1
00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:52,720
I feel like meeting files is better than meeting overviews, but I don't want to, I guess I might

2
00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:53,540
I was here early today.

3
00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:55,880
I was not tardy today.

4
00:02:56,580 --> 00:02:58,740
Thank you.

5
00:02:58,740 --> 00:03:00,460
Thank you.

6
00:03:00,640 --> 00:03:02,700
I always didn't look like I was early.

7
00:03:03,020 --> 00:03:03,140
I was early.

8
00:03:03,660 --> 00:03:05,660
I came from an AMP.

9
00:03:05,940 --> 00:03:07,520
I had nothing to do with this.

10
00:03:11,300 --> 00:03:12,680
We didn't get it in.

11
00:03:12,900 --> 00:03:14,760
We put them.

12
00:03:14,820 --> 00:03:15,380
We didn't get it in.

13
00:03:15,380 --> 00:03:15,580
Everyone

14
00:03:19,220 --> 00:03:20,320
knows.

15
00:03:20,460 --> 00:03:21,260
That feels awkward.

16
00:03:21,500 --> 00:03:22,280
I think that's my voice.

17
00:03:23,100 --> 00:03:23,560
Maybe.

18
00:03:25,180 --> 00:03:25,720
It's important.

19
00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:28,300
If it works out properly, then try to come up.

20
00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:29,460
You turn that up.

21
00:03:29,780 --> 00:03:30,880
And try to go up.

22
00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:31,940
What is that?

23
00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:33,300
You give me that?

24
00:03:35,100 --> 00:03:36,320
No, I'm not leaving.

25
00:03:58,650 --> 00:03:59,910
So I can ride it all down.

26
00:04:01,550 --> 00:04:02,010
Maybe.

27
00:04:02,810 --> 00:04:04,190
Sorry, thanks for giving me this mission.

28
00:04:04,850 --> 00:04:05,310
Probably.

29
00:04:05,670 --> 00:04:07,870
I don't know.

30
00:04:32,420 --> 00:04:47,480
We'll find out some random comments. All right. All right. Welcome to the Bentonville City Council meeting November 28, 2023, I'll call us to order if you'll please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance and remain standing for a moment of silence for our military.

31
00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:48,420
I

32
00:04:52,100 --> 00:05:04,800
believe this to apply to the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

33
00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:30,920
Seba?

34
00:05:32,020 --> 00:05:32,320
President.

35
00:05:32,820 --> 00:05:33,080
Buck?

36
00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:34,100
Here.

37
00:05:34,340 --> 00:05:34,720
Dukri?

38
00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:35,760
Sutur?

39
00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:36,180
Here.

40
00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:36,820
Patterson?

41
00:05:37,100 --> 00:05:37,280
Here.

42
00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:37,820
Burkart?

43
00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:38,300
Here.

44
00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:38,960
Sanchez?

45
00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:39,880
Agnew?

46
00:05:40,100 --> 00:05:40,460
Here.

47
00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:46,240
The motion to approve the minutes of the November 14, 2023, City Council meeting.

48
00:05:47,780 --> 00:05:49,140
There's a motion and a second.

49
00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:51,480
Look.

50
00:05:51,860 --> 00:05:52,080
Yes.

51
00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:52,680
Acre.

52
00:05:53,420 --> 00:05:53,600
Yes.

53
00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:54,040
Souter.

54
00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:54,500
Yes.

55
00:05:54,740 --> 00:05:55,100
Patterson.

56
00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:55,560
Yes.

57
00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:56,120
Burkart.

58
00:05:56,440 --> 00:05:56,640
Yes.

59
00:05:56,900 --> 00:05:57,260
Sanchez.

60
00:05:57,940 --> 00:05:58,180
Agnew.

61
00:05:58,500 --> 00:05:58,620
Yes.

62
00:05:58,880 --> 00:05:59,080
Siba.

63
00:05:59,380 --> 00:05:59,660
Yes.

64
00:06:00,460 --> 00:06:01,740
Mr. Souter, would you like to make a motion?

65
00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:03,560
I'll make a motion to suspend the rules.

66
00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:05,820
We're trying ordinances to be read on three separate days.

67
00:06:05,820 --> 00:06:09,440
and further move all ordinances and resolutions, be read by their title only.

68
00:06:09,940 --> 00:06:09,960
Second.

69
00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:13,780
ACREA.

70
00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:14,000
Yes.

71
00:06:14,180 --> 00:06:14,440
SUTER.

72
00:06:14,780 --> 00:06:15,060
Yes.

73
00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:15,760
HEDERSEN.

74
00:06:15,980 --> 00:06:16,160
Yes.

75
00:06:16,420 --> 00:06:16,760
RECART.

76
00:06:17,020 --> 00:06:17,220
Yes.

77
00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:17,900
SANCHEZ.

78
00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:18,760
AGNUM.

79
00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:19,140
Yes.

80
00:06:19,380 --> 00:06:19,640
SEBA.

81
00:06:19,900 --> 00:06:20,160
Yes.

82
00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:20,580
HOOK.

83
00:06:20,940 --> 00:06:21,220
Yes.

84
00:06:23,020 --> 00:06:27,520
I'm under old business adopting the 2034 new positions and pay plan changes.

85
00:06:28,420 --> 00:06:32,860
Nordinates adopting the 2024 pay plan for the city of Bentville declaring an emergency

86
00:06:32,860 --> 00:06:33,800
and for other purposes.

87
00:06:34,180 --> 00:06:34,360
One move.

88
00:06:34,740 --> 00:06:35,040
Second.

89
00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:37,760
In a second, any other discussion?

90
00:06:42,020 --> 00:06:42,500
Ciba?

91
00:06:43,420 --> 00:06:43,580
Hook?

92
00:06:43,980 --> 00:06:44,200
Yes.

93
00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:44,880
McCree?

94
00:06:45,620 --> 00:06:45,820
Yes.

95
00:06:46,220 --> 00:06:46,340
Souter?

96
00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:46,940
Yes.

97
00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:47,620
Patterson?

98
00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:48,060
Yes.

99
00:06:48,300 --> 00:06:48,580
Burkart?

100
00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:49,040
Yes.

101
00:06:49,460 --> 00:06:49,700
Sanchez?

102
00:06:50,300 --> 00:06:50,600
Agnew?

103
00:06:50,780 --> 00:06:51,120
Yes.

104
00:06:51,740 --> 00:06:53,300
Section 2, emergency clause.

105
00:06:53,540 --> 00:06:56,860
The need to make this change is immediate so as not to affect the implementation of the

106
00:06:56,860 --> 00:06:58,840
2024 position amendments.

107
00:06:59,260 --> 00:07:02,280
The emergency is hereby required to exist and this ordinance shall be in full form

108
00:07:02,280 --> 00:07:04,220
with an effect from the date of its passage and approval.

109
00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:17,520
second. Seba? Yes. Hook? Yes. McCree? Yes. Souter? Yes. Patterson? Yes. Burkart? Yes. Sanchez? Agnew? Yes.

110
00:07:20,190 --> 00:07:31,530
Item one under new business with the 2024 pay plan changes for police and water departments. Inordinates adopting the 2024 pay plan for the city of Bentonville police and water departments declaring an emergency and for other purposes.

111
00:07:31,530 --> 00:07:35,910
I'm going to turn in a second at any other discussion.

112
00:07:38,230 --> 00:07:38,790
Go call, please.

113
00:07:39,310 --> 00:07:39,470
Hook?

114
00:07:39,910 --> 00:07:40,110
Yes.

115
00:07:40,390 --> 00:07:40,670
Siegfried?

116
00:07:40,830 --> 00:07:40,970
Yes.

117
00:07:41,250 --> 00:07:41,490
Souter?

118
00:07:41,790 --> 00:07:41,970
Yes.

119
00:07:42,190 --> 00:07:42,550
Patterson?

120
00:07:43,250 --> 00:07:43,690
Burkart?

121
00:07:44,010 --> 00:07:44,250
Yes.

122
00:07:44,510 --> 00:07:44,850
Sanchez?

123
00:07:45,390 --> 00:07:45,710
Agnew?

124
00:07:45,990 --> 00:07:46,170
Yes.

125
00:07:46,350 --> 00:07:46,630
Seba?

126
00:07:46,950 --> 00:07:47,230
Yes.

127
00:07:48,030 --> 00:07:49,450
Section 2, emergency clause.

128
00:07:49,690 --> 00:07:52,730
The need to make this change is immediate so as not to affect the implementation of

129
00:07:52,730 --> 00:07:54,630
the 2024 budget or position amendments.

130
00:07:54,930 --> 00:07:57,830
And an emergency is hereby declared to exist and this ordinance shall be in full

131
00:07:57,830 --> 00:07:59,830
force and effect from the database passage and approval.

132
00:08:00,590 --> 00:08:00,810
Second.

133
00:08:00,810 --> 00:08:00,930
Second.

134
00:08:02,730 --> 00:08:04,290
Any other discussion?

135
00:08:06,350 --> 00:08:06,670
Hook?

136
00:08:07,950 --> 00:08:08,070
Yes.

137
00:08:08,350 --> 00:08:08,630
Siegfried?

138
00:08:08,750 --> 00:08:08,910
Yes.

139
00:08:09,210 --> 00:08:09,350
Souter?

140
00:08:09,730 --> 00:08:09,950
Yes.

141
00:08:10,190 --> 00:08:10,570
Patterson?

142
00:08:10,770 --> 00:08:11,050
Yes.

143
00:08:11,370 --> 00:08:11,930
Burkhardt?

144
00:08:11,950 --> 00:08:12,110
Yes.

145
00:08:12,390 --> 00:08:12,810
Sanchez?

146
00:08:13,090 --> 00:08:13,210
Yes.

147
00:08:13,390 --> 00:08:13,710
Agnew?

148
00:08:13,970 --> 00:08:14,190
Yes.

149
00:08:14,430 --> 00:08:14,710
Seba?

150
00:08:15,030 --> 00:08:15,150
Yes.

151
00:08:16,390 --> 00:08:18,710
And two is the Personnel Policy Amendment for Merit,

152
00:08:18,710 --> 00:08:21,010
as elected officials.

153
00:08:21,010 --> 00:08:28,110
And ordinance adopting amendments to the personnel policy for the city of Bentonville, Arkansas, declaring an emergency and for other purposes, almost.

154
00:08:28,950 --> 00:08:29,230
Second.

155
00:08:29,790 --> 00:08:30,050
Second.

156
00:08:31,150 --> 00:08:31,770
Any other discussion?

157
00:08:34,290 --> 00:08:34,850
Go call please.

158
00:08:35,250 --> 00:08:35,610
McCree?

159
00:08:36,330 --> 00:08:36,510
Souter?

160
00:08:36,870 --> 00:08:37,070
Yes.

161
00:08:37,270 --> 00:08:37,610
Patterson?

162
00:08:37,910 --> 00:08:38,090
Yes.

163
00:08:38,290 --> 00:08:38,630
Burkhart?

164
00:08:38,870 --> 00:08:39,090
Yes.

165
00:08:39,270 --> 00:08:39,690
Sanchez?

166
00:08:40,290 --> 00:08:40,590
Magnum?

167
00:08:40,890 --> 00:08:41,050
Yes.

168
00:08:41,310 --> 00:08:41,530
Seba?

169
00:08:41,850 --> 00:08:42,170
Yes.

170
00:08:42,390 --> 00:08:42,530
Hook?

171
00:08:42,850 --> 00:08:43,190
Yes.

172
00:08:43,190 --> 00:08:43,390
Yes.

173
00:08:43,970 --> 00:08:47,950
Section 2, emergency clause, the need to make this change is immediate so as not to affect

174
00:08:47,950 --> 00:08:52,250
the timing of annual review merit pay increases to city employees and an emergency is hereby

175
00:08:52,250 --> 00:08:55,230
declared to exist and this ordinance shall be in full force and effect in the date of

176
00:08:55,230 --> 00:08:56,090
its passage and approval.

177
00:08:57,350 --> 00:08:57,790
Second.

178
00:08:59,450 --> 00:09:00,690
Second at roll call please.

179
00:09:01,010 --> 00:09:01,330
Anchry.

180
00:09:01,690 --> 00:09:01,890
Yes.

181
00:09:02,090 --> 00:09:02,270
Souter.

182
00:09:02,670 --> 00:09:02,890
Yes.

183
00:09:03,110 --> 00:09:03,510
Patterson.

184
00:09:03,790 --> 00:09:03,910
Yes.

185
00:09:04,070 --> 00:09:04,410
Burkart.

186
00:09:04,650 --> 00:09:04,810
Yes.

187
00:09:05,210 --> 00:09:05,390
Sanchez.

188
00:09:05,930 --> 00:09:06,270
Agnew.

189
00:09:06,670 --> 00:09:06,870
Yes.

190
00:09:07,050 --> 00:09:07,290
Seela.

191
00:09:07,510 --> 00:09:07,870
Yes.

192
00:09:08,050 --> 00:09:08,150
Hook.

193
00:09:08,150 --> 00:09:08,810
Yes.

194
00:09:10,730 --> 00:09:13,090
I need a motion.

195
00:09:13,090 --> 00:09:13,670
Second.

196
00:09:15,750 --> 00:09:16,370
Second.

197
00:09:17,750 --> 00:09:18,370
Any other discussion?

198
00:09:22,460 --> 00:09:22,940
All in favor?

199
00:09:23,380 --> 00:09:23,560
Aye.

200
00:09:24,300 --> 00:09:24,800
Any opposed?

201
00:09:25,860 --> 00:09:29,000
I need a motion.

202
00:09:39,690 --> 00:09:39,770
Second.

203
00:09:42,810 --> 00:09:44,050
Any other discussion?

204
00:09:44,050 --> 00:09:44,850
Any other discussion?

205
00:09:46,350 --> 00:09:47,310
All in favor?

206
00:09:47,810 --> 00:09:48,150
Aye.

207
00:09:48,630 --> 00:09:49,150
Any opposed?

208
00:09:49,970 --> 00:09:50,690
Passes unanimously.

209
00:09:51,590 --> 00:09:53,310
Item five is a public hearing

210
00:09:53,310 --> 00:09:55,470
and ordinance vacating new utility easement.

211
00:09:55,970 --> 00:09:58,530
This is lot 32 of college place subdivisions.

212
00:09:59,290 --> 00:10:01,570
At this time I will open the public hearing.

213
00:10:01,770 --> 00:10:05,170
Is there anyone in person or online to speak on this item?

214
00:10:10,020 --> 00:10:12,180
Seeing and hearing none, I'll close the public hearing.

215
00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:15,920
In ordinance vacating and utility easement located

216
00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:20,220
a lot 32 of college place subdivision phase 8 of the city of Bentonville, Arkansas, Benton

217
00:10:20,220 --> 00:10:21,000
County, Arkansas.

218
00:10:21,460 --> 00:10:21,780
Tell me.

219
00:10:24,150 --> 00:10:24,690
In a second.

220
00:10:25,610 --> 00:10:25,910
Please.

221
00:10:27,130 --> 00:10:27,390
Anderson.

222
00:10:27,990 --> 00:10:28,150
Yes.

223
00:10:28,470 --> 00:10:28,950
Burkhardt.

224
00:10:29,070 --> 00:10:29,190
Yes.

225
00:10:29,410 --> 00:10:29,790
Sanchez.

226
00:10:30,270 --> 00:10:30,650
Agnew.

227
00:10:30,870 --> 00:10:31,070
Yes.

228
00:10:31,310 --> 00:10:31,590
Seba.

229
00:10:31,930 --> 00:10:32,110
Yes.

230
00:10:32,310 --> 00:10:32,470
Hook.

231
00:10:32,810 --> 00:10:33,010
Yes.

232
00:10:33,330 --> 00:10:33,730
Hickory.

233
00:10:34,250 --> 00:10:34,550
Souter.

234
00:10:34,970 --> 00:10:35,150
Yes.

235
00:10:36,690 --> 00:10:37,990
I'm six in business.

236
00:10:38,210 --> 00:10:40,370
The public hearing and ordinance vacating are right away.

237
00:10:40,630 --> 00:10:41,150
This is that.

238
00:10:41,350 --> 00:10:43,270
Look at it a lot too of groundhog edition.

239
00:10:45,490 --> 00:10:47,190
This time I'll open the public hearing.

240
00:10:47,190 --> 00:10:51,150
Is there anyone online or in person to speak on this item in

241
00:10:54,090 --> 00:10:56,070
hearing? I will close the public hearing

242
00:10:56,630 --> 00:11:01,770
in ordinance vacating a utility easement located a lot to a groundhog edition of the city of

243
00:11:01,770 --> 00:11:05,250
Bentonville, Arkansas, Benton County, Arkansas. Second.

244
00:11:05,250 --> 00:11:05,530
Okay.

245
00:11:06,570 --> 00:11:07,650
I'm going to second.

246
00:11:08,330 --> 00:11:09,870
Mark Hart?

247
00:11:10,170 --> 00:11:10,370
Yes.

248
00:11:10,590 --> 00:11:11,850
Sanchez, Agnew?

249
00:11:12,090 --> 00:11:12,350
Yes.

250
00:11:12,610 --> 00:11:12,850
Siba?

251
00:11:13,250 --> 00:11:13,490
Yes.

252
00:11:13,690 --> 00:11:13,790
Hook?

253
00:11:14,190 --> 00:11:14,410
Yes.

254
00:11:14,670 --> 00:11:14,930
DeCree?

255
00:11:15,110 --> 00:11:15,290
Yes.

256
00:11:15,490 --> 00:11:15,710
Souter?

257
00:11:15,990 --> 00:11:16,150
Yes.

258
00:11:16,390 --> 00:11:16,750
Patterson?

259
00:11:17,050 --> 00:11:17,310
Yes.

260
00:11:18,890 --> 00:11:22,330
Item seven is setting a public hearing for Utility Easement.

261
00:11:22,490 --> 00:11:26,670
This is located at Block 9, Lot 2 of Dogwood Place Subdivision.

262
00:11:27,150 --> 00:11:29,570
And the City Council for the City of Bittonville, Arkansas.

263
00:11:30,870 --> 00:11:31,390
Okay.

264
00:11:32,010 --> 00:11:33,110
With a motion and a second.

265
00:11:33,310 --> 00:11:33,870
Any other discussions?

266
00:11:33,870 --> 00:11:42,970
questions? All in favor? Any opposed? That's unanimously. Item 8 is the R-DOT state aid

267
00:11:42,970 --> 00:11:46,830
program for street reconstruction and resurfacing. This is allowing the mayor and city clerk to

268
00:11:46,830 --> 00:11:53,810
enter into an agreement for project C04026 through the R-DOT state aid program for street

269
00:11:53,810 --> 00:11:59,830
reconstruction and resurfacing. A resolution expressing the willingness of the city of

270
00:11:59,830 --> 00:12:07,450
bill to utilize state and street monies for the following city project motion in a second.

271
00:12:07,710 --> 00:12:12,410
Any other discussion? All in favor? Any opposed?

272
00:12:13,630 --> 00:12:21,210
Uses unanimously. Item nine is ordinance establishing the 2024 record fees and ordinance establishing

273
00:12:21,210 --> 00:12:26,870
the 2024 Bentonville Parks and Recreation fees and for other purposes second motion

274
00:12:26,870 --> 00:12:28,670
in a second, is there any other discussion?

275
00:12:31,170 --> 00:12:31,990
We'll call please.

276
00:12:32,610 --> 00:12:40,390
Sanchez, Agnew, Siba, Hook, Siegfried, Souter, Patterson, Burkhardt?

277
00:12:40,410 --> 00:12:40,630
Yes.

278
00:12:42,410 --> 00:12:46,310
Item 10 is Resolute and Authorizing the Acceptance of a $3.5 million grant

279
00:12:46,310 --> 00:12:47,830
for the Quilt of Parks Project.

280
00:12:48,630 --> 00:12:51,670
A resolution accepting a grant from the Walton Family Foundation

281
00:12:51,670 --> 00:12:55,530
in the amount of $3,500,000 for the Quilt of Parks Project

282
00:12:55,530 --> 00:12:57,090
for the purposes of the moment.

283
00:12:57,090 --> 00:12:57,930
Second.

284
00:12:59,610 --> 00:13:00,830
Any other discussion?

285
00:13:02,270 --> 00:13:03,170
All in favor?

286
00:13:03,810 --> 00:13:04,230
Aye.

287
00:13:04,690 --> 00:13:05,830
Any opposed?

288
00:13:08,470 --> 00:13:09,350
Passes unanimously.

289
00:13:10,050 --> 00:13:13,030
Item 11 is some quality place impact fee request.

290
00:13:14,410 --> 00:13:17,030
We do have ended schedules signed up to speak on this item.

291
00:13:22,660 --> 00:13:24,000
I will call you first.

292
00:13:24,300 --> 00:13:25,800
Jeff Webster signed up.

293
00:13:25,880 --> 00:13:29,500
If you'll come to the microphone, if you can keep your comments for a few minutes or under,

294
00:13:29,980 --> 00:13:31,600
we'll give us your name and your address.

295
00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:36,000
Yeah, Jeff Webster, 331 Northwest A Street, Benville.

296
00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:40,600
So thank you for the opportunity to speak.

297
00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:49,060
I really am speaking on behalf of it as the leader of the Affordable Housing Task Force from last year.

298
00:13:49,520 --> 00:13:55,740
The project that's being presented is really a continuation of the resolution that you passed last year.

299
00:13:55,880 --> 00:13:59,060
I believe it was a 7-1 vote that pretty much all of you were in favor of.

300
00:13:59,060 --> 00:14:06,100
It's really bringing together a project that demonstrates what we talked about being a multi-family Tier 3 type project.

301
00:14:06,900 --> 00:14:15,180
So in February we met with the mayor, we met with the staff, and in good faith we went ahead and applied for the funding that would basically fund this project.

302
00:14:15,880 --> 00:14:21,640
So the developer applied for, we received $8.5 million.

303
00:14:21,640 --> 00:14:29,160
That $8.5 million goes directly to lowering the rents for Bentonville residents.

304
00:14:29,740 --> 00:14:33,540
So that's for teachers, that's for firefighters, that's for police officers.

305
00:14:34,040 --> 00:14:36,460
It's for other people that live within the city.

306
00:14:36,860 --> 00:14:38,260
So it directly lowers the rent.

307
00:14:38,860 --> 00:14:44,660
Likewise, the land was essentially provided at a discounted rate by Mercy Medical.

308
00:14:45,020 --> 00:14:46,540
I think they're here and they'll speak to that.

309
00:14:46,880 --> 00:14:48,540
Probably a million dollars worth of savings.

310
00:14:48,540 --> 00:14:56,820
That million dollars of saving goes directly towards lowering the rents for 35 years for the citizens of Bentonville.

311
00:14:57,720 --> 00:14:59,960
That piece of land then was purchased by...

312
00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:06,420
Accelerate Foundation was then donated to the project. That was a $1.3 million investment

313
00:15:06,420 --> 00:15:13,180
by Accelerate. That $1.3 million goes directly to lowering the rents for 35 years for the

314
00:15:13,180 --> 00:15:18,420
citizens of Bentonville. And so, really, the request here is that the city would join this

315
00:15:18,420 --> 00:15:24,200
public-private partnership as the fourth partner in this and bring $180,000 of impact

316
00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:29,460
fees to directly lower the rents for the citizens of Bentonville. So overall in

317
00:15:29,460 --> 00:15:34,580
summary, if you look at $180,000 and we collectively, the other three partners

318
00:15:34,580 --> 00:15:39,220
have brought $8.8 million to the table. If you talk about leverage, kind of our

319
00:15:39,220 --> 00:15:44,620
foundation thinks about that, for $180,000 we have brought $8.8

320
00:15:44,620 --> 00:15:49,840
million to the table. It's a 48 to 1 leverage for the city. If you look at

321
00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:55,060
what it does for the citizens. For the next 35 years, locked in place by the federal government,

322
00:15:55,500 --> 00:16:00,800
those rents are locked in place. It will save your citizens $21 million, the people that

323
00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:04,720
live there. And the last part, when you look at it purely from an economic development,

324
00:16:05,320 --> 00:16:09,320
we've run the math that comes from the National Association of Home Builders. It's

325
00:16:09,320 --> 00:16:14,860
an $11 million economic impact to the city. So, like we said, all along on that

326
00:16:14,860 --> 00:16:20,220
whole process, this is a win for the citizens. It's a win for the city. It is a huge step

327
00:16:20,220 --> 00:16:24,980
forward as far as what the city was out to do with that whole process. So, certainly,

328
00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:27,220
I hope that you will support this. Thank you.

329
00:16:29,420 --> 00:16:31,160
Yes, I have a clarification.

330
00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:37,620
Did you – so Mercy donated the land and then you – you

331
00:16:37,620 --> 00:16:40,880
accelerate it off. I'm a little confused.

332
00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:43,700
It's not my fault you're so moved.

333
00:16:45,180 --> 00:16:49,580
Mercy made the land available at a below market rate.

334
00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:51,420
Okay, so they didn't, okay, so it wasn't dead.

335
00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:55,840
And then Accelerate purchased it, and Accelerate donated.

336
00:16:56,160 --> 00:16:58,040
Okay, thank you for the clarification.

337
00:16:59,860 --> 00:17:01,960
Next on us I have Patrick Connolly.

338
00:17:06,380 --> 00:17:10,380
Patrick Connolly, 3305 Southwest I Street.

339
00:17:11,140 --> 00:17:14,860
I am the area commander of the Salvation Army in Northwest Arkansas and operate emergency

340
00:17:14,860 --> 00:17:18,660
shelter here in the city of Bentonville, and we have since 1997.

341
00:17:19,260 --> 00:17:23,500
Affordable housing and the lack thereof affects those that we serve incredibly.

342
00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:29,960
Affordable housing is crucial, especially for those that I serve, my organization serves

343
00:17:29,960 --> 00:17:31,240
on a daily basis.

344
00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:36,840
Part of what we do at the Salvation Army is address the individual's barriers to

345
00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:38,720
affordable and sustainable housing.

346
00:17:39,500 --> 00:17:44,340
With the clients that we interact with at the Salvation Army here in Bentonville, the

347
00:17:44,340 --> 00:17:46,980
largest barrier is the lack of affordable housing.

348
00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:53,680
And so I would encourage the City Council to take whatever steps necessary to ensure

349
00:17:53,680 --> 00:17:57,160
that affordable housing is available within the City of Bentonville.

350
00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:02,260
Affordable housing isn't just about putting a roof over someone's head, it's not just

351
00:18:02,260 --> 00:18:05,900
about shelter, it's about fostering a thriving community.

352
00:18:05,900 --> 00:18:12,960
And when individuals have stable housing, when individuals have opportunity to procure

353
00:18:12,960 --> 00:18:18,720
stable housing for long periods of time, it positively impacts your community, the entire

354
00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:25,060
community, by reducing the incidence of homelessness, increasing the workforce participation, and

355
00:18:25,060 --> 00:18:28,560
by enhancing the overall economic productivity of your citizens.

356
00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:34,860
It also contributes to a much more inclusive and diverse community for all of us.

357
00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:42,160
I would hope that the City Council would entertain this motion, this item, so that they can continue

358
00:18:42,160 --> 00:18:47,160
to make Bentonville an attractive community, a livable city for people of all income brackets.

359
00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:48,200
Thank you.

360
00:18:50,500 --> 00:18:51,720
Brock Hessing.

361
00:19:02,300 --> 00:19:03,120
Good evening.

362
00:19:03,300 --> 00:19:04,020
I'm Brock Hessing.

363
00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:09,100
I work for Signature Bank, 700 Southeast Walton Boulevard here in Bentonville.

364
00:19:09,100 --> 00:19:17,940
And I wanted to speak a little bit in favor of this as an employer, but also now as a father as well over the past week.

365
00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:29,160
The return on investment on this particular opportunity is enormous for the city and our citizens when you look at what is being asked today to come forward with

366
00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:34,000
and the investment that is coming in from the other business partners that you're going to continue to hear for.

367
00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:39,800
I thank you all for the work that you've done to get us to this part point for low-income

368
00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:43,860
housing as it relates to all of our residents, and I'm just asking that that continues.

369
00:19:44,700 --> 00:19:48,860
As an employer, one of the things that's been very difficult for some of our wage earners

370
00:19:48,860 --> 00:19:52,900
is finding a place here to live in the community in which they work.

371
00:19:54,120 --> 00:19:55,840
They're having to go out into the outside.

372
00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:57,860
They're having to travel for far distances.

373
00:19:58,520 --> 00:20:02,100
And I spoke last time about different car troubles and having to rescue them,

374
00:20:02,100 --> 00:20:07,920
But it really doesn't allow us to do life together, each step of the way.

375
00:20:08,100 --> 00:20:12,260
And that is critically important for us to have a full life together.

376
00:20:12,420 --> 00:20:17,100
And you can't have that when you have people going through in smaller communities and having that community.

377
00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:21,700
It really just interrupts and breaks that as a part and weakens that bond.

378
00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:26,260
And I think these are also great people that we want to have in our community, in our city.

379
00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:34,860
It really truly allows us to be one unit on a daily basis and to help and do life together.

380
00:20:35,860 --> 00:20:39,540
As a father, I just watched my daughter go through this last week.

381
00:20:39,660 --> 00:20:43,280
We're now empty nesters, and she came in.

382
00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:48,280
She's a graduate of U of A, a violent teacher, so she does make, you know, a lower income.

383
00:20:48,760 --> 00:20:53,520
But finding a place and having to get a like-minded roommate was very difficult to do that.

384
00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:55,680
But she couldn't afford a place on her own.

385
00:20:56,460 --> 00:20:58,360
And she came to me, and one of the things she said,

386
00:20:58,440 --> 00:21:00,200
Dad, imagine when I get married and have kids,

387
00:21:00,740 --> 00:21:02,880
where could we live affordably?

388
00:21:03,140 --> 00:21:05,080
And if I wanted to stay home, how could I do that?

389
00:21:05,580 --> 00:21:08,140
It's very difficult, and hearing that

390
00:21:08,140 --> 00:21:11,220
from a father's standpoint, that really opened my eyes.

391
00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:13,500
And literally that was just this last week.

392
00:21:13,840 --> 00:21:16,540
And a project like this would be perfect for her

393
00:21:17,120 --> 00:21:19,680
and her starting out newly married and having a family.

394
00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:21,320
So just think about that

395
00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:22,460
as we go through that as well too.

396
00:21:22,460 --> 00:21:27,760
It's not just for employer, but it's also for fathers and for daughters and I do appreciate your time

397
00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:33,120
And thank you for the work that you've done at this point and getting us here and thank you to everybody else in the room for doing that

398
00:21:33,120 --> 00:21:34,180
Thank you

399
00:21:41,620 --> 00:21:45,520
Thank you mayor. Thank you council members for allowing me to be here

400
00:21:46,060 --> 00:21:48,480
We're talking about a subject. That's no secret

401
00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:53,740
Affordable housing has been a topic for a long time now

402
00:21:53,740 --> 00:21:59,900
I have been doing affordable housing development in multiple states for almost 35 years.

403
00:22:00,300 --> 00:22:07,880
This is a problem that everyone up here is aware of and everyone wants to see it solved,

404
00:22:08,380 --> 00:22:10,200
but it's not going to solve itself.

405
00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:17,140
And the resource that I use that we work mostly with is a very scarce resource

406
00:22:17,140 --> 00:22:24,940
resource, and there has been a period of time when for probably about 10 or 12 years, none

407
00:22:24,940 --> 00:22:27,120
of that resource was used up here.

408
00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:38,320
The resource is continuing to be a scarce resource, and it will go where it meets the most success

409
00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:44,060
and the least resistance in terms of being able to complete its purpose.

410
00:22:44,060 --> 00:22:51,340
And so, I just want to encourage you to not only look at my deal from an individual perspective,

411
00:22:51,860 --> 00:23:00,100
but the long-term message that, hey, we are trying to solve the problem, and we're putting

412
00:23:00,100 --> 00:23:08,680
our money for the citizens in Bentonville here and surrounding communities to work

413
00:23:08,680 --> 00:23:14,780
because we know it's a basic infrastructure problem that we're trying to solve because it is a scarce

414
00:23:14,780 --> 00:23:23,060
resource and a couple of years ago, even, they changed the resource and said anything in Washington

415
00:23:23,060 --> 00:23:29,260
or Benton County was excluded from receiving those resources. And so it is a scarce resource

416
00:23:29,260 --> 00:23:36,300
and seeing commitment from the local community goes a long way in advocating for your citizens.

417
00:23:36,300 --> 00:23:39,220
and so I would appreciate you considering that.

418
00:23:42,160 --> 00:23:43,000
Scotty Cooper?

419
00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:49,620
Thank y'all for letting us be here.

420
00:23:50,120 --> 00:23:52,960
Scotty Cooper, orthopedic surgeon for 27 years here,

421
00:23:53,020 --> 00:23:56,280
more recently regional physician executive for Mercy.

422
00:23:56,880 --> 00:23:59,960
I live at 405 Northwest A Street right up the road here.

423
00:24:01,300 --> 00:24:05,020
I'd like to encourage your support for this

424
00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:07,720
from two perspectives, from the Mercy perspective.

425
00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:10,120
As you know, this kind of started with Mercy.

426
00:24:10,120 --> 00:24:18,020
Sister Lisa seven years ago began advocating for this and we had this land and we sold

427
00:24:18,020 --> 00:24:23,140
it for a far below market price to accelerate as you clarified earlier.

428
00:24:23,900 --> 00:24:30,300
Mercy is in particular attuned to the problem of affordable housing.

429
00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:38,120
We just like everybody else, we have staffing issues and it directly affects our ability

430
00:24:38,120 --> 00:24:42,660
to attract co-workers, the cost of living around here.

431
00:24:43,520 --> 00:24:49,040
The people want to, as has been said before, people want to live where they work and who

432
00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:50,740
wouldn't want to live in Bentonville.

433
00:24:52,040 --> 00:24:59,860
As a citizen of Bentonville, I would be proud to say that my city supported this

434
00:24:59,860 --> 00:25:01,180
effort at affordable housing.

435
00:25:01,520 --> 00:25:04,300
It's, again, it's a problem that we all talk about.

436
00:25:04,440 --> 00:25:06,220
It's a problem that's not going to go away.

437
00:25:06,220 --> 00:25:12,920
It's not going to solve itself, and this is a golden opportunity, and we really, really

438
00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:19,120
hope that we can all partner together in this one piece of solving the affordable housing

439
00:25:19,120 --> 00:25:19,520
problem.

440
00:25:19,960 --> 00:25:20,160
Thank you.

441
00:25:21,740 --> 00:25:22,880
Casey Klein-Hens.

442
00:25:26,930 --> 00:25:28,250
Casey Klein-Hens.

443
00:25:28,490 --> 00:25:35,610
I'm at 3644 West Weir Road in Fayetteville, but I promise I spend all my quality hours

444
00:25:35,610 --> 00:25:41,230
up here in Bentonville as Executive Director at the Community Development Court, Northwest

445
00:25:41,230 --> 00:25:47,150
Arkansas. And we're not party to the Macaulay Place project, but we do work in the space.

446
00:25:47,370 --> 00:25:54,270
So I understand the structure. I do, you know, do support the resolution to abate

447
00:25:54,270 --> 00:26:00,370
the impact fees. And, you know, the one point I would make is, you know, just stewards

448
00:26:00,370 --> 00:26:08,670
of the budget is that this is funding that's allocated statewide. The amount of funding

449
00:26:08,670 --> 00:26:15,810
is pretty low. It's probably less than $80 million a year that's going to the whole state.

450
00:26:17,010 --> 00:26:22,510
And the number of projects that we're going to see in Bentonville now and in the future

451
00:26:22,510 --> 00:26:32,750
is really, really low. And so, you know, considering this based on it being, you know, capital

452
00:26:32,750 --> 00:26:38,210
A, federally sourced affordable housing, I don't feel like that opens you up to a lot

453
00:26:38,210 --> 00:26:42,330
of future requests. This is really a special project that we get to see.

454
00:26:52,230 --> 00:26:54,390
Teresa Harris, maybe? I'm not sure.

455
00:26:58,310 --> 00:26:59,470
Thomas, I think.

456
00:27:00,190 --> 00:27:02,390
I tried to get Chris to help me, but didn't he help?

457
00:27:02,890 --> 00:27:03,950
No problem. Never, glassy.

458
00:27:06,870 --> 00:27:10,830
Thomas Harris, 4604, South 53rd, Rogers, Arkansas.

459
00:27:11,430 --> 00:27:13,610
I'm speaking from not only a developer,

460
00:27:14,130 --> 00:27:15,550
but I'm speaking as a resident as well.

461
00:27:15,970 --> 00:27:18,690
For me working in 10 states altogether,

462
00:27:18,690 --> 00:27:24,710
owning and operating 10,000 plus units. We travel and we are in so many places

463
00:27:24,710 --> 00:27:28,770
and coming in front of a council to say, hey, guys, as from a affordable

464
00:27:28,770 --> 00:27:34,070
standpoint, from a market rate standpoint, guys, we need the help to make sure that

465
00:27:34,070 --> 00:27:37,870
we are putting the necessary housing in place for the individuals that need to

466
00:27:37,870 --> 00:27:42,810
be there. When we talk about the whole live work play, are we really

467
00:27:42,810 --> 00:27:46,390
putting that, are we really putting our money where our mouth is and doing it

468
00:27:46,390 --> 00:27:52,530
the right way. So for me, I'm speaking in favor to say, please, I mean, for me, I remember

469
00:27:52,530 --> 00:27:55,730
coming in front of the council last year talking the same thing. After coming here,

470
00:27:55,850 --> 00:27:59,330
I was in the city of Savannah and say, guys, look at what we're doing here in Biddenville.

471
00:27:59,710 --> 00:28:04,130
This is the city of Savannah. And now here it is, I'm doing a project there, 300 units.

472
00:28:04,290 --> 00:28:07,730
That is a workforce housing project with affordable piece to it. They're putting

473
00:28:07,730 --> 00:28:12,470
6.7 million infrastructure. That's – they're just – that's for infrastructure

474
00:28:12,950 --> 00:28:16,390
because they know the meaning and they know they didn't eat that's in the city.

475
00:28:16,770 --> 00:28:22,290
So hopefully you guys are in favor and we can move this forward and move it in the right direction for the individuals that need to be there.

476
00:28:22,530 --> 00:28:23,030
So thank you.

477
00:28:24,910 --> 00:28:25,630
Caroline Horine.

478
00:28:33,070 --> 00:28:36,890
I'm Caroline Horine. I live at 4007 Southwest Hollowbrook Street in Bentonville.

479
00:28:37,870 --> 00:28:40,790
Thank you guys for all the work that you do. Bentonville is a great place to live.

480
00:28:41,330 --> 00:28:47,950
I want to say I do find it ironic that in the same meeting that we're raising rates for children to play sports or rent and park pavilion for their birthdays,

481
00:28:47,950 --> 00:28:51,550
days, we're asking taxpayers who are already dealing with record inflation to fund the

482
00:28:51,550 --> 00:28:54,650
impact fees for entities that are worth millions of dollars.

483
00:28:55,090 --> 00:28:58,850
I also believe that once you've done it, it's going to be asked again over and over.

484
00:29:00,270 --> 00:29:03,630
I want to talk about the fact, though, that I initially emailed the city on September

485
00:29:03,630 --> 00:29:08,770
6, just wanting to ask questions about any past or previous plans for buy density bonuses,

486
00:29:09,010 --> 00:29:13,050
waive, or pay for impact fees, or accelerate the process for developers, and I couldn't

487
00:29:13,050 --> 00:29:13,850
get a direct answer.

488
00:29:13,850 --> 00:29:23,050
When I sent a FOIA on November 3rd, I got no response. On November 8th and again on November 13th, I inquired again about my unanswered FOIA request.

489
00:29:23,690 --> 00:29:32,530
19 days later, November 22nd was when it was fulfilled. It was not a significantly large volume of information, and Arkansas FOIA allows for three business days.

490
00:29:33,030 --> 00:29:34,270
We just have to do better than that.

491
00:29:35,310 --> 00:29:41,110
From the FOIA, I was surprised to see that instead of giving a direct answer to me for my question about the density of bonus or impact fees,

492
00:29:41,250 --> 00:29:44,250
city officials were discussing how to handle my questions.

493
00:29:45,430 --> 00:29:49,410
And I would propose that you handle them with the truth, whether I like them or not, you should just say it.

494
00:29:50,830 --> 00:29:53,810
It was concerning to me that there were emails from people to accelerate.

495
00:29:54,170 --> 00:29:59,330
Mr. Webster telling the Bentonville Schools that he already had city approval for a 23% density bonus.

496
00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:05,620
Waving impact fees and HOV for developers in February of 2023 months prior because I hadn't

497
00:30:05,620 --> 00:30:08,300
seen where the city council had approved that and I was under the impression that you guys

498
00:30:08,300 --> 00:30:13,840
would need to. If they're the ones that are engaging in this stuff and they're misinformed,

499
00:30:13,980 --> 00:30:18,740
that's something you guys should be addressing and correcting. I wonder if residents know

500
00:30:18,740 --> 00:30:22,600
that inside of these emails that there's an intent to rezone historically single

501
00:30:22,600 --> 00:30:26,700
family or residential neighborhoods into mixed use and higher density, we want to be more

502
00:30:26,700 --> 00:30:32,280
like Austin, or that the traffic implications for this project are going to be addressed

503
00:30:32,280 --> 00:30:36,320
not just by placing a roundabout, which is fine, a roundabout's great, is by routing

504
00:30:36,320 --> 00:30:39,360
additional traffic through neighborhoods that have children, and we already have people

505
00:30:39,360 --> 00:30:41,040
running stop signs in that neighborhood.

506
00:30:41,940 --> 00:30:44,840
I would like to see the city streamline the process for building and have less

507
00:30:44,840 --> 00:30:45,300
red tape.

508
00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:49,700
The Bentonville sales tax revenue is up 26.9% year over year.

509
00:30:50,340 --> 00:30:52,200
Property tax revenue is up personally.

510
00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:55,700
Finally, I'd love to see the money return to the taxpayers to help them to afford to

511
00:30:55,700 --> 00:30:56,200
live here.

512
00:30:56,740 --> 00:31:00,800
If the city feels taxpayers should fund impact fees and density bonuses for developers instead,

513
00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:02,280
then that's something we can discuss.

514
00:31:02,800 --> 00:31:06,860
But it should be done so with transparency, not by handling or hiding information from

515
00:31:06,860 --> 00:31:08,480
residents or council members or anyone.

516
00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:10,080
Let me be clear.

517
00:31:10,200 --> 00:31:12,480
We all want to address the affordable housing issue.

518
00:31:12,640 --> 00:31:13,640
We have a problem here.

519
00:31:13,740 --> 00:31:17,380
There's no doubt about it, but the disagreement isn't how that gets accomplished.

520
00:31:23,930 --> 00:31:30,890
I just would like to address because we were, there was an allegation made of how we handle

521
00:31:31,690 --> 00:31:36,710
FOIA requests and I would like our legal pay although we send them to legal and that is

522
00:31:36,710 --> 00:31:37,190
our process.

523
00:31:47,130 --> 00:31:50,790
I've discussed with the legal and it's my understanding that we comply with the

524
00:31:52,250 --> 00:31:57,490
I haven't heard of any issue before tonight as to how many people are

525
00:32:06,160 --> 00:32:06,780
here tonight.

526
00:32:24,360 --> 00:32:29,840
I wanted to talk to you guys tonight about how Accelerate has been successful in defining

527
00:32:29,840 --> 00:32:35,560
affordable housing, making recommendations and guiding the conversation, and setting

528
00:32:35,560 --> 00:32:38,240
themselves up to be the solution to the problem.

529
00:32:39,360 --> 00:32:42,900
Accelerate uses research with statistics, numbers, and data.

530
00:32:42,900 --> 00:32:48,540
that this information comes from the park, which is an arm of themselves, Accelerate.

531
00:32:49,340 --> 00:32:54,580
They are the foremost knowledge on affordable housing here in NWA, and they are getting

532
00:32:54,580 --> 00:32:59,180
a lot of their information from themselves, so I just wanted to point that out.

533
00:32:59,800 --> 00:33:05,480
Second thing is they've been really successful in being in the driver's seat to making

534
00:33:05,480 --> 00:33:09,100
recommendations and guiding the conversation for this problem.

535
00:33:09,100 --> 00:33:15,640
Project Arrow is a work group formed to create solutions to address the affordable housing problem here in Bentonville.

536
00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:20,580
The issue is that the leader for Project Arrow is also the CEO for Accelerate.

537
00:33:21,340 --> 00:33:27,000
He has been in a position to guide all of these conversations and have influence on outcomes.

538
00:33:27,900 --> 00:33:36,100
Accelerate has set themselves up to make recommendations to the mayor, her staff, and the city council, which they've done just tonight.

539
00:33:36,740 --> 00:33:40,800
The third thing is that they've set themselves up to be the solution for the problem.

540
00:33:41,700 --> 00:33:46,520
Accelerate has done a great job in letting you know that we get federal and state dollars

541
00:33:46,520 --> 00:33:49,720
for their projects, and if we don't use it, we're going to lose it.

542
00:33:49,860 --> 00:33:52,120
And Springdale's going to get it, and Fayetteville's going to get it.

543
00:33:52,540 --> 00:33:58,380
What they've not highlighted is that they're also getting so many of our local tax

544
00:33:58,380 --> 00:34:02,560
scholars, from the Quorum Court to the Bittenville School Board, and now they're

545
00:34:02,560 --> 00:34:04,920
wanting additional tax breaks from City Council.

546
00:34:04,920 --> 00:34:10,120
No, not $180,000 more, not even $1 more.

547
00:34:10,840 --> 00:34:13,740
I would actually love to give everybody a tax break.

548
00:34:13,880 --> 00:34:20,200
I am not even for taxes, but I am not for this at the expense of the taxpayer.

549
00:34:21,320 --> 00:34:28,360
I'm singling out, I'm not normally like, I don't normally do this, but while their

550
00:34:28,360 --> 00:34:33,100
motives, I don't feel like I've been here or their actions, I feel like I've been

551
00:34:33,100 --> 00:34:34,340
a little underhanded in shady.

552
00:34:35,100 --> 00:34:37,620
I don't think this is actually, this conversation,

553
00:34:37,980 --> 00:34:40,580
is about Accelerate, let's say.

554
00:34:41,160 --> 00:34:44,740
There will be many Accelerate types of organizations

555
00:34:44,740 --> 00:34:47,700
that come to you wanting to define the problem,

556
00:34:48,160 --> 00:34:50,700
wanting to make recommendations for that problem,

557
00:34:50,980 --> 00:34:52,400
and then setting themselves up

558
00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:54,680
to be the solution for the problem.

559
00:34:55,260 --> 00:34:58,680
It's not about Accelerate or those types of organizations.

560
00:34:59,160 --> 00:35:02,660
It's about your philosophy of governing government

561
00:35:02,660 --> 00:35:04,620
on how to address these problems.

562
00:35:05,200 --> 00:35:07,240
Bigger government, more bureaucracy,

563
00:35:07,580 --> 00:35:10,000
and free money is often the knee-jerk reaction

564
00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:11,820
but is rarely the answer.

565
00:35:12,600 --> 00:35:15,220
If it's a problem that government needs to address,

566
00:35:15,400 --> 00:35:17,680
let's find creative solutions to fix the problem

567
00:35:17,680 --> 00:35:19,720
rather than throw more tux money at it.

568
00:35:20,220 --> 00:35:23,440
Please vote no to waiving fees or bonuses

569
00:35:23,440 --> 00:35:26,220
to developers that will ultimately be passed down

570
00:35:26,220 --> 00:35:28,320
to those of us who already live here.

571
00:35:28,820 --> 00:35:29,180
Thank you.

572
00:35:29,180 --> 00:35:30,280
I

573
00:35:32,780 --> 00:35:34,540
have a question.

574
00:35:34,880 --> 00:35:42,020
The previous speaker mentioned that she requested information on November the 3rd and a couple

575
00:35:42,020 --> 00:35:42,760
of other dates.

576
00:35:43,000 --> 00:35:48,460
And it was provided on the 22nd, is that 19 days within the limit?

577
00:35:49,140 --> 00:35:53,920
Well, that's why I was going to have Bonnie come because any request I get goes to legal

578
00:35:53,920 --> 00:36:01,540
and then they have to have IT pool at all so she can give you the timeline of it.

579
00:36:01,540 --> 00:36:02,680
Is she out there?

580
00:36:03,600 --> 00:36:04,560
Is money out there?

581
00:36:06,860 --> 00:36:07,560
So they come in.

582
00:36:08,600 --> 00:36:09,320
So they come in.

583
00:36:13,580 --> 00:36:15,280
There are laws that control the deadlines.

584
00:36:17,080 --> 00:36:18,520
There are laws that control the deadlines.

585
00:36:18,520 --> 00:36:19,500
They're just a point of order.

586
00:36:19,780 --> 00:36:21,620
I believe we're supposed to have all the comments

587
00:36:21,620 --> 00:36:23,080
and then have them like this morning or so.

588
00:36:24,500 --> 00:36:26,660
I don't know, but I want to clarify this

589
00:36:26,660 --> 00:36:27,960
as there's some propagation.

590
00:36:30,240 --> 00:36:31,200
It's not coming in.

591
00:36:33,240 --> 00:36:38,000
Maybe we can just continue and see where we are.

592
00:36:38,000 --> 00:36:38,840
Well,

593
00:36:43,300 --> 00:36:47,760
I know what I said I sent them to legal and so my expectation is that legal did it

594
00:36:47,760 --> 00:36:56,240
within the timeline that they I really respect that and I as a council member I'm sorry if

595
00:36:56,240 --> 00:37:00,020
the city didn't respond to FOIA in a timely manner but I want to make sure we separate

596
00:37:00,020 --> 00:37:04,700
the two issues as a topic we're discussing and voting on and there's just a question

597
00:37:04,700 --> 00:37:08,300
of whether we're appropriately responding to that as a council member I'm very

598
00:37:08,300 --> 00:37:11,840
concerned and it has nothing to do with you just I want to make sure our systems

599
00:37:11,840 --> 00:37:15,700
are in place to be timely in our response to any FOIA we receive.

600
00:37:16,480 --> 00:37:21,480
But if we could focus on item 11 on the agenda and then go back to the FOIA topic, I think there's separate issues.

601
00:37:22,160 --> 00:37:27,440
But is my understanding that these specific FOIA requests are relevant to this talk?

602
00:37:28,320 --> 00:37:31,580
They are, but they were responded to and received. I think the concern is the delay.

603
00:37:32,060 --> 00:37:38,480
But they were responded to, so I don't want us to. It's an important issue for this body to take up.

604
00:37:38,480 --> 00:37:42,660
happy to talk about it but perhaps we can proceed with item 11 and then take a

605
00:37:42,660 --> 00:37:48,040
look at the FOIA as a separate conference. Since the items from the FOIA were provided.

606
00:37:48,560 --> 00:37:52,340
And it is our policy to let testimony complete and then I'll mention

607
00:37:52,340 --> 00:37:55,600
discussions amongst us. We'll ask our staff for those.

608
00:37:56,280 --> 00:37:58,500
Okay, the next person is Cary Parronsmith.

609
00:38:02,940 --> 00:38:06,060
Good evening. Cary Parronsmith, 1200 North

610
00:38:06,060 --> 00:38:15,120
Mallard Lane, Rogers. I can walk to the Bentonville City Limits border though. I'm also a Justice

611
00:38:15,120 --> 00:38:20,520
of the Peace for District 5 and that includes Northwest Rogers and a big swath of East Central

612
00:38:20,520 --> 00:38:30,020
Bentonville. Part of the money that was that Accelerate has been using in conversations

613
00:38:32,560 --> 00:38:38,140
came through the ERA to grant money that came from the federal government. We

614
00:38:38,140 --> 00:38:44,480
granted it to Accelerate to use for affordable housing. We didn't ask the

615
00:38:44,480 --> 00:38:47,540
right questions. I don't think we would have determined that some of the

616
00:38:47,540 --> 00:38:54,480
projects that we have seen it be thrown at and named to be really

617
00:38:54,480 --> 00:39:02,080
affordable. I'm a person who utilized subsidized housing after my first marriage

618
00:39:02,080 --> 00:39:08,640
ended over 30 years ago. It was not built by a nonprofit. It was a Lindsey

619
00:39:08,640 --> 00:39:15,980
property. It's 2900 North Dixieland. And so that $100 a month meant a lot to me

620
00:39:15,980 --> 00:39:21,700
to be able to have that too. It meant the difference of whether I, you know, how

621
00:39:21,700 --> 00:39:26,280
I paid for groceries, or did we have that extra activity for my daughter?

622
00:39:28,220 --> 00:39:32,760
But here's what our community really looks like.

623
00:39:33,260 --> 00:39:35,280
Our community looks like small business owners.

624
00:39:36,380 --> 00:39:42,560
The builders and developers that build properties like these, they don't have the luxury of

625
00:39:42,560 --> 00:39:49,660
grant money coming from the federal government to sit there and come up with a bunch of

626
00:39:49,660 --> 00:39:49,880
numbers.

627
00:39:49,880 --> 00:39:53,000
The average taxpayer does not care about any of these numbers.

628
00:39:53,120 --> 00:39:57,460
They want to know if they can pay their bills and how much their property tax increase.

629
00:39:57,940 --> 00:40:12,860
I get that we pray at the altar of sales tax and property tax receipts to wave these impact fees

630
00:40:13,380 --> 00:40:18,560
is completely discriminating against all of our builders and developers out there.

631
00:40:18,560 --> 00:40:23,300
We shouldn't give them – we shouldn't give Accelerate or any of these other projects

632
00:40:23,300 --> 00:40:30,200
or their other business partners who will profit from this project, we should not be giving

633
00:40:30,200 --> 00:40:35,580
them a competitive advantage over all of the other business owners that build and develop

634
00:40:35,580 --> 00:40:36,040
property.

635
00:40:38,390 --> 00:40:41,550
I just ask you to consider voting against this.

636
00:40:41,870 --> 00:40:42,030
Thank you.

637
00:40:44,250 --> 00:40:44,690
Larry Kelly.

638
00:40:55,270 --> 00:40:56,410
My name is Larry Kelly.

639
00:40:56,830 --> 00:40:59,510
I live at 1206 Collar Lane, Bentonville.

640
00:41:00,150 --> 00:41:06,470
I'm a real estate broker in Northwest Arkansas for 30 years or something like that.

641
00:41:06,970 --> 00:41:13,070
Affordable housing is an important conversation for me and has been for all of that time.

642
00:41:13,530 --> 00:41:17,450
And it's been an important conversation in Bentonville for all of that time.

643
00:41:19,630 --> 00:41:23,350
And I've seen, I've heard a lot of interesting information this evening.

644
00:41:24,170 --> 00:41:28,830
I actually participated in the work group that dealt with affordable housing.

645
00:41:28,830 --> 00:41:30,790
I was there, I don't think I missed any meetings.

646
00:41:32,530 --> 00:41:36,910
I wasn't formally a part of the work group, but I was there as a part of the public as

647
00:41:36,910 --> 00:41:39,490
a concerned realtor in our marketplace.

648
00:41:40,670 --> 00:41:45,850
And I would say that some of the last few comments that I've heard, I might have arrived

649
00:41:45,850 --> 00:41:51,070
at the same kind of conclusions had I not understood the context of that work group

650
00:41:51,070 --> 00:41:56,390
and the work that took place in arriving at these things, that it wasn't Accelerate

651
00:41:56,390 --> 00:42:01,970
Foundation, it was the work group that arrived at that information. It was the work group

652
00:42:01,970 --> 00:42:07,810
that put together solutions. It wasn't accelerate positioning themselves to profit in some manner.

653
00:42:08,370 --> 00:42:14,010
So I'm happy to have that conversation outside of this meeting, but let's focus on item

654
00:42:14,010 --> 00:42:14,410
11.

655
00:42:14,970 --> 00:42:20,470
And tonight, that's Macaulay Place. And I will remind you, as Jeff did, that we actually

656
00:42:20,470 --> 00:42:26,990
passed a resolution supporting waiver of impact fees as a component to this

657
00:42:26,990 --> 00:42:31,310
report. So it was something that's been on the table, it's been part of the

658
00:42:31,310 --> 00:42:37,490
conversation. It wasn't hidden or to benefit any particular person or

659
00:42:37,490 --> 00:42:42,730
place. It was part of the solutions to address affordable housing in our

660
00:42:42,730 --> 00:42:48,230
community. And I've got to tell you that I've never seen a more impactful

661
00:42:48,230 --> 00:42:53,690
report than what this workgroup put together. This workgroup put together a

662
00:42:53,690 --> 00:42:58,310
report that not only identifies the issue and segments how we can identify

663
00:42:58,310 --> 00:43:04,870
those affected groups, but does come up with solutions. And at this point, we

664
00:43:04,870 --> 00:43:10,370
haven't really implemented those solutions. We talked in the last workgroup

665
00:43:10,370 --> 00:43:15,070
or workgroup before last that, you know, planning has been working on some

666
00:43:15,070 --> 00:43:23,170
of those items to make the process easier, and we haven't completed that yet.

667
00:43:24,010 --> 00:43:29,330
This is the first opportunity that this council has actually had to make a difference to actually

668
00:43:29,330 --> 00:43:33,590
follow through and implement some of those things that we talked about in the workgroup

669
00:43:33,590 --> 00:43:36,250
and the report that the resolution supported.

670
00:43:36,990 --> 00:43:41,670
So why are we having such an involved conversation about this?

671
00:43:41,670 --> 00:43:46,890
it was already agreed that this was one of the things that might be considered.

672
00:43:47,870 --> 00:43:52,730
But I will tell you that I think I've identified one of the things that makes this more controversial,

673
00:43:52,730 --> 00:43:58,190
and that is it's not just a straight-up conversation about waving impact fees.

674
00:43:58,930 --> 00:44:05,070
It actually has become something about moving budget items around that complicates the conversation.

675
00:44:05,830 --> 00:44:10,810
And when that occurs, I think that that makes it more difficult to get things done.

676
00:44:10,810 --> 00:44:15,850
And so, I really don't like it in the fashion that it's being approached.

677
00:44:16,650 --> 00:44:22,390
I think that this council, whether we're talking about Macaulay Place tonight or future opportunities,

678
00:44:22,910 --> 00:44:29,370
is that they should consider waiving impact fees because it absolutely opens that pathway.

679
00:44:29,650 --> 00:44:32,470
I've been involved with GroundWorks and all of their meetings.

680
00:44:33,290 --> 00:44:39,190
And one of the questions I ask every single time is, what does the city point of order?

681
00:44:39,190 --> 00:44:43,090
We've saved three minutes. It's up to y'all if he's allowed to continue take up

682
00:44:43,090 --> 00:44:49,870
But the city is the obstacle whether we're talking about Bentonville Fayetteville or across the nation

683
00:44:49,870 --> 00:44:54,010
City is the obstacle to affordable housing in our world

684
00:44:54,510 --> 00:44:57,950
Okay, and it always is if we open that pathway

685
00:45:02,300 --> 00:45:03,460
Just in Fletcher

686
00:45:05,670 --> 00:45:16,090
193, West Wing 9 court in Fayetteville, the Accelerate Foundation. I just wanted to quickly go through a clarification.

687
00:45:17,710 --> 00:45:26,890
First of all, Jeff was invited by the mayor to be part of the housing affordability work group. He was then by his fellow members nominated to be the chair of that work group.

688
00:45:27,870 --> 00:45:34,330
The ERA $2 from Benton County are not being used for this project in any way shape or form.

689
00:45:35,790 --> 00:45:40,830
And Accelerate does not benefit or profit from any of the work that we do.

690
00:45:40,970 --> 00:45:44,070
We are a public charity. We give money.

691
00:45:44,630 --> 00:45:50,930
In fact, we are poised to invest up to $10 million in our affordable housing projects thus far.

692
00:45:50,930 --> 00:45:55,610
And thus far, and the reason for that, especially in terms of this project, is that Macaulay

693
00:45:55,610 --> 00:46:00,070
Place Units, two bedrooms, will be 700 to 800 below market rate.

694
00:46:02,500 --> 00:46:09,620
As for taxpayer money, $8.5 million is federal and state funding that city taxpayers have

695
00:46:09,620 --> 00:46:10,120
already paid.

696
00:46:11,020 --> 00:46:15,740
This request gives us the opportunity to bring that money back to the city rather

697
00:46:15,740 --> 00:46:19,780
than it going to Jonesboro, Little Rock, or somewhere else in the state.

698
00:46:20,720 --> 00:46:24,860
Really do thank you all for the work that you've done thus far and I urge you to take

699
00:46:24,860 --> 00:46:29,420
this very important next step which is the process of creating affordable housing in

700
00:46:29,420 --> 00:46:29,700
Bentonville.

701
00:46:30,760 --> 00:46:31,420
Thank you.

702
00:46:33,200 --> 00:46:33,680
Hello,

703
00:46:38,900 --> 00:46:46,180
my name is Duke McClarty, I'm a resident at 3785 Chatsworth in Fayetteville and much

704
00:46:46,180 --> 00:46:50,020
like Casey, I spend a large amount of my time here with you in Bentonville.

705
00:46:50,020 --> 00:46:56,380
So I'd like to first commend the mayor and this council for your commitment to housing

706
00:46:56,380 --> 00:46:59,400
in Bentonville as it's been previously discussed.

707
00:47:00,500 --> 00:47:06,240
The Affordable Housing Task Force took a critical first step this year in accepting the recommendations

708
00:47:06,240 --> 00:47:08,520
from the mayor and the appointed task force.

709
00:47:09,420 --> 00:47:14,040
Not only are those recommendations a catalog of best practices, but it also presented

710
00:47:14,040 --> 00:47:18,680
a roadmap for other cities in Northwest Arkansas to follow on their housing journey.

711
00:47:18,680 --> 00:47:25,460
On the Executive Director of Groundwork, we are a workforce housing focused work stream

712
00:47:25,460 --> 00:47:31,360
of the Northwest Arkansas Council and are viewing these issues from a regional perspective.

713
00:47:32,280 --> 00:47:37,260
While these were terrific first steps, the reality is Bentonville is the least affordable

714
00:47:37,260 --> 00:47:39,040
place to live in Northwest Arkansas.

715
00:47:39,740 --> 00:47:45,140
Housing prices in Bentonville have increased 98% over the last five years.

716
00:47:45,140 --> 00:47:53,080
Average sale price in Bentonville in 2018 was $255,000. Today it's over $500,000.

717
00:47:54,100 --> 00:48:03,760
For some additional perspective, and these are using rough numbers, in 2018 a household making $75,000 a year could afford a $250,000 home.

718
00:48:04,580 --> 00:48:10,280
Today the average sale price of a home in Bentonville in the first half of this year was $505,000.

719
00:48:10,280 --> 00:48:21,320
With a 20% down payment, this equates to a $3,200 monthly mortgage payment, which requires a household to make nearly $150,000 to afford.

720
00:48:22,500 --> 00:48:33,920
Are our Bentonville school teachers making $150,000 a year? Are nurses, first responders, hospitality and restaurant workers, childcare providers, bank staff?

721
00:48:34,820 --> 00:48:36,440
What about recent college grads?

722
00:48:37,180 --> 00:48:42,740
Our growth is going to continue, and with our region adding 400,000 more residents over

723
00:48:42,740 --> 00:48:47,760
the next 21 years, we're building the 2050 version of Northwest Arkansas today.

724
00:48:48,760 --> 00:48:53,700
Each of us in this room is going to benefit immensely from this continued growth and prosperity

725
00:48:53,700 --> 00:48:54,380
in our region.

726
00:48:55,000 --> 00:48:59,520
But if we don't ensure that each of our communities are available to house all the

727
00:48:59,520 --> 00:49:04,080
makeup, the fabric of our region, we risk losing all that makes Bentonville and

728
00:49:04,080 --> 00:49:05,140
Northwest Arkansas special.

729
00:49:05,500 --> 00:49:05,960
Thank you.

730
00:49:05,960 --> 00:49:06,380
Is

731
00:49:14,000 --> 00:49:15,160
all that I have signed up?

732
00:49:15,460 --> 00:49:17,420
Is there anybody on line to speak?

733
00:49:18,740 --> 00:49:19,700
Thank you.

734
00:49:22,380 --> 00:49:24,780
Lisa Lowe and Kelly Sikorski.

735
00:49:28,430 --> 00:49:29,870
If you're there, please raise your hand.

736
00:49:39,330 --> 00:49:40,870
This is Kelly Sikorski.

737
00:49:41,590 --> 00:49:45,890
I'm also with Accelerate Foundation on the board and was just here to

738
00:49:45,890 --> 00:49:48,610
observe or answer any questions if they came my way.

739
00:49:49,030 --> 00:49:53,030
I'm the treasurer, so I have, and I'm on the housing committee, so I

740
00:49:53,030 --> 00:49:55,350
have additional context if needed.

741
00:50:00,180 --> 00:50:01,100
Thanks, Dr. Hindo.

742
00:50:06,310 --> 00:50:07,630
Yeah, hi, this is Lisa Lowe.

743
00:50:07,810 --> 00:50:10,430
I'm the medical director of community health for Mercy

744
00:50:10,430 --> 00:50:11,210
Northwest Arkansas.

745
00:50:11,530 --> 00:50:15,190
And I was just here to answer any questions as needed as well.

746
00:50:15,830 --> 00:50:18,370
I just wanted to say that Mercy has been very committed

747
00:50:18,370 --> 00:50:21,190
to affordable housing for many years.

748
00:50:22,050 --> 00:50:24,750
And the name of Macaulay Place

749
00:50:24,750 --> 00:50:27,490
is actually for our founder, Katherine Macaulay,

750
00:50:27,550 --> 00:50:29,710
who's the founder of the Sisters of Mercy

751
00:50:29,710 --> 00:50:38,310
and the heritage that we have, and so we're very excited about this project and really

752
00:50:38,310 --> 00:50:45,430
excited about helping in the small way that we can with affordable housing in Bentonville.

753
00:50:45,530 --> 00:50:46,030
So thank you.

754
00:50:53,610 --> 00:50:56,390
Any other comments from the public

755
00:51:00,070 --> 00:51:02,230
discussion for council?

756
00:51:03,250 --> 00:51:07,110
Mayor, before we do that, I believe there may be an issue with council member Agnes

757
00:51:07,110 --> 00:51:10,730
Mike. I think they're having trouble hearing you out there.

758
00:51:15,150 --> 00:51:16,990
Testing. One, two, three.

759
00:51:18,310 --> 00:51:18,810
How about me?

760
00:51:20,690 --> 00:51:22,870
I can speak louder. Thank you.

761
00:51:23,610 --> 00:51:25,210
Thank you.

762
00:51:25,490 --> 00:51:25,490
It

763
00:51:30,900 --> 00:51:41,660
was my understanding we couldn't use impact these in this way. So how will we backfill our public safety needs that we've the impact these go to?

764
00:51:41,660 --> 00:51:42,660
I

765
00:51:45,990 --> 00:52:00,270
think that's a it's an important question that you raised and I raised the same question leading up to today's council meetings. So I think some of the words are confusing. We're actually not raving everything we the city of Bentonville and please defer to staff. If you want to correct this.

766
00:52:00,310 --> 00:52:10,090
We are paying ourselves. So we are moving funds from the general fund into the four impact fee funds for fire police library and parks.

767
00:52:10,090 --> 00:52:14,510
And if I am mistaken somebody that knows more that there's our I do chair our finance committee

768
00:52:14,510 --> 00:52:17,870
So I have a little bit of context on that one. Okay, so

769
00:52:18,430 --> 00:52:26,350
So there's no waiver per se. There's just a movement of funds from general funds to the for impact the accounts

770
00:52:27,110 --> 00:52:29,030
The money is not actually getting

771
00:52:29,790 --> 00:52:35,890
Outlaid to an external third party. It's getting moved from one account in the city of Bentonville to four accounts

772
00:52:35,890 --> 00:52:50,150
The study event bill would be paying for the impact for this development, but we would take him our only option at this point, because we do not have a dedicated fund would be to take it from general fund.

773
00:52:57,360 --> 00:53:04,400
The documentation of the case mentions that the rent is going to be $700 slower than the market rate.

774
00:53:05,740 --> 00:53:15,940
If that is the case, then we could be having renters that pay less than $100 based on the

775
00:53:15,940 --> 00:53:17,600
market investigation that I did.

776
00:53:17,920 --> 00:53:19,040
You don't have right data.

777
00:53:19,840 --> 00:53:22,220
You can't run a place in Bentonville for less than $1,000.

778
00:53:22,500 --> 00:53:23,040
You can pull it up.

779
00:53:23,120 --> 00:53:23,840
We can pull it up right now.

780
00:53:23,840 --> 00:53:26,600
The average is closer to 190 a foot.

781
00:53:27,000 --> 00:53:28,520
You might get one for around 160.

782
00:53:28,520 --> 00:53:36,320
but anywhere in midtown or downtown is 220, and it's at 97% occupancy.

783
00:53:37,120 --> 00:53:43,060
So your rent value, your average, you must be starting at $1,000 that's average, and that's way off.

784
00:53:43,840 --> 00:53:47,900
One bedroom, $600, available in one month.

785
00:53:48,640 --> 00:53:55,180
One bedroom, $780, available in one month, et cetera.

786
00:53:55,180 --> 00:53:58,540
And that is data that I collected yesterday.

787
00:53:59,360 --> 00:54:05,220
So my question is, if the rent is going to be reduced by $700, what is the value that

788
00:54:05,220 --> 00:54:11,140
it is being considered, the market value at that moment, if it is going to be reduced

789
00:54:11,140 --> 00:54:11,860
by $700?

790
00:54:14,070 --> 00:54:14,750
You may know, Bill.

791
00:54:15,190 --> 00:54:18,670
Well, during our task force, you knew we're joining us in many of the task force discussion

792
00:54:18,670 --> 00:54:24,210
as we use both census data and our own economic data and our yearly development data

793
00:54:24,210 --> 00:54:29,550
data, as well as market statistics from both the Board of Relators and MLS to bring our

794
00:54:29,550 --> 00:54:33,250
data current, and we've been bringing it current on a bi-yearly basis.

795
00:54:34,070 --> 00:54:38,790
So I'm using data, and I think the others are using data, that is current marketplace

796
00:54:38,790 --> 00:54:43,570
data that's in the MLS currently, and they say that they're going to bring the value

797
00:54:43,570 --> 00:54:45,250
700 below market rate.

798
00:54:45,530 --> 00:54:49,550
The market rate may be 1600, it may be 1400.

799
00:54:49,550 --> 00:54:58,530
But because of all the donations and all the the waterfall of capital that's coming into this that is coming from all these different sources

800
00:54:58,530 --> 00:55:05,430
They're able to lower the rents below that and so when he says he's coming down seven hundred dollars below market

801
00:55:05,430 --> 00:55:11,450
He's taking a current snapshot at the MLS of all the rentals available in Bentonville and

802
00:55:11,970 --> 00:55:18,170
Saying okay, what is the average rent and how do we get all of these rents down into that third and second tier that?

803
00:55:18,170 --> 00:55:20,810
that we all wanted to get affordable housing in,

804
00:55:21,070 --> 00:55:23,090
and the way to do it was take collectively

805
00:55:23,090 --> 00:55:25,550
all the opportunities and all the donations

806
00:55:25,890 --> 00:55:27,210
from all these third parties

807
00:55:27,210 --> 00:55:29,390
to be able to lower the rent to get into that

808
00:55:29,390 --> 00:55:30,910
because I wanna remind everybody,

809
00:55:31,290 --> 00:55:33,910
this isn't for-profit possibility.

810
00:55:34,510 --> 00:55:36,150
This is below market rate,

811
00:55:36,210 --> 00:55:38,490
and it cannot be built for-profit

812
00:55:38,490 --> 00:55:39,570
unless you have subsidies,

813
00:55:39,810 --> 00:55:42,290
whether it's tax credits, donations or anything.

814
00:55:42,570 --> 00:55:44,410
We're not talking about, I heard a comment earlier

815
00:55:44,410 --> 00:55:47,230
that this is taking advantage of other builders.

816
00:55:47,230 --> 00:55:49,490
I can't build anything below market.

817
00:55:50,010 --> 00:55:53,310
Neither can anybody else unless there's just waterfall

818
00:55:53,310 --> 00:55:55,950
or opportunities of multiple people donating

819
00:55:55,950 --> 00:55:59,110
and understanding that without it we can get there.

820
00:55:59,350 --> 00:56:01,750
So there's no competition in the marketplace

821
00:56:01,750 --> 00:56:03,390
because zero is being built.

822
00:56:04,870 --> 00:56:06,810
Zero is being built.

823
00:56:07,170 --> 00:56:10,830
At that price point, to be below market at that price

824
00:56:10,830 --> 00:56:15,350
is impossible for anybody for profit to produce.

825
00:56:15,350 --> 00:56:17,650
So it's impossible to reach.

826
00:56:17,810 --> 00:56:22,850
I would also just offer the nuance of a studio, a one bedroom and a two bedroom, because I

827
00:56:22,850 --> 00:56:28,510
think in correct if this is wrong, the mention of 700 below market was a reference to a two bedroom,

828
00:56:28,690 --> 00:56:31,850
and you cannot find a two bedroom on the market in Bentonville.

829
00:56:32,290 --> 00:56:35,810
Bedroom 700 dollars available in January.

830
00:56:36,690 --> 00:56:37,070
Two bedroom.

831
00:56:37,410 --> 00:56:38,630
In which location?

832
00:56:39,350 --> 00:56:42,890
Like in which, because I'm actually genuinely curious if you can see property.

833
00:56:42,890 --> 00:57:08,950
because it's been. Is it a subsidized rent already? Are you sure? I just want to clarify the clarification. If the MLS, and maybe someone can weigh in on this, but the MLS does not typically have apartment rents on it. So if the MLS was where all that was drawn from, that's most likely single family homes or found homes. So just for point of clarification.

834
00:57:08,950 --> 00:57:13,590
If we have the report available, we can pull up the statistical data.

835
00:57:14,270 --> 00:57:15,130
It's on the website.

836
00:57:15,470 --> 00:57:16,950
If you would please pull that up.

837
00:57:17,210 --> 00:57:20,130
It's on our website and that is all in there.

838
00:57:20,490 --> 00:57:21,730
It's relative to market, right?

839
00:57:21,890 --> 00:57:24,790
So I mean, I appreciate very much, Councilman Sanchez, what you're saying.

840
00:57:25,090 --> 00:57:30,270
I've had a tracker on both Zillow and Apartments.com and several other websites sending me alerts

841
00:57:30,270 --> 00:57:33,410
whenever rental in Bentonville is available below $1,000.

842
00:57:33,590 --> 00:57:38,230
I've had it since the approval housing task force met and it's very rare that

843
00:57:38,230 --> 00:57:40,690
You see a unit come online and be available at that price.

844
00:57:40,810 --> 00:57:42,790
We've heard from Bill about his kids.

845
00:57:42,950 --> 00:57:44,410
We heard from a gentleman tonight about there.

846
00:57:45,150 --> 00:57:49,070
Just if you're looking for housing like that

847
00:57:49,070 --> 00:57:51,310
on a daily, weekly, monthly basis,

848
00:57:51,590 --> 00:57:54,150
there is not prolific availability in our community.

849
00:57:54,410 --> 00:57:57,010
I'm thrilled that you are able to find several listings

850
00:57:57,010 --> 00:58:00,050
in your research today, but I promise you,

851
00:58:00,170 --> 00:58:03,570
they are not readily available for families in Bentonville.

852
00:58:03,630 --> 00:58:05,430
And I hear that from constituents all the time.

853
00:58:05,570 --> 00:58:06,710
We heard that from several members

854
00:58:06,710 --> 00:58:08,150
is in the audience here today.

855
00:58:08,330 --> 00:58:11,110
So I don't, I certainly would need to pop a little bit.

856
00:58:11,110 --> 00:58:13,010
And certainly 51% of the population

857
00:58:13,010 --> 00:58:15,010
that we targeted in these three tiers,

858
00:58:15,230 --> 00:58:17,210
27% in the bottom two tiers,

859
00:58:18,110 --> 00:58:20,950
there's not, you might have a one off or two off,

860
00:58:21,110 --> 00:58:23,350
but to handle 27% of the population

861
00:58:23,350 --> 00:58:26,130
that can afford zero what we have available right now,

862
00:58:27,770 --> 00:58:29,710
this won't even touch it, it's just a start.

863
00:58:30,070 --> 00:58:33,050
So to think that we, if we have a loaned outlier

864
00:58:33,050 --> 00:58:43,330
of $700 a month, or $600 a month, are you going to take care of, what, 10,000 people, 15,000

865
00:58:43,330 --> 00:58:48,010
people that can't afford anything? We have 40,000 almost coming in every day to work

866
00:58:48,010 --> 00:58:54,550
here in our service sector in our workforce. There are about 67% in those tiers versus 51

867
00:58:54,550 --> 00:58:58,650
in Bentonville, but those are the workers that are trying at 51% transportation and

868
00:58:58,650 --> 00:59:04,490
housing costs, driving into town, filling our roads that we can't pay to build, just

869
00:59:04,490 --> 00:59:05,770
to try to work here for us.

870
00:59:06,170 --> 00:59:10,810
Number one risk, if you listen to Skylines report on their quarterly report, if anybody

871
00:59:10,810 --> 00:59:12,810
was in there, was affordable housing.

872
00:59:13,690 --> 00:59:18,070
It's our biggest risk to our economy, our biggest risk to businesses and the biggest

873
00:59:18,070 --> 00:59:18,810
risk to citizens.

874
00:59:19,750 --> 00:59:22,170
And that's been the same for several quarters.

875
00:59:22,650 --> 00:59:26,530
It's just not developers saying it, it's not nonprofits saying it, it's everybody

876
00:59:27,210 --> 00:59:28,230
saying the same thing.

877
00:59:28,230 --> 00:59:34,630
it's the number one risk that we have. And so we're talking tens of thousands of people that need

878
00:59:34,630 --> 00:59:41,750
this product. While I appreciate there might be one, I'm trying to look at 20, 30 years down the

879
00:59:41,750 --> 00:59:45,430
road and how are we going to even supply something we're doing zero about now?

880
00:59:46,370 --> 00:59:56,350
But that's a good point because looking down the road, how is the city going to afford

881
00:59:56,350 --> 00:59:58,810
and pay in this every time.

882
00:59:59,370 --> 00:59:59,970
I mean...

883
01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:00,680
That's a great question.

884
01:00:01,460 --> 01:00:08,220
I mean, not the city, like me, like, it's not going to be affordable for me to live here

885
01:00:08,220 --> 01:00:09,140
if taxes keep coming.

886
01:00:09,140 --> 01:00:13,300
I want to share something because you don't see it in the impact fee documents because

887
01:00:13,300 --> 01:00:17,400
we didn't do an economic study. We only did how much can we charge for impact fees. And

888
01:00:17,400 --> 01:00:21,840
so I would appreciate any help. Next time they want to raise fees and taxes, they'd

889
01:00:21,840 --> 01:00:26,080
go on there with us to try to pull those off because I've been trying desperately.

890
01:00:26,820 --> 01:00:29,340
So we're trying to waive something that's actually been put in there that shouldn't

891
01:00:29,340 --> 01:00:33,360
be in there in the first place. Now, that's my opinion. But I do want to talk about the

892
01:00:33,360 --> 01:00:43,780
cost. 17% of the GDP in the nation is housed. Direct impact of housing. And sales tax, property

893
01:00:43,780 --> 01:00:47,780
tax and everything else that have to do with housing are not included in any of our scenarios

894
01:00:47,780 --> 01:00:52,980
when we develop these impact dates. So I just wanted to say in Bittenville, Arkansas,

895
01:00:53,240 --> 01:00:58,840
it's well above 18.5%. I want to use 18.5%. So I got our sales tax report today.

896
01:00:58,840 --> 01:01:03,520
Okay, and so I just want to share a little bit of where we're going to get the money.

897
01:01:04,600 --> 01:01:11,300
So just in our regular sales tax, 18.5% of our production of sales tax is $4.2 million

898
01:01:11,920 --> 01:01:15,420
by housing just this year.

899
01:01:16,740 --> 01:01:21,620
In the county, it was $2.4 million just in sales tax on the initial construction.

900
01:01:22,380 --> 01:01:25,440
Now we're talking about a capital penny we're going to use for other sources,

901
01:01:25,440 --> 01:01:28,900
20 percent that we can use for other sources that we're going to try to figure

902
01:01:28,900 --> 01:01:35,600
out how to work with our water and sewer. That's 4.1 million. Now that's not

903
01:01:35,600 --> 01:01:40,380
going into what happens once they move in. Their property values increased. We're

904
01:01:40,380 --> 01:01:44,960
building almost a billion dollars worth of construction every year. 13 and 14

905
01:01:44,960 --> 01:01:48,880
percent of growth and property taxes, reevaluations, all of that is coming

906
01:01:48,880 --> 01:01:52,880
to us as well. We're not utilizing that either. So to answer a lot of

907
01:01:52,880 --> 01:01:56,980
questions, how do we come up with money? Business is given it and citizens are

908
01:01:56,980 --> 01:02:01,600
given it by paying all these taxes and we're using them for everything but the

909
01:02:01,600 --> 01:02:05,940
growth. So when we transfer money from one account to the other I would say it

910
01:02:05,940 --> 01:02:10,860
comes out of sales tax or the excess property tax or the capital penny that

911
01:02:10,860 --> 01:02:15,600
is paid by construction directly because it is directly related to the

912
01:02:15,600 --> 01:02:19,520
construction and the growth of our city and so we use those funds to

913
01:02:19,520 --> 01:02:23,480
transform because we know we're gonna have to buy future equipment for fire

914
01:02:23,480 --> 01:02:29,980
police at library those impact fees and parks we need to be putting that money

915
01:02:29,980 --> 01:02:33,360
away anyway we're not putting depreciated funds into those accounts like

916
01:02:33,360 --> 01:02:37,640
we're supposed to be doing we've been depreciating all of our assets for a

917
01:02:37,640 --> 01:02:43,600
very long time and not a cash dollars gone into the account to fund so I'm

918
01:02:43,600 --> 01:02:47,620
saying this is a start to fund some of this stuff and if we can get

919
01:02:47,620 --> 01:02:51,240
housing below market rate that nobody else can build because of all this generous donations

920
01:02:51,860 --> 01:02:56,900
that we need to take advantage of it for a sheer $186,000 when we're providing that

921
01:02:56,900 --> 01:03:00,760
construction this year alone on that project is a tremendous amount and in Bentonville

922
01:03:00,760 --> 01:03:03,480
is almost $12 million in sales tax the day it's built.

923
01:03:04,540 --> 01:03:09,520
Yeah, Holly, I do think the point you make is really important to look at how we're

924
01:03:09,520 --> 01:03:10,540
storing city funds.

925
01:03:10,740 --> 01:03:13,720
I don't know how many of you dine out in the city of Bentonville or drink in

926
01:03:13,720 --> 01:03:15,920
the city of Bentonville or buy things in the city of Bentonville, but we have

927
01:03:15,920 --> 01:03:20,080
a number of local businesses who have had to shutter their doors on jailious hours at

928
01:03:20,080 --> 01:03:24,420
various times because of staffing shortages. And what then happens built at the point

929
01:03:24,420 --> 01:03:29,020
you're making about sales tax is if a restaurant is closed all day, that is all days worth

930
01:03:29,020 --> 01:03:33,060
of loss and taxes for us. And that's harder to calculate than some of the other numbers

931
01:03:33,060 --> 01:03:36,260
we're looking at, but just anecdotally, because some of those are my favorite restaurants

932
01:03:36,260 --> 01:03:39,680
and I roll in on a Tuesday and the restaurant's closed all day. And they've got signs

933
01:03:39,680 --> 01:03:45,900
up that say, we wish we were open, but we can't find people to work here. They

934
01:03:45,900 --> 01:04:01,420
And so, you know, it's just not as simple as a dollar in and a dollar out because that loss in sales tax revenue is affecting our bottom line significantly, being able to move those workers in will allow us to put those sales tax dollars back into our general fund.

935
01:04:01,720 --> 01:04:06,960
And, and we really do have to take into consideration we we approved over 70 million dollar and we'll budget.

936
01:04:06,960 --> 01:04:17,980
We're talking tonight about 100 and I get the number 80,000. And I don't want to dismiss the importance of that dollar figure, but relative to the leverage of over 12 million and funds coming from elsewhere.

937
01:04:18,420 --> 01:04:25,060
To me, this is a very simple math problem. And I'm quite proud to see the city even considering this tonight and hopefully supporting us.

938
01:04:27,310 --> 01:04:34,010
I agree. I think we set forth on this path a long time ago. We've all sat here and agree. This is where where we're heading.

939
01:04:35,130 --> 01:04:41,530
maybe it's not perfect, but if we don't ever try it, I don't think we'll ever know whether it's going to work enough.

940
01:04:41,790 --> 01:04:48,950
And I again feel like there's $8.8 million in incentives coming our way. It's a project desperately needed.

941
01:04:49,610 --> 01:04:51,430
I feel like it's something we have to support.

942
01:04:52,850 --> 01:04:59,070
Let's talk about this for a little bit because I don't think it's just affordable housing is not just an argument for high density.

943
01:04:59,070 --> 01:05:03,190
It's also families that want to build on property they own that are already paying

944
01:05:03,190 --> 01:05:04,050
impact fees.

945
01:05:04,170 --> 01:05:08,190
They feel like they're not getting anything for it because it's such a small project and

946
01:05:08,190 --> 01:05:09,170
they feel like they're hit.

947
01:05:09,470 --> 01:05:15,410
When we were having our impact fee conversation, this council, and we briefly talked about

948
01:05:15,410 --> 01:05:19,630
lowering the impact fees, we kind of put that aside and said, we're just going to

949
01:05:19,630 --> 01:05:22,130
leave them the same way they are in the budget.

950
01:05:22,750 --> 01:05:25,710
So when I was with Habitat, we used to have money.

951
01:05:25,710 --> 01:05:32,110
We used all the federal dollars and the CBDG grants and we never got any of the fees waived

952
01:05:32,670 --> 01:05:35,850
to build our houses and we did it with donated dollars.

953
01:05:36,210 --> 01:05:41,330
I find it interesting and I'm concerned about equity and if we're going to do it,

954
01:05:41,370 --> 01:05:46,590
there needs to be a policy or certain projects and certain non-profits that we're going to allow

955
01:05:46,590 --> 01:05:49,650
everybody to participate in this program.

956
01:05:49,830 --> 01:05:53,710
But I find it interesting that we can take a grant for one and a half million dollars

957
01:05:53,710 --> 01:05:59,750
to provide e-bikes for our citizens, and we can't come up with another $180,000 donated

958
01:05:59,750 --> 01:06:02,530
for this project that our government made.

959
01:06:03,050 --> 01:06:08,170
Cindy, I think you're absolutely right, and I think if a Habitat project like that were

960
01:06:08,170 --> 01:06:12,550
to come before this body now, I know I would support what we're doing tonight from a colleague

961
01:06:12,550 --> 01:06:17,230
place, but also say it is about the money and we need to be good stewards of the money,

962
01:06:17,450 --> 01:06:22,390
but this is partially also about the city of Bentonville as an entity saying we welcome

963
01:06:22,390 --> 01:06:29,310
the development of accessible housing for our workers here in the city. And I don't think $180,000

964
01:06:29,310 --> 01:06:36,210
is too much to pay to demonstrate to our community, frankly, to our neighbor cities, many of whom have

965
01:06:36,210 --> 01:06:40,790
beat us faster to the punch in developing some of these projects to our school district who's

966
01:06:40,790 --> 01:06:45,010
already approved a project like this, to say that this body does believe in this work because

967
01:06:45,010 --> 01:06:48,630
voting this down is saying we don't. And frankly, I just find that embarrassing.

968
01:06:48,630 --> 01:06:53,870
I disagree with you. And I don't believe that that means we aren't supportive of providing solutions.

969
01:06:54,110 --> 01:06:59,750
And there are solutions. We can, as a city, take it to the voters to set up a fund that would be long-term

970
01:06:59,750 --> 01:07:05,230
that we can use like some other cities do to support affordable housing projects like this.

971
01:07:05,370 --> 01:07:10,070
It's a citizen-driven initiative. There are a lot of things we can do.

972
01:07:10,170 --> 01:07:13,410
And the mayor and I have talked about streamlining some of our planning operations.

973
01:07:13,410 --> 01:07:17,630
I know that Tyler's been working on things that we can already do that would make it

974
01:07:17,630 --> 01:07:22,850
easier and more affordable and quicker for some of these groups to build, but it can't

975
01:07:22,850 --> 01:07:24,410
just be one large project.

976
01:07:24,530 --> 01:07:26,390
It's got to be a commitment we have to all of them.

977
01:07:26,450 --> 01:07:32,190
So can we afford to donate money when the money's available in the private sector for

978
01:07:32,190 --> 01:07:33,210
these kind of projects?

979
01:07:34,030 --> 01:07:34,290
Yes.

980
01:07:34,690 --> 01:07:35,490
And I want to...

981
01:07:35,490 --> 01:07:36,110
I...

982
01:07:36,110 --> 01:07:36,830
Let me...

983
01:07:36,830 --> 01:07:36,930
Okay.

984
01:07:36,930 --> 01:07:42,330
There are about $180,000 for this particular process.

985
01:07:43,090 --> 01:07:52,690
There are 84 units, and the project has life expectancy or a planning lapse of 35 years.

986
01:07:53,150 --> 01:07:59,290
Divided by 12 months or multiplied by 12 months, that is about $5 per month per unit.

987
01:07:59,850 --> 01:08:02,830
That will be the contribution of the city.

988
01:08:02,830 --> 01:08:07,590
If we do that, this will be the contribution of the city to this particular project.

989
01:08:07,950 --> 01:08:14,170
The project is going to be, as it was mentioned, reduce the rent by $700.

990
01:08:14,990 --> 01:08:20,450
And our impact is $5 a month per unit.

991
01:08:20,970 --> 01:08:24,010
That is not too much of a concern in the number itself.

992
01:08:24,710 --> 01:08:31,010
My main concern is what is the participation of the city?

993
01:08:31,010 --> 01:08:53,070
What is the, how the city is going to resolve the problem of monitoring the compliance of this particular project? I understand that this is going to be done by the developer, not by the city, but the city still is responsible to its citizens because the citizens are providing $180,000 for this particular project.

994
01:08:53,070 --> 01:09:00,970
So the sale is responsible, if not legally, at least morally responsible for the use of those $180,000.

995
01:09:01,690 --> 01:09:07,330
How are we going to be certain that this project is in compliance based on what we did?

996
01:09:07,770 --> 01:09:12,250
And that requirement goes for 35 years.

997
01:09:12,870 --> 01:09:21,290
Now, it is not only compliance, but it is also the lack of that it is concerning, because if it is, according to the documents that I have read,

998
01:09:21,290 --> 01:09:29,150
If there is lack of compliance from the project, then it has to be a fine double the amount

999
01:09:29,150 --> 01:09:30,750
that it was given to the project.

1000
01:09:31,330 --> 01:09:33,550
So who is going to collect that money?

1001
01:09:33,750 --> 01:09:36,230
How the city is going to go about collecting that money?

1002
01:09:36,610 --> 01:09:42,390
Why do we have to be in the business of monitoring compliance for low housing projects

1003
01:09:42,390 --> 01:09:48,050
that are already supported by eight or nine million dollars by the federal government

1004
01:09:48,050 --> 01:09:54,510
and the state government and whoever government it is, if what my question is why do we have to go

1005
01:09:54,510 --> 01:10:00,730
there, engage the city, involve the city in this complicated operation while we are providing

1006
01:10:00,730 --> 01:10:04,370
five dollars a month per unit. Thank you.

1007
01:10:06,470 --> 01:10:08,790
Yeah, first off, I want to make it very clear,

1008
01:10:09,030 --> 01:10:13,270
if I vote this day on, it has nothing to do that I don't care about affordable housing.

1009
01:10:13,270 --> 01:10:21,370
I definitely care about affordable housing and at my funeral, no one will say, oh, she didn't care.

1010
01:10:21,750 --> 01:10:24,550
She probably cares more than too much.

1011
01:10:24,810 --> 01:10:34,530
But I also am confused by this whole thing because we went from, this was going to be for workforce housing,

1012
01:10:34,530 --> 01:10:37,930
then we bring the Salvation Army in and say it's going to be for homeless.

1013
01:10:39,330 --> 01:10:44,350
like, what's it going to be? What's it look like? Are we just saying things because that's what we want to hear?

1014
01:10:44,870 --> 01:10:48,490
I mean, I'm more confused now than I was when I walked in the door tonight.

1015
01:10:49,190 --> 01:10:53,190
A lot of residents of the Salvation Army are actually working full-time. You know that.

1016
01:10:53,230 --> 01:10:54,350
I know that. I serve there.

1017
01:10:54,650 --> 01:10:58,590
But I think it's incredibly important that we're respectful and factually accurate.

1018
01:10:58,730 --> 01:11:04,870
And when we talk about workforce housing, that doesn't necessarily mean people working full-time in our community are not without homes.

1019
01:11:04,870 --> 01:11:08,350
And so I just want to be really crisp that we are clear.

1020
01:11:08,690 --> 01:11:11,750
You can be both, you can be unhoused and working full time.

1021
01:11:13,370 --> 01:11:15,810
And this would provide them a path to housing.

1022
01:11:17,510 --> 01:11:19,430
I agree with so much what everybody said.

1023
01:11:20,130 --> 01:11:24,110
We do need a ordinances in place.

1024
01:11:24,630 --> 01:11:27,290
We need to have what are we agreeing to

1025
01:11:27,650 --> 01:11:28,550
and what are we not?

1026
01:11:29,270 --> 01:11:32,730
That was a year ago that we asked for those, okay?

1027
01:11:33,530 --> 01:11:35,110
But we don't have those currently.

1028
01:11:35,110 --> 01:11:44,650
The project moved on those ideals, spoke with the administration, and moved forward on a

1029
01:11:45,270 --> 01:11:52,170
application for federal funds based on that conversation, and has moved forward and received

1030
01:11:52,170 --> 01:11:57,130
the grant funds based on that, and are planning to build affordable housing with all the

1031
01:11:57,130 --> 01:11:58,850
donations that you see here.

1032
01:12:00,710 --> 01:12:05,510
I think it's very important that we bring our recommendations to the table individually

1033
01:12:06,060 --> 01:12:07,490
and vote them up or down.

1034
01:12:08,310 --> 01:12:10,290
I think we should have done that a long time.

1035
01:12:10,410 --> 01:12:11,330
I don't agree with everybody.

1036
01:12:11,450 --> 01:12:14,170
So everybody knows what we're talking about.

1037
01:12:14,590 --> 01:12:16,090
The recommendations are very specific.

1038
01:12:16,530 --> 01:12:18,990
But there may be different votes on how to handle it.

1039
01:12:19,750 --> 01:12:21,470
I agree wholeheartedly.

1040
01:12:21,850 --> 01:12:23,310
I expected those to be done.

1041
01:12:24,130 --> 01:12:27,530
And I think most people that were planning projects that take three to four years

1042
01:12:27,530 --> 01:12:32,670
plan when they heard this might be coming was thinking okay well these

1043
01:12:32,670 --> 01:12:34,970
our audiences are gonna come about we're gonna probably have these

1044
01:12:34,970 --> 01:12:39,190
recommendations done and we'll see how they come out but that's not how this

1045
01:12:39,190 --> 01:12:45,550
particular project landed and on another point you know we we have to

1046
01:12:45,550 --> 01:12:48,950
understand that because we bring Salvation Army and and other people have

1047
01:12:48,950 --> 01:12:53,810
decided to come today they're coming to show the coalition of all

1048
01:12:53,810 --> 01:12:59,690
businesses, all governmental people, all charitable groups, citizens to show that

1049
01:12:59,690 --> 01:13:04,190
this isn't just one group of people saying this is needed, this is a collective

1050
01:13:04,190 --> 01:13:09,430
group of people that has taken decades to come together and finally put all of

1051
01:13:09,430 --> 01:13:15,290
their all of their different beliefs and politics all aside and say if we all

1052
01:13:15,290 --> 01:13:19,790
pull together with these these as a start of recommendations we can make a

1053
01:13:19,790 --> 01:13:25,230
difference where it's not being done now. And so for me to see such a broad base

1054
01:13:25,230 --> 01:13:30,350
of a group of people, even the concerns, it's a topic that's difficult and I

1055
01:13:30,350 --> 01:13:35,350
understand that. Sometimes I overlook that because I've been doing this for so

1056
01:13:35,350 --> 01:13:40,210
long and I'm sorry for that. It's all I know. I've been talking politics in

1057
01:13:40,210 --> 01:13:47,250
affordable housing for almost 35 years. So I do in not to share things that

1058
01:13:47,250 --> 01:13:51,710
probably should because I'm just overlooking that and I'm sorry for that. When I see a coalition

1059
01:13:51,710 --> 01:13:57,790
that started years ago, came to the task force. I'd never met Jeff before in the task force.

1060
01:13:58,070 --> 01:14:02,670
Mayor appointed him. I met him for the first time. I had invited somebody from a bank and

1061
01:14:02,670 --> 01:14:07,410
they recommended Jeff and Jeff sent in an application the first time I ever met Jeff.

1062
01:14:08,150 --> 01:14:12,590
And he did a bang up job on the council. He didn't know much about housing at the time,

1063
01:14:12,590 --> 01:14:16,090
But we work side by side with a large group of people.

1064
01:14:16,510 --> 01:14:18,170
Many of you were in there most of the time.

1065
01:14:18,890 --> 01:14:24,050
So I think what we see here is trying to be problem solvers.

1066
01:14:24,570 --> 01:14:31,390
And I hope for my legacy that whether I win or lose, I'm always out there trying to

1067
01:14:31,390 --> 01:14:37,070
solve the problem, and right now the problem cannot be solved under the production capacity

1068
01:14:37,070 --> 01:14:39,110
that we have with those that are doing the production.

1069
01:14:39,110 --> 01:14:44,090
And so without help, getting below market rates impossible, and when you see everybody

1070
01:14:44,090 --> 01:14:50,150
participating, and we're just going to transfer money from one account to the other, for things

1071
01:14:50,150 --> 01:14:55,330
that we're going to have to buy anyway in those departments, and we get that many units

1072
01:14:55,330 --> 01:14:59,410
below market rate, I'm very excited about it, and I supported it 110%.

1073
01:15:00,000 --> 01:15:22,000
I just want to say a few things about our staff and what we've been doing with this. So when I call it, when individuals came to us about the impact of what we said, and we told it to you, we told it publicly, we said we would go and talk to our impact the consultants and ask them, can we do this?

1074
01:15:22,540 --> 01:15:23,780
They said, no, you can't.

1075
01:15:23,860 --> 01:15:24,840
You have to make the fun whole.

1076
01:15:25,340 --> 01:15:26,580
So we got the answer for that.

1077
01:15:26,680 --> 01:15:28,480
So we were doing work behind the scenes.

1078
01:15:28,640 --> 01:15:30,860
Our staff has been working their tells off

1079
01:15:30,860 --> 01:15:32,420
behind the scenes on this stuff.

1080
01:15:33,400 --> 01:15:36,320
So I am a little defensive on this

1081
01:15:36,320 --> 01:15:37,500
about what we've been doing.

1082
01:15:38,240 --> 01:15:39,780
I appreciate all the efforts

1083
01:15:39,780 --> 01:15:42,960
of our affordable housing and they've done a good job.

1084
01:15:43,280 --> 01:15:45,220
So we have been working hard on this

1085
01:15:45,220 --> 01:15:46,480
to try to understand it,

1086
01:15:46,660 --> 01:15:48,700
to try to bring some solutions to the table.

1087
01:15:48,700 --> 01:15:57,660
We also, after that conversation, one of the recommendations from the affordable housing was to get back into the CBD G funds, right?

1088
01:15:58,800 --> 01:16:03,820
Five plans have to be submitted for that. Our staff worked their tails off getting that submitted.

1089
01:16:04,720 --> 01:16:13,660
They denied one of the things we wanted to use them up before, if you remember, manholes like infrastructure for everyone that owns a housing unit.

1090
01:16:13,900 --> 01:16:15,120
They said you can't do that.

1091
01:16:15,120 --> 01:16:24,940
We also tried to ask them if we could to make the fund whole if we were to wave impact these or pay for them.

1092
01:16:25,080 --> 01:16:30,100
Can we use CBG funds for that? They told us no, we couldn't.

1093
01:16:32,040 --> 01:16:36,840
Those conversations and those actions were happening behind the scenes for all of this.

1094
01:16:36,920 --> 01:16:41,080
And we were very upfront with each and every one of you of how hard we've been working on this.

1095
01:16:41,080 --> 01:16:46,760
So, to tell us that we haven't been doing anything or to make those allegations, I think

1096
01:16:46,760 --> 01:16:53,080
is very unfair to our staff and everyone on setting up here on City Council, I can assure

1097
01:16:53,080 --> 01:16:56,400
you cares about affordable housing in the City of Bentonville.

1098
01:16:56,920 --> 01:16:59,620
We're trying to figure out how to do it.

1099
01:16:59,720 --> 01:17:01,560
I will tell you, Jeff and his team,

1100
01:17:04,670 --> 01:17:06,550
I did appoint him.

1101
01:17:06,550 --> 01:17:10,630
And each of you voted for all of those people that were appointed to that.

1102
01:17:11,670 --> 01:17:14,230
We brought the resolution in front of you.

1103
01:17:14,350 --> 01:17:16,430
You voted to have the affordable housing.

1104
01:17:16,790 --> 01:17:19,730
That was a recommendation from City Council, and we did it.

1105
01:17:19,990 --> 01:17:26,530
We've done every bit of this transparently and in front of this and trying to work toward

1106
01:17:26,530 --> 01:17:29,070
solutions, towards this.

1107
01:17:31,510 --> 01:17:36,830
So at the end of the day, we haven't been able to find a way to make the fund whole.

1108
01:17:37,430 --> 01:17:40,430
But we have been going down every avenue out there.

1109
01:17:40,550 --> 01:17:44,590
I will tell you, I got a text today by someone that's sitting in the audience,

1110
01:17:44,750 --> 01:17:49,010
and I don't know if he may or may not want me to say this, but he's smiling, so I guess I can.

1111
01:17:49,010 --> 01:17:55,970
I mean, even said, is there an opportunity for not the city but a different entity to

1112
01:17:55,970 --> 01:18:00,630
work together on a fund that would help cover impact fees on these specific things.

1113
01:18:00,850 --> 01:18:04,710
So I do think there are solutions out there.

1114
01:18:05,350 --> 01:18:10,830
We haven't been able to put together this package deal for you to bring to you because

1115
01:18:10,830 --> 01:18:12,130
it is this complicated.

1116
01:18:12,610 --> 01:18:16,990
And are we going to set, this is the question, we're setting a precedent.

1117
01:18:16,990 --> 01:18:32,990
So does it have to be a development that gets the LIHTEP or the ADFAH funding that holds them to that 35 years at that pricing that actually gives us affordable housing?

1118
01:18:33,370 --> 01:18:45,650
Because I will tell you one of the conversations is you come in with, you want different incentives and you don't actually get affordable housing at the end of it.

1119
01:18:45,650 --> 01:18:48,110
And that's one thing that we don't want to do,

1120
01:18:48,230 --> 01:18:50,990
that I've talked to other cities, that that's what they've done.

1121
01:18:51,090 --> 01:18:52,850
They've given incentives and done that.

1122
01:18:53,110 --> 01:18:58,450
So, I mean, that's the conversation for tonight.

1123
01:18:58,770 --> 01:19:03,850
But, and on that, I did take offense to the FLI and up,

1124
01:19:04,090 --> 01:19:06,110
and because our team, I send it to legal,

1125
01:19:06,310 --> 01:19:08,370
our team gets with IT.

1126
01:19:08,810 --> 01:19:10,050
They have to go through all of those.

1127
01:19:10,210 --> 01:19:12,030
They have to redact any private information.

1128
01:19:12,270 --> 01:19:14,750
So, it may not happen in three days,

1129
01:19:14,750 --> 01:19:17,270
but I can tell you that they did work to do it.

1130
01:19:17,370 --> 01:19:19,250
I think it has been provided.

1131
01:19:19,510 --> 01:19:23,310
I also asked Ms. Caroline to come to a public meeting

1132
01:19:23,310 --> 01:19:25,950
and ask your questions and let us answer them

1133
01:19:25,950 --> 01:19:26,950
in a public meeting.

1134
01:19:27,250 --> 01:19:29,510
And I'd be happy to do that for you today

1135
01:19:29,510 --> 01:19:30,850
if you would like to do that,

1136
01:19:30,850 --> 01:19:32,990
because I do believe in transparency.

1137
01:19:33,470 --> 01:19:36,230
I believe in what this city council does

1138
01:19:36,230 --> 01:19:38,370
and I believe that we're all trying to work

1139
01:19:38,370 --> 01:19:40,250
towards solutions to better our community.

1140
01:19:41,890 --> 01:19:49,250
Obviously, this is a really emotional topic and I think that there can be the opportunity

1141
01:19:49,250 --> 01:19:58,070
for emotional manipulation and I personally have to put that aside no matter how great

1142
01:19:58,070 --> 01:20:05,490
I feel about providing housing for people because it's an ideology question and for

1143
01:20:05,490 --> 01:20:13,950
For me, that question is, does the city belong in this space, and are we heading into socialism

1144
01:20:14,430 --> 01:20:16,010
with these projects?

1145
01:20:16,770 --> 01:20:24,390
I have to really weigh that, and it's not an easy decision.

1146
01:20:25,330 --> 01:20:29,810
It has nothing to do with whether I believe that I want to help people, of course I want

1147
01:20:29,810 --> 01:20:30,290
to help people.

1148
01:20:30,290 --> 01:20:39,310
I want, you know, I also have to stand firm on my personal beliefs on how

1149
01:20:39,310 --> 01:20:45,530
governments should be run. Part of this is the funds are coming back to us. We

1150
01:20:45,530 --> 01:20:49,410
should take advantage of what we've already paid for them and it's a vicious

1151
01:20:49,410 --> 01:20:56,610
cycle that is being set up for us as we continue to say, well, we've paid them

1152
01:20:56,610 --> 01:21:02,970
So we have to take them pay them anyways we have to take well this time it's going to cost us 180,000 dollars to take them

1153
01:21:02,970 --> 01:21:07,950
What's it going to cost us the next time to take them? It's a vicious cycle that we're in and

1154
01:21:10,070 --> 01:21:11,350
I have had

1155
01:21:12,750 --> 01:21:16,390
Emails and calls and texts from people on both sides

1156
01:21:16,390 --> 01:21:20,270
I'm going to make someone mad tonight, but it's not because I don't care about people

1157
01:21:20,270 --> 01:21:26,150
it is because I will stand firm on my beliefs on how government should be

1158
01:21:26,150 --> 01:21:32,190
operated in our country. I'd like to share my thoughts too that go along with

1159
01:21:32,190 --> 01:21:36,710
Becky's. I pulled up the resolution that we passed and it's a you know the city

1160
01:21:36,710 --> 01:21:40,250
council pledges to create an environment where developers will build

1161
01:21:40,250 --> 01:21:44,450
affordably priced housing and I feel like that kind of encompasses what I

1162
01:21:44,450 --> 01:21:48,570
believe government's role is. It's to create an environment and do things

1163
01:21:48,570 --> 01:21:53,670
that we can not necessarily spending tax dollars where I kind of feel like we're picking winners

1164
01:21:53,670 --> 01:22:01,050
and losers. This will help 192 people in Bentonville. I am a teacher. I have young adult children

1165
01:22:01,050 --> 01:22:05,550
that are trying to move to Bentonville. I am acutely aware that a lot of people struggle,

1166
01:22:05,690 --> 01:22:13,150
but it's a lot more than 192 people. And I don't feel that it's an appropriate use

1167
01:22:13,150 --> 01:22:21,150
of taxpayer dollars. And my other concern, reading down in the resolution, it says that

1168
01:22:22,780 --> 01:22:28,760
building in areas that have convenient access to job services and amenities. And you guys

1169
01:22:28,760 --> 01:22:35,360
have heard me beat the drum of Southwest Bentonville multifamily housing. I feel like I voted against

1170
01:22:35,360 --> 01:22:39,900
in 2021. We voted to rezone this property multifamily. I voted against it. I spoke

1171
01:22:39,900 --> 01:22:48,600
vehemently against it. I lost. And I know that it's done, but I still can't support a project

1172
01:22:48,600 --> 01:22:53,360
in an area where there is an overabundance. We are pushing density out in an area where

1173
01:22:53,360 --> 01:22:59,560
there are not amenities. There are not jobs. And I don't believe that that is inappropriate.

1174
01:22:59,980 --> 01:23:05,340
I don't believe this location is appropriate. So that's another concern for me. I also

1175
01:23:05,340 --> 01:23:09,460
So I feel like the pathway to work from this area is more Rogers than Bentonville.

1176
01:23:09,660 --> 01:23:16,560
I think we are subsidizing more Rogers workforce than we are Bentonville's workforce in this

1177
01:23:16,560 --> 01:23:23,420
particular location, which is a hard sell for me on spending Bentonville city tax dollars

1178
01:23:24,340 --> 01:23:32,920
to kind of support that kind of a pathway while I do support everyone in the region

1179
01:23:32,920 --> 01:23:42,460
And then when we're actually looking at our city tax dollars and we talk about our service workers, you know, I really feel like, you know, the infrastructure in Southwest Bentonville.

1180
01:23:42,900 --> 01:23:53,140
It's just not there and we keep building all of these huge multi family apartment complexes out there. There are no jobs out there. There are no services out there. Everyone's got to come in.

1181
01:23:53,140 --> 01:23:56,260
it's a state highway that we can't do any or state road that we can't do anything about

1182
01:23:56,260 --> 01:24:04,120
we can't get people in and you know I feel like this resolution specifically says that we

1183
01:24:04,660 --> 01:24:09,640
you know want to focus on areas that have amenities and have jobs and this isn't one so

1184
01:24:09,640 --> 01:24:15,780
that is kind of another concern of mine and in addition to kind of believing that this

1185
01:24:15,780 --> 01:24:19,920
isn't necessarily I feel like this council really stays out of social issues in a way

1186
01:24:19,920 --> 01:24:26,280
We do a really good job of making decisions that just set Bet and Bill up to be amazing,

1187
01:24:26,560 --> 01:24:28,980
and people want to start businesses here.

1188
01:24:29,220 --> 01:24:36,700
There are jobs, there are opportunities, and because we are create an environment to thrive,

1189
01:24:36,920 --> 01:24:43,520
and I believe that that is our job, not to spend money on things that, you know,

1190
01:24:43,620 --> 01:24:47,040
we're kind of just picking 192 winners.

1191
01:24:47,720 --> 01:25:02,000
So for those reasons, and even though it is hard because I very much want to provide housing for, I want everyone to be able to afford housing here, but for those reasons, I am not able to support this.

1192
01:25:04,790 --> 01:25:13,870
I just want to make one more comment. I read so many case studies. I'm tired. I was a bit four o'clock this morning still reading case studies.

1193
01:25:14,590 --> 01:25:20,610
And to be honest, throwing up apartments was not one of the successful ones.

1194
01:25:21,130 --> 01:25:25,670
One of the successful people self-help housing was amazing.

1195
01:25:26,270 --> 01:25:28,210
And there are ways to do it.

1196
01:25:28,290 --> 01:25:34,370
And I agree with whichever one of my council members that say, you can get $180,000, not

1197
01:25:34,370 --> 01:25:34,870
from taxpayers.

1198
01:25:35,190 --> 01:25:35,790
You can get it.

1199
01:25:38,610 --> 01:25:48,070
But this people self-help, there was like sweat, equity, I mean, there was some good stuff in this and it was very successful.

1200
01:25:48,650 --> 01:25:56,910
So I know there's ways. I have read way too many case studies. I have read so much on this topic.

1201
01:25:56,910 --> 01:26:06,710
And, again, for affordable housing, there is a way to get this without taxing our citizens

1202
01:26:07,430 --> 01:26:10,130
or using their tax dollars to make this happen.

1203
01:26:12,080 --> 01:26:18,500
And I would suggest looking at the people's self-help housing, because there are ways

1204
01:26:18,500 --> 01:26:19,160
to do this.

1205
01:26:19,800 --> 01:26:22,720
Holly, I totally agree with you, and I'm really glad you raised that.

1206
01:26:22,720 --> 01:26:26,960
I'm really glad you raised the fund for portable housing.

1207
01:26:27,160 --> 01:26:29,320
I will be coming back and looking at those.

1208
01:26:29,440 --> 01:26:31,200
We looked at those in the affordable work group.

1209
01:26:31,360 --> 01:26:32,900
I 1,000% agree with you.

1210
01:26:33,000 --> 01:26:33,820
We should look at those.

1211
01:26:33,980 --> 01:26:35,400
They're not on the agenda tonight.

1212
01:26:35,640 --> 01:26:36,880
Not looking at them tonight.

1213
01:26:37,340 --> 01:26:40,860
You have my commitment to anything we can do

1214
01:26:40,860 --> 01:26:44,200
as a legislator to future interventions for housing.

1215
01:26:44,560 --> 01:26:46,660
We have on our agenda a singular intervention

1216
01:26:46,660 --> 01:26:47,980
for a specific project.

1217
01:26:48,280 --> 01:26:51,080
I wish we were overrun with projects like this.

1218
01:26:51,080 --> 01:26:56,780
I wish this was going to create a precedent that obligated us to vote in the affirmative to these projects in the future.

1219
01:26:57,020 --> 01:27:05,900
But the reality is this is one project, one night here in December when we as a body not taken action for 24 consecutive months.

1220
01:27:06,060 --> 01:27:11,440
And I adore our staff. You all are brilliant. You've done Yeoman's work to move this work forward.

1221
01:27:11,720 --> 01:27:16,900
But it's kind of like what's the analogy about horseshoes, right? Like we still haven't gotten anything across the finish line.

1222
01:27:16,900 --> 01:27:26,680
And I think it's our obligation as the elected officials to make those tough decisions even when we know we want to make those decisions in different ways in the future.

1223
01:27:26,920 --> 01:27:35,240
In Hollywood, I respect that large apartment developments aren't necessarily cited as the number one example. I grew up in a development like that in Palo Alto, California.

1224
01:27:35,400 --> 01:27:39,800
It was built in a very, very similar fashion to Macaulay Place.

1225
01:27:40,260 --> 01:27:43,700
Were it not for that development, I would not be sitting here on Council today.

1226
01:27:43,700 --> 01:27:48,220
And so it is personal, as Councilman Siba points out, it's incredibly personal.

1227
01:27:48,760 --> 01:27:51,400
It just wants to think about the opportunity cost lost.

1228
01:27:51,800 --> 01:27:56,860
If we don't make this investment now, because there are kids in our community that need this housing,

1229
01:27:57,160 --> 01:28:01,960
that need the opportunity to access Bentonville Public Schools and some of the best schools in the state of Arkansas.

1230
01:28:02,200 --> 01:28:07,380
And I just, it honestly breaks my heart to think that we're going to punt this ball further down the field and say,

1231
01:28:07,620 --> 01:28:12,080
well, for this reason and that reason, we just don't want to support it tonight. Could it be better? It could be better.

1232
01:28:12,080 --> 01:28:14,060
Can we make it better as a body?

1233
01:28:14,340 --> 01:28:16,520
I believe we can and I think we can continue

1234
01:28:16,520 --> 01:28:17,520
to improve the process.

1235
01:28:18,060 --> 01:28:19,920
I also just don't, I don't think, you know,

1236
01:28:19,960 --> 01:28:22,780
we are all elected by residents in Bentonville

1237
01:28:22,780 --> 01:28:24,360
to make these tough decisions.

1238
01:28:25,120 --> 01:28:26,660
Voting in the affirmative on this tonight

1239
01:28:26,660 --> 01:28:28,800
does not obligate us to vote in the affirmative

1240
01:28:28,800 --> 01:28:30,020
on the next project.

1241
01:28:30,160 --> 01:28:32,720
We're elected to consider and weigh the facts

1242
01:28:32,720 --> 01:28:34,640
of each project that we look at.

1243
01:28:35,000 --> 01:28:37,220
So I know, I know it's a hot topic tonight

1244
01:28:37,220 --> 01:28:38,920
and I know you guys know I support it

1245
01:28:38,920 --> 01:28:40,840
but it is deeply personal and I just,

1246
01:28:40,840 --> 01:28:47,260
I hate to see us further delaying the explicit articulation of Batonville's support of projects

1247
01:28:47,260 --> 01:28:49,480
like this that will make an incredible impact.

1248
01:28:50,400 --> 01:28:58,820
I have a question for Patrick. I may not get an answer except what is it,

1249
01:28:58,860 --> 01:29:06,160
a mirror that you put on yourself addressing the body again. But this request for payment

1250
01:29:06,160 --> 01:29:10,320
It's not part of the 2023 budget. That's why we need a budget adjustment.

1251
01:29:10,740 --> 01:29:18,500
We recently approved the 2024 budget and this type of items was not included also in 2024.

1252
01:29:19,920 --> 01:29:26,520
So could this is a question, and as I said, I don't expect a very solid answer from you.

1253
01:29:26,600 --> 01:29:31,920
But anyway, could the city provide for all the requests that may come?

1254
01:29:36,040 --> 01:29:36,720
Okay, next.

1255
01:29:36,720 --> 01:29:39,980
Next, if not, what will the limit be?

1256
01:29:40,340 --> 01:29:43,920
Are we going to set a limit in the amount of money that we're going to dedicate for this

1257
01:29:43,920 --> 01:29:44,620
type of projects?

1258
01:29:45,460 --> 01:29:47,540
That would be up to council.

1259
01:29:47,880 --> 01:29:52,080
Yes, that's what I'm saying about the mirror that you're putting onto us.

1260
01:29:52,920 --> 01:29:58,840
And then how is it going to be allocated if there are several projects that goes another

1261
01:29:58,840 --> 01:29:59,100
mirror?

1262
01:29:59,100 --> 01:29:59,600
Thank you very much.

1263
01:30:00,080 --> 01:30:05,660
Thank you very much. So those are the comments that I had in the sense of budgets and budget

1264
01:30:05,660 --> 01:30:10,440
adjustments and things like that that we are doing today. Yes, it is a unique project, and

1265
01:30:10,440 --> 01:30:16,780
we have adjusted the budget a thousand times over the year. But in this particular case,

1266
01:30:17,120 --> 01:30:24,500
it is not $20. It may be $5 million. It may be potentially $20 million if it is $2,000

1267
01:30:25,160 --> 01:30:28,840
per home, times $10,000. That's $2 million.

1268
01:30:29,260 --> 01:30:34,600
But it's $180 and it's December and we're wrapping up the end of the 2023 budget. You

1269
01:30:34,600 --> 01:30:37,760
know what we have in the city of Bentonville? We have something any municipality would like

1270
01:30:37,760 --> 01:30:41,960
to have. We have a surplus and respectfully, I haven't heard a single proposal from a

1271
01:30:41,960 --> 01:30:46,480
council member to return any of that money to our taxpayers in Bentonville. So if

1272
01:30:46,480 --> 01:30:51,320
we have it in our accounts, I'd like to see us invest it in the single most urgent

1273
01:30:51,320 --> 01:30:56,480
need that our residents have articulated not one resident or two residents but hundreds and hundreds

1274
01:30:56,480 --> 01:31:00,060
of hundreds of our residents with the many representatives that are the audience tonight.

1275
01:31:00,580 --> 01:31:05,400
So I appreciate the idea we should give it back in tax cuts. Maybe we should but nobody's proposed

1276
01:31:05,400 --> 01:31:05,920
that.

1277
01:31:08,800 --> 01:31:17,800
I think we have discussed this enough. All right. One last thing is except this is a

1278
01:31:17,800 --> 01:31:23,060
unique situation. They were under the understanding that the impact fees were going to be waived.

1279
01:31:23,460 --> 01:31:28,840
They made obligations themselves because of their understanding.

1280
01:31:30,160 --> 01:31:35,820
So, this isn't just a normal thing that they're coming to before they do a project.

1281
01:31:36,200 --> 01:31:40,000
They wouldn't be down this road this far if they didn't believe they were getting them.

1282
01:31:41,100 --> 01:31:42,200
It is different.

1283
01:31:43,360 --> 01:31:44,560
This is a big deal.

1284
01:31:45,880 --> 01:31:53,320
They acted and reacted to our discussions and in private.

1285
01:31:54,960 --> 01:31:59,900
So whether you agree or don't agree, I agree we keep our work.

1286
01:32:01,140 --> 01:32:04,280
Now we can go way off into this or not.

1287
01:32:05,480 --> 01:32:11,500
And we can decide whether, obviously, there was an action made based on what they perceived

1288
01:32:11,500 --> 01:32:18,100
to be the ability to go down this and request in their application and show that they're

1289
01:32:18,100 --> 01:32:19,240
going to get a waiver of this.

1290
01:32:20,000 --> 01:32:21,180
They didn't do that by accident.

1291
01:32:21,960 --> 01:32:23,740
They didn't do that on hopes and dreams.

1292
01:32:26,210 --> 01:32:30,450
So this is different than us deciding randomly about a future project.

1293
01:32:31,130 --> 01:32:35,470
This is people that have donated, have done all this work on a belief that that was

1294
01:32:35,470 --> 01:32:39,230
a commitment. Now I

1295
01:32:41,660 --> 01:32:46,200
say that we understand what I'm going through right now and understand

1296
01:32:46,200 --> 01:32:53,580
that people of this ability to do these projects don't do this randomly and move forward with

1297
01:32:53,580 --> 01:33:00,160
commitments with federal funds and with the showing of us waiving impact fees if they

1298
01:33:00,160 --> 01:33:01,580
didn't believe that was the case.

1299
01:33:05,220 --> 01:33:08,960
So I just want to add that level here. We're talking

1300
01:33:08,960 --> 01:33:14,140
about people that it had an understanding.

1301
01:33:17,980 --> 01:33:18,520
Can you?

1302
01:33:19,100 --> 01:33:21,180
Mayor, if you want to further explain that, you're welcome to.

1303
01:33:21,180 --> 01:33:23,600
I would like to further understand had an understanding.

1304
01:33:24,240 --> 01:33:27,980
I believe we have said all along from the options.

1305
01:33:28,180 --> 01:33:31,200
In fact, I have a memo from Tyler that kind of lays out the options,

1306
01:33:31,200 --> 01:33:36,080
which I just explained to you where the things we were asking the questions behind

1307
01:33:36,940 --> 01:33:39,200
and we brought that information to you.

1308
01:33:39,200 --> 01:33:46,760
So I don't think it is fair to make an allegation that there was something, some other understanding.

1309
01:33:47,260 --> 01:33:51,120
What we've said all along is we would ask the questions about impact fees.

1310
01:33:51,500 --> 01:33:55,940
We would ask the questions about CBD funds. And we've been told no on all of those.

1311
01:33:56,080 --> 01:34:02,220
And we have shared that information with you publicly and in conversations. So.

1312
01:34:03,200 --> 01:34:07,300
So, Dr. Tishlerby said that we could do it as well in their impact fee booklet.

1313
01:34:08,000 --> 01:34:12,700
Said we can, City Council can exempt impact fees for eligible residential products.

1314
01:34:13,100 --> 01:34:17,040
So it's clearly, we referenced our resolution at the ordinance that passed.

1315
01:34:17,280 --> 01:34:18,880
It clearly referenced this document.

1316
01:34:19,460 --> 01:34:21,420
So we have the authority to do this.

1317
01:34:22,040 --> 01:34:26,200
Well, I also think there's just, I don't think anyone's making any accusations about anything.

1318
01:34:26,280 --> 01:34:30,640
I think it's just a matter of, we have the luxury in Bentonville that people want to build here.

1319
01:34:30,640 --> 01:34:37,140
And we have a public-private partnership and a coalition of developers that acted in

1320
01:34:37,140 --> 01:34:43,300
good faith based on language we put into public domain based on resolutions and language that

1321
01:34:43,300 --> 01:34:44,080
we passed.

1322
01:34:44,540 --> 01:34:47,460
And we've talked a lot tonight about setting a precedent.

1323
01:34:47,740 --> 01:34:53,400
And I'm genuinely concerned for the precedent we do set if we don't proceed with passage

1324
01:34:53,400 --> 01:34:57,380
of this, which is actually we don't really want you to put your public-private partnership

1325
01:34:57,380 --> 01:34:59,300
and your coalition together and build an art committee.

1326
01:34:59,300 --> 01:35:09,320
Because that that is what turning this down tonight will send that very loud message into our community and you know, I know we're working hard on this. I know we all believe in addressing affordable housing.

1327
01:35:09,500 --> 01:35:17,640
I really think we have to think through the implications of sending that message into the many public and private actors who have worked to bring this proposal forward.

1328
01:35:18,020 --> 01:35:25,260
The proposal will proceed. The project's already been green light. It's getting built so on the table tonight isn't is the project going to get built or not.

1329
01:35:25,260 --> 01:35:32,660
It's does the city of Bentonville believe the project will provide an ROI or turn on investment and help our community and families

1330
01:35:32,660 --> 01:35:35,540
That's what we're voting on and I believe it does

1331
01:35:46,680 --> 01:35:52,720
Say for the council that as a human resource manager for the city of Bentonville every week

1332
01:35:52,720 --> 01:35:57,300
Literally every week when we interview candidates. It's a common theme

1333
01:35:58,260 --> 01:36:03,940
based on the wages that they earn. And I'm talking police officers, firefighters, multiple levels

1334
01:36:03,940 --> 01:36:10,580
of positions here at the city. They cannot afford to live in Bentonville. But I just want you guys

1335
01:36:10,580 --> 01:36:16,160
to be aware of that. Like it's a struggle. All of these other citizens, a lot of these people

1336
01:36:16,160 --> 01:36:21,640
have mentioned that it's hard to recruit here in Bentonville. And it's true. And we see that

1337
01:36:21,640 --> 01:36:22,780
at the city level weekly.

1338
01:36:23,100 --> 01:36:25,660
So I just want to make you aware, it's further.

1339
01:36:29,100 --> 01:36:30,640
Has the ordinance been read?

1340
01:36:31,500 --> 01:36:32,700
I've not, no, I don't.

1341
01:36:32,760 --> 01:36:34,020
All in all, it's a resolution.

1342
01:36:36,970 --> 01:36:38,750
Resolution for the city council payment

1343
01:36:38,750 --> 01:36:41,370
of the fire library parks and police impact fees

1344
01:36:41,370 --> 01:36:44,110
on behalf of housing partners three limited partnership

1345
01:36:44,510 --> 01:36:45,890
for the Macaulay police development

1346
01:36:45,890 --> 01:36:48,950
and the total amount of $178,920

1347
01:36:49,730 --> 01:36:52,010
adjusting the 2023 budget and for other purposes.

1348
01:36:54,570 --> 01:36:59,250
I'm going to ask for a real call about it.

1349
01:36:59,430 --> 01:37:00,070
Agnew?

1350
01:37:00,650 --> 01:37:00,710
Yes.

1351
01:37:01,290 --> 01:37:01,650
Seba?

1352
01:37:02,010 --> 01:37:02,170
No.

1353
01:37:02,750 --> 01:37:02,950
Hook?

1354
01:37:03,250 --> 01:37:03,550
No.

1355
01:37:04,110 --> 01:37:04,470
Acre?

1356
01:37:04,750 --> 01:37:05,070
No.

1357
01:37:05,670 --> 01:37:06,010
Souter?

1358
01:37:06,330 --> 01:37:06,750
Yes.

1359
01:37:07,270 --> 01:37:07,730
Patterson?

1360
01:37:08,070 --> 01:37:08,310
No.

1361
01:37:09,270 --> 01:37:09,670
Burkart?

1362
01:37:09,990 --> 01:37:10,270
Yes.

1363
01:37:10,910 --> 01:37:11,370
Sanchez?

1364
01:37:16,520 --> 01:37:18,700
Item 3 is our utility board.

1365
01:37:21,400 --> 01:37:25,560
There are no items from the utility board meeting, so we will go to planning meetings.

1366
01:37:25,560 --> 01:37:30,740
I didn't want interplaneting is a lot split for lots one through three of town view subdivision

1367
01:37:53,920 --> 01:37:56,980
Sorry, we've got it. Okay. All right

1368
01:37:56,980 --> 01:38:04,480
Ignorance except in a lot split of previously unflatted land creating new lots one through three of town VU subdivision to the city of Bittenville, Arkansas

1369
01:38:04,480 --> 01:38:05,420
And for other purposes

1370
01:38:10,440 --> 01:38:11,440
We'll call please

1371
01:38:12,660 --> 01:38:17,740
Sanchez Agnew. Yes, Siba. Yes, hook. Yes, agree. Yes, suitor

1372
01:38:18,360 --> 01:38:26,880
Patterson. Yes. For Cart. Yes. Item two is a lot split, lot six of Clark's second

1373
01:38:26,880 --> 01:38:33,100
addition. An ordinance accepting a lot split of part of lots 15 and 16 block six

1374
01:38:33,100 --> 01:38:38,080
of Clark's second addition creating new lot 26 block six of Clark's second

1375
01:38:38,080 --> 01:38:40,540
addition to the city of Bentonville, Arkansas and for other purposes.

1376
01:38:41,240 --> 01:38:41,760
Second.

1377
01:38:42,960 --> 01:38:45,140
Motion and a second. Any other discussion?

1378
01:38:47,080 --> 01:38:48,020
We'll call, please.

1379
01:38:48,460 --> 01:38:49,260
Agnew? Yes.

1380
01:38:49,560 --> 01:38:50,800
Seba? Yes.

1381
01:38:51,100 --> 01:38:51,960
Buck? Yes.

1382
01:38:52,260 --> 01:38:53,000
McCree? Yes.

1383
01:38:53,260 --> 01:38:54,060
Souter? Yes.

1384
01:38:54,300 --> 01:38:55,020
Patterson? Yes.

1385
01:38:55,260 --> 01:38:56,100
Burkart? Yes.

1386
01:38:56,320 --> 01:38:57,160
Sanchez? Yes.

1387
01:38:58,700 --> 01:39:01,940
Item 3 is a lot split, 19 and 18 of Osage Hills.

1388
01:39:03,100 --> 01:39:06,600
An ordinance accepting a lot split of lot 16 of Osage Hills subdivision,

1389
01:39:06,600 --> 01:39:10,620
Division creating new lots 17 and 18 of Osage Hill subdivision to the city of

1390
01:39:10,620 --> 01:39:16,040
Arkansas and for other purposes only second motion in a second any other

1391
01:39:16,040 --> 01:39:16,480
discussion

1392
01:39:19,170 --> 01:39:26,170
Seba yes look yes decree is Souter yes Patterson

1393
01:39:26,170 --> 01:39:33,410
Burkhart yes Sanchez Agnew yes Adam four is a lot of lots one and two with

1394
01:39:33,410 --> 01:39:37,490
max alley addition an ordinance accepting a lot split of previously

1395
01:39:37,490 --> 01:39:43,250
land creating new lots one and two of max alley addition to the city of Bentonville, Arkansas, and for other purposes.

1396
01:39:47,520 --> 01:39:48,440
Sorry, can someone?

1397
01:39:49,520 --> 01:39:51,520
We have a motion and a second.

1398
01:39:51,760 --> 01:39:52,400
Any other discussion?

1399
01:39:53,820 --> 01:39:54,860
Real call, please.

1400
01:39:55,280 --> 01:39:55,780
Yes.

1401
01:39:56,760 --> 01:39:57,060
Yes.

1402
01:39:57,060 --> 01:39:57,380
Yes.

1403
01:39:57,600 --> 01:39:57,860
Yes.

1404
01:39:58,880 --> 01:39:59,180
Patterson?

1405
01:39:59,460 --> 01:39:59,480
Yes.

1406
01:39:59,800 --> 01:40:00,180
Burkart?

1407
01:40:00,460 --> 01:40:00,640
Yes.

1408
01:40:00,940 --> 01:40:01,320
Sanchez?

1409
01:40:02,080 --> 01:40:02,220
Agnew?

1410
01:40:02,540 --> 01:40:02,680
Yes.

1411
01:40:02,900 --> 01:40:03,200
Seba?

1412
01:40:03,480 --> 01:40:03,780
Yes.

1413
01:40:05,000 --> 01:40:09,720
Item five is a lot split, lot 17, block 16 of Deming Second Edition.

1414
01:40:10,240 --> 01:40:15,800
An ordinance accepting a lot split of parts of lots 10 through 12, block 16 of Deming Second Edition,

1415
01:40:15,920 --> 01:40:21,640
creating new lot 17, block 16 of Deming Second Edition to the City of Arkansas for other purposes.

1416
01:40:22,120 --> 01:40:22,140
Second.

1417
01:40:23,660 --> 01:40:25,880
We have a motion and a second. Any other discussion?

1418
01:40:29,500 --> 01:40:30,080
Roll call, please.

1419
01:40:30,600 --> 01:40:30,920
Acre?

1420
01:40:31,180 --> 01:40:31,400
Yes.

1421
01:40:31,600 --> 01:40:31,840
Souter?

1422
01:40:32,160 --> 01:40:32,400
Yes.

1423
01:40:32,660 --> 01:40:33,040
Patterson?

1424
01:40:33,040 --> 01:40:33,400
Yes.

1425
01:40:33,520 --> 01:40:34,000
Burkhart?

1426
01:40:34,280 --> 01:40:34,480
Yes.

1427
01:40:34,720 --> 01:40:35,140
Sanchez?

1428
01:40:35,360 --> 01:40:35,500
Yes.

1429
01:40:35,720 --> 01:40:35,960
Agnew?

1430
01:40:36,180 --> 01:40:36,400
Yes.

1431
01:40:36,640 --> 01:40:36,920
Seba?

1432
01:40:37,160 --> 01:40:37,500
Yes.

1433
01:40:37,760 --> 01:40:37,960
Huck?

1434
01:40:38,340 --> 01:40:38,700
Yes.

1435
01:40:39,620 --> 01:40:44,180
Item 6, the Lots 4 and 5 of McKee Hands 3rd Edition.

1436
01:40:45,000 --> 01:40:49,940
The Norton is accepting a lots split of lots 1A and 2 of McKee Hands 3rd Edition,

1437
01:40:50,060 --> 01:40:54,000
creating new Lots 4 and 5 of McKee Hands 3rd Edition to the City of Bendville, Arkansas

1438
01:40:54,000 --> 01:40:54,920
for other purposes.

1439
01:40:55,300 --> 01:40:55,560
I'll move.

1440
01:40:56,160 --> 01:40:56,480
Second.

1441
01:40:57,280 --> 01:40:58,220
Motion and a second.

1442
01:40:58,420 --> 01:40:59,060
Any other discussion?

1443
01:41:00,980 --> 01:41:01,800
Bill Paul, please.

1444
01:41:01,800 --> 01:41:11,780
Souter, Patterson, Burkhart, Sanchez, Agnew, Siba, Hook, Ykri, Yes.

1445
01:41:13,020 --> 01:41:17,440
Item 7 is a property line adjustment of block 9, block A of orchard addition.

1446
01:41:18,360 --> 01:41:24,140
An ordinance accepting property line adjustment of block 3 and part of block 2, block A of orchard addition,

1447
01:41:24,240 --> 01:41:28,200
creating new block 9, block A of orchard addition to the city of Bentonville, Arkansas.

1448
01:41:32,000 --> 01:41:33,500
Any other discussion?

1449
01:41:34,400 --> 01:41:35,400
We'll call, please.

1450
01:41:36,020 --> 01:41:36,420
Patterson?

1451
01:41:36,560 --> 01:41:36,800
Yes.

1452
01:41:37,200 --> 01:41:37,560
Burkart?

1453
01:41:37,880 --> 01:41:38,100
Yes.

1454
01:41:38,580 --> 01:41:38,820
Sanchez?

1455
01:41:39,380 --> 01:41:39,760
Agnew?

1456
01:41:40,140 --> 01:41:40,360
Yes.

1457
01:41:40,580 --> 01:41:40,860
Seba?

1458
01:41:41,260 --> 01:41:41,420
Yes.

1459
01:41:41,740 --> 01:41:41,880
Hook?

1460
01:41:42,240 --> 01:41:42,500
Yes.

1461
01:41:42,780 --> 01:41:43,160
McCree?

1462
01:41:43,680 --> 01:41:43,920
Yes.

1463
01:41:44,140 --> 01:41:44,320
Souter?

1464
01:41:44,660 --> 01:41:44,840
Yes.

1465
01:41:46,520 --> 01:41:49,640
Item 8 is a final plot of...

1466
01:41:49,640 --> 01:41:50,140
The guy.

1467
01:41:50,560 --> 01:41:51,220
Thank you.

1468
01:41:51,660 --> 01:41:53,040
They see you.

1469
01:41:53,820 --> 01:41:58,500
And ordinance exception and final plot of four guy estates face to to the city of

1470
01:41:58,500 --> 01:42:07,460
Bittonville, Arkansas for other please second second motion is I get any other

1471
01:42:07,460 --> 01:42:16,540
discussion girl call please for cart yes Sanchez I knew yes Seba yes hook yes

1472
01:42:16,540 --> 01:42:23,640
decree yes suitor Patterson yes item nine is a land use map amendment for

1473
01:42:23,640 --> 01:42:29,140
for Adventure Church and agricultural to low density residential resolution amending the

1474
01:42:29,140 --> 01:42:33,100
city of Bentonville future land use map for a specific area from residential estate to

1475
01:42:33,100 --> 01:42:35,200
low density residential for other purposes.

1476
01:42:36,980 --> 01:42:40,240
Thank you for your motion and I'll take it in the other discussion.

1477
01:42:42,000 --> 01:42:42,620
All in favor.

1478
01:42:43,360 --> 01:42:43,600
Hi.

1479
01:42:43,900 --> 01:42:43,940
Hi.

1480
01:42:44,380 --> 01:42:44,960
Any opposed.

1481
01:42:46,100 --> 01:42:46,920
Passes unanimously.

1482
01:42:47,840 --> 01:42:52,780
Item 10 is a reason for Adventure Church from A1 agricultural to R1 low density single

1483
01:42:52,780 --> 01:42:56,160
family residential in ordinance changing real estate in the city of Bentonville,

1484
01:42:56,260 --> 01:42:59,860
Arkansas from its present zoning classification of a one agricultural or

1485
01:42:59,860 --> 01:43:06,500
one low density single family residential motion and second is there any

1486
01:43:06,500 --> 01:43:14,960
other discussion please Sanchez I knew Siba hook yes

1487
01:43:14,960 --> 01:43:15,200
Yes.

1488
01:43:15,200 --> 01:43:15,500
Siegfried?

1489
01:43:15,720 --> 01:43:15,820
Yes.

1490
01:43:16,000 --> 01:43:16,280
Souter?

1491
01:43:16,540 --> 01:43:16,720
Yes.

1492
01:43:16,920 --> 01:43:17,340
Patterson?

1493
01:43:17,560 --> 01:43:17,720
Yes.

1494
01:43:18,020 --> 01:43:18,340
Burkart?

1495
01:43:18,640 --> 01:43:19,100
Yes.

1496
01:43:20,480 --> 01:43:25,240
Item 11 is a lots level arts for lots one, two, and three of Adventure Subdivision.

1497
01:43:26,120 --> 01:43:30,300
An ordinance accepting a lot split of previously unplated land creating new lots one through

1498
01:43:30,300 --> 01:43:33,880
three of Adventure Subdivision to the city of Bentonville, Arkansas and for other purposes

1499
01:43:33,880 --> 01:43:34,480
of the family.

1500
01:43:37,040 --> 01:43:38,340
Moving motion and a second.

1501
01:43:38,540 --> 01:43:39,260
Any other discussion?

1502
01:43:41,100 --> 01:43:41,800
Will Paul please?

1503
01:43:42,820 --> 01:43:43,280
Agnew?

1504
01:43:43,620 --> 01:43:43,820
Yes.

1505
01:43:44,060 --> 01:43:44,300
Seba?

1506
01:43:44,640 --> 01:43:44,980
Yes.

1507
01:43:45,220 --> 01:43:45,340
Huck?

1508
01:43:45,620 --> 01:43:45,900
Yes.

1509
01:43:46,160 --> 01:43:46,420
Siegfried?

1510
01:43:46,420 --> 01:43:51,700
Yes, Souter Patterson. Yes, Burkhardt. Yes, Sanchez

1511
01:43:53,340 --> 01:44:00,100
Item 12 is a resolution of many see that will feature land use map for a specific area from high-density residential to downtown commercial

1512
01:44:01,260 --> 01:44:08,460
Resolution amending the city of Bentonville future land use map for a specific area from high-density residential to downtown commercial and for other purposes

1513
01:44:10,660 --> 01:44:12,840
Motion and if I get any other discussion

1514
01:44:12,840 --> 01:44:17,820
on favor. Hi, any opposed.

1515
01:44:20,580 --> 01:44:28,360
Late on the. Okay, passes. I didn't 13 is a reason PBR

1516
01:44:28,360 --> 01:44:32,820
holdings LLC from our three medium high density multifamily residential to downtown

1517
01:44:32,820 --> 01:44:38,940
edge. In the city have been saw from his present zoning classification of our three

1518
01:44:38,940 --> 01:44:42,600
medium high density multifamily residential to downtown edge.

1519
01:44:44,960 --> 01:44:46,040
Motion in a second.

1520
01:44:46,240 --> 01:44:47,120
Is there any other discussion?

1521
01:44:50,690 --> 01:44:51,270
Rocha, please.

1522
01:44:52,170 --> 01:44:52,530
Agnew?

1523
01:44:53,090 --> 01:44:53,230
Yes.

1524
01:44:53,530 --> 01:44:53,770
Fiba?

1525
01:44:54,110 --> 01:44:54,430
Yes.

1526
01:44:54,710 --> 01:44:54,830
Hook?

1527
01:44:55,230 --> 01:44:55,490
Yes.

1528
01:44:55,830 --> 01:44:56,130
Ikri?

1529
01:44:56,470 --> 01:44:56,710
Yes.

1530
01:44:56,950 --> 01:44:57,190
Souter?

1531
01:44:57,530 --> 01:44:57,710
Yes.

1532
01:44:58,030 --> 01:44:58,530
Pedersen?

1533
01:44:58,690 --> 01:44:58,870
Yes.

1534
01:44:59,190 --> 01:44:59,710
Burkhardt?

1535
01:44:59,910 --> 01:44:59,950
Yes.

1536
01:45:04,880 --> 01:45:10,040
I could give a brief reminder real quick, Mayor. I mentioned at the joint work session

1537
01:45:10,040 --> 01:45:15,360
a couple of weeks ago some of the ordinances that planning staff have been working on. We

1538
01:45:15,360 --> 01:45:20,080
are presenting those as informational items at next Tuesday's planning commission meeting.

1539
01:45:20,260 --> 01:45:26,960
I would encourage you all to listen in. I also, it went to your city council inboxes,

1540
01:45:26,960 --> 01:45:30,080
the work we've done on an affordable housing ordinance.

1541
01:45:30,740 --> 01:45:33,820
I would encourage all of you to please send me

1542
01:45:33,820 --> 01:45:37,440
or be prepared to discuss your comments on that ordinance

1543
01:45:37,440 --> 01:45:40,600
because I wanna be mindful and make sure that my team,

1544
01:45:41,120 --> 01:45:44,080
all of our city staff don't continue down a path

1545
01:45:44,080 --> 01:45:45,640
that council doesn't support.

1546
01:45:46,460 --> 01:45:47,380
So, thank you.

1547
01:45:48,710 --> 01:45:49,980
An affordable housing ordinance?

1548
01:45:50,660 --> 01:45:52,580
Yes, they went to your inbox,

1549
01:45:52,820 --> 01:45:54,700
to your city event, Vittal Inbox, Aubrey.

1550
01:45:55,240 --> 01:45:56,470
If it didn't, also-

1551
01:45:56,470 --> 01:45:58,050
at least something about the business register.

1552
01:45:58,230 --> 01:45:59,870
I just want to make sure that's not what you were referring to.

1553
01:46:00,810 --> 01:46:05,330
Is it possible to get both drafts, the one that we had been working on all the way up

1554
01:46:05,330 --> 01:46:07,150
into three weeks ago and then the new draft?

1555
01:46:08,450 --> 01:46:08,810
We can.

1556
01:46:08,830 --> 01:46:10,970
So they could have context of what everybody's been working on?

1557
01:46:11,350 --> 01:46:12,190
You can work through that.

1558
01:46:12,590 --> 01:46:14,710
I'll talk with the mayor and go from there, Bill.

1559
01:46:14,930 --> 01:46:16,010
I request that, please.

1560
01:46:19,570 --> 01:46:19,830
Okay.

1561
01:46:20,070 --> 01:46:20,690
Thanks, y'all.

1562
01:46:25,310 --> 01:46:52,340
I did want to let you know that Bonnie is going to put together the timeline on the FOI and then she will get that information to you and she said okay, so we'll get that anybody in the public as well with that we will go team we didn't have a meeting for the utility board or the library, everything is good.

1563
01:46:52,340 --> 01:46:58,320
good report. Wait, wait, I just told Taylor that I didn't give

1564
01:46:58,320 --> 01:47:02,820
good reports. So I have to give a good report tonight. Okay, so

1565
01:47:02,820 --> 01:47:06,340
don't take my I didn't say you have good report. I said you

1566
01:47:06,340 --> 01:47:10,000
didn't give a report. Hey, any report. Okay, so last week it

1567
01:47:10,000 --> 01:47:14,260
had been a while I did kind of forget it was fuzzy. But so

1568
01:47:15,660 --> 01:47:20,280
31 events in September. So many events. So much is

1569
01:47:20,280 --> 01:47:21,900
happening in Bentonville, which is really amazing.

1570
01:47:23,060 --> 01:47:27,920
Collections for A&P were up 14% in September,

1571
01:47:28,280 --> 01:47:29,300
which is fabulous.

1572
01:47:30,860 --> 01:47:34,780
We approved the budget at the last meeting, really solid.

1573
01:47:35,480 --> 01:47:37,540
The new, the mobile.

1574
01:47:39,560 --> 01:47:40,440
Visitor centers.

1575
01:47:40,520 --> 01:47:42,160
Visitor centers that we're calling it

1576
01:47:42,160 --> 01:47:43,460
has been a long time coming.

1577
01:47:43,740 --> 01:47:45,460
It will be revealed in the Christmas pray.

1578
01:47:46,060 --> 01:47:49,140
So watch for that, that's super exciting

1579
01:47:49,140 --> 01:47:53,440
to finally that is that is is ready so that'll be exciting.

1580
01:47:55,800 --> 01:47:57,400
Let's see and then

1581
01:47:57,400 --> 01:48:02,100
just a note they have an e-newsletter and they have a there's a visitor e-newsletter

1582
01:48:02,100 --> 01:48:06,960
and there's a resident e-newsletter so just like it's a tool for residents one

1583
01:48:06,960 --> 01:48:11,780
of the goals is to kind of you know it's not just people coming into Bentonville

1584
01:48:11,780 --> 01:48:15,420
there's a lot of events obviously our residents attend the events too and

1585
01:48:15,420 --> 01:48:18,100
there's so much going on that sometimes it's hard to keep track and

1586
01:48:18,100 --> 01:48:27,680
So there's a lot of really good, they have a lot of, you know, calendars and the events, but signing up for the resident e-news is kind of specifically geared for our residents.

1587
01:48:27,880 --> 01:48:39,400
So just to kind of encourage you to, you know, maybe send that out to your network or whatever, encourage people to subscribe to that because it is specifically for our residents.

1588
01:48:41,440 --> 01:48:42,220
How'd she do?

1589
01:48:42,980 --> 01:48:44,640
Chris, was that okay?

1590
01:48:44,640 --> 01:48:49,080
Okay, will you give me a good report please to Kayleen Goldsar?

1591
01:48:49,660 --> 01:48:50,920
Thank you.

1592
01:48:51,200 --> 01:48:52,320
I'm going to make this.

1593
01:48:53,640 --> 01:48:55,380
I don't remember. Hey, Greedy, how are you?

1594
01:48:56,080 --> 01:48:58,060
Nothing for me. No, no art committee.

1595
01:48:58,380 --> 01:49:00,620
I don't think I have anything since last meeting.

1596
01:49:01,640 --> 01:49:04,380
We did not have a finance committee meeting today.

1597
01:49:04,780 --> 01:49:11,040
We will have our finance committee meeting on the 12th of December and just a point of clarification.

1598
01:49:11,040 --> 01:49:17,860
Should we assume there's a resolution coming to cancel the last meeting in December or is that already you all need to vote on that usually?

1599
01:49:18,600 --> 01:49:29,320
You do it at that first meeting in December. If we look, it looks like there's not going to be anything that the finance committee, if we have a council meeting, we'll keep the finance committee meeting and it will be our second to last of the year.

1600
01:49:29,500 --> 01:49:31,540
If we cancel the council meeting, we will not have a finance.

1601
01:49:35,430 --> 01:49:40,170
Oh, we did have the kickoff meeting for the Syrian community for planning events.

1602
01:49:41,210 --> 01:49:47,590
And I just don't appreciate the tremendous work by Tyler at the meeting others as well

1603
01:49:47,590 --> 01:49:51,970
as the consultant team that's in working on that and just shameless bug for the survey

1604
01:49:51,970 --> 01:49:52,790
that's floating around.

1605
01:49:53,010 --> 01:49:59,750
If you've not had an opportunity to meet up to residents, please do and make particular

1606
01:49:59,750 --> 01:50:04,090
note that we're especially interested in increasing our response rate for residents

1607
01:50:04,090 --> 01:50:05,090
under the age of 18.

1608
01:50:06,690 --> 01:50:07,830
Looking at you, teacher.

1609
01:50:07,830 --> 01:50:09,870
Well, let me just get that in our announcement.

1610
01:50:11,150 --> 01:50:12,310
That's a great idea.

1611
01:50:12,510 --> 01:50:14,370
Anywhere that we may be able to get those responses.

1612
01:50:14,490 --> 01:50:15,030
That's fantastic.

1613
01:50:17,750 --> 01:50:20,950
Once I continue to discuss housing issues,

1614
01:50:21,110 --> 01:50:22,570
I'm going to follow up with one comment.

1615
01:50:23,490 --> 01:50:25,890
We passed the 24 budget recently.

1616
01:50:26,730 --> 01:50:30,070
And in that, we supported hundreds of thousands of dollars

1617
01:50:30,070 --> 01:50:35,170
for public transportation that is similar in context

1618
01:50:35,170 --> 01:50:40,410
to what we're talking about in housing, but a whole lot more money. We were talking tonight

1619
01:50:40,410 --> 01:50:46,450
about $8 million to 186. It's a whole lot better leverage than we're talking about with our public

1620
01:50:46,450 --> 01:50:52,610
transit, but yet we agreed to do that for some people. So I'm very disappointed this is a major

1621
01:50:52,610 --> 01:50:58,730
redirection of the affordable housing households and their recommendations. I'm not sure what

1622
01:50:58,730 --> 01:51:03,230
we're going to do based on the recommendations that we made that will assume to move forward

1623
01:51:03,230 --> 01:51:07,830
and what that's going to look like. There are many other low-lying fruits that we could be dealing with,

1624
01:51:08,570 --> 01:51:16,210
and so I hope this isn't a fruity move to doing those other recommendations as well.

1625
01:51:16,590 --> 01:51:20,490
It'll be a serious low to the city in its future.

1626
01:51:23,080 --> 01:51:25,840
Okay, tree and landscaping. We actually met on

1627
01:51:25,840 --> 01:51:33,270
November 16th, which was right after we met. One of our first major discussions was the

1628
01:51:33,270 --> 01:51:41,190
give away and some pluses and minuses. Obviously there were some obstacles that we had to look at

1629
01:51:41,190 --> 01:51:47,810
to think about for next year because our goal is to do to a year, but the location can get tricky

1630
01:51:47,810 --> 01:51:53,050
with traffic and things like that. So they're not going away, they just might move somewhere else.

1631
01:51:53,630 --> 01:52:00,850
We also, Tyler, he's not here, it's been a minute had came up with a tree preservation

1632
01:52:02,630 --> 01:52:20,930
packet and that is coming to Council I believe in January that don't quote me on that I know the time and but we we as a committee are actually reviewing it right now and going back through it before they bring to Council so I would say probably in one of the January

1633
01:52:20,930 --> 01:52:29,970
meetings that will come back to council. And then we just, at the end, it was mainly just formalities,

1634
01:52:30,950 --> 01:52:36,370
select and chair, we've had some new members, mainly just some housekeeping things though, but it's a great committee,

1635
01:52:37,130 --> 01:52:47,270
have some great new members and we actually have a new staff member that is going to be Taylor, I believe, is going to be heading that.

1636
01:52:47,270 --> 01:52:54,410
Shelly's kind of been going back and forth because obviously Christopher had left.

1637
01:52:54,950 --> 01:53:02,370
So Bailey and Shelly have done an amazing job carrying it through the year between changes in staff and things like that.

1638
01:53:03,010 --> 01:53:06,490
Just a quick question. Does it look like it's going to increase cost on housing?

1639
01:53:08,390 --> 01:53:08,930
You know what?

1640
01:53:08,990 --> 01:53:09,810
And additional staff?

1641
01:53:09,810 --> 01:53:14,710
I have it sent to me, but I have not opened it.

1642
01:53:15,010 --> 01:53:18,730
Shelly threw that out right before thanks to him, and I think gone.

1643
01:53:19,190 --> 01:53:21,810
So, but yes.

1644
01:53:22,470 --> 01:53:27,970
Holly, does the tree ordinance, the preservation ordinance have an heirloom tree clause in it? Do you know?

1645
01:53:28,110 --> 01:53:28,390
Of a what?

1646
01:53:28,610 --> 01:53:31,930
An heirloom tree or a stored tree clause in it?

1647
01:53:32,150 --> 01:53:35,670
Again, I can't read it, but yeah.

1648
01:53:35,670 --> 01:53:39,150
Yeah, you can, Shelly.

1649
01:53:39,510 --> 01:53:41,050
Tyler's the expert on that.

1650
01:53:41,050 --> 01:53:45,150
I was going to say, Tyler wrote it for, I think, a dissertation, or it was part of his

1651
01:53:45,150 --> 01:53:47,890
graduate program, so it's very thorough.

1652
01:53:48,470 --> 01:53:51,590
I would be surprised if that wasn't mentioned.

1653
01:53:51,910 --> 01:53:52,430
That's great.

1654
01:53:52,930 --> 01:53:52,970
Yeah.

1655
01:53:54,790 --> 01:53:54,930
Okay.

1656
01:53:56,030 --> 01:53:56,650
We adjourn.

1657
01:54:09,530 --> 01:54:13,670
Yeah, I told earlier that we were going out of context without what we were doing, so

1658
01:54:13,670 --> 01:54:16,970
we'll all ask council if y'all are good, then let's go.

1659
01:54:18,030 --> 01:54:24,210
Well, I can tell you, I was going to talk individually and then I don't want anybody

1660
01:54:24,210 --> 01:54:26,550
but do you think we're having non-authorized public meetings

1661
01:54:26,550 --> 01:54:27,850
with anybody in trouble?

1662
01:54:28,950 --> 01:54:30,730
I have sat in your seats.

1663
01:54:31,030 --> 01:54:33,450
I was a city council member for eight years in Van Buren.

1664
01:54:34,050 --> 01:54:36,590
So I know it's late and I know it's a thankless job.

1665
01:54:37,210 --> 01:54:39,110
But I wanted to first of all say thank you

1666
01:54:39,110 --> 01:54:40,570
for the discussion and the debate.

1667
01:54:40,790 --> 01:54:43,130
Obviously I'm disappointed in the outcome.

1668
01:54:44,370 --> 01:54:47,190
I've been operating in this space for 35 years.

1669
01:54:48,690 --> 01:54:51,570
And the gentleman that I used to work for said,

1670
01:54:51,570 --> 01:54:55,890
just give me all the facts so I can make a fully informed decision and I can't

1671
01:54:55,890 --> 01:55:01,130
help but believe that that may be and that's our fault but that everything

1672
01:55:01,130 --> 01:55:08,450
wasn't, everyone wasn't fully informed of the entire picture of what we are

1673
01:55:08,450 --> 01:55:14,630
doing and what we're asking. For example, Council Member Siba, I'm a

1674
01:55:14,630 --> 01:55:21,550
conservative Christian Republican and this particular funding program

1675
01:55:21,550 --> 01:55:28,530
program is in a day and age where there is absolutely no bipartisanship in DC is a hugely

1676
01:55:28,530 --> 01:55:34,350
successful bipartisan supported program because of the public-private partnerships.

1677
01:55:34,630 --> 01:55:39,510
And I would be honored to walk you through that, not to try to change your mind, just

1678
01:55:39,510 --> 01:55:51,330
so you fully understand, because this is one of the single-only solutions to affordable

1679
01:55:51,330 --> 01:55:52,910
affordable housing like we're talking about tonight.

1680
01:55:53,150 --> 01:55:55,230
Tonight we're talking about affordable housing,

1681
01:55:55,530 --> 01:55:58,250
those that are making 60% or less of median income.

1682
01:55:59,030 --> 01:56:01,450
I had three minutes so I couldn't cover all of this.

1683
01:56:03,590 --> 01:56:04,850
Council Member Patterson,

1684
01:56:04,910 --> 01:56:07,130
I wasn't sure that I was tracking with you on the location.

1685
01:56:07,490 --> 01:56:10,830
What we're talking about on Macaulay Place

1686
01:56:10,830 --> 01:56:14,930
is in front of the Bentonville Community Center.

1687
01:56:15,030 --> 01:56:18,630
It sounded like you were referring to play closer to Rogers,

1688
01:56:18,630 --> 01:56:22,110
but I wasn't sure if that was the case and then there was some confusion.

1689
01:56:22,310 --> 01:56:23,890
It's like super close to Roger.

1690
01:56:24,010 --> 01:56:26,790
Okay, but it was, I just want to make sure you understood.

1691
01:56:27,070 --> 01:56:28,250
I live around the corner from there.

1692
01:56:28,470 --> 01:56:28,670
Sorry.

1693
01:56:29,130 --> 01:56:34,630
And then there was some references in other context about the school project

1694
01:56:34,630 --> 01:56:36,710
which has nothing to do with this project.

1695
01:56:36,910 --> 01:56:44,350
But I want to encourage you to continue the discussion and take action sooner

1696
01:56:44,350 --> 01:56:52,190
rather than later because this is a problem that, quite frankly, the folks in Little Rock

1697
01:56:52,190 --> 01:56:56,430
have said they've got all the money they need, let them solve their own problems.

1698
01:56:56,770 --> 01:57:01,190
And we got representation from Northwest Arkansas to the ad for board.

1699
01:57:01,910 --> 01:57:04,130
It took a few years, but they finally got it.

1700
01:57:04,350 --> 01:57:07,390
This particular project, I had funding for it two years ago.

1701
01:57:08,010 --> 01:57:12,510
It would have been twice the size, right out of the chute, and it would have been

1702
01:57:12,510 --> 01:57:16,250
And the single largest affordable housing development ever developed in that program

1703
01:57:16,250 --> 01:57:21,630
in Arkansas, in Bentonville, at that site, it killed me, but I had to give the money

1704
01:57:21,630 --> 01:57:24,490
back because we didn't have enough money to complete the project.

1705
01:57:25,290 --> 01:57:31,710
And even though it's only a small amount of money, it's that last little bit that

1706
01:57:31,710 --> 01:57:32,690
gets it over the hurdle.

1707
01:57:33,530 --> 01:57:38,970
And I would be happy to go in, and it's the one I know I'm most familiar with.

1708
01:57:38,970 --> 01:57:41,610
I am familiar with habitat for humanity.

1709
01:57:42,150 --> 01:57:46,110
I have zero knowledge of the details like you would.

1710
01:57:46,510 --> 01:57:49,510
Self-help in my previous life, we worked in those.

1711
01:57:50,510 --> 01:57:51,650
I'm familiar with those.

1712
01:57:51,990 --> 01:57:52,970
There are lots of solutions.

1713
01:57:53,170 --> 01:57:54,490
This is going to make the biggest dent

1714
01:57:54,490 --> 01:57:58,230
and I want to encourage you to continue down this path

1715
01:57:58,230 --> 01:58:00,430
because it is going to get far worse

1716
01:58:01,150 --> 01:58:02,390
if we don't take action.

1717
01:58:02,490 --> 01:58:04,050
We've been talking about it for 10 years.

1718
01:58:04,290 --> 01:58:07,350
The Walton Foundation has had multiple studies.

1719
01:58:07,350 --> 01:58:13,450
the skyline report, it's going to get, but thank you for what you do. I know personally

1720
01:58:13,450 --> 01:58:19,150
it's a thankless job and I can speak on behalf of the mayor and the staff. They are trying

1721
01:58:19,150 --> 01:58:27,550
to meet the developers in the space that they're at to solve this problem. And so thank

1722
01:58:27,550 --> 01:58:31,170
you for allowing me to speak again. I know I'm probably holding you up from getting

1723
01:58:31,170 --> 01:58:35,250
to kiss your kids goodnight or have your dinner or whatever. I've been there. You

1724
01:58:35,250 --> 01:58:43,150
to say, Jim is the only thing between my dinner and us, you know, leaving here. So I apologize,

1725
01:58:43,190 --> 01:58:49,250
but I wanted to thank you, first of all, and offer my assistance in fully understanding

1726
01:58:49,250 --> 01:58:53,190
what we're trying to do with the Macaulay plug. So thank you.

1727
01:58:53,590 --> 01:58:54,230
Thank you.

1728
01:58:54,230 --> 01:58:54,310
Thank you.

1729
01:59:05,640 --> 01:59:06,800
Thank you.

1730
01:59:06,800 --> 01:59:09,460
Thanks for keeping it on point, Derek Kirby.

1731
01:59:10,500 --> 01:59:11,280
Thank you for doing that.

1732
01:59:12,120 --> 01:59:13,100
Thanks for being a good doctor.