1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:09,340 Economic Development Corporation, regular meeting, Tuesday, December 16, 2025, 6.30 p.m. city hall council chambers. 2 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:15,360 First item, business roll call, place one, art minor present, place two. 3 00:00:16,080 --> 00:00:17,740 Place two, Calvin Lewis present. 4 00:00:18,620 --> 00:00:19,020 Place three. 5 00:00:19,980 --> 00:00:21,020 Jane Hill present. 6 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:24,500 Place four is vacant. Place five. 7 00:00:26,340 --> 00:00:27,480 Stephen Welch present. 8 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:28,900 it. Place six. 9 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:31,060 Ron Downey present. 10 00:00:31,780 --> 00:00:32,580 And place seven. 11 00:00:33,420 --> 00:00:34,740 Macy Forrester present. 12 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:42,400 Announcements. Place two. Any 13 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:42,720 announcements? 14 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:45,680 Down here, Mayor. Thanks. 15 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:46,900 Place three. 16 00:00:48,180 --> 00:00:48,960 Nothing. Thank you. 17 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:49,980 Place four. 18 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:52,280 Nothing. Thank you. 19 00:00:54,350 --> 00:00:55,410 I'm five. I'm sorry. 20 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:00,100 That was a test and you didn't pass. 21 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:02,760 Place six. 22 00:01:03,420 --> 00:01:04,580 Nothing Mayor, thank you. 23 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:06,040 Place seven. 24 00:01:07,060 --> 00:01:08,420 None at this time. Thank you. 25 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:11,720 All right. I just want to mention again. 26 00:01:13,580 --> 00:01:15,160 The Christmas tree lighting. 27 00:01:16,660 --> 00:01:18,580 Good, good event. So. 28 00:01:19,420 --> 00:01:20,580 I think everything went really good. 29 00:01:21,900 --> 00:01:25,760 Thank you to all the staff and it wasn't just parks department, but. 30 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:28,400 Everybody involved in that making that happen. 31 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:29,280 Very good. 32 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:30,720 And great fireworks. 33 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:41,040 I've had I've had a lot of comments from citizens and people from other cities that on how great the fireworks work. 34 00:01:41,500 --> 00:01:42,020 All 35 00:01:46,750 --> 00:01:48,230 right, next up consent agenda. 36 00:01:49,550 --> 00:01:56,950 No, I have to ask Miss of all anybody any requests for public comment. 37 00:01:58,050 --> 00:01:59,930 How about public testimony? 38 00:02:02,260 --> 00:02:10,640 All right, consent agenda all the item on the consent agenda are considered to be self explanatory by the commission will be an active with one motion one second and one vote. 39 00:02:10,640 --> 00:02:16,100 there will be no separate discussions of these items and any members wish to have anything pulled 40 00:02:16,100 --> 00:02:17,120 from the consent agenda. 41 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:25,480 Seeing none I'll entertain a motion. Motion to approve is presented. 42 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:28,680 Second that motion. 43 00:02:32,410 --> 00:02:38,190 I have a motion by Commissioner Hill and a second by Commissioner Lewis 44 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:43,490 to approve. All in favor signify by raising your right hand. 45 00:02:46,780 --> 00:02:48,920 Opposed same. Motion passes 46 00:02:48,920 --> 00:02:53,360 unanimously five in favor of zero against zero abstain okay 47 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:12,260 first up item one on action items 48 00:03:12,260 --> 00:03:19,740 discussed and consider action to approve the capsmith food truck park food truck project design 49 00:03:19,740 --> 00:03:28,540 and construction planned expenditure mr. Hamilton's not here so brian 50 00:03:32,540 --> 00:03:34,940 i'm here filling in for 51 00:03:34,940 --> 00:03:40,060 mr. Hamilton so i'm here to answer any questions and nothing has changed since 52 00:03:40,060 --> 00:03:44,320 the last time it's been presented. So do you have any questions for me? 53 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:49,340 Okay, that's going to 54 00:03:49,340 --> 00:03:55,220 challenge everybody. Everybody remember the last the presentation? I've seen it numerous times. So 55 00:03:57,940 --> 00:04:00,460 anybody have any questions or comments? 56 00:04:08,130 --> 00:04:08,770 Director Hill? 57 00:04:12,110 --> 00:04:14,290 During the discussions, there were some 58 00:04:14,290 --> 00:04:20,170 things that came up regarding the who was going to be providing the electricity or if we were 59 00:04:20,170 --> 00:04:26,350 going to be requiring to have generators and did we have any plans to kind of 60 00:04:26,350 --> 00:04:31,990 eliminate the noise in the main areas where people would be sitting and being 61 00:04:31,990 --> 00:04:37,170 entertained by something just have we come up with a design that resolved 62 00:04:37,170 --> 00:04:42,230 any of those issues? Well design they are looking at power that power out there 63 00:04:42,230 --> 00:04:45,010 is ideal but I don't think they finalize anything with the power 64 00:04:45,010 --> 00:04:47,990 certainly having power is going to take away from the sound from the 65 00:04:47,990 --> 00:04:53,350 Generators and then I think we've got three different pads as they're gonna put those in there 66 00:04:53,350 --> 00:04:58,050 So I know the idea the plan for plan a would be to have the power out there 67 00:04:58,050 --> 00:05:01,770 But I don't think anything's been finalized on that. So any 68 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:08,280 other questions or comments and 69 00:05:12,530 --> 00:05:13,450 I'll entertain a motion 70 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:22,600 director Hill make a motion we approve the item as presented 71 00:05:35,850 --> 00:05:36,850 director Welch 72 00:05:36,850 --> 00:05:39,670 presented any further discussion. All 73 00:05:45,110 --> 00:05:47,670 right, before I call for a vote, I would like to make one comment. 74 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:59,960 This is coming out of sales tax, not property tax. So I just want to clarify that. I've heard numerous 75 00:05:59,960 --> 00:06:06,900 times about how it's going to affect property tax. It's strictly sales tax. So with that, 76 00:06:09,050 --> 00:06:13,990 anybody else have any call for a vote? All in favor? 77 00:06:16,260 --> 00:06:17,860 Signify by raising your right hand. 78 00:06:20,420 --> 00:06:21,840 Opposed, same. 79 00:06:24,290 --> 00:06:26,110 That motion passes unanimously. 80 00:06:26,690 --> 00:06:28,670 Five in favor of zero against the zero abstain. 81 00:06:35,090 --> 00:06:37,430 Item two, discuss and consider changing 82 00:06:37,430 --> 00:06:39,490 the Watauga Economic Development Corporation 83 00:06:39,490 --> 00:06:43,090 regular meeting time from 6.30 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. 84 00:06:45,020 --> 00:06:45,520 Ms. Kimson. 85 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:50,020 Thank you, President Mayhem. 86 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:52,420 This came up at the last meeting 87 00:06:52,840 --> 00:06:56,600 just for discussion and consideration of the board. 88 00:06:57,280 --> 00:07:00,560 All of our other boards and commissions do start at six. 89 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:05,220 So we just like the board to consider that if it works for you. 90 00:07:05,980 --> 00:07:08,360 And that's all I'd like to add. 91 00:07:08,700 --> 00:07:09,180 Any 92 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:13,880 comments or discussion? 93 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:15,540 I know. 94 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:20,000 Here in the recent past, as well as before. 95 00:07:21,300 --> 00:07:25,200 Having enough people here all the time has been an issue. 96 00:07:25,420 --> 00:07:27,960 I just want to remind everybody if we move it up to six o'clock, 97 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:30,260 those of you that work, is that going to be a conflict? 98 00:07:30,900 --> 00:07:35,100 Now's the time to discuss that and bring it out. 99 00:07:38,180 --> 00:07:42,560 Secretary Downey. Thank you. That 100 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:49,360 was my point altogether. I know that if that happens, we already have a hard 101 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:54,200 enough time trying to fill positions as it is. If we move it up 30 minutes for 102 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:59,220 people that work such as myself till 5 o'clock, sometimes a little later, I come 103 00:07:59,220 --> 00:08:04,120 all the way from downtown so making it 40 45 minutes from downtown getting home 104 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:07,940 changing clothes and getting here by six o'clock is almost impossible because you 105 00:08:07,940 --> 00:08:13,620 saw the day I mean I barely got here at 615 coming from downtown so in the 106 00:08:13,620 --> 00:08:18,860 long run it's just not gonna work for me I can't I can't say that for 107 00:08:18,860 --> 00:08:25,320 everybody but I mean in the long run of things I don't know how that would 108 00:08:25,320 --> 00:08:29,000 work with me staying on here if it changed because I know I can't make it 109 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:33,960 for most of them and it's only once a month so it's not you know it's not like it's a detriment 110 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:35,160 to everybody. 111 00:08:40,110 --> 00:08:46,450 Director Forster. A similar situation only I'm not working at the privilege of being 112 00:08:46,450 --> 00:08:50,810 able to stay home but it's just not conducive with my husband's work schedule as I have to 113 00:08:50,810 --> 00:08:55,690 wait for him to come home so that we can switch roles and I'm been available to come up here 114 00:08:55,690 --> 00:09:01,810 So 630 would continue to work from my schedule, if you're willing to consider. 115 00:09:02,870 --> 00:09:04,210 All right, thank you. 116 00:09:07,060 --> 00:09:14,680 When I was first appointed to this board, it was the Parks Development Corporation and I worked in South Grand Prairie all the way to 20. 117 00:09:16,140 --> 00:09:22,120 And that we made it, we tried to move it back to six and I had to protest that and they moved it to 615. 118 00:09:23,140 --> 00:09:27,680 and if I mean if you work downtown you don't know what the traffic is going to 119 00:09:27,680 --> 00:09:32,520 be you can't get here by six most days and I'm real sympathetic I had to take 120 00:09:32,520 --> 00:09:36,980 comp time and leave early most of the time to get here you know when it was 121 00:09:36,980 --> 00:09:41,900 even at 6 15 it could be hard if I would check the traffic see what it was 122 00:09:41,900 --> 00:09:46,020 and then tell my boss I guess I'm gonna have to leave at 5 30 or 4 30 or 123 00:09:46,020 --> 00:09:51,020 5 or 4 30 or 4 15 to get here on time so I was taking basically vacation time 124 00:09:51,020 --> 00:09:54,340 to get here for the meetings. I don't think people should have to do that. 125 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:56,980 All right, thank you. 126 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:02,700 Any other comments or questions? 127 00:10:08,610 --> 00:10:09,290 Director Welch? 128 00:10:10,530 --> 00:10:17,190 Yes, sir. For me, it doesn't matter one way or the other, but considering what our other 129 00:10:18,050 --> 00:10:24,350 directorates have said, I would suggest we just keep it at 6.30 so that they're all 130 00:10:24,350 --> 00:10:25,830 able to make the meeting. 131 00:10:40,010 --> 00:10:45,630 Okay, one we can just take no action on this. 132 00:10:52,500 --> 00:10:52,880 Director 133 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:56,160 Hill. I make the motion we take no action on this item. 134 00:10:58,410 --> 00:11:00,150 Director Welch. I second it. 135 00:11:00,410 --> 00:11:00,630 Further 136 00:11:08,340 --> 00:11:11,020 discussion? Yes, of course I'm down there on that one. 137 00:11:13,660 --> 00:11:17,120 Does that take no action? I'm assuming that means it's going to be that six 138 00:11:17,120 --> 00:11:19,160 third again. That's correct. Thank you. 139 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:27,460 I had a motion by Director Hill and 140 00:11:27,460 --> 00:11:30,440 and second by Director Welch to take no action. 141 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:31,040 So, 142 00:11:33,420 --> 00:11:34,320 any further discussion? 143 00:11:40,300 --> 00:11:42,460 All in favor signify by raising the right hand. 144 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:45,400 Opposed, same. 145 00:11:46,220 --> 00:11:47,380 Motion carries unanimously, 146 00:11:47,380 --> 00:11:49,860 five in favor, zero against, zero abstain. 147 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:02,360 Item three, discuss, consider appreciation options 148 00:12:02,360 --> 00:12:05,240 for businesses that have donated food 149 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:07,360 to the police and the fire departments. 150 00:12:11,900 --> 00:12:15,640 Who is this under Director Welch? 151 00:12:16,200 --> 00:12:16,920 Director Welch? 152 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:27,920 Yes, I brought this up there. And my only thought on the matter, because I don't have 153 00:12:27,920 --> 00:12:33,700 a better thought, is that for those businesses that have been so kind and 154 00:12:33,700 --> 00:12:40,880 donated to help us out, help the police and fire department there and actually 155 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:47,980 for the city, my thought was to consider maybe giving them a little bit of 156 00:12:47,980 --> 00:12:56,840 free time on the digital message boards and just how much I don't know what to 157 00:12:56,840 --> 00:13:01,800 say about how how much to give them or how often but I 158 00:13:04,070 --> 00:13:04,890 don't know what else we 159 00:13:04,890 --> 00:13:12,850 could do for them so but I'm open to any suggestions and so I have 160 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:18,200 input from 161 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:18,520 Anybody? 162 00:13:23,440 --> 00:13:26,700 Director Hill? I think it's a wonderful idea. 163 00:13:32,020 --> 00:13:32,480 Agreed. 164 00:13:40,470 --> 00:13:45,270 Then we just need to determine how much we would give them, I guess. 165 00:13:46,110 --> 00:13:50,890 How would we go about doing that? That would be my question. 166 00:13:52,470 --> 00:13:59,610 I do have one comment before we move on any more. 167 00:13:59,610 --> 00:14:09,700 is I think we need to be careful of how we I guess one lack of a better way would be how 168 00:14:09,700 --> 00:14:14,880 we reward people that give things to the city because there are businesses out there that 169 00:14:14,880 --> 00:14:19,000 I'm sure it would love to do things for the city and they just can't do it. 170 00:14:21,640 --> 00:14:29,040 Free advertising, we're charging other people for that. Things that we can do for 171 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:38,040 businesses that donate, our proclamations, letters of appreciation, we can come up with an award 172 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:48,480 for that. So I just want to throw that out there so maybe we want to table this until next meeting 173 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:57,660 or where we can investigate. I don't remember off the top of my head what we charge per line or 174 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:08,220 Minut or whatever for our electronic boards. But like I said, I just want everybody to kind 175 00:15:08,220 --> 00:15:09,040 of think about that. 176 00:15:14,820 --> 00:15:19,320 Director Bruce? Yes, I was curious as to how does it track? How do 177 00:15:19,320 --> 00:15:25,800 we know which businesses or how many businesses are donating food to the fire department 178 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:30,060 or the police department or whether they're doing it to both or just one another? Who's 179 00:15:30,060 --> 00:15:30,640 tracking that? 180 00:15:40,980 --> 00:15:44,680 Okay. I don't know who actually tracks it, 181 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:53,000 but considering that I was in this last public safety meeting or a class that the city had 182 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:57,920 and it was like eight weeks at the police department, eight weeks at the fire department 183 00:15:59,280 --> 00:16:07,920 and I know like Chick-fil-A was just like they did so much for us and then there was pizza buzz, 184 00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:10,660 There was the salad and go 185 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:19,300 No, there was a couple others I can't remember them off the top of my head. I have talked to the fire department. Anyways 186 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:25,920 I'm not sure anybody tracks it. I don't know. Maybe they do in the city. I'm 187 00:16:26,420 --> 00:16:30,680 Probably somebody does I just don't know who that person would be 188 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:35,520 But along the line of what the mayor was saying about the proclamation and all 189 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:42,400 that would be a good idea and you know them being put on you know we go and 190 00:16:42,400 --> 00:16:46,480 give them a proclamation and take a picture and post it on Facebook or 191 00:16:46,480 --> 00:16:52,440 social media that in itself is basically giving them some sort of a 192 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:58,000 recognition so that could be a good thing to do as well I think yep 193 00:17:00,370 --> 00:17:01,190 that's 194 00:17:01,190 --> 00:17:05,670 you know anything that we can do to encourage or to thank businesses for 195 00:17:05,670 --> 00:17:09,470 I think that they do for the city is good. 196 00:17:09,810 --> 00:17:12,350 It's the anniversary. 197 00:17:12,630 --> 00:17:15,950 We've had some really fun anniversary visits here this month, 198 00:17:16,350 --> 00:17:19,570 visiting with these, with the different businesses. 199 00:17:20,090 --> 00:17:23,470 So that is another good idea. 200 00:17:23,470 --> 00:17:30,170 affirmations, pictures, and Facebook is free, so we don't run the risk of offending somebody, 201 00:17:38,300 --> 00:17:39,200 anybody else. 202 00:17:45,580 --> 00:17:52,760 I think the idea of showing appreciation on Facebook versus the advertisement, 203 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:56,860 the digital advertisement, it's probably a better idea after hearing some additional input 204 00:17:56,860 --> 00:18:01,940 that makes sense. Number one, it's not tracked, so it'd kind of be hard to tell who we would 205 00:18:01,940 --> 00:18:04,980 even put on the board and then how other businesses 206 00:18:05,780 --> 00:18:11,820 Who are paying for the advertisement space may feel towards that, but I definitely agree some recognition is due 207 00:18:11,820 --> 00:18:16,960 But I also agree that somewhere like Facebook would probably be a better avenue. 208 00:18:19,630 --> 00:18:22,350 Thank you. So then the next question will be 209 00:18:24,130 --> 00:18:25,430 We'll go to miss Gibson 210 00:18:29,470 --> 00:18:30,510 Who will 211 00:18:32,660 --> 00:18:37,120 initiate this and then who will be responsible for tracking it? 212 00:18:37,120 --> 00:18:45,760 And as a WDC function, you know, a bylaws of how we do things or that goes to you. 213 00:18:47,730 --> 00:18:56,550 So we, for that particular event, there is a list of those sponsors for the food, for 214 00:18:56,550 --> 00:18:57,930 the public safety class. 215 00:18:58,370 --> 00:19:05,490 So we have that and there are several other times during the year that a restaurant might 216 00:19:05,490 --> 00:19:10,930 donate food to the police department or the fire department for different 217 00:19:10,930 --> 00:19:18,410 purposes. So we certainly could have a list of that and put that together with a 218 00:19:18,410 --> 00:19:23,430 procedure on a proclamation and then we can treat it like we do with the 219 00:19:23,430 --> 00:19:29,550 anniversary visits that everybody gets an invite and who can show up and shows 220 00:19:29,550 --> 00:19:40,450 up. So we can definitely do that. I would suggest that we do it maybe once a year for those businesses. 221 00:19:41,230 --> 00:19:47,290 Especially after this one event that we had for the public safety, then we can definitely 222 00:19:48,770 --> 00:19:56,410 do some visits to those businesses that put so much into that event and so many donations. 223 00:20:03,620 --> 00:20:06,940 Who do we task with writing the policy? 224 00:20:09,150 --> 00:20:10,450 So I can handle that. 225 00:20:12,030 --> 00:20:13,590 I thought I was getting that. 226 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:24,220 All right, so I think we can take no action on this one 227 00:20:24,900 --> 00:20:27,750 and bring it back to the board 228 00:20:27,750 --> 00:20:31,010 once we have a policy written and such. 229 00:20:33,230 --> 00:20:34,830 And so to take no action on this, 230 00:20:34,910 --> 00:20:35,790 we don't have to have a vote. 231 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:47,860 That is correct, that's the last item. 232 00:20:48,040 --> 00:20:54,290 So moving on to items for future agendas, place two. 233 00:20:56,470 --> 00:21:20,110 Yes, in lieu of tonight's discussions as far as businesses doing things for the fire department, police department, I would like to add to the agenda that we as a collective body, maybe get together off site once a quarter or twice a year and basically just visit 234 00:21:20,110 --> 00:21:25,890 some of these places and maybe have a meal or two or something like that and it's not 235 00:21:25,890 --> 00:21:31,010 to discuss businesses but as much as it is just fellowshiping and getting to know each other 236 00:21:31,010 --> 00:21:34,310 you know away from the meeting here. 237 00:21:41,460 --> 00:21:43,940 That's not a new item we used to do that on the 238 00:21:45,460 --> 00:21:50,340 parks board many many many years ago and I think we did a couple of times with the PDC as well 239 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:52,780 So, all right. 240 00:21:54,000 --> 00:22:00,580 Again, I was, I think maybe, you know, once or twice a year would be, would be good, you know. 241 00:22:06,460 --> 00:22:08,240 Okay. Place three. Anything? 242 00:22:09,980 --> 00:22:10,700 Place five. 243 00:22:12,860 --> 00:22:15,200 I agree with Calvin. I really like this idea. 244 00:22:16,340 --> 00:22:16,820 Yes. 245 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:19,440 I have nothing else. 246 00:22:24,580 --> 00:22:25,000 Place six. 247 00:22:26,180 --> 00:22:27,200 Nothing. My thank you. 248 00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:33,930 And place 7 possible foster village house renovations. 249 00:22:34,470 --> 00:22:38,490 We could explore that or just discuss it. 250 00:22:39,070 --> 00:22:41,410 The foster village house off of stars. 251 00:22:47,180 --> 00:22:50,380 I'm sorry, would you repeat that please? 252 00:22:51,380 --> 00:22:59,760 No worries. I should have waited potential just looking into maybe some possible renovations for the foster village house of stars. 253 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:11,760 Okay and then one thing that I'll throw out here we are planning and I don't 254 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:20,020 want to call it an awards dinner or for all the boards in February within 255 00:23:22,610 --> 00:23:23,670 April 256 00:23:23,670 --> 00:23:33,410 that was my next guess okay we're gonna do it in April and we'll have all the 257 00:23:33,410 --> 00:23:36,210 We'll try to have everybody from all the boards come in. 258 00:23:36,810 --> 00:23:40,870 There are some awards that we are going to hand out 259 00:23:40,870 --> 00:23:44,650 and just recognition for the time that they put in 260 00:23:44,650 --> 00:23:46,190 volunteering for the city 261 00:23:46,190 --> 00:23:48,190 because they make the same amount of money that we do. 262 00:23:50,530 --> 00:23:53,730 So, but, you know, a second time during the year 263 00:23:53,730 --> 00:23:56,410 Mr. Lewis or whatever, I think that's an excellent idea. 264 00:23:56,930 --> 00:23:57,750 So with 265 00:24:03,280 --> 00:24:05,160 that, no further business. 266 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:08,120 We will adjourn this meeting at 6.54 p.m. 267 00:24:08,120 --> 00:24:08,960 Thank you everybody.