNTOWN, UH, THAT BOTH ENHANCES OVER TIME OUR FARMER'S MARKET, BUT THEN ALSO CREATES OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AND, AND FLOWS EFFECTIVELY.

UM, SO DEFINITELY WANT TO HEAR FROM ALL THE OTHERS THAT ARE HERE, BUT I, I HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE AFTER GETTING THE FEEDBACK THAT I GOT.

YEAH, I AGREE.

AND I, AS AN EDMOND RESIDENT, I, I, I LOVE THE FARMER'S MARKET.

I DON'T WANT THIS PROJECT TO NEGATIVELY IMPACT IT IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM.

I THINK THAT THIS PROJECT WON'T NEGATIVELY IMPACT IT.

I THINK IT'LL POSITIVELY IMPACT IT.

I THINK THAT, UH, A LOT OF THE, THE RESIDENCES THAT ARE COMING IN, THE APARTMENTS THAT ARE ABOUT TO OPEN UP THE, THE LARK THAT'S GOING IN THE OTHER TOWN HOMES THAT MATTHEW MYERS IS DOING ALONG HERD STREET, THE REASON THAT THOSE ARE COMING ONLINE IS BECAUSE, AS COUNCILMAN ROBINS SAID, THERE, THERE ARE THINGS TO DO IN THE EVENING AND DURING THE DAY.

THERE ARE RESTAURANTS AND THERE ARE PLACES TO GO AND CONCEPTS THAT PEOPLE WANT TO VISIT.

AND CONSEQUENTLY, THEY WANT TO LIVE NEAR THEM TOO.

THEY WANNA LIVE IN THESE WALKABLE, UH, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITIES.

AND THE, THE WAY THAT YOU GIVE THEM THAT IS THAT YOU GIVE THEM IN VERY CLOSE PROXIMITY, UH, RESIDENTIAL USES AND COMMERCIAL USES.

THE MORE RESIDENCES THAT LIVE IN DOWNTOWN EDMOND, THE BETTER OFF THE FARMER'S MARKET'S GONNA BE.

THOSE PEOPLE ARE ALL WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE.

IT'S VERY, PARKING IS NOT A CONCERN BECAUSE THEY LIVE A BLOCK AND A HALF AWAY.

THE MORE PEOPLE WE CAN GET LIVING IN DOWNTOWN EDMOND, THE BETTER IT IS FOR THE FARMER'S MARKET, THE BETTER IT IS FOR THE BUSINESSES THAT OPERATE DOWN HERE.

AND, AND THE, THE, THE, UH, THE MOMENTUM WILL PERPETUATE ITSELF AND IT WILL KEEP GOING AND GROWING.

AND AS LONG AS WE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS LIKE WE'RE HAVING, I THINK WE CAN GROW IT IN A WAY THAT BENEFITS EVERYBODY.

UM, I LIVE HERE.

I, MY KIDS GO TO SCHOOL HERE.

I SPEND MY MONEY HERE.

THE LAST THING I WANT TO DO IS MAKE ENEMIES OF ANYBODY AROUND ME.

I DON'T WANT TO DISRUPT THE FARMER'S MARKET.

I DON'T WANT TO TO IT TO GO AWAY.

I DON'T WANT TO BE AN ENEMY OF THE FARMER'S MARKET.

I AM HERE.

EVERYTHING THAT I'M TRYING TO DO, AT LEAST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IS A BENEFIT TO DOWNTOWN EDMOND.

OTHERWISE I WOULDN'T BE TAKING THE TIME AND PUTTING THE EFFORT IN INTO DOING IT.

UM, YEAH, THAT'S IT.

WHEN WE, UM, VISITED THIS TIME A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO ABOUT THIS CONCEPT COMING DOWN THERE, UM, AS YOU RECALL, ONE OF MY MAIN CONCERNS WAS THE FARMER'S MARKET AND HOW DO WE NOT INTERFERE WITH THEIR BUSINESS? HOW DOES A CONSTRUCTION NOT BECAUSE CONSTRUCTION SITES CAN GO CRAZY.

AND WE WERE ASSURED AS WE ARE

[01:05:01]

AND THEN HOPEFULLY IT'LL BE INTERIOR BY THE TIME IT STARTS.

WE WILL GET INSIDE AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE, HOPEFULLY BY THE TIME NEXT YEAR'S FARMER'S MARKET STARTS AND THEN THERE'S NOTHING GOING ON OUTSIDE.

AND OF COURSE, ANOTHER THING THAT WAS A BIG CONCERN LAST WHEN WE ORIGINALLY APPROVED THIS AND I RECEIVED SOME EMAILS, IT WAS ABOUT THE STORAGE AND THERE WILL BE ANOTHER STORAGE SHED MADE AVAILABLE.

UM, ANOTHER THING JUST PERSONALLY FOR ME WAS AESTHETICALLY, UM, I WAS REALLY DRAWN TO YOUR MASONRY OF THE ORIGINAL BUILDING, AND I THINK IT GOES BEAUTIFUL WITH THE DOWNTOWN AESTHETICS.

UM, AND IT'S NOT ANY BIGGER FOOTPRINT.

IT'S JUST GOING UP.

AND YOU'RE GONNA TAKE SOME OUT OF THE CEILING HEIGHT IN IT, SO IT'S NOT GONNA GO EXPONENTIALLY UP.

AND UM, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT A MORALITY ISSUE IN DRINKING AND THEY DON'T DRINK WELL.

WELL, I DON'T DRINK, BUT I STILL GO DOWN THERE AND ENJOY MYSELF.

MY HUSBAND LIKES TO HAVE A BEER.

WE DON'T DRIVE DRUNK.

UM, BUT HAVING THE FAMILY ASPECT OF THE THING UPSTAIRS, UM, GOLF SIMUL EVEN, AND I'M NOT GONNA HOLD YOU TO THAT.

WHATEVER IT IS, IT'S FUN.

IT'S FUN FOR KIDS TO DO THINGS.

AND WE LIKE TO TAKE OUR GRANDS DOWN THERE AND HAVE FUN.

I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

I WOULD LOVE, I WISH YOU COULD HAVE BROUGHT A PICTURE OF WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE.

THE NEW RENDER, THE VERSION I, LENA AND I DISCUSSED THAT AND, AND YOU'RE WAITING.

I WAS, I'M WAITING.

'CAUSE WE HAVE NOT DESIGNED THE SECOND FLOOR.

WELL, YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA HOLD YOU TO THE AESTHETIC YES, YES.

OF THE ORIGINAL DRAWING.

IT'LL BE THE SAME TYPE OF, SAME TYPE OF, OF, UH, PROJECT.

I MEAN, THERE'LL BE ANOTHER BOX STACK STACKED ON TOP OF THAT ONE.

SAME TYPE OF A STRUCTURAL MASONRY.

THOSE WERE THE THREE MAIN THINGS THAT I WAS EMAILED ABOUT.

AND, UM, I KNOW WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE FARMER'S MARKET, BUT WE LOVE IT.

WE LOVE OUR VENDORS.

WE LOVE THE PEOPLE THAT RUN IT.

UM, IT'S IMPORTANT TO US AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE CITY, AND IT'S AN AMAZING FARMER'S MARKET AS MAYOR TALKED ABOUT.

RECEIVED AN A A, AN AMAZING AWARD THIS YEAR.

I WAS, WELL, I'M NOT SHOCKED BECAUSE IT'S THAT GREAT OF A PLACE AND IT JUST KEEPS GROWING.

AND I, AND TO HELP THOSE VENDORS SUPPORT THEM, UM, FOR EITHER, UM, OCCASIONAL INCOME PART-TIME INCOME, OR, UH, COUNCILMAN ROBBINS WAS TELLING ME SOME, IT'S EVEN THEIR FULL-TIME INCOME.

AND I'M A HUGE SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORTER AND ESPECIALLY A, A LOCAL BUSINESS SUPPORTER.

SO THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME.

UM, I, I BELIEVE YOU'VE ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE SENT TO ME ADEQUATELY, AND I'M, I'M SUPER HAPPY THAT, THAT LENA GOT THEM TOGETHER AND THAT THEY VISITED WITH HIM.

I'M GLAD THAT YOU SAT DOWN WITH HIM.

THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME.

AND HAD IT NOT HAPPENED, I PROBABLY WOULD'VE ASKED YOU TO DO IT ANYWAY.

THAT'S JUST SOMETHING I LIKE.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE GOOD NEIGHBORS WHEN YOU'RE, UH, DEVELOPING AND, UM, KEEP UP THOSE NEIGHBORS WHILE YOU'RE DEVELOPING.

MM-HMM, , I HAVE A CLEAN CONSTRUCTION SITE.

IT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE, BECAUSE IT'S RIGHT IN THE SMACK MIDDLE OF OUR DOWNTOWN EDMOND AREA.

AND, UM, ANYWAY, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

AND AS A FOLLOW UP TO THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT I WOULD ASK FOR, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE COMMITTED TO IT, BUT IF, LIKE COUNCIL MOORE SAYS IF THIS GOES FORWARD, WOULD YOU COMMIT TO, DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE, A MONTHLY MEETING WITH THOSE STAKEHOLDERS, WHETHER THEY BE BUSINESS OR, OR, OR, OR, OR THE FARM MARKET VENDORS TO MEET WITH YOU AND THE CONSTRUCTION FOREMAN ON SITE TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS ANY CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES, OR THINGS THAT ARE GOING WELL THAT YOU WANNA CONTINUE OR YEAH.

YOU KNOW, THINGS COME UP.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD COMMIT TO? YEAH, WE DISCUSSED THAT SATURDAY MORNING WHEN WE WERE WALKING AROUND THE SITE.

UM, AND SOMEONE HAD BROUGHT THAT UP AND, AND I SAID THAT THAT WOULD BE FINE.

UM, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO, TO MEET WITH WHOEVER IS INTERESTED IN WHAT'S GOING ON THERE AND, AND SHOW 'EM WHAT'S GOING ON.

THE MEETINGS THAT WE HAD WITH THE VENDORS AT THE FARMER'S MARKET WERE GOOD.

UM, I HAD BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS WITH, UH, WITH EMILY AND, AND SOME OF THE FARMER'S MARKET FOLKS, BUT I HADN'T SPOKEN WITH THE VENDORS.

IT WAS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH THEM.

UM, IT GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF RELAY ON TO THEM, YOU KNOW, WHO I AM AND, AND WHY I'M DOING THIS PROJECT.

I GOT TO TELL 'EM A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, ABOUT PRAIRIE AND PRAIRIE'S, UH, WILLINGNESS TO OPEN THEIR TAP ROOM FOR FARMER'S MARKET VENDORS ON SATURDAY MORNINGS BEFORE THEIR NORMAL HOURS OF OPERATION.

AND TO COLLABORATE IN ANY, ANY WAY, YOU KNOW, WHATSOEVER THAT WILL BENEFIT THE FARMER'S MARKET.

THEY HAVE A MASSIVE SOCIAL MEDIA, UH, FOLLOWING, JUST BLASTING OUT AN INSTAGRAM MESSAGE SAYING, HEY, COME SEE US AT THE FARMER'S MARKET

[01:10:01]

THIS MORNING.

WE'LL REACH, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.

UM, AND SO IT, IT GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH THEM ABOUT THAT, THAT THIS, WE, WE WANNA SEE THIS AS A COLLABORATION, NOT, NOT ANY TYPE OF, OF RIVALRY OR, OR ANYTHING WHERE THERE'S ANY TYPE OF FRICTION GOING ON.

DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING? I THINK A LOT HAS BEEN SAID, AND I AGREE WITH A LOT OF THE STATEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID.

UM, MY CONCERN, UM, IN LOOKING AT THE AMENDMENT AND, AND HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH MR. LODGE, UM, A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, I THINK, BUT THAT WE HAVE THE, THE TIMELINES THAT ARE STRICT, UM, AND THAT THE RENT WILL START.

IF, DEPENDING ON HOW THE VOTE GOES TONIGHT, IF WE APPROVE THIS AGREEMENT, THEN RENT PAYMENTS WILL BEGIN RIGHT AT THAT TIME.

UM, THERE'S NOT GONNA BE EXTENSIONS AND, YOU KNOW, WORKING AROUND WHEN THE FARMER'S MARKET IS OPEN ON CONSTRUCTION TO BE THE LEAST DISRUPTION.

UM, BUT I, I TOO, I FEEL LIKE IT'S JUST GOING TO BRING MORE PEOPLE PROBABLY WALKING TO THAT AREA, GOING TO THE FARMER'S MARKET.

UM, AS STACY SAID, OR AS COUNCILWOMAN PETERSON SAID, THE ACTUAL FOOTPRINT IS THE SAME.

SO IT'S NOT TAKING UP ANY MORE AREA IN THAT, UM, UH, ON THE GROUND.

BUT IT IS GOING UP, NOT DOUBLING IN HEIGHT.

UM, WE CERTAINLY HAVE OTHER BUILDINGS IN THE AREA THAT ARE ALREADY APPROVED AND GOING UP THAT ARE MUCH HIGHER THAN THIS ONE.

AND IT'S GONNA BE INCREDIBLY VALUABLE TO THE CITY IN THE FUTURE.

UM, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL.

UM, AND, AND ENHANCE THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

I THINK WE GET MORE PEOPLE COMING THERE.

THE MORE PEOPLE GO TO THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES.

I KNOW SOMETIMES THEY GET CONCERNED ABOUT PARKING, BUT I REALLY THINK IN THE WAY THIS IS GOING, PEOPLE ARE WALKING MORE AND WITH THE 50 SPACES IN THE ONE PARKING GARAGE, WE'VE GOT MORE SPACES IN THE OTHER, UM, WE'VE GOT MORE OVERALL PARKING SPACES, MORE PEOPLE, BUT MORE PEOPLE WALKING.

I FEEL LIKE IT'S GONNA BE A REALLY GOOD THING FOR ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS, THE FARMER'S MARKET VENDORS, THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES, UM, SALES TAX REVENUES, SO WE CAN FIX OUR ROADS, UM, THAT EVERYONE WANTS FIXED.

UM, AND SO YEAH, THE, THE RENT PAYMENT STARTS, IF WE APPROVE THIS TODAY, UM, NO EXTENSIONS.

UM, WE WORK AROUND THE FARMER'S MARKET OPENING TIME FOR CONSTRUCTION.

AND SO THOSE WERE, THOSE WERE MY CONCERNS.

UM, I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD PROJECT WHEN I PASSED IT BEFORE.

I STILL FEEL LIKE IT'S A GOOD PROJECT EVEN WITH, UM, THE CHANGE IN HEIGHT.

AND HONESTLY, I KINDA LIKE HAVING SOMETHING ELSE IN THE STRUCTURE THAT, UM, UH, DOESN'T INVOLVE ALCOHOL, UM, AND, AND IS A FAMILY FRIENDLY KIND OF THING.

SO I SUPPORT IT STILL BEFORE, UH, THIS IS THE PUBLIC PORTION AND I'LL, WE'LL HAVE WITH THE PUBLIC COME UP.

AND SOMETHING JUST HITTING ME WHILE I WAS SITTING HERE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE FARMER'S MARKET ITSELF, THE MARKET ITSELF, THE, IT'S HAPPENED ON SATURDAY AND ALL THAT, BUT ALSO IN MY MIND, THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S LOST.

IT'S THE, THE WHATEVER OTHER CAPABILITIES THAT ARE THERE IN THAT BUILDING THAT IN THAT SPACE, WHEN THE FARMER'S MARKET'S NOT THERE, FARMER'S MARKET'S THERE SATURDAY, BUT WE HAVE OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT HAPPEN THROUGHOUT, OR POTENTIAL ACTIVITIES THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE LOST.

SO THAT'S ONE POINT.

BUT THEN ALSO, I'VE HEARD THE NCE ABOUT THE AESTHETICS OF THE BUILDING, AND I, I DIDN'T SEE IN THE CONTRACT WHERE DO WE GET TO APPROVE THE AESTHETICS OF THE BUILDING? IS IT, IS THAT RIGHT THERE IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO, OKAY, WELL, WHAT I SEE HERE IS THIS, AND I'M THEN, THEN I'LL STOP FOR NOW, IS THAT THE HANDSON THAT WE WOULD NORMALLY HAVE FOR A A, A CONTRACT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THAT ON THIS.

THIS IS BASICALLY, WE'RE GOING TO TELL THE, THE APPLICANT HERE THAT YOU CAN GO DO BASICALLY WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.

AND THEN AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WE'RE GONNA TAKE IT.

AND, AND BY THE WAY, THE CONTRACT READS TO ME.

AND SO, UH, I, THAT, THAT JUST INCREASES MY CONCERN, ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS IS OUR LAND.

THIS IS THE CITY'S OWN LAND.

THIS IS NOT, THIS IS YOU, YOU MAP SEVEN, DIDN'T GO OUT AND BUY THIS LAND.

THIS IS OUR LAND.

SO ENOUGH OF ENOUGH OF MY SOAPBOX.

SO THANK, THANK YOU, SIR.

UNLESS YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE, I WANNA OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT RIGHT NOW.

NO, THE ONLY OTHER THING I WILL SAY IS THAT IT IS THE CITY'S LAND.

IT WILL ALSO BECOME THE CITY'S PROPERTY, RIGHT.

AND AFTER THE END OF THE LEASE EXTENSION, SO THAT, THAT IS A, YOU KNOW, THREE PLUS MILLION DOLLAR ASSET THAT THE CITY ALONE BY THEN, IT'LL BE, WHO KNOWS WHAT POINT BEING THOUGH.

IT'S, IT'S AN EMPTY PIECE OF, OF LAND RIGHT NOW,

[01:15:01]

UH, JUST FROM NOT, NOT JUST FROM A SALES TAX REVENUE GENERATING PERSPECTIVE, BUT FROM AN ASSET PERSPECTIVE WHEN THE CITY TAKES OWNERSHIP OF IT.

SO, JUST A POINT OF REFERENCE THE NEXT, I'M NOT BEING FACETIOUS HERE.

THE NEXT ECLIPSE IS IN 24 YEARS.

OH, ARE YOU GONNA BE GONE? THIS, THIS LEASE IS OVER IN 24 YEARS, BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY, IT'S INCLUDING THE FIRST YEAR, RIGHT? THAT WE'VE ALREADY OKAY.

UH, WELL DONE.

THIS IS THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION.

PLEASE COME DOWN, UH, INTRODUCE YOURSELF WHEN I RECOGNIZE YOU, AND THEN WE, WE'LL GET THROUGH THIS AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE.

YES, MA'AM.

PLEASE COME DOWN AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

ONE PERSON HAD CONTACTED US, BUT IT DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, IT DIDN'T HAVE ANY EFFECT OF IT.

MY NAME'S LYDIA LEE.

I AM A RESIDENT HERE OF EDMOND.

I'M A TAXPAYER AND I'M ALSO SORT OF AN ACTIVIST.

I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING TO LISTEN TO, UM, MAYOR DAVIS AND, AND COUNCILMAN MOORE, AND I APPRECIATED THEIR POSITIONS ON THIS.

I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THE REST OF YOU, BUT, UH, HOPEFULLY WHAT I HAVE TO SAY HERE MIGHT JUST CHANGE YOUR MIND, AND HOPEFULLY YOU WILL LISTEN CAREFULLY TO WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.

LAST SUMMER, I BEGAN WONDERING ABOUT THIS CITY PARTNERSHIP GOING ON AT FESTIVAL MARKETPLACE, AND I TALKED TO SOME FRIENDS AND SOME DOWNTOWN BUSINESS OWNERS, AND THEY ALL, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THIS PARTNERSHIP.

I GOT TO WONDERING HOW THIS CITY LEASE HAPPENED.

UM, AND, AND SO I WENT BACK AND WATCHED SOME OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.

UM, I ALSO MADE AN OPEN RECORDS REQUEST TO THE CITY OF EDMOND LAST SUMMER, AND AGAIN, LAST MONTH I SPENT HOURS GOING THROUGH THOSE DOCUMENTS AND MY CONCERNS CONTINUED TO GROW.

THE BACKGROUND ON THIS SLIDE, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, TENDS TO ACT LIKE THIS JUST STARTED IN JANUARY OF 2023.

THE EMAILS THAT I OBTAINED UNDER THE OPEN RECORDS REQUEST SHOWED THAT IN MAY OF 2022, BRANDON LODGE WAS REFERRED TO THE CITY BY JANET, YELL WITH A SPECIFIC STATEMENT THAT HE WAS INTERESTED IN DOING SOMETHING AT THE FESTIVAL MARKETPLACE.

THE DOCUMENTS ALSO SHOW THAT CITY OFFICIALS MET WITH HIM, HAD LUNCH WITH HIM, VISITED THE PROPERTY, AND DISCUSSED WHAT HE WANTED TO DO THERE.

ON MAY 20TH, 2022, ANDY CONYERS CONFIRMED IN AN EMAIL THAT HE, JANET YELL, SCOTT RIGBY AND RANDY INS ALL MET WITH LODGE TO DISCUSS THIS PROJECT, AND IT NOTED THAT MAYBE THEY OUGHT TO DO A, SOME SORT OF A, A PROCESS TO, TO MAKE THIS OFFICIAL.

SO STAFF BEGAN DRAFTING AN RFQ AT THAT TIME IN AUGUST OF 2020, NO, AUGUST OF 2022, EXCUSE ME.

CONYERS SOUGHT THE HELP OF JANET YELL AGAIN TO PRETTY UP THAT RFQ AND ASKED HER TO ADD ALL THE NEEDLE MOSQUITO STUFF, UH, HAPPENING DOWNTOWN.

IN THE MEANTIME, THE CITY IS CONTINUING TO LOOK AT THE LAP SEVEN PROPOSAL.

AND ON SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2022, A MEMO WAS DRAFTED BY A CITY OF OFFICIAL OR A CITY STAFF MEMBER TO SEND THE CONCEPT REVIEW OF THE BREWERY TO THE URBAN BOARD FOR REVIEW.

THE MEMBER, UH, THE MEMO NOTED THAT LAP SEVEN WAS CURRENTLY IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CITY ON THE TERMS OF A GROUND LEASE 2022 IN SEPTEMBER, FOUR DAYS LATER, THE ITEM APPEARS ON A CITY COUNCIL AGENDA FOR APPROVAL OF AN RFQ.

NOW, DURING THAT MEETING, AND I WATCHED THE MEETING AGAIN, THERE WAS ONLY ONE VAGUE REFERENCE TO A COMMENT THAT, OH,

[01:20:01]

THE EXTENT OF THE MEETINGS AND THE DISCUSSIONS WITH LAP SEVEN WERE NEVER DISCLOSED TO THE COUNCIL OR TO ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC.

THE RFQ WAS ISSUED ON NOVEMBER 1ST, 2022.

ON THAT DAY, RANDY ENDS EMAILED MR. LODGE AND MADE, ASKED HIM TO MAKE SURE HE SAW THAT RFQ.

NOW, MY KNOWLEDGE IS CITY, CITY STAFF DIDN'T REACH OUT TO ANY OTHER POTENTIAL BIDDER, BUT HE DID TO LODGE.

LODGE.

ALSO EMAILED CITY STAFF A COUPLE OF TIMES DURING THE RFQ PROCESS UNTIL AT SOME POINT HE WAS TOLD, HEY, WAIT A MINUTE, WE BETTER GO THROUGH THE OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT ROUTE AND, AND SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO, TO THE PERSON NAMED IN THE RFQ.

BEFORE THE CLOSING DATE OF THE RFQ, I'M TOLD THAT A CITY STAFF MEMBER REACHED OUT TO BOB WEISS AND ASKED HIM TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL BECAUSE APPARENTLY THEY HADN'T RECEIVED ANY OTHER INTEREST FROM ANYONE ELSE.

MR. WEISS JOINED WITH SEAN O'GRADY TO FORM A, WHAT WAS CALLED THE SPEARMAN GROUP TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL.

HOWEVER, THEY WERE WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE BACKGROUND OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS THAT LAPSE SEVEN HAD BEEN HAVING FOR OVER SIX MONTHS WITH THE CITY OF EDMOND DUE TO TIME CONSTRAINTS, THEY SUBMITTED A LETTER SAYING, HEY, UM, IT WAS AN ABBREVIATED RESPONSE, BUT THEY OFFERED TO DO A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WOULD COMPLIMENT THE SURROUNDING BUSINESSES IN DOWNTOWN.

NOW, A COMMITTEE WAS FORMED TO EVALUATE THE BIDS.

THE COMMITTEE WAS MADE UP OF CONYERS Y STEPHANIE CARROLL AND JARED PRINCE.

KEEP IN MIND THAT Y'ALL IS THE ONE THAT BROUGHT LODGE TO THE SIT IN THE FIRST PLACE, AND CONYERS IS THE ONE THAT WENT OUT AND MET WITH HIM SEVERAL TIMES PRIOR TO ISSUING THE RFQ.

THE BIDS CLOSED ON DECEMBER 15TH, 2022, WITH ONLY TWO PROPOSALS.

YOU AND YOU GUYS WERE AWARE OF THAT, UM, LODGE AND THE SPEARMAN GROUP PRIOR TO THE INTERVIEWS THAT THE COMMITTEE WAS GOING TO DO WITH THOSE TWO, UM, BIDDERS.

ON DECEMBER 29TH, CONYERS WROTE AN EMAIL TO RANDY S AND KEN BRYAN.

DUDES KEEP THIS BETWEEN US FOR NOW, BUT ASSUMING IT'S THE BRANDON LODGE THING, ON JANUARY 11TH, 2023, JARED PRINCE, ANOTHER MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE, SENDS AN EMAIL TO CITY STAFF STATING THAT WE'LL LIKELY GREEN LIGHT THE BREWERY.

NOW, KEEP IN MIND, THIS IS BEFORE THE INTERVIEWS TOOK PLACE.

THAT'S THREE OUT OF FOUR OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS CLEARLY SHOWING A BIAS TOWARDS THE LODGE BREWERY CONCEPT.

BEFORE THE SPEARMAN GROUP HAD EVEN BEEN INTERVIEWED ON JANUARY 24TH, 2023, CONYERS EMAILED THE COUNCIL INDICATING THAT THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED THE LODGE PROPOSAL BECAUSE THE SPEARMAN GROUP PROVIDED VERY LIMITED INFORMATION.

HE INDICATED THAT THEY WERE IMPRESSED WITH THE PRESENTATION BY LODGE AND THAT THEY WOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH NEGOTIATIONS.

HE FAILED TO INDICATE THAT LODGE HAD OVER SEVEN MONTHS AT THAT PO POINT TO FORM HIS PROPOSAL, AS WELL AS SIGNIFICANT DISCUSSION AND INPUT FROM CITY STAFF AND WATCHING THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS IN BOTH 2022 AND 2023, THERE WAS NEVER FULL DISCLOSURE TO THE COUNCIL OF THESE PRIOR MEETINGS OR PRIOR CONSIDERATION OF THE LAP SEVEN PROPOSAL.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THESE EMAILS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.

NOW, AS YOU ALSO KNOW FROM THE EMAILS YOU'VE PROBABLY RECEIVED ON THIS, AS WELL AS A RECENT NON DOC ARTICLE, MANY CITIZENS IN THIS COMMUNITY HAVE EXPRESSED THE OPINION THAT THIS PROCESS, THE RFQ AND THE LEASE AGREEMENT WERE UNFAIRLY HANDLED, AND THAT THERE WERE PREFERENCES THAT FAVORED LAPS SEVEN FROM THE GET GO.

[01:25:02]

THE DOCUMENTS THAT I RECEIVED CLEARLY INDICATED THAT THESE CONCERNS APPEAR TO BE VALID.

AS A RESULT, I URGE YOU TO LISTEN TO THE CITIZENS AND TERMINATE THIS LEASE.

IF YOU ARE UNCERTAIN.

I WANNA ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION TO SUPPORT WHY THIS LEASE SHOULD BE TERMINATED IMMEDIATELY.

I QUESTION HOW YOU CAN AMEND A LEASE THAT IS IN DEFAULT, AND IT IS UNDISPUTED THAT THIS LEASE IS CURRENTLY IN DEFAULT, THE TERMS OF THE LEASE PROVIDED THAT CONSTRUCTION MUST START ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 1ST, 2024.

THE CITY MANAGER HAD THE OPTION TO EXTEND IT.

HE DIDN'T, UH, BUT THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT WAS AS A RESULT OF A FORCE MAJEURE, UM, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY ITEMS BEYOND THE CONTROL OF THE, OF THE INDIVIDUAL.

THE LEASE SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT DELAYS OR FAILURES RESULTING FROM A LACK OF FUNDS WILL NOT BE PERMITTED AS, AS, UH, A REASON TO, TO OFFER AN EXTENSION.

THE CITY PROVIDED NOTICE TO LAP SEVEN, THAT IT WAS IN DEFAULT IN JANUARY AND THERE WAS NO EXTENSIONS.

THE LEASE GOES ON TO SET OUT THE TERMS FOR DEFAULT.

CLEARLY THIS IS IN DEFAULT, AND THE LEASE ALSO SAYS THE CITY ONLY HAS TWO OPTIONS IN THE EVENT OF A DEFAULT.

ONE IS TERMINATION.

TWO IS THE CITY CAN TAKE OVER CONSTRUCTION AND COMPLETE IT.

AMENDING THE LEASE IS NOT ONE OF THE OPTIONS PROVIDED IN THAT LEASE.

NOW, TWO OTHER ISSUES WILL DESERVE SOME, SOME MERIT HERE.

FIRST IS THERE'S NO, NO INDICATION HOW THE RENT AMOUNT WAS DETERMINED.

I'VE WATCHED ALL THE, THE VIDEOS OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.

I'VE GONE THROUGH THESE EMAILS.

THERE IS NO DISCUSSION ON HOW THIS 12 7 50 WAS DETERMINED.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS WERE PROVIDED ANY INFORMATION, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY NOT PUBLIC INFORMATION THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE.

THE NEW PROPOSED LEASE AMOUNT IS ALSO THE SAME AS THE OLD LEASE AMOUNT.

AND, AND WHAT KIND OF CONCERNS ME IS THERE'S A, A OFFICE OR A BUILDING RIGHT OVER HERE ON BROADWAY THAT IS FOR RENT RIGHT NOW BY PRICE EDWARDS.

IT'S 1800 SQUARE FEET AND IT RENTS FOR 36,000 A YEAR, NOT 12.

AND THIS LEASE IS NOT A 25 YEAR LEASE.

IT'S A 50 YEAR LEASE.

IT'S 25 WITH FIVE ADDITIONAL TERMS FOR A TOTAL OF A 50 YEAR LEASE.

THERE'S A 10% INCREASE EACH YEAR AFTER FIVE YEARS, BUT EVEN 10% ON THIS AMOUNT IS NOT, IS NOT IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO WARRANT THIS.

AND ESPECIALLY SINCE THERE'S NO DIS DISCUSSION OR DISCLOSURE HOW THIS AMOUNT EVEN CAME TO PASS.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE CITIZENS OF THIS COMMUNITY DESERVE TRANSPARENCY.

WE HAVE A PROCESS THAT IS DEEPLY FLAWED.

WE HAVE A PROCESS THAT QUITE FRANKLY, SMACKS A PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT.

AND UNFAIR BIDDING CITY STAFF SHOULD AVOID EVEN THE APPEARANCE OF IMPROPRIETY AND OF ALL THE EMAILS, MEETINGS, ASSUMPTIONS AND LESS THAN IMPARTIAL REVIEW COMMITTEE LEADS ME TO ONE CONCLUSION.

THIS WAS NOT A FAIR BIDDING PROCESS.

THE LACK OF SUNSHINE THAT HAS BEEN SHED ON THESE DETERMINATIONS SHOULD GIVE ALL OF US PAUSE.

AND MAYOR, THAT WAS MY, UH, ECLIPSE REFERENCE FOR THE DAY.

BUT IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, GIVEN THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT, IT SHOULD BE TERMINATED IMMEDIATELY.

AND IF YOU WANNA PURSUE A NEW TWO STORY LARGER PRODUCT PROJECT ISSUE, A NEW RRFQ, MAKE IT FAIR, MAKE IT TRANSPARENT, AND DO THIS RIGHT.

[01:30:01]

I URGE ALL OF YOU TO TERMINATE THIS LEASE AND NOT GO FORWARD WITH THIS PROCESS.

THANK, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE.

WE DON'T, NO.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE? UH, CAN I ASK A QUESTION, MAYOR? OR ARE WE NOT DOING THAT? WHAT WAS YOUR QUESTION, SIR? I WAS GONNA ASK A QUESTION TO MS. LEE IF I COULD, BUT IF NOT, I WON'T.

IT'S UP.

I I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S HOW WE DO THAT, ACTUALLY.

WELL, I'M, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER IT, BUT GO AHEAD AND ASK YOUR QUESTION.

I MEAN, I I MEAN, SHE'S NOT ON TRIAL.

OH, I, I KNOW SHE'S NOT ON TRIAL.

I JUST, UM, UH, I JUST, OBVIOUSLY WHAT YOU'VE SHARED HERE TODAY, YOU WANT TO HAVE AN EFFECT.

I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M THE WARD ONE CITY COUNSELOR.

I OWN ONE PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT THE BANK LETS ME STAY IN AS LONG AS I KEEP PAYING THEM A MORTGAGE.

I DON'T OWN ANY BUSINESSES.

AS A MATTER OF PRACTICE, IF SOMEBODY CALLS ME, EMAILS ME, REACHES OUT TO ME, I RESPOND WITHIN 24 HOURS TOPS.

AND IN FACT, IF I DON'T, I START GETTING LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF ANXIETY AS I'M COMING HOME.

THE PLANE, WHICH I CAME HOME FROM A CONFERENCE TODAY, AND I HOPEFULLY WILL FLY BACK TONIGHT OR TOMORROW MORNING.

I FOUND ONE THAT I HADN'T RESPONDED TO, AND I DID, I MIGHT NOT HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS, BUT I ALWAYS TRY TO GET BACK TO FOLKS.

YOU, YOU HAVE MY CELL PHONE NUMBER, I HAVE YOURS.

YOU HAVE YOUR EMAIL.

I JUST DID A SEARCH HERE.

I'VE ASKED YOU QUESTIONS ABOUT CAN I GET FEEDBACK ON THIS? DO YOU WANNA PARTICIPATE IN THAT? HERE'S A NEWS THING.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'M HEARING THIS FROM YOU.

I UNDERSTAND THAT.

SO WHEN I WEIGH OUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE VENDORS WHO HAVE INVESTED IN AND DONE THINGS, AND THEY HAVE THEIR BUSINESSES.

ALSO, I BELIEVE THAT MR. LODGE HAS, YOU KNOW, IS A MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY WHO'S INVESTED DIFFERENT THINGS.

I'M JUST, I'M, I'M UTTERLY JUST CONFUSED AS TO WHY YOU WOULD DETONATE THIS ON ME TO, LIKE RIGHT NOW WITH ALL OF THIS IN A BIG SPEECH WHEN I THINK EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM HAS MY CELL PHONE.

SO AS A MATTER OF PRACTICE, WHAT I WOULD SAY, THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION, BUT THE WAY I LIKE TO BE COMMUNICATED WITH IS JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE HAS.

BUT YOU'RE RIGHT.

YOU CAN SPEAK IN A PUBLIC FORUM, BUT YOU PUT US IN AN INTERESTING SPOT WHERE YOU KNOW HOW TO GET AHOLD OF ME, BUT YOU DECIDED TO MAKE IT.

I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION.

I JUST, I'M JUST PERPLEXED AT HOW YOU'RE COMMUNICATING WITH ME, BUT GO AHEAD.

WHAT, WELL, I THOUGHT IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO CONVEY THIS INFORMATION TO THE FULL COUNSEL, AND I ONLY FOUND OUT THAT THIS ITEM WAS ON THE AGENDA LAST THURSDAY OR FRIDAY NOW, TRUE, I HAD THE DOCUMENTS, I'VE HAD THE DOCUMENTS FOR A WHILE THAT I WAS MULLING OVER, BUT I WASN'T EVEN SURE I WAS GONNA DO ANYTHING WITH THEM UNTIL I SAW THAT THIS LEASE WAS BEING AMENDED AND DECIDED TO COME AND CONVEY MY CONCERNS TO THE ENTIRE COUNCIL BECAUSE I, I THINK THE, THE ENTIRE COUNCIL DESERVED TO HEAR IT.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

IN THE BACK, PLEASE COME DOWN AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

UM, I'M MARY LOU GRESHAM LIVE HERE IN EDMOND.

UH, I HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE THAN ANY OF YOU, AND IT'S PROBABLY THE LEAST VALUABLE.

UM, I'M THE ARTIST WHO DID KENTUCKY DAISY.

UH, SHE'S VERY SPECIAL TO ME.

AND BUILDING A TWO STORY BUILDING NEXT TO HER, UM, IS GOING TO DIMINISH HER A GREAT DEAL.

AND SHE IS OUR STATEHOOD CELEBRATION OF 100 YEARS OF, OF STATEHOOD.

AND IT'S SORT OF LIKE CUTTING HER OFF AT THE ANKLES.

YOU KNOW, SHE'S GOING TO BE REAL SHORT AS THE BUILDING GETS REAL TALL BESIDE HER.

SO I'M, I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.

I ALSO APPRECIATED WHAT HAS BEEN MENTIONED THAT THE, UM, IT, IT HAS BEEN IN DEFAULT, THIS AGREEMENT, AND IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE THE HONORABLE THING TO DO.

THEN IT IS IN DEFAULT, START OVER.

NOW.

I PREFERABLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING MORE FAMILY ORIENTED THERE THAN A BREWERY, UM, AT A WHAT SHOULD BE A STATE SITE.

AND SO THAT'S REALLY PRETTY MUCH ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MA'AM.

PLEASE COME DOWN, SIR, AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

GROUP THAT WAS REFERRED TO IN THIS VERY PASSIONATE SPEECH, UH, THAT WE JUST HEARD.

MY NAME IS SPA WEISS, UH, OWNER OF OTH FELLOWS DOWNTOWN, AND THE SPEARMAN

[01:35:01]

UM, SINCE MY NAME WAS MENTIONED, I THOUGHT I BETTER SAY A FEW WORDS.

UM, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN A SITUATION WHERE EVERYBODY'S RIGHT, WE'RE, WE'RE HERE TONIGHT? I MEAN, EVERY COMMENT THAT THE COUNCIL MADE, YOU'RE ALL SPOT ON, IS EXACTLY RIGHT.

THE COMMENTS THAT, THAT SHE MADE ABOUT THE PROCESS WAS SPOT ON.

EVERYTHING THAT MR. LODGE SAID IS A HUNDRED PERCENT ACCURATE.

YOU GUYS HAVE A TOUGH DECISION TO MAKE TONIGHT BECAUSE WE HAVE A SITUATION WHERE EVERYBODY'S RIGHT.

AND SO YOU GOTTA FIGURE OUT HOW YOU WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.

BUT I WANNA SAY SOMETHING ABOUT BRANDON LODGE.

I DON'T KNOW THE MAN, I MET HIM FOR A FIRST TIME TONIGHT, OR I MEAN, I SAW HIM SPEAK, SO I KNOW WHO HE IS, BUT I KNOW WHAT HE IS DONE FOR DOWNTOWN EDMOND.

I KNOW THAT HE PUTS HIS TIME, HIS MONEY, HIS SWEAT, HIS IDEAS TO WORK.

AND WHILE I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF A ANOTHER BREWERY, BECAUSE I'M A BIG FAN OF SPREADING OUT, UH, DIFFERENT TYPES OF BUSINESSES.

UM, BUT THE FACT IS, WELL, WE HAVE FIVE PIZZA PLACES DOWNTOWN EDMOND, WHERE ALL SEEM TO BE MAKING IT.

SO MAYBE THERE IS ROOM FOR ANOTHER BREWERY, BUT I DON'T WANT YOUR DECISION TO, TO BE BASED ON ALL THE DIFFERENT EMOTIONS THAT'S COMING OUT TODAY.

YOU HAVE A TOUGH DECISION.

AND, AND MY R UH, RESPONSE TO THE RFP, I HAD TWO DAYS TO PUT THAT TOGETHER, TWO DAYS, BUT IT WAS CAME TO ME.

AND THE REASON WHY I DID IT IS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE ONLY ONE RFP OR, OR ONE RESPONSE TO SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS THIS.

IT WAS A GREAT IDEA THAT, THAT MR. LODGE BROUGHT TO THE CITY THAT SAYS, HEY, YOU HAVE A PIECE OF LAND THAT'S NON, IT IS CALLED A NON-PRODUCING ASSET.

YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT YOU OWN THAT'S NOT MAKING ANY MONEY.

LET'S PUT IT TO WORK.

HE CAME UP WITH THIS IDEA.

HE DEVELOPED IT.

HE SHOULD BE GETTING GOLD STARS.

HE SHOULDN'T BE RAKED OVER TO KOHL'S FOR, FOR TRYING TO DO NOTHING WAS DONE, UM, BEHIND THE SCENES.

NOTHING WAS DONE TO, TO GET SOMETHING DONE BEFORE ANYBODY ELSE.

IT WAS THE PROCESS THAT HAPPENED.

OUR PROCESS WAS FLAWED.

YOU HEARD IT, AND IT WAS A HUNDRED PERCENT CORRECT.

SO HOWEVER YOU WANNA HANDLE IT IS RIGHT.

BUT THIS MAN HAS A GOOD IDEA, AND HE'S WILLING TO INVEST HIS MONEY AND HIS TIME INTO THIS CITY, INTO DOWNTOWN EDMOND.

AND I AM INVESTED IN DOWNTOWN EDMOND.

UM, SO THINK ABOUT EVERYTHING YOU'VE HEARD TONIGHT, BECAUSE IT'S ALL OVER THE BOARD, AND YOU FIVE PEOPLE HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT DECISION TO MAKE.

OR THE LAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS TELL ME THAT PATRIARCH IS THE REASON, WAS THE, WAS THE THING THAT PUSHED EDMOND TO GET IT STARTED TO WHERE IT IS TODAY, TO HAVING MULTIPLE BREWERIES REALLY COOL RESTAURANTS.

ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE? YES, SIR.

PLEASE COME DOWN AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

UH, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS.

UH, MY NAME IS BRYCE THOMPSON.

UM, I DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT, UH, I THINK THE MOST APPROPRIATE WAY TO INTRODUCE MYSELF TONIGHT IS, UH, I'M THE OWNER OF THE PATRIARCH.

AND DRIVING DOWN HERE, I STARTED THINKING, AND IT HIT ME ALMOST EXACTLY 10 YEARS AGO.

I STOOD RIGHT HERE PITCHING THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE PATRIARCH, MR. MAYOR, YOU WERE THERE.

AND WE SPOKE FOR QUITE A WHILE.

AND, UH, MR. MAYOR, IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECT, I BELIEVE IT WAS YOU, UM, IT WAS RIGHT AFTER THE CITY HAD, UH, INVESTED A TON OF MONEY TO DO A THIRD PARTY CONSULTANT TO COME IN AND ANALYZE DOWNTOWN WHAT DO WE NEED AND ALL THESE THINGS.

AND, UH, YOUR COMMENT TO SOME OF THE NEGATIVE OR REASON, NO, MAYBE NOT NEGATIVE, I, I, I DON'T THINK IT'S, IT WAS PROBABLY MORE OF REASONS WHY WE SHOULDN'T, INSTEAD OF REASONS WHY WE SHOULD.

AND, AND YOU AND YOU STOPPED AND YOU SAID, WE HAVE SOMEBODY STANDING HERE DOING EXACTLY WHAT THAT REPORT TOLD US OUR NUMBER ONE NEED WAS.

AND INSTEAD OF TRYING TO HELP 'EM GET IT DONE, WE'RE TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO SHUT IT DOWN.

AND PATRIARCH WON THAT NIGHT, FOUR TO ONE.

MY ONE, NO VOTE, SEVERAL YEARS LATER, UH, APOLOGIZED TO ME.

SHE CAME UP TO ME AT AN EVENT AND SHE SAID SHE GOT IT WRONG.

SHE DID NOT UNDERSTAND IT, BUT SHE'S SO GRATEFUL THAT PATRIARCH IS HERE TODAY.

UM, THAT PLACE IS VERY SPECIAL TO ME.

IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN, BUT THERE IS A PIECE OF MY SOUL IN THAT BUSINESS.

UM, AND ALTHOUGH I DO DISAGREE WITH WHAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID TO ME OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, I, BECAUSE I DO, I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS, BUT I HAVE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE,

[01:40:01]

THEY WOULD NOT HAVE COME 10 YEARS AGO.

AND THE REASON PATRIARCH CAME IS BECAUSE IT WAS STEVEN AND I, TWO GUYS THAT LIVE IN EDMOND.

WE LOVE EDMOND.

OUR KIDS GO TO SCHOOL IN EDMOND.

THIS IS HOME, AND WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

SO AS THE OWNER OF PATRIARCH, I AM ADAMANTLY FOR THIS.

I THINK THIS IS, I, I, IT'S, IT'S, BUILDINGS AREN'T BUILT LIKE THIS ANYMORE.

LIKE, AND, AND THIS IDEA, I GET THAT IT'S EASY FOR ALL OF US TO STAND HERE TO PULPIT AND TALK ABOUT SMALL BUSINESS AND TALK ABOUT TAXES AND TALK ABOUT ALL THESE OTHER THINGS.

BUT AS SOMEBODY STANDING HERE THAT OWNS A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER BUSINESSES, UH, BUSINESS IS HARD, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW, AND ESPECIALLY IN THE FOOD AND BEV INDUSTRY.

LIKE THEY, THERE'S NOT PEOPLE LOOKING TO OPEN NEW PLACES.

THEY'RE ACTIVELY SHUTTING.

MORE PLACES ARE SHUTTING DOWN AND OPENING.

AND SO I FEEL LIKE AS A CITY, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD AN AMAZING BUILDING WITH THE TYPE OF TENANTS WE NEED TO MEET THE LONG-TERM VISION OF DOWNTOWN EDMOND.

AND INSTEAD OF FINDING REASONS WHY WE SHOULDN'T, AND THE ISSUES THAT, UH, I'M NOT UP TO VERSE ON ALL THE ISSUES OF HOW WE GOT HERE, BUT SOUNDS LIKE THERE WERE SOME, I, I GET THAT.

UM, BUT I, I JUST THINK THIS IS A NO-BRAINER.

AND THEN I WILL CLOSE BY THIS, UM, TO ECHO THE GENTLEMAN THAT SPOKE BEFORE ME, UH, I HAVE ALSO KNOWN BRANDON LODGE PERSONALLY FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

AND LIKE ME, BRANDON LOVES EDMOND.

HIS KIDS GO TO SCHOOL HERE, HE LIVES HERE.

HE AND I, MATTER OF FACT, AND OUR BUDDY DREW YEARS AGO, STARTED A GROUP TO GET TOGETHER ONCE A MONTH TO TALK ABOUT HOW GUYS OF OUR GENERATION CAN, WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP EDMOND SPECIFICALLY DOWNTOWN? LIKE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IDEAS AND THINGS FOR YEARS BECAUSE NOT FOR OUR OWN BENEFIT OR MAKE MONEY.

'CAUSE BELIEVE ME, THESE DEALS AIN'T MAKING MONEY.

SO IT'S LIKE, IT'S, IT'S MORE ABOUT A PASSION TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO FOR OUR CITY.

AND SO I WOULD JUST ADD LASTLY THAT I STAND 100% WITH BRANDON ON HIS CHARACTER, ON HIS INTENT, AND WHAT HE'S TRYING TO DO FOR THE CITY OF EDMOND.

AND WE NEED MORE PEOPLE LIKE HIM.

AND, UM, I THINK THIS PROJECT IS A WAY TO ATTRACT PEOPLE LIKE HIM.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? YES, SIR.

PLEASE COME DOWN AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

UH, GOOD EVENING, COUNSEL.

MY, MY NAME IS CHARLES MOLES.

I LIVE HERE IN EDMOND.

YOU CAN LIFT THE MICROPHONE.

SORRY.

UM, I'VE HEARD A LOT OF DISCUSSION TONIGHT, AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE TWO BRIEF COMMENTS.

ONE IS IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY TO DO THE RIGHT THING, AND IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO MAKE A MISTAKE.

I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT BRANDON, HOW GOOD A PERSON IS OR ANYTHING, OR HOW GOOD THE PROJECT IS.

I THINK OUR QUESTION IS HOW WE GOT HERE.

AND IT APPEARS TO ME HOW WE GOT HERE IS VERY FLAWED PROCESS.

WE'VE GOT A, A LEASE THAT'S IN DEFAULT.

THE RIGHT THING TO DO IS TO GO BACK AND DO THIS PROCESS CORRECTLY.

YOU CAN STILL END UP WITH THIS BEAUTIFUL BUILDING.

YOU CAN STILL END UP WITH THIS WONDERFUL BUSINESS.

BUT THE MESSAGE WE WANNA SEND EVERYBODY IN THE COUNTRY IS EDMOND IS HONEST UPFRONT, AND WE DO BUSINESS CORRECTLY.

AND ON THAT GO GROUNDS, I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A STEP BACK, THROW THIS LEASE OUT, START OVER, AND DO IT CORRECTLY.

AND WHILE WE'LL ALL BENEFIT FROM IT IN THE END.

RESIDENTS OF THE COMMUNITY WHOSE KIDS GO TO SCHOOL HERE.

ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE? YEAH, PLEASE COME DOWN AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

SIR, MY NAME IS DREW DARGAN.

DARGAN, EXCUSE ME.

UM, I'M AN EDMOND RESIDENT.

UH, KIDS LIVE HERE, UH, ALSO WORK IN REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT AND INVESTING.

AND MY BUSINESS PARTNER AND I HAVE, UM, SIGNIFICANT LAND HOLDINGS ALL AROUND DOWNTOWN EDMOND.

WE'RE VERY INVESTED IN THE COMMUNITY AND CONTINUING, UM, THIS INCREDIBLE PATH THAT SPECIFICALLY DOWNTOWN EDMOND HAS BEEN ON SINCE THE PATRIARCH SHOWED UP.

SO, UM, SOMETHING I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT I JUST DON'T THINK EVERYONE OUT HERE UNDERSTANDS IS, AND BRYCE, BRYCE MENTIONED IT BRIEFLY, BUT IT IS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO GET THESE PROJECTS DOWN THE LINE.

IT TAKES YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS, AND MONEY'S EXPENSIVE, AND LABOR AND MATERIALS ARE EXPENSIVE.

AND, UM, IT'S RARE.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SEE A LOT IN DOWNTOWN EDMOND AND IN EDMOND AS A WHOLE.

BUT IT'S RARE TO HAVE

[01:45:01]

MY WIFE'S THE PRINCIPAL AT REDWOOD ELEMENTARY.

WE'RE ALL FULLY INVESTED IN THIS PROCESS, AND THEN WE'RE SPENDING OUR OWN TIME AND MONEY AND SWEAT TO TRY TO BRING SOMETHING GREAT TO THE CITY.

AND AGAIN, TO, TO ECHO WHAT BRYCE SAID IT, THESE, THESE AREN'T MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF DEALS HERE FOR GUYS LIKE BRANDON AND, AND BRYCE AND MYSELF, BRANDON SPENT A LONG TIME WORKING ON THIS.

AND FOR ALL THE, UM, COMMENTS THAT MS. LEE PUT OUT HERE, I THINK THAT ANOTHER THING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND IS IN ORDER TO BRING SPECIAL PROJECTS TO THIS COMMUNITY, PEOPLE LIKE BRANDON AND MYSELF AND BRYCE, WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN COMMUNICATION WITH CITY STAFF, WITH JANET, A-E-E-D-A WITH ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS, BECAUSE THAT'S THE PROCESS.

YOU'VE GOTTA GO DOWN TO START TO GET SOME THINGS HAPPENING AND MOMENTUM HAPPENING.

BRANDON DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG.

BRANDON DID EVERYTHING RIGHT HERE, AGGRESSIVELY PURSUING A PROJECT THAT HE BELIEVES WILL IMPROVE THE COMMUNITY IN DOWNTOWN.

SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S THINGS THAT COULD GO BETTER ON THE CITY'S END WITH PROCESS, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS OUGHT TO THINK ABOUT ADDRESSING.

BUT, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU'VE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY HERE, UM, TO HAVE A VERY, VERY SPECIAL PROJECT.

AND I CAN SPEAK FOR MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND EDMOND.

EVERYONE IS THRILLED AT THE PROSPECTS OF PRAIRIE COMING THROUGH.

UH, I THINK THAT THE FARMER'S MARKET WILL BE MUCH BETTER OFF AS WELL AS ALL OF THESE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN COMING OUTTA THE GROUND AND OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS WILL CONTINUE TO COME OUTTA THE GROUND.

UM, TABLING THIS AND DELAYING IT.

TIME CREATES ALL KINDS OF ISSUES AND CHALLENGES.

AND, UM, I THINK IT WOULD JUST, IT WOULD BE A REAL MISSED OPPORTUNITY IF SOMETHING WENT, UM, THE WRONG WAY AND BRANDON WASN'T ABLE TO, TO STAY ON TRACK WITH THIS PROJECT.

AND PRAIRIE WASN'T WILLING TO MAKE THE COMMITMENT TO DOWNTOWN MOND, WHICH I THINK IS A, IS A BIG GET, AND THAT'S NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT THE SECOND LEVEL.

SO, UM, I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO APPROVE THIS.

UM, I BELIEVE A HUNDRED PERCENT IN BRANDON.

HE'S A CLOSE FRIEND OF MINE.

HE'S A GREAT GUY, AND HE IS DOING EVERYTHING HE CAN TO MAKE A GREAT IMPACT, AND HE IS ALREADY DONE IT AT THE ICE HOUSE, JUST AS STONE THROAT FROM HERE.

SO I URGE YOU GUYS TO, UH, TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT.

THANKS, SIR.

IS ANYONE ELSE, ANY AUDIENCE? CAN I ASK YOU ONE MORE THING? YES, SIR.

JUST REAL QUICK ABOUT THE PROCESS, UM, AND THE ICE HOUSE PROJECT, JUST AS A MATTER OF EDUCATION, UM, BEFORE THE ICE HOUSE PROJECT STARTED, MY FIRST CALL WAS TO JANET YOW AND RANDY ENTZ.

AND THE REASON WAS THAT I WAS INTERESTED IN THAT PROPERTY.

UH, ANOTHER DEVELOPER HAD COME ALONG, PURCHASED THAT PROPERTY, AND TRIED TO DO A DEVELOPMENT THERE.

THAT DEVELOPMENT DID NOT HAPPEN.

IT FAILED, FAILED BECAUSE OF PARKING.

TOO MUCH PARKING WAS REQUIRED.

ALL OF THE, UH, ADDITIONAL BUILDINGS HAD TO BE TORN DOWN, AND THE COST WAS JUST TOO HIGH TO TURN ALL OF THAT PROPERTY INTO A SINGLE RESTAURANT, WHICH IS WHAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN IN THE ICE HOUSE BUILDING.

MY FIRST CALL WHEN I WAS INTERESTED IN THAT PROPERTY, AND THE OPPORTUNITY THAT I SAW, WAS THE FACT THAT THERE WAS A MASSIVE PIECE OF GRASS JUST SOUTH OF WHERE THE ICE HOUSE PROJECT SITS.

NOW, IT WAS EXCESS RIGHT OF WAY OF HIGHWAY 66 AND EDMOND ROAD.

I THOUGHT THAT PRESENTS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY.

WHAT IF THE CITY OF EDMOND WILL WORK WITH ME TO BUILD A PARKING LOT RIGHT THERE, THEN I CAN REDEVELOP ALL OF THOSE BUILDINGS AND TURN THEM INTO TAX PAYING, GENERATING, UH, UH, DEALS FOR THE CITY OF EDMOND.

AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I DID.

I HAD NO IDEA WHAT THAT PROCESS WAS TO DO THAT.

I JUST CALLED THE PEOPLE THAT I KNEW COULD TELL ME HOW TO DO IT.

SO I CALLED JANET AND I CALLED RANDY, AND THEY, THEY STARTED THE PROCESS.

THAT WAS A YEAR LONG PROCESS TO GET THAT INCENTIVE APPROVED THROUGH THE CITY OF EDMOND.

AND THERE IS NOT ONE DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT THAT PROJECT IS ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE.

IF THE CITY OF EDMOND DOES NOT PARTNER WITH ME ON THE PARKING LOT, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.

OKAY, SO SHOULD I HAVE KEPT THAT IDEA TO MYSELF, OR SHOULD I HAVE AND WAITED FOR SOMEONE TO COME UP WITH IT? OR SHOULD I HAVE GONE TO THE CITY OF EDMOND, BROUGHT MY IDEA AND LET THEM IMPLEMENT THEIR PROCESS, AND THEN I GO THROUGH IT? I WENT THROUGH THAT PROCESS, AND NOW THE ICE HOUSE PROJECT IS OVER THERE.

IT'S FULLY LEASED, IT'S GENERATING A LOT OF MONEY.

THERE'S A BREWERY OVER THERE THAT'S AN ANCHOR TENANT.

GO OVER THERE ON A FRIDAY NIGHT, ESPECIALLY ON DECENT WEATHER AND SEE HOW MANY KIDS ARE THERE.

IT'S THE MOST FAMILY FRIENDLY PLACE ON EARTH NEXT TO DISNEYLAND, .

BUT I, I'M JUST TELLING THE, A LOT OF, A LOT OF THE COMMENTS ARE MADE OUT OF IGNORANCE, AND A LOT OF 'EM IMPUNE MY INTEGRITY AND I DON'T APPRECIATE IT.

AND NONE OF IT'S TRUE.

EVERYTHING THAT I DID WAS ABOVE BOARD.

I DID NOT HAVE SIX MONTHS TO SIT HERE AND FIGURE OUT THIS PROJECT.

THE PROJECT WAS FIGURED OUT WHEN I BROUGHT THE IDEA TO THE CITY.

I SAT AROUND FOR SIX MONTHS AND WAITED FOR THE PROCESS TO UNFOLD TO DO WHAT I NEEDED TO DO.

I DIDN'T START SPENDING A BUNCH OF MONEY UNTIL I KNEW THAT I HAD WON THE RFQ.

THEN I STARTED SPENDING THE MONEY WITH THE ARCHITECTS TO DO DESIGN.

AND THAT'S WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT BY THAT TIME, INTEREST RATES HAD GONE THROUGH THE ROOF, CONSTRUCTION PRICES HAD GONE THROUGH THE ROOF.

SINGLE STORY PROJECT DOESN'T

[01:50:01]

WORK.

SO I COULD HAVE PACKED UP MY BAGS AND GONE HOME, OR I COULD BEAT MY HEAD AGAINST A WALL AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE A TWO STORY PROJECT WORK AND BRING TWO HIGH CALIBER TENANTS PAYING RIDICULOUSLY HIGH RATES TO BE IN DOWNTOWN EDMOND AT A TIME WHEN BUSINESSES ARE CLOSING ALL OVER THE PLACE, LIKE BRYCE SAID.

SO I WANTED TO JUST BRING THAT UP AT THE END BECAUSE A WHOLE LOT HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT THIS PROCESS.

THERE'S BEEN ARTICLES WRITTEN ON IT, IT'S MADE ME LOOK BAD.

I DON'T LIKE THAT.

EVERYTHING I DID WAS BY THE BOOK ABOVE BOARD.

I WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS EXACTLY HOW I WAS TOLD TO GO THROUGH IT, AND NOW I'M HERE TRYING TO MAKE THIS PROJECT WORK.

IF WE DON'T WANT THE PROJECT, LET'S NOT DO THE PROJECT.

BUT I THINK THIS IS GOOD.

THIS IS GOOD FOR THE CITY, IT'S GOOD FOR THE FARMER'S MARKET.

IT'S GOOD FOR ATTRACTING BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS TO DOWNTOWN EDMOND.

AND I'M READY TO DO IT.

SO LET'S DO IT, OR LET'S NOT, BUT LET'S FIGURE IT OUT AND GET GOING.

YES, JANET.

JANET, YEL, EDMOND, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

I WANNA ADDRESS A COUPLE OF THINGS.

FIRST OF ALL, IN MY JOB, IT'S TYPICAL FOR PEOPLE TO BRING ME IDEAS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IDEAS.

IT'S, IT'S MY JOB FOR ME TO VET THOSE IDEAS, TALK TO CITY STAFF, GO THROUGH A PROCESS TO SEE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN FORWARD OR NOT.

PROJECT DELAYS.

I CAN LOOK AROUND TOWN AND NAME PROBABLY ON TWO HANDS THE DELAYS IN PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE HAD ALL OVER TOWN, INCLUDING THE ICE HOUSE, INCLUDING THE RAIL YARD, INCLUDING INTEGRIS AND MERCY ON I 35.

UM, I JUST THINK THAT, UM, THE, THE AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT THAT BRANDON HAS MADE IN THE ICE HOUSE, AGAIN, HE'S TALKED ABOUT IT.

A COUPLE OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT WHAT HE TOOK IN A FIELD OVER THERE AND MADE IT INTO SOME REVENUE GENERATING PROPERTY, WHICH IS ANOTHER THING THAT'S IMPORTANT IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

WHEN WE LOOK AT THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE IN THIS COMMUNITY, I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS THAT WE WENT THROUGH SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS, UM, THIS PROJECT, UM, ANDY CONYERS AND I DID PUT THIS TOGETHER AND THE, UH, REFERENCE EARLIER THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO PRETTY IT UP.

I TOOK INFORMATION FROM OUR EXISTING DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN THAT WE HAD.

THE, AT THE TIME, I TOOK THE PRIORITIES FROM THAT.

SO WE WOULD HAVE SOMETHING TO BASE ANYTHING THAT WE WERE GOING TO LOOK AT OFF OF THAT.

I ADVERTISED IT HERE LOCALLY.

WE ADVERTISED IT, I ADVERTISED IT TO THE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE COUNCIL OF METRO OKLAHOMA CITY.

I ADVERTISED IT TO THE URBAN LAND INSTITUTE OF OKLAHOMA.

IT WAS WIDELY SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE METRO AREA.

I DID GET A CALL FROM BOB WEISS A FEW DAYS BEFORE.

I ENCOURAGED HIM TO GO AHEAD AND SUBMIT AND, UH, AND RESPONSE TO THIS.

I KNOW BOB, I KNEW THAT, THAT HE'S A GOOD BUSINESSMAN AND THAT HE COULD HAVE GOOD IDEAS.

AND NO, WE NEVER WANT TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS AND HAVE JUST ONE PROJECT TO LOOK AT.

BUT THERE WAS NEVER ANYTHING PREDETERMINED.

WE WERE LOOKING AT A PROCESS THAT, UH, WAS OPEN TO A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE.

SO I JUST WANNA REITERATE THAT, UM, WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE DO IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

PEOPLE BRING ME PROJECTS, PEOPLE BRING ME RETAIL IDEAS, AND IT IS JUST THE PROCESS THAT WE GO THROUGH TO VET THESE THINGS AND TO SEE IF WE TAKE THEM FORWARD OR NOT.

I THINK THIS IS A GOOD PROJECT.

I STAND BY THE PROCESS THAT WE WENT THROUGH TO GET US HERE.

AND ENOUGH HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT BRANDON.

I THINK HE'S, HE HAS PUT HIS MONEY WHERE HIS MOUTH IS, AND HE LIVES HERE.

I MADE SOME PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT WERE PRODUCED IN A STORY ABOUT THIS.

ANYONE ELSE? PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF, SIR.

HI, I AM ROBERT BLACK EDMOND, UH, RESIDENT AND BUSINESS OWNER.

UH, THANKS FOR GIVING ME THE CHANCE TO SPEAK.

THANKS BRANDON, FOR BEING HERE.

THIS IS A, THIS IS A TOUGH TOPIC, YOU KNOW, BOB SAID, SAID IT.

WELL, THIS IS, UM, IN MY OPINION, YOU GUYS HAVE A LOT OF CORRECT THINGS TO HAVE TO TRY TO DECIPHER.

UM, I WANTED TO COMMENT A LITTLE BIT ONLY BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW,

[01:55:01]

AND I WANT TO KIND OF CLARIFY FOR YOU ALL, AND, AND IN THIS ROOM, SORT OF WHAT I'VE LEARNED HAVING DONE THAT, AND THEN KIND OF COME THROUGH THE OTHER SIDE IF I CAN.

UM, FIRST OF ALL, JUST SO YOU KNOW, BRANDON'S A FRIEND OF MINE, AND I LIKE BRANDON A GREAT DEAL.

WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER AND WORKED TOGETHER A LONG TIME.

UM, UH, WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER CURRENTLY ON A PROJECT.

SO, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PERSPECTIVE I HAVE, I HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT HATS HERE, UH, IN EDMOND.

I'M A FARMER'S MARKET VENDOR.

I'M A BUSINESS OWNER, I'M A RESIDENT, ET CETERA.

AND SO, UM, I KIND OF HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.

I WANTED TO SHARE JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS WITH THEM SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE PROCESS.

AND PART OF THAT IS WHAT I'VE LEARNED OVER THE LAST MONTH OR TWO AFTER HAVING GIVEN SOME PUBLIC COMMENTS.

AND I THOUGHT IT WAS RELEVANT.

AFTER THE LAST FEW SPEAKERS HAD A CHANCE TO, TO VISIT WITH LENA, I ACTIVELY SOUGHT OUT, YOU KNOW, SOME COUNSEL ABOUT THE PROCESS.

I AM STILL AND WAS IGNORANT OF THE RFQ AND RFP PROCESS.

AND SO I SPOKE TO BRANDON, I SPOKE TO OTHER DEVELOPERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

I SPOKE TO SOME OF YOU ALL, I SPOKE TO LENA 'CAUSE I WANTED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IT BECAUSE FROM WHERE I SAT, IT ALSO FELT, I'M GONNA USE THE WORD DISINGENUOUS ON THE WAY THAT THE CITY HANDLED IT.

NOTHING THAT I THOUGHT BRANDON DID FELT IN DISINGENUOUS JUST TO CLARIFY THAT THIS, MY COMMENTS WERE DIRECTED AT HOW IT WAS HANDLED FROM THE CITY.

AND I WANNA SHARE WHY I THINK THAT IS THAT, OKAY, SO GOING BACK TO 2022 AND 23, AS THIS IDEA STARTED FORMULATING, PERCOLATING, AND BRANDON WAS DOING HIS WORK WITH JANET AND EEDA, WHICH I APPRECIATE, UH, IN MY OPINION, AND I'M, I'M IN DANGER OF GIVING OPINIONS HERE, BUT I GUESS I HAVE THE, THE PUBLIC FORUM TO DO THAT.

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT AS EDMOND HAS BEEN THIS PLACE WHERE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ACTIVITY DIDN'T HAPPEN FOR A LONG TIME, THERE MAYBE WAS A CERTAIN WAY THAT RFPS AND RF QS WENT, OR THAT CITY BUSINESS GOT DONE, IN PART BECAUSE WE WOULD TAKE WHATEVER WE COULD GET, WE NEEDED TO GROW THIS CITY, RIGHT? UM, MAYBE THAT'S WHY WHEN THIS PROCESS CAME OUT, IT FELT LIKE TO ME THAT THIS WAS A DONE DEAL BEFORE IT CAME TO A VOTE, BEFORE IT CAME TO AN RFQ.

AND I DON'T THINK THAT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH BRANDON.

WHAT BRANDON DID.

I THINK HE FOLLOWED THE PROCESS EXACTLY AS IT'S LAID OUT AS IT'S INTENDED TO.

AND I THINK PROBABLY IN ALL FAIRNESS TO THE STAFF, THE STAFF WAS JUST DOING WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS DONE AND THE COUNCIL IS DOING WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS DONE.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU, I WILL SHARE FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE THAT WHEN THIS PROCESS CAME OUT AS A LOCAL RESTAURATEUR, AS SOMEONE WHO'S IN THE, THE FOOD AND AND BEVERAGE BUSINESS, AND I WANT TO ECHO IT, IT IS A DAMN HARD BUSINESS.

AND SMALL BUSINESS IS HARD IN GENERAL, BUT IT'S A REALLY HARD ONE.

UH, IT WAS BROADLY CONSIDERED THAT THIS WAS A DONE DEAL.

AND SO SOMEONE LIKE ME WHO ACTIVELY BUILDS AND, AND CREATES NEW BUSINESSES, SHOULDN'T BOTHER SUBMITTING TO THE RFQ.

AND, AND, AND THAT DID MAKE IT FEEL DISINGENUOUS.

WHY DO WE HAVE AN RFQ PROCESS? WHY DO WE HAVE AN RFP PROCESS IF IT IS PREDETERMINED, RIGHT? AND SO I WANT TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT ABOUT THAT.

I'VE SHARED THAT WITH SOME OF YOU IN THIS ROOM AND I'M SHARING IT PUBLICLY.

THAT WAS THE PERCEPTION THAT I FELT BASED ON A COMMENTS FROM, FROM PEOPLE IN THE CITY, BUT ALSO IN SOME OF THE MEETINGS THAT I SET IN, IN THE DOWNTOWN EDMOND BUSINESS ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, AS THE IDEAS WERE PRODUCED BY, UH, KEN AND, AND ANDY AND, AND, AND RANDY AND THE, AND THE TEAM WERE, WERE INTRODUCING THE IDEAS TO DOWNTOWN STAKEHOLDERS, IT FELT DISINGENUOUS FROM THE BEGINNING.

SO I WANT TO CONCLUDE MY COMMENTS BY SAYING A COUPLE OF THINGS.

NUMBER ONE, BRANDON'S DONE A LOT OF WORK ON A REALLY TOUGH PROJECT, AND I REALLY LIKE HIM AND I REALLY LIKE WHAT HE'S DOING FOR THE CITY.

AND SO I JUST WANT TO ECHO, AS A FRIEND OF BRANDON, YOU KNOW THAT FOR, FOR ANYTHING THAT MIGHT FEEL LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S IMPUGNED HIM IN SOME WAY, I HATE

[02:00:01]

THAT BECAUSE HE'S A GREAT GUY.

I WANNA SHARE THAT.

NUMBER TWO, I WANT TO CHALLENGE THE CITY TO THINK ABOUT HOW THESE PROCESSES GO FORWARD IN THE FUTURE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS TONIGHT AT THE VOTE.

AND TO THINK ABOUT HOW THE RFQ AND THE RFP PROCESS CAN GO BETTER NEXT TIME BECAUSE THIS ONE DIDN'T GO GOOD.

AND SO THAT'S ALL MY COMMENTS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COME DOWN AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

SIR, MY NAME IS LEONARD SCOTT.

TONIGHT I'M GONNA SPEAK FOR THE ELDERS.

EVERYBODY HERE IS ABOUT INTERESTED IN MAKING MONEY, INCLUDING ALL YOU ALL.

Y'ALL WANNA MAKE MONEY, YOU WANNA MAKE MONEY, YOU MAKE MONEY.

WHAT ABOUT THE ELDERS? EVERYTHING YOU BILL INCREASES THE PROPERTY TAXES, EVERYTHING.

AND YOU REALIZE THAT THE PROPERTY TAXES, THEY HAVE TO WAIT A YEAR.

SO THEY COME BACK IN THE NEXT YEAR AND THEY GET YOU.

AND OH, BY THE WAY, THE PROPERTY TAXES ARE SO HIGH, THEY COULD ONLY GO A CERTAIN AMOUNT AND THEN THEY GET YOU AGAIN THE NEXT YEAR AND AGAIN, THE NEXT YEAR.

JUST KINDA LIKE OUR WATER BILL AND LIKE OUR ELECTRICITY AND OUR FIRE AND EVERYTHING ELSE IN THIS TOWN IS MORE EXPENSIVE.

I TOOK MY GRANDCHILDREN TO, UH, MCDONALD'S COST ME $40 FOR THREE HAMBURGERS AND FRENCH FRIES AND A SHAKE.

THAT'S THE REALITY FOLKS.

YOUR ELDERS ARE ON FIXED INCOME AND THEY'RE NOT IN WITH ALL THIS PROPERTY TAXES AND ALL THIS UP STUFF.

YOU'RE FORCING THE ELDERS OUT OF DOWNTOWN EDMOND BECAUSE WE CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE THERE.

THOSE POOR PEOPLE DOWN THERE WHERE YOU BUILT THAT BIG PARKING GARAGE DOWN THERE, YOU LOOKED ACROSS THE STREET AT THE PEOPLE THAT LIVED THERE.

FOLKS, YOU GUYS START THINKING ABOUT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY AND THAT INCLUDES THE ELDERS THAT YOU'RE FORCING OUT OF THIS COMMUNITY.

ANYONE ELSE? WELL, COUNSEL, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO ON THIS ITEM? WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF SPIRITED CONVERSATION TONIGHT.

UM, THIS IS ITEM NINE C.

I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.

WE HAVE A MOTION OR TO APPROVE FROM COUNCIL.

COUNCILMAN ROBBINS.

WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COUNSEL WOMAN MUG.

IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? UH, CALL FOR A VOTE.

ITEM PASS THREE TO TWO.

[D. Main Street Improvements Project:]

IS ITEM NINE D.

UM, ONE, TWO, AND THREE.

WE HAD THE PRESENTATION ON IT, BUT I WILL READ THE LAST ONE.

UH, WHICH IS CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF A CONTRACT AMENDMENT WITH FLIN CO LLC FOR THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM G AND P FOR THE MAIN STREET IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.

RESOLUTION NUMBER 13 DASH 24 13 DASH 24, APPOINTING PURCHASE AGENT FOR 527,194.

SO COUNSEL, WE'VE HEARD THE, UM, PRESENTATION ON THIS IS ALL, THIS IS ALL PART OF THE MAIN STREET IMPROVEMENTS TO KEEP IT GOING.

THIS IS ITEM NINE.

UH, WE WILL VOTE ON EACH ONE SEPARATELY, BUT THERE'S NINE D ONE, TWO, AND THREE.

IS THERE ANY QUESTION, COMMENTS FROM THE COUNCIL? I'D JUST LIKE TO COMMENT.

I THINK, I MEAN, THIS IS A GREAT ITEM.

WE ARE ADDING LIGHTING AND INFRASTRUCTURE ON MAIN STREET THAT I THINK WILL ENHANCE THAT, CORRECT? SO VERY GOOD.

NOT A LOT TO DISCUSS, BUT A POSITIVE ITEM.

MM-HMM, .

THIS IS, UH, ALSO PART OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT.

IS THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE, UH, AUDIENCE ON THESE? ITEM NINE, D ONE, TWO, OR THREE? SEE NONE.

COUNSEL, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THREE VOTES.

MAYOR.

YES, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THREE SEPARATE VOTES.

I'D MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE NINE D ONE.

WE HAVE A MOTION FOR NINE D ONE.

I SECOND WE HAVE A SECOND.

ANY OTHER CONVERSATION? CALL FOR A VOTE.

ALL 91 IS PASSED.

MR. MAYOR, I'D MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE 92.

YOU HAVE A MOTION FOR 92? I'LL SECOND.

TIME FOR CITIZENS' COMMENT.

ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? CALL FOR A VOTE.

[02:05:01]

WE HAVE A MOTION FOR 93 AND A SECOND.

ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? CALL FOR A VOTE.

NOW IT'S

[10. Citizen Comments. This is an opportunity for residents and non-residents to address the City Council on city-related matters not on the agenda or scheduled for a public hearing. 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. All remarks must be directed to the Mayor or Chair of the meeting, are limited to three minutes or less, and must otherwise be made in accordance with the City Council / Public Works Authority rules, available here and in the Council Chambers lobby.]

THIS IS OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS AND NON-RESIDENTS TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL WITH CITY RELATED MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA OR SCHEDULE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.

CITIZENS MUST SIGN UP TO SPEAK EITHER ONLINE BY 3:00 PM THE DAY OF THE CITY COUNCIL OR IN PERSON BY THE START OF THE MEETING.

ALL REMARKS MUST BE DIRECTED TO THE MAYOR OR THE CHAIR OF THE MEETING AND ARE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES OR LESS AND MUST OTHERWISE BE MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC WORKS AUTHORITY RULES AVAILABLE, UM, IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, UH, LET ME SEE.

WE HAVE, UH, RESIDENT LEONARD SCOTT.

I AM, UH, RESIDENT LEONARD SCOTT.

MR. MAYOR, YOU MADE A MISTAKE.

YOU CALL THIS CITIZEN COMMENTS.

IT'S NOT CITIZEN COMMENTS, SIR.

IT'S CITIZEN.

IGNORE ME TIME AGAIN.

WE CITIZENS ARE SO BADLY TREATED BY THIS REGIME.

WE ARE NOT EVEN AN EXTENDED STABILITY OF ROBERT RULES OF ORDER TO CONDUCT BUSINESS IN EVERY OTHER CITY IN EVERY OTHER PLACE.

ROBERT, RULES OF ORDER MATTER.

BUT NOT FOR YOU, MR. MAYOR.

YOU HAVE TAKEN AWAY OUR RIGHTS.

YOU CONDUCT THIS MEETING ALLOWING NO CITIZEN QUESTIONS.

OH, YOU ALLOW IT.

IF YOU DON'T ANSWER 'EM, NO CITIZEN CONCERNS AND CERTAINLY NO CITIZEN GRIEVANCES ARE ALLOWED UNDER YOUR REGIME.

YOU SIT SILENT LIKE YOUR, LIKE YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS KNOWING YOU AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS KNOW THEY CAN NEVER BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE NEGATIVE ACTIONS AGAINST WE THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY.

IN THREE YEARS, YOU HAVE BECOME A SELF-APPOINTED KING.

YOU SIR, STRIPPED OUR CITIZEN TIME FROM FIVE MINUTES TO THREE MINUTES.

AND GUESS WHAT? YOU NEVER TOLD US WHY? AND WE ASKED FOR IT, BUT YOU DIDN'T EXPLAIN IT.

AND THEN, AND THEN YOU TURN AROUND AND YOU CUT NEW BUSINESS.

WE HAVE STAKE IN THAT.

WE HAVE STAKE, BUT YOU CUT IT.

NO EXPLANATION.

NONE WHATSOEVER.

SO YOU, SIR, MAKE ARBITRARY RULES LIKE A KING.

THIS IS, WE ARE NOT UNDER RULES OF ORDER.

THAT CLOCK MEANS NOTHING.

WE BOUGHT IT, PEOPLE BOUGHT THAT CLOCK.

BUT YOU DON'T ALLOW US, WE ASK A QUESTION, YOU KEEP THE CLOCK GOING.

THAT'S TYRANNY ANY WAY YOU LOOK AT IT.

THE TAPES, BY THE WAY, ARE EVIDENCE OF EVERYTHING I'VE JUST SAID.

BUT YOU DON'T CARE.

YOU JUST REGARD THE FACTS.

YOU'RE JUST A KING WHO CARES LESS ABOUT THE SUBJECTS YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT.

TODAY.

WE'RE NOT GONNA MAKE A REQUEST.

WE'RE DEMANDING YOU, SIR, TO HOLD A TOWN HALL AND EXPLAIN YOURSELF FIVE QUESTIONS.

THE SYSTEMS WANT TO ASK YOU A TOWN, PUBLIC TOWN HALL.

YOU NEED TO BE THERE AND ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THIS CITY AND EXPLAIN WHAT THE HECK YOU'RE DOING BECAUSE IN YOUR OWN DOCUMENTS IT STATES THE CITIZENS HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT THIS GOVERNMENT'S DOING, AND YOU'RE NOT ALLOWING US TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

HAVE COMMENTS FROM THE MAYOR AND THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

THERE'S NO OTHER CITIZENS' COMMENTS.

OH, NOW WE

[11. Comments from the Mayor and Members of the City Council.]

UM, ONE, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO ALSO, UH, REEMPHASIZE OR SAY IF YOU DID NOT KNOW THAT

[02:10:01]

THE HILTON GARDEN INN WON AN AWARD.

UM, SO THAT'S I THINK THE SECOND TIME SINCE THEY'VE BEEN OPENED, THAT THEY'VE WON THIS AWARD.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER GOODNESS FOR OUR, OUR COMMUNITY THAT WHAT WHAT WE'RE WHAT THAT THE HOSPITALITY THAT'S BEING SHOWN OUT THERE, UH, AS YOU ALL KNOW, HEARD ON HEARD HAS STARTED AND VIBES HAS STARTED.

SO THE SUMMERTIME SEASON IS HERE.

UH, IT'S ALSO, UH, THE CRAZY WEATHER SEASON.

SO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE TAKING THE PRECAUTIONS YOU ARE NECESSARY THAT YOU HELP IN CASE OF INCLEMENT WEATHER.

AND I WANT TO TELL YOU ONE THING.

I REALLY ENJOY SERVING UP HERE WITH YOU ALL.

BECAUSE WE DO IT BECAUSE WE ALL LOVE THIS CITY.

AND I'VE BEEN UP HERE THE LONGEST.

I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATIONS.

AND I WOULDN'T BE UP HERE IF I DIDN'T LOVE THE CITY.

RIGHT? SO I APPRECIATE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU ALL.

WE HAVE STAFF.

I APPRECIATE YOU ALL TOO BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE, YOU HAVE THE HARD JOB OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT FIVE DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES AND STILL TRY TO MEET OUR STRATEGIC GOALS THAT WE WANT TO DO TO TAKE THE CITY FORWARD.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, AS I LOOK AND TALK TO OTHER MAYORS AND OTHER CITIES AROUND , THEY WOULD MM-HMM.

THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

IT'S GOOD STUFF.

THAT'S, IT'S GOOD STUFF.

SO I APPRECIATE YOU, APPRECIATE THE CITY MANAGERS, APPRECIATE THE CITY ATTORNEY.

I APPRECIATE YOU ALL.

AND THEN FOR THE BUSINESSES OR THE DOWNTOWN, GUESS WHAT, APPRECIATE YOU ALL TOO BECAUSE YOU ALL ARE HELPING TRANSFORM OUR CITY AS WE GO FORWARD.

THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT'S ALRIGHT.

GOOD STUFF.

THAT'S ALL I HAD TO SAY.

GOOD STUFF.

ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE COUNCIL? YEAH, I DO.

UM, MAYOR, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS AND, UH, AS BOB DYLAN SAID, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A WEATHERMAN TO KNOW WHICH WAY THE WIND'S BLOWING.

THE WINDS ARE BLOWING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR EDMOND.

WE'RE HEADED THE RIGHT WAY.

AND, UH, MR. BLACK, UH, YOU'RE A MAN OF GREAT COURAGE FOR GETTING UP THERE AND SAYING WHAT YOU DID, AND I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT.

UH, THAT'S WHAT I GOT.

ANYTHING ELSE? UM, WELL, I JUST WANTED A COUPLE THINGS.

ONE IS WE GOT 145,000 REASONS TO SMILE.

UM, COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER THIS LAST WEEK, AND THAT'S HOW MUCH WE RAISED TOWARDS OUR, UH, EDMOND FALL, FALL MEMORIAL, WHICH IS A HARD THING TO THINK ABOUT, BUT IT'S A GOOD THING.

IT, WE REALLY WANT IT TO BE, I KNOW EVERYONE UP HERE WANTS IT TO BE NOT JUST, UM, WE WANT IT TO BE A, A SOURCE OF PRIDE AND REFLECTION.

AND A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAME AND I THINK WITHIN ABOUT 10 FOOT, PUT SOME OTHER THINGS COMING UP HERE THAT WE'LL, WE'LL PROBABLY GET, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO GET THROUGH THIS NEXT YEAR.