City Council - Special Meeting

It is 6. It's 6:30. Can y'all hear me? You're right here. Okay. It is 6:30. I'm calling to order our Elgen City Council meeting December the 16th, 2025. And we will begin with our roll call. And we'll begin with Deputy Mayor Pro Tim Love.

Love here. St. Pier here, Rodriguez here, Frasier here, Mcshan here, Kasnovski here, Gibson here, here. We do have council member Crim who is out on medical. If we have a motion to approve him, I'll make a motion.

All right, it's been moved and second and we'll begin with I'm going to give it to Council Member St. Pierre. We'll begin with her. St. Pierre, yes. Rodriguez, yes. Frasier, yes. Machin, yes. Kaznowski, yes. Gibson. Yes. Yes. Love. Yes.

We'll have our invocation by council member Kesnoski. As we gather here tonight for our last city council meeting of 2025. Let us be reminded of our progress since our first council meeting in 20 in 2025. We started this year with many unknowns. Let us express gratitude to city staff and the Elgen community who have weathered transition and uncertainty. Tonight, let us be hopeful that 2026 will be a year of stability, growth, and collaboration throughout the community. Amen.

Amen. Rise for a pledge of allegiance. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for its one, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. flag under God, one and indivisible. [snorts] We have a public hearing on an ordinance annexing a 10.108 108 acre tract of land the hereafter described territory in the city of Elgen, Bastrop and Travis County, Texas and extending the b boundary limits of said city so as to include said here into described property within said city limits and granting to all the inhabitants of said property all the rights and privileges of other citizens and binding said inhabitants by all of the acts, ordinances, resolutions and regulations of said city and adop adopting a service plan or agreement and granting permanent zoning of PDD plan development district, providing a severability clause and providing an effective date, providing for a savings clause and repealing conflicting or ordinances or resolutions. And we did not have anyone sign up for that. 6:33 and we're closing that public hearing. Now we'll move on to public comment. This is the time that you can come and speak. You have three minutes and there uh will be no formal action taken by the city council on any of the items that are not posted on the agenda. Items requiring a public hearing will allow a member of public an opportunity to speak

during the public hearing. We have several signed up today. [snorts] The first one we have is uh well West Kelly. [snorts] Good evening. My name is Wes Kle 18304. [snorts] Um HR Mr. uh Schroeder, whatever your name is. I don't know if y'all have ever been told yet, but there is pending litigation against council, city department, [snorts] and things of that nature involving my truck and and more. Part of that pending litigation requires the preservation of data, information, cell phones, iPads, emails, etc. For all of you, former mayors, former city managers, former cops, I don't think Nobody in this room is really even taking me seriously. I still don't. I see the look on some of you faces. [snorts] This is a pretty serious situation. I didn't get myself into it. All I wanted was my truck. I've came up here and begged and pleaded and tried to do things the right way, civily and peacefully. Very few of you have actually reached out and talked to me. For those of you that have done it, I appreciate that. It means a lot. It means you care. You're concerned. You want to know what's going on in your police department, what's going on in your city. None of you even really know the background of some of the guys that you have top brass. You don't even realize what's going on in your own PD with this guy at all or the jockeying for position and the crookedness that goes around involving.

How come we've had so many cops leave this department? Why? I don't think it's because they're inept or they're in they're uncapable. I think it's because they're tired of the crap that they got to do with to work in this town. And I'm about this close to proving it. If you doubt me, look how red he is. It's about as red as your shirt. All I've asked for in any of this is a fair opportunity and for somebody to stand up and do what's right. You have forced me [snorts] to take this to a higher level and we have done so. I think Mr. Ease has gotten a letter for sure. It clearly states what my demands are, what we've discovered and the laws that were broken. Once again, somebody has come before this council and told you and informed you that serious laws have been broken and nobody's taken it seriously. Same thing happened when Mattis was here. Y'all have a good night. Good luck and merry Christmas.

I hope I don't mis mispronounce your last name. Danielle Borowski. Good evening. My name is Danielle Borowski. I am the owner of DQB Strategies and I don't have a public office and live a couple of miles out of town. Um, and I use the chamber office quite frequently. Um, as a way of covering different things when I need to Sorry y'all. I was not expecting to come this quickly. Can I restart this? I knew you were going to go alphabetically or I felt like it. I'm here to um share my support of the chamber keeping hot funds. Um I don't have a public office. Um I'm a chamber member and I use the chamber office pretty regularly for different things. Um if I'm in town and I have meetings, um I'm able to use the chamber office to just come and get work done in between meetings. If I have a meeting with another chamber member or a colleague or a client who's a chamber member, we're able to come to the chamber office and use that space. Um, this protects me and my private, you know, my privacy of my home um and allows us to um to just use the chamber benefits that we have as members. The chambers have been really helpful for me for supporting and growing my business. So, not only um do I come and work up there sometimes to have a quiet space to work, but I also have hosted workshops there for fellow business owners. So, again, don't have a place that I can bring people in. Um but because of this space, I'm able to do that. Um and not only support my business and my business growth, but other businesses in the community. So, we're learning together, we're growing, we're collaborating, and um and I think that that's at the the heart and the core of what the chamber is here to to serve for businesses. Thank you,

Tiffany Miller. Hello, Mayor Council. Thank you for the time. I'm here on behalf of the Rotary Club. Um, we are a new club in Elgen. We've been here for three years and we are still gaining members and we are still trying to get our name out. Uh, about a year ago, I worked with the chamber um to come up with a better meeting space for us. we were meeting at a church. Uh we were very thankful for the space, but not a lot of visibility for the for Elgen and for our visitors and that kind of thing. Um we did start meeting at the Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center uh about a year ago right when they moved to the new building. It's been uh really great for us because we're a lot more visible in Elgen. People know where we are now. They we're right on Main Street and we can put out a sign if we need to that says Rotary meets here on Mondays. Um we have a lot of visitors that come. We have speakers from central Texas, from uh Rotary International, and even from other countries. We've had speakers from Italy and Spain as well. They come in, they can see the space, they can see the um Elgen with all the cards and the information that you know is is available to them and they actually do take interest in it. So, it's really nice to be able to showcase Elgen, showcase Rotary, and kind of highlight how we all work together here in the city. Um so I think it is important that the visitor center and that um that those funds stay with the chamber of commerce because they definitely do help to highlight community involvement. Thank you Alen Nice Wanderer. [snorts]

Good evening. My name is Eileene Nicewander. My husband Gan and I have Yaywa Creek Farms pecan Orchard and commercial kitchen. Uh we are vendors at the Elgen, Texas farmers market and we sell our produce at that market every Thursday. I also previously served with as president of that farmers market and had dealings with the city for the market's lease at that time. I've also been chairman of the Main Street Board's tourism and promotions committee for quite a number of years. and I've served on the Elgen Chamber of Commerce board of directors for at least 15 years. While on the board, I witnessed the Bassrop, Elgen, and Smithville Chambers come together to go to the Texas State Legislature to ask that the hotel motel tax dollars for Bassrop County come to those cities. And without that action, the city of Elgen would not have begun to receive hot tax funds to distribute. So that's a little history you may not have been aware of. At the beginning, a percentage of those Elgen hot tax funds were given to the chamber. In the last few years, the city has included a requirement that the chamber must also be and serve as the visitor center and be open additional hours, some on Saturdays. That's very difficult to accommodate with only two people staffing the chamber office. The chamber has a lot of duties of their own that require both staff members to be out of the office frequently at the same time both during the day and in the evening. Ribbon cutings and all kinds of

events that they participate in. The city has also wanted to do a stepdown reduction in the amount of funds that they provided to the chamber without decreasing any responsibilities. Again, very difficult to do with only a twoerson staff. So, I can tell you this, if the cha the chamber would have a very hard time surviving without the hot tax funds from the city of Elgen. I thank you for your time. Stacy Gresner,

you didn't butcher that one. You didn't butcher that one. Put the old lady glasses on. Sorry, y'all. Good evening, Mayor and Council. My name is Stacy Gretzner. For those of you that don't know me, it's hard to say, but over the past almost 20 years, I've had the privilege of serving this community in a lot of different ways. I've been president of the Main Street Board. I've co-chared Hogy for multiple years. And I've served downtown Elgen, Inc. and envision Elgen. For the last seven years, I've served on the Chamber of Commerce board and I'm wrapping up my year as board chair. I'm saying that upfront for one reason. I've had a front row seat to how these organizations operate, the good, the not so good, and the reality of what it takes the community to keep the community momentum moving forward. And through that lens, I want to say something plainly and respectfully. Over the years, I've watched some organizations take step back, take steps back in certain areas. And I've also watched the chamber take real leaps forward in its contributions to Elgen. I don't say that as a stab to anyone. I say it because it's the truth and I've seen it. The chamber is not just a visitor center. It's a hub. It supports business growth, community connection, and tourismdriven activity. That's hard to say. The kind that gets people into our downtown, into our shops, into our local events. It's also important to be realistic about capacity. This work is being carried by a small staff. They have continued to produce results. I understand the agreement includes operating the visitor visitor center, but these funds are meant to support

tourism and promotion, and I hope you weigh the chamber's value by the results it produces in Elgen. I appreciate the accountability and the questions. We all should. But I hope tonight's vote reflects the chamber's actual outcomes and the role it plays in keeping Elgen moving forward. Thank you for your time. Veronica Siver. Good evening, Mayor and Council. I debated whether I'd get up here tonight because I'm no longer in the position at the chamber and it doesn't really affect my day-to-day life anymore. [snorts] But the truth is, this isn't about me. Shouldn't be about a battle of personalities. I'm here to talk about the outcomes. I'm It's about the future of the chamber and the many people that it impacts. And for clarity and the record, she and the chamber share a building, but not finances. The chamber pays $1,000 in monthly rent and she pays $1,800 in monthly rent. It's been a mutually beneficial relationship with similar goals at hand. But in a small town like ours, the chamber is at the forefront of community business and connection. And I think we can all agree that there would be nothing better than the chamber being financially independent. But as a nonprofit in a small town, those funds don't exactly just come rolling in. I do believe the chamber can get there, but they're not there yet. With limited resources and a staff of two, I truly believe the chamber has worked hard to make a big impact, as big of an impact as possible. Not perfectly, but as possible as they could. And I do understand that this contract is tied to running the visitor center. And the

visitor center has been upgraded in a major way in 2025. The move out of the city building and into a main street location was a step towards independence and has also increased the visibility. The doors are open, the welcome backs are there, the phones get answered, but no one can control how many people walk through the door. What they can control is whether the space is accessible and visible, and the new location has increased foot traffic and community use. Rotary meets there. People stop in just because they're walking by. Community members use the space to work, to meet clients, and even to host their own workshops. Lastly, while the visitor center is what the contract is tied to, hot funds are about promotion and tourism. And the chamber has done the work. Western Days, growing the hot cocoa stroll into a bigger Christmas and Elgen experience, getting Elgen featured in the Austin Business Journal's first small business big impact series, supporting Sip Shop and Stroll efforts, and on Shop Small Saturday here this year in 2025, the Chamber's Cash Mob has helped downtown retailers report sales higher than what they got at Hogy. In other words, the Chamber is more than the visitor center. And while this funding is tied to the contract, I hope the full scope of the chamber's promotion and tourism work and the reality of the capacity of a small town is considered in your vote tonight. Thank you very much, Erica Greenfield. Good evening to all of you. I'm Erica Greenfield, um, incoming chair for the Chamber of Commerce. I'm here to read a letter from Carrie

Westland. Um, she's the chamber member, uh, chamber member of commerce, um, board member and executive board member, and she's also the chief administrative officer at Carlane Manufacturing. Um, so this is a letter regarding the HUD funds contract with the city of Elgen. to whom it may concern. While it is unfortunate that I'm I'm not with you in person tonight, I felt it was important to share my perspective. As you've as you've heard, hot funds are critical for this Elgen Chamber of Commerce and Elgen community for many reasons. Elgen Chamber of Commerce currently operates the visitors center Monday through Fridays and Saturdays until 12:00 p.m. During the uh meeting. A city council person requested the visitors center to be open Monday through Fridays and all day Saturdays. I respectfully disagree. Should the council wish for extended hours, I recommend we re re-evaluate after we have enhanced visitor tracking from the first quarter of 2026 with with a small team of two and a focus on events supporting and developing chamber members and the community. I feel extended hours limits their ability to support Elgen businesses. I know there have been conversations about lack of visitors from outside neighboring counties. The Elgen Chamber of Commerce plays a vital role in strengthening strengthening the local economy and bringing more businesses to town. More retail businesses bring more people into town and potentially more visitors. Events bring people into town. A rebust rebusted downtown district

brings more people into town. On Saturdays, on Saturday, December 6, the chamber hosted a hot cocoa stroll and market, bringing hundreds downtown. The visitors center is one component of this. However, the city chamber is not solely solely responsible for tourism. We're one component of our bigger effort. Approval of the hot funds contract ensures many things including a visitors center for Elgen. Approval of the hot fun contract benefits the Elgen community, residents and businesses. A robust chamber chamber of commerce benefits every citizen. Jobs, yes. Retail businesses, yes. Opportunities and options, yes. All supported by the Elgen Chamber of Commerce. the Elgen community.

Sorry, your time's up. Okay, thank you. Thank you, Heather Bloom. Good evening. My name is Heather Bloom. I am the chamber president uh for the Elgen Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center. and I am reading a letter from Virginia Pierz uh business owner of La Cabana Garden Venue in Elgen, Texas to whom it may concern. My name is Virginia Purz and I am a local business owner in Elgen, Texas. I am the owner of La Cabana Garden Venue. I am writing this letter to formally express my strong support for the Elgen Visitor Center and Elgen Chamber of Commerce. The visitor center and chamber play a vital role in promoting Elgen and supporting local businesses like mine. Through their marketing efforts, community outreach, and tourism promotion, they attract visitors from across central Texas and beyond. These visitors not only utilize my venue, but also support our local hotels, restaurants, shops, and other small businesses throughout the city. Many of my clients come from outside of the Elgen area. The resources provided by the visitor center and the chamber help these visitors discover Elgen and extend their stay and fully experience what our community has to offer. This directly contributes to economic growth, increased tourism revenue, and long-term sustainability for local businesses. Continued s continued support for the visitor center in the chamber is an investment in the success of Elgen's business community and the overall vitality of our city. Their work strengthens our local economy, creates opportunities for small businesses, and enhances the enhances Elgen's visibility as a destination. I respectfully encourage continued funding and support for these organizations as they are essential to the growth and prosperity of our community. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Virginia

Dja Cooper. Hello. Good evening. [clears throat] My name is Deasa Cooper. I'm a small business owner on Main Street. I wanted to speak in support of the city's hot funds with the chamber. um and its role as the vendor visitors center. From my experience as a business owner on Main Street, I have not only had customers come in and tell me that they have been sent to us by the visitor center, but also I've utilized the chambers events that go on on [clears throat] Main Street for not only my staff but myself. U I've used their workshops. I've used their space when I needed a place to work peacefully. I've seen how they bring local businesses together with even limited staff. They've done a great job maintaining ongoing events while also staying true to their hours for the residents and visitors that do come through come through. The chamber serves as a visitor center. Serving as a visitor visitor center makes sense and as a business owner on Main Street, I genuinely appreciate them being there and serving our community. [snorts]

Ed Rivers Hi, my name is Ed Rivers. Thank you to the mayor, city council, city manager for letting me have this three minutes. I'm going to like to reminisce. I could go on for 30 minutes if y'all would allow me to, but hopefully he won't. I'm going to take you through a history lesson. I was on the council in the early 90s, 1990s, not 1890s. And when I was on the council, I felt like I was uh on the board of directors of a corporation that did not have any money at that point. The city really didn't have any money. [snorts] I think the c the city is in much better shape than it was then. We didn't have fat funds there. I started the chamber of commerce in 79 when I started my first business in Elgen. Uh the manager of the of the chamber then was June Thompson. she was married to the to the superintendent. And so in a small town like Elgen, you know, the the manager of the chamber needed to have a spouse that was the main breadwinner in order to afford to take the job as as the manager of the chamber. So my first year as president, I think was 82 and Beverly Daly was my vice president. We officed beside what is now used to be city cafe where Noble is now. and it wasn't a very nice space and then we progressed over to where the city building is. Uh through the years June did a good job inter managers presence chamber did well junior did well and then we start getting funding from the city in there. So, uh, nowadays the, uh, and and and I stay with the chamber 45 year, the chamber 45 years until the younger

generation, so to speak, dring congestion can be 45 years old, 50 years old now, that he came in to to to fill the gaps and take it over. Uh, I had a long conversation with um with the chamber president in Bastrop earlier today and describing how much money they get. They get money from Musk. they get $10,000 sponsors left and right. Elgen doesn't have that. It's very important for the chamber to survive and provide the type of services that they should and the city requires them to require to provide under the hot funds. It it's all it's all one bowl of it's all tied together in order for that to be provided to by the chamber. And I would much I would greatly encourage the council to keep working with the chamber and the chamber working the city and the way and via the hot funds to support the chamber so the chamber can do their work that they have been doing and to the benefit of the citizens mainly benefit of their member business members and for the benefit of the city. Thank you,

Ron RmIrez. Thank you, Mayor Council. Mr. Eids, I'm here uh today. My name is Ron RmIs. I'm here today to advocate for the allocation of the hot funds for the Elgen Chamber and Visitors Center. And uh you've heard you've heard quite a few people talk already. But one thing I want to make sure council that we all agree on is we can do a lot of good together. We can do a lot of good if we collaborate. There's no reason for us to to feel like we are under the gun for for something that that maybe we had done or or supposedly done or not doing. [snorts] Uh the fact of the matter is the chamber and visitor center wants to work with the city. We can help each other. We can do a lot of good together, but we have to have the allocation of hot funds that we're requesting. Uh our board [clears throat] is made up of of numerous leaders in the community, whether it's business or whether it's civil. In fact, the mayor was on our board until recently. Uh currently, the city manager and the EDC director on our board, the school superintendent on our board. Uh we have numerous business leaders on our board. We're not trying to do anything that's underhanded. We're not trying to get money for not doing anything. We're trying to get we're our allocation so that we can continue to work with the city and the other uh organizations that are helping promotion uh and tourism. That's all we're asking for. Um not that not that it makes a difference, but just for a comparison. We have a city 32 miles east of us that's not even half our size that gives their chamber and visitor center $130,000. We have a a city that's 18 miles south of us that gives their visitor center. And I know about that visitor center. I'm talking about Bassrop because I work there. The the Bassrop visitor center gets over $300,000 a year. And the only thing they have over the Elgen visitor center is they have more staff and it's a fancier place. We do the same thing. If people come into our visitor center, we have a

friendly person that sits there and greets them. They're knowledgeable about the events in Elgen, about the hotels in Elgen, about the restaurants, uh what's going on in Elgen. We have the same purpose that the Bassro visitor center has. They're just bigger. Uh but we do we serve as visitor center. Visitor center is not responsible for bringing people into Elgen. That's your job and my job and the EDC and and all these other Main Street Board, all these other organizations. That's our job to bring people to Elgen. The visitor center is there to greet them in a in a proper and friendly way and be knowledgeable what's going on in Elgen. I went to three hotels here recently and asked about we're asking for money not just for the visit center. Let's not forget that we also have events that bring people into town. Our biggest one of course is western days. The biggest event that the city sponsors is Hawkeye. Ours is Western Days. I went to the three hotels and I asked them to compare their their occupancy rate during the four days of of western days. Okay. Thank you, council. That's all of our public comment. We'll move on now to our announcements. [snorts] three minutes. chief. [laughter]

Hi. Um, sure. I don't know if everybody knows Charlotte Thomas. She's head of the Elgen Junth organization and [laughter] wanted to go over a a few of the activities we've been involved in since Thanksgiving and uh very notable events, great community events. And the first one was Operation Turkey on Thanksgiving Day and we assisted the organization Shimitra McGregor with preparation and distribution of almost 3,000 meals and council member Kasnowski was there very generous to how many you get 35 40 of them distribution to distribute it was great there's some of our guys uh I'm off the side we're packing jelly cranberry sauce and I will never eat that again loading up vehicles in front of Maria's restaurant. We had a crew of about eight there, including our on duty shift who was helping out as they could, if quality permitting. Then on December the 7th, we assisted Sister Irene's open door mission with a food drive uh to help her uh parishioners and folks uh in the homeless community with uh getting food. And we filled our box trailer and completely loaded her sanctuary with food. rough estimate is 1617,000 worth of groceries that were collected. And then uh this past Saturday we had our shop with the cop event with Charlotte and Elvin Junth organization. And I was just going through photos a few minutes ago from our uh shop with the cop from two years ago where we had uh 17 officers there and we served 50

kiddos and this time we had 49 officers there, seven professional support staff, the uh public information officers from the [snorts] department of public safety from the Travis County Sheriff's Department and we served 86 kiddos this time. And then uh we had uh the folks on the left are Austin Community College officers. We had uh Travis County Sheriff's Department, Travis County Precinct One Constables, Department of Public Safety. again, Austin Community College and the Bastrop County Precinct 4 State Police Officer kiddos getting getting the toys and but anyway [snorts] just uh very proud of our partnership with the Logan Junth organization and uh it means a lot and we actually get to interact with the children when we do this program. Thank you.

Byron Mitchell is Elgen Jun's president. I'm just I'm the coordinator of Shop with a Cop. She does promotion. Thank you, Chief.

Good evening. I'm here to wrap up the announcements. Um so I have a few fun events to um invite everyone out to. Um the Elgen Parks and Recreation is hosting another polar bear plunge. It's going to take place Saturday, January 3rd at the Morris Memorial Park. So, if you're bold and brave, feel free to come out and uh participate with that. Also, Elgen Public Library is doing a family movie night Friday, December the 19th at 6:30. And uh the library provides refreshments, so feel free to come out, bring a chair, and um enjoy a movie with us. And last and certainly not least, um the Elgen Main Street is uh hosting our doing the stocking stuffer on Saturday, December 20th, uh from 10 to 6. Um, this is the stock stocking stuffers is uh el I'm sorry. Stock the stocking stuffer Saturday in downtown Elgen is the town's unofficial last call for local holiday shopping with merchants highlighting small gifts, treats, and special uh specials perfect for stuffing stuffing stockings. I'm sorry it's not coming out right, but um that'll be Saturday, December 20th, and hopefully everyone can make it. Thank you.

Next week. I don't think so. Maybe not. [laughter] He got nervous. He's nervous. He's nervous. Uh we're going to take this time out to swear in our new um city manager. If you would follow me. I guess I stay. Okay, here you go.

All right, repeat after me. I, Robert Alexander Eids, I, Robert Alexander Eids, do solemnly swear do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute that I will faithfully execute the duties of the office

the duties of the office of city manager of city manager and will and will to the best of my ability to the best of my ability preserve preserve protect protect and defend and defend the Constitution the Constitution and laws and laws of the United States of the United States

and of this state and of this state and of the city charter and of the city charter and ordinances and ordinances of of the city of Elgen the city of Elgen. So help me God. So help me God. God bless. Thank you so much. [applause]

[snorts] Now we will have a presentation by Roger Adams in regard Oh, there he is. [laughter] He's ready. All right. He's going to give us an update on the Mass County Public Health Department Advisory Board. All right. Thank you so much. I bring you greetings from all nine members of that board who's worked tirelessly over the last 10 months to set up some baselines around health and safety for our community in Bashrop. So part of our duties as board members is to provide you mayor meshan as well the elected officials on the desk with information about the board's activities and what's happening with the public department of health. We are encouraging all of you including our new city manager sir

to encourage and support our county officials as well as the staff of the public health department for Bastrop County in moving this forward. Uh we've heard a lot today about things that are needed in the area and health ranges from things like theares to get to a physician to healthy foods to consume into your body. It is not just about clinical services because there are social determinants that keep people from accessing care. And so one of the things those are things that um Donna and who's with us and her staff have worked on over these 10 months and they've done a phenomenal job in doing so. So just a little history, the advisory board of health was established in March of this year. So we have met our 10th meeting and again in this capacity uh what was appointed to do was to provide advisory services as well as um help the board with the formation of what's needed in the realm of of public health for county. So myself and other folks representing the other cities within our county serve on that board. Now, as I mentioned, this board has made some great strides over these past 10 months. So, I'm going to start with the money. The board of health started with a mere $125,000. Through the efforts of the executive director along with her staff, they have increased that money by over $2.75 million. I think that deserves a hand. [applause] Those dollars are in place from a variety of sources including city, federal, state,

and philanthropic donations. Uh about 200, excuse me, about 2.75 million of those dollars are designated grants for housing as well as workforce development. I mentioned earlier that public health is more than about clinical services. If you have no one to provide service, then you do not have access to service which Bastrop County, the city of Elgen and the other cities in this counties need desperately. So access going forward in 2006 is going to be a main thing and I'm going to need everyone's help on this DES along with everyone in the city to contact your representatives that are on this DE so we can define what access means to Bastrop County. That is one of the charges of the board going forward. So other strides that have been made are in the area of community education. Something that didn't exist before was a mechanism and tools and a communication strategy to inform the members or the citizen of Bastrop County about public health events, things that are impacting us like the measles breakout. Does everybody remember that? That information was not easily disseminated until now. Also, there are forms online for any resident of Bastrop County to go online and report environmental uh things that are impacting them in environment, air, water, whatever. It's very prominent on uh the Bastrop County Public Health website and it's the form that you can fill out and it goes to those individuals that are responsible for responding to that. So, uh, having that infectious disease plan in place and a communication strategy is going to be very important to all of our health and safety, right? Because who doesn't want to know that your air or your water is not safe, right? And who does not want an

opportunity [snorts] to report when there are environmental hazards that may be impeding or impacting how they live or their ability to live in a community. So when we think about access, there are some strides that have been made in this area too. So during the formation of the board and various community hearings uh not hearings but uh public meetings that were held to uh get information about what people need in this community. Um, one of the things people talked about was access and what they were talking about was access to clinical services because health involves two different things. One is the education. That's the information that empowers people to be able to know that they actually need something and how to get it. The other is the availability of the service in a community. Here in Elgen, we have a facility here. However, that facility does not provide after hours care. That's an access issue that can impact someone's ability to live, right? Um although we do have clinical providers in the area, there's al never enough clinical providers in any area overall in America, there's a shortage of clinical providers of which you all have probably heard about on the news and the efforts of colleges and universities and governments to beef up those efforts. We need those same things here uh in the city of Elen and Bastrop County. However, one important thing was made. There is a service that is available and I don't know if you've heard of it. It's called credible minds. And this is a service that's available for people to proine find behavioral health care services. It's an online mechanism. Folks can go on there, find resources. They can even find information and do a minor assessment and it will take them

to um or refer them to providers in their area that they can choose to select. Doesn't tell them where to go, just gives them information about where the providers are and then that person has to seek it out. Uh within the first very short period of rolling that out, there were 800 subscribers. If you have not had an opportunity to do so, there is also a newsletter that's produced by the public health department. And that newsletter um is distributed about 600 people so far. So if you get an opportunity, you can sign up for that newsletter as well. Go on the website and do that. And if you can't find it, because we are such a small board at this point, I'm sure Donna will be able to help you to guide you through that. Um, these are just a few of the highlights of what the board has been doing and what the very very qualified staff been doing to try to get this department off of the ground. This is a tremendous, tremendous leap forward than what we've had before. So, I'm going to again encourage all of you to please interact with your constituents. in turn interact with your with our uh county commissioner to encourage them to hold this board up as something that is needed in this community for all of our health and safety because any of us can be impacted at any time with that. And so at this time I will go ahead and open for any questions that you may have. And if I can't answer them, Donna is right there. What's your uh what's the website to the county public health department?

Donna, you got to come to the mic. She has to come to the mic. I thought Donna, you have to come to the mic. I thought when I said if I can't answer questions, Donna is here. I thought she That was my That was my cue. That was my cue. You got my back. You got my back. You know, I have a gymnasium voice.

Going to lower it, Mike. Lower it. Okay. All right. Here we go. So again, public.health co.bastdrock.tx. us that will get you to our to our office and we can provide you with whatever information education connect you with credible mind to talk to you about what we're doing over social media as well as to talk to you about access to care and what that means for all of our communities. The other thing I want to say is this gentleman is quite the champion

and I we're very proud of Mr. Adams and what he's done to add his voice to the board of health and all that he's done to say, you know, Elgen is in this game and we really need to do something about public health in the county. Again, what I would recommend to you, here's my pitch. What I would recommend to you is every year for a municipal board members as a council, you have the opportunity to reappoint your board member or appoint a new board member. I am here to say you've got a sterling champion in public health here. So there's my pitch and again thank you city of Elgen for being in our corner. It really has been uh heartwarming to have you there. So, thank you.

Thank you, Donna. So, again, in closing, I just want to do a couple of shoutouts to folks that are sitting before us tonight. So, I'll start with you, Mayor McShan. When I contacted you and notified you about a situation, you took action. you pulled in key constit key contacts that you know and tried to get things. We need for everybody on board to do everybody on the council to do those same things and those that's how we get this off the board. That's how we get clinics in the area. That's how members of our council don't have to be airlifted for lifesaving care that she could have received right here in this community because that those are the kinds of things that create access create access. Sometimes when things haven't been done before, there's a very um the battle is uphill is how I will say that. So that's why I am strongly strongly encouraging you that if you are an elected official elected official listening to my voice, please contact our county commissioner and let them know what your constituents need in order for them to maintain health and safety so they continue to pay taxes so we continue to have all these good services that we have. But in those good services, besides all the good food and barbecue, you need to treat that cholesterol that you might get from eating too much of the fatty uh sliced brisket. But um we do that. And I also want to uh thank um I'm going just call her my friend, but I met her as uh candidate love for apprising me of this opportunity and letting me know that it was there and uh encouraging me to do so because I fought her tooth and nail. I was like, I'm not doing that. I'm too busy. I'm not busy, but I'm too busy because I'm just lazy, but I'm too busy

because I need to take a nap after work, but I do encourage you for encouraging me to go ahead and uh be a part of [snorts] this. And thank you all for allowing me to represent you on this board. Uh again, if you have any questions, please let me know. If you don't know how to contact me directly, please contact my ward representative and she will get uh any questions you have for me. Thank you all so much. Appreciate the

opportunity. [snorts] Okay.

Thank you, Roger. Okay. Our next thing is our city manager report. Thank you, uh, mayor, uh, council. Uh, before you, we'd like, um, to offer the calendar. uh for the second monthly meetings for the city council in 2026. Um you will see uh blue circles as the proposed second dates of the month. And so we'd like for you to entertain and possibly take action on this at this point. You see anything in there that already that may have to shift, please uh let us know. We'll make that adjustment. Madam Mayor, I'll make a motion to

Madam was Madame [clears throat] Mayor, I'll make a motion to approve the second meeting of each month in 2026. I'll second it. It's

been moved and second. We'll begin with Mayor Pro Tim Love. I'm sorry. Frasier. Yes. Thank you. [laughter] Big. Yes. Yes. Gibson. Yes. Yes. Love. Yes. St. Pierre. Yes. Rodriguez. Yes.

Motion carries. Uh second item. M. Thank you. By the way, uh special events permitting process adoption. Uh we do bring for you again uh the u suggested u framework for what we believe could be a special events uh application. Uh we also want to uh state that if there's an opportunity to perfect this even more so uh we'd encourage to do that. uh it'd be good for that to to you know be brought out so we can do that the time frame for this roll out um you know we did have Miss Marzek with us and she carried this all the way from the parks department to get us to this point with staff uh but I will say this is a self-imposed deadline and we're seeking to uh put a an application that works for our community that works for this council and where it's a useful tool into the deadline or the push is one that's self-imposed on us. So, we'd like to continue this forward. But what I will say too in in some uh other comments to say if this tool is not yes where it's ready to roll out, we are okay with going back to the drawing board and and fine-tuning this because again, we want to do something [clears throat] that takes us forward uh without that rush. Um and so that's that's what we put before you.

I think uh council member Kenowski you had mentioned some of the um or a question of of the scoring or the methodology which I think is is a great valid point and and may be part of our reassessment or fine-tuning I should say of this application.

Yeah. I guess um in looking at the evaluation criteria it in my opinion it looks like it would be hard to score low. Um some of the questions seem pretty subjective and so I guess you know I guess my question is who who decides that and I think my my thought was I [snorts] think it could be helpful both for city staff and also for council to all of the events maybe that fees were waved in 2025 and look at what the dollar value was for each of those and those events because I think we need to have some consistency um in terms of fees that are waving because one of the first questions on the rubric is does this promote I think uh you know pride in the community something like that I think you could probably make that argument for a lot I would say most of these events are free but Um, you know, I think I would say not most, but I think there's a good chunk of cities that have a certain number or they say these are the ones that we want to wave fees for, but you have I think you make a little bit more um again like a rubric.

So, I I I definitely think that and I think again it's fine-tuning this to where it actually produces something you want to get out of it. We don't staff doesn't want to put you through an exercise. We don't want to put ourselves in an exercise or even uh an agency that's uh applying or a party that's applying to this if it's not getting us the same result. I guess what I'm saying is if everybody's great then no one's great. You you need to start to distinguish and I agree uh more data driven questions. We can drill down on those. And I'll be honest with you as well, you're going to find as you all know uh that you're going to do and way fees perhaps uh because this is what's good for Elgen as a principal or as something you want to do because not looking at returns, not looking at foot traffic, those data points, but it may be something that you as a council deem as a priority and it's something you want to do. All we're trying to do is giving you another tool to kind of a lens to look through and but we want to make sure that it's valid. So I think if if the [snorts] council agrees, I'd like to get with uh our staff that are by the way with us here joining us uh with the parks department to sit down and go over the rubric once again to see if we can fine-tune those edges and and bring that back because I think those are valid points. I mean, if we're going to end up and everybody's getting a 99, what what good did that do you? And again, those um you know, those those ones that are more difficult to have uh answered with um with the number that's that's that's why you're here also because it could be not something that's shown on the form as a high scoring, but it gets to the very top to say, but that's that's us. That's what we want to do. So we just want to include this tool. We are by the way also tracking all of these uh

numbers. I wanted them as a now a permanent city manager for sure, but I wanted to use these for my own information so that we can do uh data driven decisions and so for resources for budget because it does take added resources and so if that's the will of the council say these are our priorities regardless of what resources go in so be it. But we do want to put that in front of you to say, look, this is this is truly what we're investing. And some cities do. They say, you know what, off this list annually, this one's a go. This one's a go. This one's a go. Regardless of the rubric, these are just things who we are, right? Uh and then the ones that come to you, then you start doing that decision making to say, well, as I'm going through this, this kind of looks like a maybe. Let's talk about this one. Um, so that's the goal. We're not here to make decisions for you. We're trying to provide a tool to make it easy for you to kind of cut through all the stuff. Um, so we'll fine-tune this if if uh council mayor allows. Uh, we appreciate the time to give us maybe we'll bring it back in uh next month. Like I said, there's no urgency on our part. We're doing well with the system we have so far. Uh, but we can bring them back in January perhaps and see what you think about that because I'm going to run some sample projects that we do and I want to shake those out to see what they actually look like. Uh, and so we'll test the model and then bring it back to so it's useful. I want to more paper, more stuff to look through.

And to your point of the waiver, Elizabeth [clears throat] did something [snorts] that I know we got the lump sum, but I think I think it would be helpful if we had a whole spreadsheet

showing every single one and may maybe even ones that we didn't wave. Sure. Um, again, I I don't want I don't I don't want to be waving something for one organization or one church and not necessarily do it for the others without having a good reason for that. And I just want people to feel like they're being treated fairly. Love it.

I like it. One question I have is what is a real cost and what is a proposed cost?

Right. And so yes sir. So I think those are the questions uh the clarity that I think should be provided again where it's a useful tool not where you're sitting there scratching your head for another you know four hours trying to decide on this it should be pretty clear what those things are and again some things you're you just come to the point to say having said all that we'd still like to move forward as council because we deem this as a priority because of external um things that it brings and the quality of life that it provides the citizens. So, um we'll try to quantify as much as possible. You're still going to have some embedded um things in there, but we'll work on that. We got a good team and and I know the direction of council sends us off. We'll bring it back so that way you can take a look at it again. Next, we have our consent agenda. We have the minutes from November 17, 2025 and a resolution of the city of Elgen adopting a written investment policy and investment strategy regarding the investment of city funds, designating the city's investment officers to be effective December the 16th and providing for related matters.

Do I have motion? If I may say on that, mayor, uh just a quick reference point just in case it doesn't ring any bells at this point. But you always have a stated uh investment officer within the city. Uh what this is doing is is it's adding me to that investment tool. That's where I left to the day after my appointment to San Antonio was to get that public funds investment act training that's required by law. [snorts] And so now we'll have our finance director, acting finance director or appointee and then the city manager, not by name but by position as well. So, um, that's all this is doing. You've had one in previous years. You carry it forward. All this is doing is adding an alternate, which would be me, with the same authorities, um, that the primary, which would be the finance director, would have as well.

That's what this is. I'll second. We'll begin with council member swing. Yes. Love. Yes. St. Pierre. Yes. Rodriguez. [snorts] Yes. Yes. Mcshen. Yes.

Hasnowski. Yes. Gibson. Yes. Right. We move on to our new business. A resolution of the city of Elgen, Texas approving economic development agreement between the city of Elgen and Economic Development Corporation and AV Elgen 46 LPA4. Elgen 46 QLP and M RRM Q0 ZPLP and authorizing the mayor to approve the contract.

Thank you, Mayor and Council. Um I'm going to give you an overview of the project because it's probably been a little while since we've talked about this one. And then we've got the in uh developers here. They're going to provide some comment and then we are open for any questions you might have. Um so Elgen Commons um it's been called several different tracks or several different names over the years but um it's the 60 acre retail development um which is 325,000 square ft of retail space 244,000 square ft of pad sites and a class three hotel development. Um the location of the project it's just to the west of Walmart and Waterburger. it. This project will also provide connectivity um not only with infrastructure projects but with roadways. Um it'll provide multiple entrances and exits exits into the project as well as connect led road and um innovation way. So it will loop into the business park and and be another entrance exit for all of our industrial [snorts] businesses in the park. Um, so here's kind of a project recap because this is uh we've been meeting about this project for many many years. So just to get everybody up that font is not the best up here. I apologize easier to read on the computer.

You have copies of this, but uh you want a physical copy if you have one. Did you have copies? No, I'll get this in there. Go right ahead. I'm sorry. I've got like a couple of them. I probably have two or three. Okay. Um so just a kind of a recap timeline of the project. So, um, city council approved the plan development district, um, uh, presented by PNC or recommended by PNZ back in May 2024. Um, and then, um, after that was approved, the EDC board and uh, city council approved the support for to establish the municipal management district um, which was also approved by the state legislature. Um, and then just last month or Last month, last week, the EDC award approved the um incentive agreement, economic development agreement, um with with American Ventures. Um and so just a couple project highlights. I think you'll have copies of the one pager and of the contract itself, but um I just put it kind of in bullet points so you can get the overview of the project. Um, so this is uh this project is about $14.1 million in infrastructure investments. Uh, $200 million in uh construction costs. Um, the EDC board approved $5 million to assist with public infrastructure cost um to expedite the project. Um, the EDC is going to invest approximately $750,000 into the wastewater line extension um and then $4.25 5 million in sales tax grant reimbursements or the difference in the cost of the extension of the wastewater line. Um the some of the some of the pieces of the agreement they have to begin construction by December 31st 2026. Um they must construct 200,000 square feet within the first three years of the project. Um and we broke down the sales tax grant payments to expedite um to kind of I guess frontload um the incentives to for for speed to market.

Um so for years one through five they'll receive 75% of the ED sale EDC sales tax grant payments. And I want to be clear this is just the EDC's portion not the city's portion just the EDC's. years 6 through 10 50% and it goes down to 25% years 11 through 15. Um so also another thing we had written into the agreement was if um they were to sell off a portion of the project to a nonprofit entity they would have to reimburse the city for the property taxes. Um this is again just to maximize our investment if we're investing in the infrastructure and in this project we want to make sure that it's the best benefit to the community to the city really helping balance that land use and maximizing a prime use piece of property. Um so the economic impact um for this so over um with it'll create about 1300 new jobs um with during construction and post construction. Um it will uh the projected sales tax impacts impact is $1.2 million to the city um and about $250,000 in additional hot funds. Um property taxes at full buildout will bring the city about $600,000 annually. So over a 30-year period, it's about a $60 million impact just to the city of Elgen, not including all of the other entities that'll benefit like the school district, Austin Community College, the county. Um, that's just a brief overview of the project. Again, I think you'll have the contract. I can email this out to you guys right now, too. It didn't look that tiny on my screen, I promise. But, uh, I will also invite American ventures up. They're here with us today, um, to add any additional comments and then we're happy to answer any questions you guys have.

Hi, everyone. John Cashack with American Ventures director of acquisition entitlement. Uh so we purchased this property um and personally I love working the city uh was a big part of the prior wood development on county road uh over by the elementary school and [snorts] you know really when we came to the thesis uh to invest in Elgen with type of project. What it really came down to was we wanted to copy and paste what mayor got you didn't get, which is that new development. Um, and so I can't get too specific about particular retailers that we're working with um because a lot of people in real estate like coaching tenants from us, but there's a lot of national brands. Uh, they're showing a lot of interest in these pads. We anticipate honestly to break ground in April of next year. Uh specifically with the infrastructure, the pads, you'll start seeing those go vertical uh within six months of that. Um which is great. We're talking to a couple of junior anchor boxes um as well as some large anchor tenants uh that would potentially come in on the back end uh the back side of the property. Uh we plan on being in for a long time. This is a 10 year investment horizon for us uh as well as to our investors and working with EDC has been great. I would say one of the most important things and it was to nobody's fault uh but when we initially bought this project uh where our connection with the Elgen business park was located was actually further inside of where the property line is and ultimately what happened was replatted on us and it like doubled our costs uh from an infrastructure standpoint. Uh

you know bringing the wastewater line allows us to bring in a lot more tenants, a lot more space. Uh, another signalized intersection is super important. Um, we want to get this project up ASAP. And, you know, there's a lot of text improvements too as well. Um, I don't like to get too much into the details, but we have [snorts] off-site improvements at the intersection of 290 and Highway 95, which I think is really kind of a bottle I call it bottleneck personally. Um, where everyone stuck at that light. [laughter] So, no, you're okay. And so, I I think that's important to to share with you guys. It will be another signalized intersection. Um, but you know, we think the connectivity with the EDC business park behind us, we'll have two access points to enter the property at signalized intersection. Um, but overall, we're super pumped to to do this project. We're excited to get started right away and happy to answer any questions you have. You answered my first question. Um, when were you predicted to ground break? So, you said April 2026.

We'll be looking for you. Yeah. No, [laughter] she put me, you know, like tight timeline. [laughter] It's done. [clears throat] So, yeah. essentially right one of the most critical pathways for us to start this development was going through the state legislature. Um and just to give you a fun tidbit uh Friday before it ended the motion got approved to do this infrastructure that would have delayed this project even further. Um so very thankful for the state getting us passed on that particular uh agenda item that allows us to actually fund the public infrastructure. Uh eventually, you know, will be dedicated to the city.

I don't have a question, but I guess more of a comment. Um, when you said copy and paste, that kind of turned [snorts] me off a little bit because I don't want what other people have. I hope that aesthetically you bring something different to this development that sets it apart from looking like Maynor and Flugerville. Um and I I just yeah that's just my comment is that I I would really just hope that

I I don't want to copy and paste. I want something unique. Yeah. So one one of the things that we actually implement on on new development is we have architectural standards that are typically um that run with the land in perpetuity. And so that's something that we we recognize. Um so yeah, I do apologize. Copy and paste probably the right. I appreciate that because I feel like that's one area in this city that we're not paying enough attention to is that we're losing our identity and I want to see us maintain our small town identity both aesthetically well I guess aesthetically.

Yeah. No, I appreciate that comment. What What is the timeline for like when can we start shopping there? Because that because that's what constituents are going to ask us, right? I totally respect that. So, you know, basically like typically a infrastructure project of this size takes anywhere from four to six months um in terms of just timeline. Uh unfortunately, we can't turn that over to potential retailer uh until after that portion of the project. However, what our goal is and what we're receiving within our contracts are they are actually going through the permitting process while we're doing construction. Uh so typically that should follow fairly quickly um right after that. And so I would anticipate depending on the size of the tenant, you're going to see a lot of the pads come here first. Um mainly because they're, you know, we're talking restaurants, we're talking, you know, convenience convenience stores potentially. We're talking about urgent beds. There's a couple other tenants that have a big name brand that, you know, you guys would truly love to see here. In my opinion, I look like I come here all the time. So, uh, on the larger side of the development, that one is going to take a little bit more time. And, and what I mean by that is in order for us to obtain certain financing to get vertical, uh, we have to have a certain portion of the project pre-released in advance. And that timeline to do to wall retail construction of this kind of magnitude, we're talking about anywhere from a 9 12 month process. Um, once we break ground. But having that public infrastructure in place initially, it speeds up that process on the back end.

Um, what's the likelihood of having local businesses have have a lease? We would love to have local businesses. We would love to have all businesses and I think honestly locally, you know, we would encourage local business owners to be a part of this development. Thank you. And uh, last question. What is a threestar hotel with national flag? Uh it's a Marriott, a Hilton, um a Hyatt, right? So, you know, we're not going after not knocking on them, but like a Motel Six. Um but not knocking on them, you know, there's there's a need for them in certain areas, but we we do want, you know, a name named brand. So, Marriott currently is looking in Elgen. Um we anticipate [snorts] potentially a Hilton of some type coming to this project. Any other questions?

No questions. Thanks, Kaylee, for bringing this home. I know it was a lot of years coming um and there were a lot of butting heads. And John, thank you especially for coming to the EDC and talking with all of us. It was a group effort. I I I truly appreciate that and getting it home. Okay. Do I have a motion?

I'll make a motion. [snorts] Second. I'll second. All right. We'll begin with council member S. Pierre. St. Pierre. Yes. Rodriguez. Yes. Frasier. Yes. Mcshen. Yes. Kasnowski. Yes.

Yes. Love. Yes. Motion carries. Thank you. Second one is a resolution of the city of Elgen authorizing the city manager to execute work authorization number three with gradient leadership solutions corporation of Mansville, Texas for finance related services.

Yes, mayor. Uh, so Pam Sanders is coming up, but what I will say is that what the intent of this item is is to continue the relationship, the work that we're doing with Gradient um, and plugging those holes and carrying us through a lot of uh, very heavy lifting and until we're sureooted uh, then, you know, we can start uh, having other conversations. But now and for the near future, I would ask that we continue our our work that is working feverishly in the background on a lot of different things uh that don't get talked about a lot um but are continually worked on [clears throat] but that's why we bring this forward so that we can go ahead and continue that relationship with gradient until we're ready to fly ourselves

any questions oh that was pound was You're welcome, pal. And we do have Laura with us. I'm sorry. I'll make

Okay, we'll begin with council member Rodriguez. Rodriguez, yes. Frasier, yes. Shen, yes. Kesnowski, yes. Gibson, yes. Yes. Love, yes. St. Pierre, yes. Motion carries. Number three is a resolution of city of Elgen authorizing city manager to award the negotiated professional services contract award logic compensation group for the city's compensation and benefits study.

This is to bring the logic compensation groups contract forward to approve um initiating the the start process for the compensation and benefit study that we've talked about. Logic was the selected vendor at the last council meeting and it was awarded for us to move forward. We've moved [clears throat] forward and communicated with them. We've received their contract and their cost proposal which is in your packet. If you have any questions, I can answer those.

So, uh budgeted uh I believe it was uh thought to be or going to be around 50,000. So, we're hovering around what that is. Um I I'm satisfied with the direction and the the quality product that we're going to get. Um but to answer your question on on the budget side, I think initially I think that was the budget idea was

it was the estimate. We we were unsure given the scope of the project and seeing how it's laid out. I think this is actually a good price. [snorts] And this is the all female one. Yes.

Make a motion to approve. I'll second it. All right. We'll begin with Deputy Mayor Pro Tim. Love Love. Yes. Safe Pier. Yes. Rodriguez. Yes. Frasier. Yes. Mcshen. Yes. Kasnki. Yes. Gibson. Yes. Yes.

Okay. The next one is number four. an ordinance of the city of Elgen, Texas, adopting the 10 Texas traits of good government and guiding principles for the city council committees and uh advisory councils, officials, employees and contracted employees, providing for implementation and application establishing standards for conduct and governance, providing a severability clause.

Thank you, Mayor Councel. Um I I I bring this before you uh as an item that I think um could benefit uh all of us, staff included, uh advisory boards and of course council. Um this was actually an idea brought forth and and I was called about this a couple different times from a couple different members of the council after I had just had a conversation with Mr. Alan Borquest who's he's an attorney. Um I think Mr.

[snorts] Schroeder uh knows him as well. He mentioned him by name. And so we're asking to do this is this resolution what it does. This was drafted uh by his firm many years ago and is used he's he's he's known as the ethics guru in Texas that gives these uh presentations and gives these uh training seminars on conduct and ethics in my past life and another community. uh I used uh his services to better us to have a solid working code of conduct for our again staff advisory board, council and all that good stuff. This is the very first step in going towards something that we can uh work through strategic planning session on and talk about. But when I thought of beginning and initially starting this and having the conversations that was being felt uh having with me and we'll order at TML well guess who I ran into God put them in front of me and I saw Allan and I said Allan we got to talk and I think there's an opportunity for us all and so the the idea behind these are are are very general in terms and so these are not very specific other than some very basic uh that I think everybody would appreciate uh and that we would understand as as a team going forward. And I'm talking as a community really. Um but I think this will lead into the path where the council um can sit we can sit together and say what what path we want to be forward in and how do we want to uh transform ourselves to make ourselves even better because I'm going to be doing that on a daily basis on an hourly basis is how can we make ourselves better to make our communities better and I think that's how this was spurned but there was some contact by I know

council So, deputy mayor for Tampa, love by some curiosity right when we got back to from TML that was mentioned. Council member St. Pierre, same thing. And so, we're hitting on all cylinders and there was a reason. Mayor, same thing. So, I I think the idea is sound. Um, but again, these are some very basics that talk about the 10 things. um respectfulness, responsive, effective, transparent, competent, ethical, lawful, innovative, fiscally sound, and accountable. I think we all should be running through and using that lens with everything that we do anyway. And I think it's just how what mom taught you, right? How we're raised. But we're going to put on a piece of paper. We're going to use it as the forward gospel. and that's the standard that we'll move forward with so that we have that behind us to know that that's what's leading everything that we're doing before us. And although that's what we're doing technically on the day, I think it's important for us to go out there and publicly uh commend that. I'm committing for sure obviously, but this is that very small step and that's all this is at this point right now. And that's why it's here to entertain the council and and u that's how it was brought and that's that's the reason behind

who came up with the name. So that is the actual uh uh Alan Borquest standard that is used in all cities that begin with this first small step. It's almost like a formatted program when you get to ultimately either like a code of conduct or a code of ethics whatever fits elegant that's worked on. But the very first thing every small or big community and we're talking uh cities of over a million adopt this very basic principle to stop to start uh with that you know language of the Texas Straits of good govern uh government and I think it's it is the many years in talking to Allen it's the many years that he's been talking about this and he put it on a piece of paper and so this is publicly uh acknowledged and on the website. So, anybody can go right now to the Borquest Law Firm website and see it and it's provided to communities to take freely and to use and it's not the copy paste. Uh but some things are just good for every community and so that that's where it comes from and and that's where the title comes from. Um it's a suggested uh form but you make it your own. There's no property rights or anything like that that we got to worry about.

That was my next question. Yes, ma'am. This is free online and uh anybody, any community, any organization can adopt these. Yes, ma'am. I'll make a motion. I'll second.

Kesnowski, yes. Gibson, yes. Wayne, yes. Love, yes. St. Pierre, yes. Rodriguez, yes. Frasier, yes. Thank you. Council number five is an or ordinance annexing 133.6470 acre and a 40.3.63 acre tract of land totaling 174.01 01 acres the hereto describe territory to the city of Elgen Bastro Travis County, Texas and extending boundary uh limits to of said city so as to include said here in and after described property within said city limits and granting to all inhabitants of said property all rights and privileges of other citizens and binding said inhabitants by all of the acts, ordinances, resolutions and regulations of said city and adopting service plan or agreement and granting permanent zoning of PDD plan development district providing a severability clause and providing an effective date.

Bo wrote that by the way just letting you know it's his fault that not even close [laughter] but not that smart. Um we can go to the next slide. Just kind of want to give a quick background history to council. So originally this came before council. It was called the Graham Estates development. uh it entered entered into a development agreement uh which council approved at the time that basically set the standards for the particular development. Um that development did not actually move forward in the original construction. Another developer came and purchased that property in addition to additional properties next to it. Uh they came back before PNZ and before council with a new development agreement u for the concept of that particular development. uh council at the time approved that development. Essentially, the development agreement, they were not going to be in city limits, but the entirety of the development was going to be signed and built to the city standards. In addition, they had some park land that was going to be in as part of the project, some trail systems, but essentially they were building a subdivision at the time the city could eventually annex from it. It was not going to be a mud. It was going to be basically a county subdivision built to the city of Elgen standards. you providing sewer service, aqua providing water service. Um they've begun that move forward with the project um in the design portion um [clears throat] and they've decided that they would just prefer to being that they're going to be meeting the design standards of the city of Elgen anyway and that eventually it would be annexed that it would just be to their benefit to go ahead and ask for voluntary annexation into the city limits at this point in time. Um, as far as the development, the DA basically would transfer to a planned development district. So, they're still held to the same standard that council originally had approved for the development itself. Um, and they would move forward with such development. Again, this would be aqua water. This would be uh city of Elgen sanitary sewer. Um, and then essentially it would be PD uh trash

would go through the city. So on and so forth. Um, most of you are know it'll look like a giant donut hole. Um, when the law changed, quote me, I believe it was 2019, uh, contiguous and adjacent were basically switched out basically when the state legislature took away the involuntary annexation. They did allow voluntary annexation uh, to be a little bit looser and considered from an adjacent property. Um, today the courts right now are kind of ruling that adjacent would be something within a mile or very within your to basically you could voluntarily annex them in. Um very similarly, you'll see from the maps the ETJ would be extended. As you guys are very well aware, the state legislature has also changed the laws to where any property can basically disanex themsel from a city's ETJ simply by request and filing it at the county courthouse. Um, so yes, your ETJ will extend out based on this annexation, but those property owners out there do have the ability if they still don't want to be within the city's ETJ to formally request that. And I think to date, you guys have had just under six since that law changed around the entirety of the city of Elgen's ETJ that have request to be removed. And with that I can answer I think the next slide kind of give you just kind of what that concept plan that was approved as part of the development agreement. So there will not be any changes to this. Again went before PNZ recommended to council. Council ultimately approved this. This would all still hold for the actual development.

Bo did you say individual property owners can deanex? Say again. Did you say individual property owners can be annexed? So this is two separate property tracks that are asking for annexation for the entirety of the de development for the disanexation from the ETJ. Yes. Individual property owners.

So like if I bought a house if if I bought a house from the ETJ, not from city limits, right? But if I bought a house, I could deanex from the ETJ. because you would already be in the city limits.

All right, maybe it's late and yeah, I'm not putting two into together. So, uh, ETJ is basically half a mile or a mile outside the extent of the city limits um depending on which county you're in. That gives the city has some kind of planning control and review control authority with um the county that it might be in assuming that you have an interlocal agreement. That's the ETJ. It basically sets that up. City limits is where the city limits, you're paying city taxes. The city does have development standards and zoning. You can have a property in the ETJ, no zoning, meets county rules, regulations, but the city still has the ability to review, make sure it's platted lot, so on and so forth. Today, you're actually allowed to disanex yourself from the ETJ to where a city would have no involvement on that particular property as it develops. So, uh, walk me through why would the developer want to annex themselves into the city?

Basically, at this point in time, they're going through the development agreement. This particular development's in Travis County. Um, they're going to have to run two concurrent because we do not have an interlocal agreement, two concurrent different uh approval processes which will probably delay the project for multiple years. They had always intended, hence why they brought the development agreement to the that they were going to design to city standards with the idea that they would annex into the city when you were contiguous um and not knowing when you would get other voluntary annexations. The city is only annexing in the actual tracks of property. You are not annexing in County Line Road or the right that would still remain Travis County. They would still for any kind of permitting with their driveways or roadways to County Line Road. they would still be um having to meet all Travis County standards for that particular

and therefore all of the property tax not all the property taxes I'm sorry city of Elgen property taxes would be applied correct to these homes I'll second. Yes.

Love. Yes. St. Pierre. Yes. Rodriguez. Yes. Yes. Yes. Kasnovski. Yes. Number six, an ordinance assigning newly annexed properties, city council ward number two, providing for a seability clause and providing an effective date.

Um, as council is aware, anytime that we annex something property into city limits, we have to assign it to a particular ward. For this particular one, staff recommend war just because where was physically located. That being said, we are very well. It's basically empty piece of property. No one lives there. We've watched the housing builds as population increases with a lot of these different developments. At some point in time, staff will be coming back and recommending to council a redrawing of the war district lines just based on the population to more even it out. [snorts] Um, but in this case, and you've approved a couple of others in the past, another one later tonight is it's really based on when there's a living there. So you will if you look at the ward map you will see that it looks like a lot of land mass you know to two districts being district three and district two. We are watching the actual head count and I do expect that the lines will shift where you will see district one and two's western property move further to the west as you continue to see home starts.

Make a motion to approve. I'll second it. We'll begin with deputy mayo. Tim Love Love. Yes. S Pier, yes. Rodriguez, yes. Yes. Mcshan, yes. Kasnowski, yes. Yes. Number seven is a resolution of the city of Elgen authorizing the mayor to execute the third amendment to the development and consent agreement with Clayton Properties Incorporated, a Tennessee corporation doing business in Texas as Bronnols uh the developer and the U Altessa Municipal Utility District.

Yes, council. Uh so this will be better known as Harvest Ridge. Um it is an ETJ mud that located road to the east. Um, as you may recall, this has come before BNZ, come before council for approval a couple of different times with amendments. Um, what they are planning to offer is looking at your maps closer, the call it the hyper blue, neon blue looking color is they had a couple of projects where they did a cottage style home that sold um very well and they they have people that are interested in that particular product. They put that particular product on existing lots that met threshold which was 3600 square feet um in redistributing the layout of their development um for just that particular home product which they refer to as the cottages. They're looking for those pieces of property to have a max or a minimum of 2,000 square feet up to the 3600. So, we're not rewriting the entirety of the code across everything else that's been approved by council. Um, they feel strongly with the school that they're trying to push this towards school teachers and firsttime home builders. Basically, it's a it's a house with a garage or parking area that does not have a yard. I mean, it's it's a very large house on a very small lot. Um, so they're asking for the revision for that that 2,000 square foot just those particular lots. What it does to to the development as an overall is right now the development has a maximum number of leees of,200. Um they're looking to increase that to 1300 but the actual count is 1286. So just under that um what they're uh have brought forth to the city is one for the public services

site that's already been deed and dedicated to the city. So the shot clock for lack of better started for the city to do something and if we don't start construction for a public service related entity it reverts the property will revert back to the developer uh and then they can develop it. They've they've agreed to extend that to seven years from the date it was needed over to the city. So that gives you a much larger window to look at how you would best do that particular site. Um as you recall for this particular development they paid a reservation capacity fee towards the wastewater treatment plant expansion. that was at a set fee back in the day of what the impact fee was at that point in time and they they paid that reservation fee for the entirety across the subdivision. What they've agreed to for those additional 100 LU they've increased that to what the actual cost of the expansion was basically divided by the same calculation. So it's going from about $2500 to $4,500 for those extraundes that they would pay into the city. In addition, they are going to build a trail system that would connect the uh ETJ mud down to the pepperass trail uh and maintain that as well uh to provide another point of interconnectivity uh for the development and then ultimately um that's all gone between to the parks board and then just for the last little bit is they were just cleaning up the park land ultimately with the school. Uh if you remember the original agreement did not incorporate a school into the site. it was discussed but that was a [snorts] a different negotiated development with the ISD and then they gave up a particular area of property so we just basically picked that so if I can summarize it it's very specific lots that would be below currently it's 3600 is the minimum size lot that is defined in the development agreement so they've basically chosen as shown on the concept

plan very specific lots where they're asking for it to be as low as 2000 Although they're not all 20,000, they range from 2,00 to 3600 for those cottage style homes. So it is not overriding what PNZ had. PNZ recommended um was satisfied with that uh in the workshop that we had that is still held to defining of what that developed to the city

questions. Yes. Okay. Uh first one. So the extension they're only granting that if we pass this tonight otherwise it reverts. It's per your last amendment on the agreement which was basically believe it was three years from the time it was conveyed. So you guys are probably years left.

Um and then you stated that they built these type of houses in other areas. What other areas like is it like Elgen? Is it? Yes. So here in Harvest Ridge, this particular line of fashion line of homes that they have, they have built that home and called the cottage on some existing lots. Those existing lots were 3600 or more square feet already within what y'all's code required for the particular development. They basically said those have sold well. developers. So according to them, they've sold well enough that they wanted to add that, but in doing so, creating greater density, I guess the feedback they got was you end up with that product of a home for a certain sales price, but then it ended up on a yard lot that people did not want for that size home. to if I can also. So I guess what you're saying uh Bo is that the houses have been produced [clears throat] similar size but just on a greater lot size presently and they're just asking

to have the same lot size that they feel is more uniform with the size of the home. Again, from an infrastructure standpoint, all of that is accounted for. Engineering, so on and so forth, flood planes, um, and essentially the different items that are read out in the agreement. They're kind of broken up by section. That's basically what the offsets are.

So again, no yard, no grass. There probably a little bit, but it's not going to be a yard. Do you have any idea about a setback or or they will still have to meet all the same. They're not asking for any differences in what they currently have uh with that uh the development in the DA. So all the setbacks that are already apply across all the different properties, they didn't ask for a variance of that. It's simply just the size of the lot on a square footage basis. Well, and I would say this uh not uh for against the item itself, but I I I do know and we all know that there's various ranges of opportunities for people that are starting off or at a certain uh looking for a certain type of property. And so maybe even the yard uh consideration uh may not be a focal point for some people. um that don't want to worry about that that piece, but they're hyperfocused on just their indoor their property and a working school, whatever it may be,

right? And so this I think throws a mix based on again what they deem to be demand for this. Uh and we can vary our options. I think maintaining character is one the properties themselves, but I can't take away from the size is being drastically reduced. But that just gives you a different type of inventory of what you have to offer for the different types of people who may be wanting to look for something like this where they might not be able to afford something different or specifically just do not want to deal with a yard issue.

Yeah. In in the calculations, if you look at it, some of the larger lot size, they've actually increased some of the 50 foot frontage lots. um how they've created these lots is they've taken some of the other lots and cut them into taken two lots and cut it into three type deal. But from the overall count and we look at that as they go through the developments it's it's on this plan and as they apply each one is early on with PNZ was you know trying to make sure that you had a mix of different lot sizes but also what that frontage was across. So what you see when you're driving down the road from a front lot line, not necessarily a depth behind it, but what you see driving down the road from the property side to side for the overall development. Um but again, your total increase in density is just under additional homes over what they already have. Are these just going to look like smaller version of like Elm Creek North?

No. If you've gone to Harvest Ridge, my my from what they've said, very similar to they have a lot of they have a couple of alley loaded products where they have, you know, it's a front yard or deeper setback with some street on parking, but basically the garage or the access would be back behind the home essentially. said cottage style. A lot of the homes that you see in there are more of a ranch style. Don't not an architect, so I'm gonna butcher it, but from what it looks like, more of that. But yes, they would be twostory as opposed to single story obviously on these footprints because they're still trying to minimum. So like duplexes in Elgen.

I mean these would all No, I know. But I'm saying property size. Yes. Would it be similar because with the garages in the back and the alleyway because that's where I am. Is it going to look similar to that? I would say with the exception of two story. I I think some of the ones in Eagles Landing are two story. Correct.

All the Well, all the duplexes um are in the middle, but they all feed off. in half and you actually spread it so it's a single structure. Yeah. Similar to that. Think I think of it like a row house or maybe a townhouse.

Yes. Probably similar more to that. Um again not from city staff comments that they made at PNZ was targeting school teachers single school teachers school teachers in what they're trying they're really trying to right there at the 199 mark for these particular offers.

Yeah, it may not be my cup of tea, but I I'd like to have someone starting perhaps. Yeah. And that that's I think that's the kind of idea is that our inventory just gets buried in in our uh developments. But I I don't disagree that yeah, you are providing greater density.

Yeah. Um I'm not going to argue on that. Um I don't think I think in their minds again these are some of the comments [snorts] as you'll see on the other side of the street to the back portion of the property school in there. They're not redefining what would I guess the entryway off of county road from city limits into the mud. They're not trying to redefine any of those properties within that particular area.

But you said it adds 100 less than overall density of what we originally had what they originally had on the preliminary and final plat. But their total max cap for this would go from 1200 to 1300. could not even if they made a couple of shifts on lots and stuff still trying to meet the density per lot size that we had originally laid out they would not be able to go above and they're locked into that number unless you guys decided to ask those same questions there's not really at this point in time between structure The school has already been built out where they have to build those roads that

I think personally I'll just say I'm I'm a fan of neighborhoods that provide various options for folks. Um not everybody wants a yard. Some people do. Some people want a bigger house. Some people want twotory house and I think just from my maybe again anecdotal seeing neighborhoods that incorporate different types of living styles I think you know create creates community right because you're living next to other folks

I probably should the different color lots you see up there are basically different offerings so you can see it's not like they would have all of these in one little area where it's like a section They're intermixed around different sizes and different off to your point and trying to keep the somewhat of a mixture um of if you drive down here it's different homes, differentiz lots and stuff like that to a certain extent trying to keep that within there as opposed to you will see some that's blocks and it's like here's all your 50 foots and then you move over two streets here's all your 40 foots, here's all your 35s It's almost like subsections of a neighborhood within a neighborhood. They probably make a motion to approve. [snorts]

I'll second. Love, yes. St. Pierre, yes. Rodriguez, yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Gibson, no. Yes.

All right. Number eight. A resolution of the city of Elgen authorizing the mayor to execute a funding agreement between the city of Elgen, Texas, and the Elgen Chamber of Commerce on expenditure of hotel occupancy tax funds. Thank you, mayor. As discussed previously in our um distinguished speakers u previously, uh this is the uh second iteration of what we brought before uh with the chamber of commerce uh visitor center agreement. Really what it remains constant is that what we didn't want to u deal in staff at a staff level was the the dollar amounts and so we we almost shelfed that and went through the mechanisms of what the expectations are for hotel occupancy tax very specifically. um having experience in the chamber of commerce and visitor centers and convention visitors bureau there's a clear line and distinction between and so uh all I can say is obviously uh there were many people come forward but when we do discuss this as as a whole my challenge my charge is to bring qualified u applications for hotel occupancy tax so that we can go ahead and and move forward with that idea with that being the case and so that there's clarity and understanding of what the expectations are uh what's working is not and uh that's as far as I wanted to take that because I I think the understanding from all parties is we we know what we expect from both sides. How do we get there? How is it funded is another question and

we because we know what those lines are. It now turns really inward to say okay where do we see ourselves? How how do we move this forward? What is a reasonable solution uh so that it satisfies one the legalities of hotel occupancy tax dollar funding restrictions and two the wishes of the council to uh ensure that we're moving forward with something that we all agree uh moves us forward in what we're trying to do. Because again, if this is seen as very specific and scrutinized, uh I'll say it now, um everything will be turned inside out and uh reevaluated, looked at so that we can go ahead and shake the very best for the community because that's that's your charge to me. Say make things better. And as I said when I started was it could very well be the exact same uh contract from before. But I want to give it a fair shake to say we looked at this, we turned it upside down. We had some questions about it. Council has uh now an opportunity hopefully more than ever to understand some inner workings and maybe perhaps from the uh chamber aside to say what what is the idea moving forward. And so while um I I don't have a lot of will and want to go into uh you know past operations, there's still needs to be that as part of the mix to say how do we go from this point to be better. And so we've laid out some some options, but I know the council has entertained some questions back and forth with uh the chamber as well.

And that's where I really leave it there to say I think we've exhausted a lot of those conversations and questions. It really now just comes down to where do we see ourselves as as as a group and I include myself uh as a city manager in this mix. So [snorts] then I can exercise the wishes of the council and then again I think it was number 11 or 12 is the accountability parts to say I'm going to ensure that whatever we're saying that we're going to do, we're going to do. Uh but conversely, um I'm going to ensure that whatever is signed by this council and asked directed of me to do, uh you're going to get that done, too. So, um I put that background and setting so that um we start with that and then we start identifying those pieces and how you want to move forward. comments.

Grab your mic. I think it's a good start. Yeah. Um, so I think there were a few comments um just from some members of [snorts] council and then some members of the community. Um the chamber is yes a partner with the city but regarding the chamber is also separate in a sense from the visitor center. So question was raised is if the chamber can remain just the chamber and the city was to take over the visitor center. How would that look? Well, if you're asking me in an operational sense, um we we can get that done. Uh to answer it just straight up and um to the point, uh I know there's some mechanisms in there to kind of change uh forms or functions of how we operate. Um I will again put this back into put those bumper rails to say we are talking specifically hotel occupancy tax. And so while again we appreciate the chamber portion that is the uh organization that is charged with managing those dollars. when we speak in these terms, we really need to focus on that visitor center portion and uh because I know you know the chamber of commerce u I believe is 501c6 like most chambers of commerce um and so they operate in a different way and so that's why I kind of when I focus that and say that portion of visitors can it be done by a chamber of commerce yes it it can be can it be done by the city or somebody somebody for sure. So, we can make those things happen. It's just uh how you know if you

wanted to disassemble and repackage things, we can make those things work as well. Uh what I don't want to lose for sure are the advantages that we have in being unique, being perfectly situated regardless of how great and I think they're they're a great organization. The Bastro Chamber of Commerce is and the visitor center. Um, I want to be great, too. And so I we need to figure what that balance is. And so I know it doesn't get to a point where it's this is this defined answer where it's going to drive you to this decision. It really isn't because it's a little bit more nuanced because the, you know, this is the community, right? So it it has to work for Elgen, not for Bastrop, God bless him, or any other chamber of commerce. It has to work here. And so whatever works here is is what I'm trying to get definition for because then I'm accountable to exercise on that contract and then I'm accountable to come before you and give those reports just like Payton is. And so that's where I just wanted, let's drill this down. Let's get it set straight and then let's march forward and get these people in in the businesses in our community having fun and coming back staying at the hotels because by the way again the idea behind this is cyclical. And so the idea of hot funds is to encourage and get people to come to stay in the hotels to pay the tax to be able to fund some more of that. By virtue you're leaving uh sales tax dollars uh and a lot of other great stuff. And so I'm very simplistic in that sense is to say how do I make that circle work? How do we fund get people to come and stay at the hotels that funds it to be

able to pump it back out to keep it funneled and and to grow to grow because we got hotels coming uh you just heard and it's going to continue to grow. So we might as well harness it today. Figure out what the system's going to be. give me the charge and say, "Act on. I'm ready to do it." And again, operationally, yes, we definitely can do it. We're not the only ones, but we can.

If we remove the role of visitor center from them, when people contact them and they show up and they go in, they're still going to promote these small businesses. Correct. Like that's their role. Uh yeah, the chamber would have to Yeah, the chamber would have to answer

the chamber to be I can't answer the chamber. I'll just say that I think we do have great representation that probably could answer those even better because I I just don't know what that would look like. My expectation was that you walk in anywhere and I don't care if it's HB that we're all ambassadors. We're all saying the same thing. We're all doing the purple. We're all with that pride, right? But more importantly is what's going to happen when they go into the office. I think that's better uh said with uh either Miss Bloom, your chamber president incoming. Yes, ma'am. Um so that way it comes directly from there. I can only speak for what I'm doing. My question basically is is what do you do different with the [snorts] visitor center than you are already doing already? If your job as a commerce is to promote small business when people call you, what extra roles really are you taking on as a visitor center by other than putting our name or visitor center on the building and and maybe fielding some phone calls?

That's a great question. And um it becomes a little Can you hear me? Yeah. Okay. um it becomes a little tangled because what we do we do a lot of promotion for the community for you know every our partners um the chamber of commerce is membershipbased but as the visitor center we have people coming in they can use our restroom they can stop and um sit down while they gather themselves um we can make recommendations on what there is to do in Elgen where to shop, orient them, give them directions. And so I think as being a community member, if someone were to come in, if we were not the visitor center, it's just good practice to welcome people. But I think we make a a um very concerted effort to make sure that okay, we're going to be open a lot more per the contract. We're going to make sure that we are advocating that, hey, come here. we're going to be working. There's opportunity to grow. So perhaps um it becomes more of um more partnerships that is more geared towards promoting the tourism by becoming this more of a springboard for those outside groups visiting. Um and as Elgen is growing, as we're having more hotels coming in, more people coming through the doors, we're able to help orient those people.

So, so I think what I've, you know, kind of gleaned or listened and heard the public comment is I I I feel like there's two constituencies that are almost I don't want to say at odds, but as you said, the chamber is a membership based organization. And so your first obligation is to serve those members who are the business owners. And I have no doubt that you do that and you support those businesses and and you you do that. You when a new business opens, you connect them with the community um help provide and I and I absolutely believe in that. Right. I think that's a different slightly different mission and constituencies than tourism, right? Because your constituency with tourism is you have folks coming from Houston, Austin, from outside the state of Texas and they're a different constituency. They're not saying, "Hey, can you help me connect me with me as a lender? I want to take out a business loan or I really need a network. I'm looking to hire more people. Where can I get skilled labor?" I think those are certain things coming perhaps from members versus visitors. And and what I'm what I'm what I'm hearing and what I heard more today the public comments is that it seems that the chamber can't can't do both. that there's a struggle to have two people in in doing both and and um I think that that's my that's my concern is if it can because because what because what I've seen and I've shared this going back to you know the 10 government I'm about to say ten commandments the the 10

code I mean I'm I'm being transparent and I'm being honest but what I have seen does not visitor center to me. Um the numbers that I have seen do not look like outside visitors. They look like folks going to the chamber and getting information, which again is great, right? But if we're looking at trying to put heads in beds, hotel occupancy taxes, um I I I I don't see that happening with the current configuration. And I will say that the chair said they you guys can't open Monday through Saturday. You know, that's not physically possible. But again, that's where you have those constituencies because visitors are not coming to Elgen on Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. That's maybe when a business owner is stopping in to get some advice, have a meeting. But weekends, and we all know that, where do we go when we take weekend, you know, trips or vacations? We we go on the weekend. You know, I just went up to Bertram to take the Polar Express with my family this past weekend. Um, and we went on a Saturday, right? And the visitor center was right there at the library across the street from the train depot. Um, and uh, anyway, so that I think I I think that tension is is what we're feeling. And I don't want anybody to think that, you know, I'm trying to um, I don't know, tell the ch, you know, this is not about the chamber. What again, I the chamber is doing, right? I think there is a tension between the constituencies and being able to withhold both of those missions. And right now, I don't see those I don't see both of those missions being accomplished.

I appreciate that. Um, and I don't fully disagree, but I will say I think that they're so tied together um in a way, but yet they are very, very different. Um, I will say is that um as something that um talking to hotels um Best Western um or sorry the Holiday Inn reported that during Western days um they had an average of 32% increase in occupied rooms. So we're bringing in not just as a visitor center but some of the things that we do and trying to put us on the map. Um I will also that we do envision to be financially independent. I think moving to a new building to be more visible um is part of that has been part of that process and I think that what we are

upfront ready to [clears throat] anybody that comes in and answer any question whether they're from Elen or whether they're from Houston or wherever else. [snorts] Uh starting in January with meetings with the with the city manager we're going to track [snorts] our people coming in more than what we do. Right now it's a weekly tracking. Uh we're going to track it by date. So you can say on Monday we get this many on Tuesday we get this many over an average of a quarter. So that's one of the things that we have agreed with the city manager. We need to improve on our tracking is going to improve. We're also going to improve on our signage. We're going to make it easier for everyone to see this is the visitor center. That's something that's going to going to start once the the board meets in January. We have a lot of plans, a lot of plans to do what you as a city council are asking us to do. We're already doing most of them, [snorts] but we have a lot of plans to improve. There's areas to improve. We know that we uh as Miss Bloom said when when the when the hotels when we went and asked the hotels, are we bringing anybody in during western days? All three of them said yes. Quality in couldn't give me a percentage. All they could say is they had 12 more rooms than the previous week. Granted, during those four days of western days, the the Sunset Motel, he didn't even try to give me a percentage, but he said during western days, I'm always full. Uh [snorts] the Holiday Inn did give us a percentage. 37 more rooms, 32% more during those four days of western days. So, it's not just visitor center, it's also the festivals that we sponsor and the festivals and [snorts] events that we support because we support every event that the city sponsors. So, thank you very much.

I appreciate that. So, in front of you right now, the agreement uh as it stated, there's some modified hours still in there has the 58,000 per year uh funding from hotel occupancy tax uh for the visitor center. But again, Mr. Sher uh again helped guide us through as we prepare to document and working with the chamber to get this to where we do have it identified as still um funding the chamber of commerce hotel occupancy tax funding to serve as official visitor center. Um that's what's before you. That's how it is right now in the way it's stated and so I think it's really just

sure if if you want to know about the schedule yes we have said that that uh opening up full day on Saturday will put a strain on our two employees we have two staff here they you know to think that they work a 40hour week but if you insist at the council uh because you think that Saturday It's important that we stay open all day. Then we'll stay open all day. That's not the deal breaker. It's just is it going to make it harder? Yeah, it's going to make it harder. But that's not the deal breaker.

So with the agreement that you have that you have shown us both the parties have agreed. Yeah. In terms uh having said that we were going to shelf the dollar amount consideration because I think we worked out a lot of the logistics what's been able to be done and uh as your speaker just said the modification of a Saturday uh really what I think there's some clarity on reporting uh that we're now working through and getting done um and it really ends up being uh the investment $58,000 from hotel occupancy tax. So on an operational sense, I I think uh we have the framework to get it done. By the way, what we're asking today is is to finalize the final details and uh we'll work with our city attorney going forward to have then the chamber of commerce uh sign all relevant documents in whatever form. But that's the goal to come out of here to say look, we're we see it as this the council agrees to these terms or not that's expectation so we can walk out contract ends December 31 we start a fresh year January one and we move forward but that was why there was a couple iterations of this that's why there was you know a lot of questions uh individually uh and directed uh individually uh to the chamber to respond and now we're at this point right now um going through that value proposition and to say this is important. This does get us what we need in return. Again, uh even conditional u agreements too. What I'm think I'm hearing as well, mayor, please correct me and counsel, but is that you know there there's a possibility of of possibly a conditional contract with stipulations that you want

to apply to this Perhaps uh we can do all those things. This is not a bid contract by no means. It's very workable. That was going to be my question. Um say, [snorts] so if this particular contract, this contract in front of us didn't pass,

um we go to the back to the table to the drawing board to come up with a conditional one with maybe a different number. That number is not okay. Or you can suggest that number and we can use that and plug it in and put the conditions as well. I I don't mean to, you know, pressure council into making any decisions. I don't like making decisions in in that way, but at the end of the day, the framework is there and really the one thing that's left off there. What I mean by conditions, you you uh may say additionally uh this has to happen or within these uh conditions and look um you guys assess me on a daily basis but I'm required to be assessed as well and so maybe that there is a quarterly health check that is uh more strenuous. I'm throwing things on the table to see if there's you know an opportunity to move it forward um because we can and working with our city attorney, we can make those things happen as well. But I think we just need that framework to say, look, this is what we really are seeing that it is not it's not shown that it's being produced. That's what I think I'm hearing from the council say. So, we can't identify it specifically. And while there's a big benefit to the community of having the chamber be partners with us and to continue to be partners with us, uh I can uh drive the data. I can't give you different information, Miss Fry, with information that she has on the ground. The data is the data. And so really it's that if on the ground we're able to fix the logistical pieces, the the hours, the reporting, all those pieces. Then we come down to what is the value you give this and we're just saying 58 is where we're at. 58 is what we put down there

because we kind of knew we're going to meet at this intersection just to say are we there at that at that point, but we just don't have enough daylight or runway to have um a little bit more conversation and I hate to put you in that box, but I think we just need that so that we can move forward for the city's sake, for the chamber's sake as well, and so that we can move it forward with whatever way you want to split this. With the 58, how much were we giving them before?

58. We're requiring additional hours. Well, I'm sorry, I should Well, I I saw the 36, but uh Saturday 9 to noon. So, you know, there's there's been a lot of talk [snorts] about this and the way chamber goes is the way the city's going to go. And there needs to be certain level of support from the chamber that allows them to operate to a point to where they can become u financially on their own independent. Um and I understand that that's going to take some time. And I think that that as a council we need to to have a little grace there. Um I also think that you know there's been a lot of accusatory uh talk around this water cooler talk if you want to want to say that that doesn't help this process. Um I do believe that you said it Mayor Rome said it as well about data. You know, a lot of decisions are being made without data and until we get better data, it's hard to impose a whole lot of everybody's wills. [snorts] Um, and so that's that's a concern that I I have uh going into any agreement, whether it's this one or the next one or the last one. I mean, I I want to I I want to support the chamber. I want to support its members because I

know that that is going to support the city. That's the only way we're going to get to where we need to be in my opinion. So if uh just to clarify the conditions and the way we talk about this and so that we go into this knowing is that we didn't we know the struggle with hours and that we're not wanting to create more burden with same dollars. What we're actually saying is that we we're asking to restructure the hours that they're providing. So it's the same hours provided just back ended to where we're we asked to say this is this is really the important times for us. It's going to be the later afternoons when people visitors can actually come the Saturdays and and I know we keep repeating that but it's really just reconfiguring your hours to be reflective there not to add additional in fact we went back and forth and the city gave a little on a couple of the conditions as well and so it hasn't been a one way where it's going to the chamber and saying you must do this because we want more uh or we want some skin out of this. Uh really what it was is like, hey, I'm being pressured to go ahead and make sure all the stuff is being reviewed and we can attest to saying that it's it's been done. And where we can better it is to say for sure a shift in hours would would help. We think coming from the chamber background myself, we think that that would be it. but you flatten it out or you again work the hours that you do to not have additional hours. Does it mean that it's going to change the configuration of the Chamber of

Commerce? If it's done right, yes. The answer without a doubt would be yes. Because if it doesn't change the configuration of what's happening right now, we're going to end up with the same data next year if it's not configured different. And so,

but what data? We don't have data that I I do want to make a point. We do have data. So we we we got all the reports. Payton shared all the reports with us and Kaylee ran all of the Placer AI data. We have it. I [snorts] and I'll repeat some of what I saw. The average stay in the building is 126 minutes. That's the average stay according to Placer AI. That does not indicate to me that that is a visitor. I I don't know that I've ever stayed anywhere in a visitor center for two hours. That's that's a real long time, right? We can't distinguish the data. We can't distinguish who went there for a visitor, as a chamber, as as something else, right? But if you look at the data, where are the people leaving? They're primarily visiting Elgen locations, Elgen HB, um, other kind of Elgen staples, which again leads me to believe that the majority of the people going to that building are not visitors. They are Elgen residents or chamber again business owners, which again is not a bad thing. But if we get back to the intent of the contract, the intent of the contract is to drive tourism. Jump back on that again. We got data. We don't have enough of it. But we've asked these guys to do some more collecting of data in a different way. I think we need to give a chance to do that and answer your question about it. We can terminate this contract with 60 days notice. We don't have to change it anywhere. We can just say it's not working. We need we need to We can do it for this contract. I think what changes they have made

and if we ask them to put more days on it, we may have to give them some more money to take care of some signage. I mean, one of the things that was mentioned the last meeting [snorts] was making visitor center more prominent. I agree with that. It needs to be prominent. It needs to be seen. It needs to be in a big font that you can see from across the street. Um and there needs to be print material around the city that will support that as well. Um that requires funds uh then we need to keep that in mind uh so that we can support it you know um I just I don't want to see us in a situation where uh because we're making some assumptions about the data that we do have that we're creating a bigger problem that's And I don't I I I think we we work better together. I I I think if if we're not agreeing with with what either side is seeing, we need to work better together. Um and fix it. uh because the chamber does good for the city and I you know I would hope that the city also would do good for the chamber. Um and so if we don't like things then let's fix things and like Chuck said if if we don't give them a chance to fix things then then I'm not on board with that.

Why did it have to get to this point though? Like why did we have to get to this discussion for them to take the role of visitor center seriously? Like we have I I appreciate the advocacy and the passion that came from the people that stood up, but it and and and to say that you guys will do better, but it took for us to have to have this conversation for you to take that role seriously. And that it's really disappointing and I'm not really sure I trust it. I don't think that I don't think with all due respect I don't think that's exactly right it changed for me um when they moved buildings because they had a sign a city sign that said visitors center and it was very prominent um and and everything was right there. I think it hasn't been that way all the time, but when they moved to their current place, I think that is where the change happened. And that may be true, but [clears throat] I saw the pictures in the inside and it's a pantrysized closet space for a visitor center and then the rest is their, you know, their space like she said with people going and holding meetings while we get this tiny little closet that's packed. It looks crowded. I I don't know. I just it's disappointing that we have to bring these things up and and I I understand what you're you're saying. I appreciate that. I respect that. Um [snorts] and and maybe that's true. I I can't attest to that. But it's it's a disappointing space.

Point. I think I agree with that. I do think that you walk into a visitor center, you're going to see more elegant stuff. You're going to see Elgen merch. You're going to to see that at least the visitor centers that I've been to, you know, you're going to see that space where the the city is is highlighted uh in a unique way. Um, and I I I haven't seen that to the extent that I would like to see that.

Agree. [cough and clears throat] I I agree with that. I just I don't think I don't think this contract gets us there.

Like I one question I have is on page I'm not on in our packet it's page 155 and it says you know the chamber will have information booth at the visitor center will be open and it lists all of these events how many of those events are city sponsored versus chamber sponsored and when I say sponsored I mean run by different entities I think the vast majority of these are run by either city or other entities that are not the I'm not I'm not I'm just again I'm saying that the focus of the chamber has been different has not been tourism.

Do you do you track on where we're talking about the list of activities? No, actually I don't have the list with me but I will say um sip shop hogy muertos junth those are not ours. We still participate. We still show up.

Elgen Music Festival. Elegant Music Festival. The reason those aren't listed is because they're not ours. in that contract. And I think where I'm going with that is if these are things that the city or other organizations whatoture arts association those are things they are running what I guess what is the value of $58,000 they're not running

I know I guess I'm I'm not tracking what you're saying then. I think what I'm saying is it almost seems like these are events that the chamber is running and it's not. All of these events are good portion of these events are run by others and they are bringing visitors into the community right and they just back to my constituencies. Again, the chber is focused on its members, which should be

the reason those are listed is because those are events that the chamber uh supports. They're not chamber events. Those are city or other sponsored events. That's the reason they're listed in the contract. Uh it doesn't say western days. It doesn't say Cocoa Stroll. It doesn't say all the the vendors that we uh park in that we put in the park. These are the what y'all are referencing are events that we do not sponsor, but we do support. That's why those hours were listed the way they were they were listed. Maybe that's a two-headed coin because then we could say that we also help with your events by giving you waivers for Western Day and waivers for the events that you are putting on. So, we are supporting y'all as well by giving you those waivers.

Absolutely. Okay. So, like I said, then one hand watches the other. You should be open for our events just like we should support yours. I'm not arguing that, ma'am.

So, I think to move this forward, I want us to continue the contract with them, but I am concerned about the 58,000. I'm not sure that is the appropriate amount. But I think again to everyone's point, we need to give them a chance. Can't just cut them off at the knees and say no.

Um I'm not sure what are you suggesting a different number outside of 58,000 under 58,000. Under 58,000 and a renewal of one year because that gives us time to get the data that we're talking about time to see what's going on. We want to keep the cooperation as best we can with them.

Um, and I don't know what that number is. Okay, that's what I was about to ask. Do you have a number in mind? 48. I would I would change anything.

We have done that. We are here. That's why we're a lot better than the last time, right? Which is why we're here because we extended it a year looking for change. This is what we're asking for.

Yeah, there there's an out clause every year. And then of course the qualifier that you set, council you know, 60 days notice and that that kind of stuff. So, No sir, we did not.

Oh, the amount hasn't changed, but this is why the conversation is here. So, can we do like a smaller contract if we want to say or some of y'all want to say that we want them to prove that there's can we do a smaller contract, three months, 90 days, provide a certain amount of funds, provide a certain amount? They have to provide a certain amount of data and we revisit this in maybe two or three months, 60 days, 90 days and say, "All right, you hit these milestones. You've improved. We'll extend to a year contract or so." Do we is is that a possibility?

Because I get it. And this starts in January. So January is slower. So I mean I do get your concept. It is a good one. Um if we were to go that route, I would suggest a six month. Why? Because we start in January and by summer. There's many events that happen in between times or

in my I'm sorry uh deputy mayor uh I was just going to say the expectation from my part as city manager with the organization if they do get funded was that they'd be in front of you more often. Uh you'd be seeing those reporting to see what's working, what's not. And so we don't have to wait three months, six months. Again, it's the next council meeting that's able to be discussed and say we we need to fine-tune this and and and keep going. Like I I think those those are good, but I'm just saying outside of that, the expectation is there's a quarterly report that would be provided by the organization to this council to say that this is where we're at in the four month mark and only because we're paying out quarterly. That's a basic minimum suggestion that that would be the representation from the chamber if they get funded is you're going to be coming at minimum every quarter. But this council has every prerogative as it funds organizations to ask them to come before the council and and and talk about it. Um but we can split the baby. We can do it any way you want it. I I will say that yeah, you do have annualized visitors that you have to consider seasons. Um so that does that does throw wrench into things and yeah I I'll say that.

Um same here. Were you saying that in the sense of the amount as well or in general? Well, I just I mean like we're talking about like we want more specific data and whatnot. Like let them prove that, right? [snorts] Like I'm not necessarily saying that for the next couple months, you know, especially when it's our slow season that I expect them to go out, you know, be able to bring all this in. But if they're saying they're going to be bringing us better data, they're going to update it and make it more inviting, they're going to do this, that's reasonable expectations in like three months, right? So why can't we set goals like we did with Robert?

Give them that three months and if they can ex exceed those goals or meet those goals, we look into another or longer extending the contract and giving them more. I think it's it's like proof of concept, right? You build confidence. I think that's what we're lacking. I think we want to see confidence and I could I could get behind something like that. Thank you.

I I think that U just on the operational side. I think that's better answered by Mr. Sharter, but I think that something can be worked in. He's smart enough gentleman to go ahead and whip that out if if that's the wishes of this council. I can't say what the chamber may or might not ultimately decide on that. But but I will say that that's [snorts] doable on our part. There is nothing that

especially if we pay quarterly. I I don't like that. I think this is a contract. I I think the minimum I'd be willing to go personally would be a year. I mean, because that's a full cycle and that gives you all your seasons to be able to determine whether or not that proof of concept is there.

So, what was this year then? I don't have the data. That's kind of [snorts]

Sanders. Say it again so I can repeat it. What? So it was for 50,000. What years? The last six outside of When did it turn into 58? This past year. Gotcha.

I believe that that the the difference is because previously we were in a city-owned building. Uh the city also did maintenance. It was a cost to the city. When we voluntarily left the own building. That's I believe is the reasoning for the extra the extra money.

Did you pay rent in the city owned building? No. No, we did not. [snorts]

I don't I don't think we need to because it expires at the end of month and we don't have a meeting until January. We need to make decision. How about we modify this to make it a one-year contract and I'll make a motion to do that and then at the end of that year we'll hash this out again.

We still have the day still got all of that. Okay. So, Council Member Swain makes a motion that we make a one year contract to continue to monitor and revisit again at the end of the contract. Do I have a second council member? Yes.

No. St. Pierre, no. Rodriguez, yes. Yes. Yes. Kaznowski, no. Thank you, council, for that discussion. It is 9:15 and we're going into executive session uh pursuant to chapter 551 of the Texas government code to discuss any matter as specifically listed on the agenda which is number one consultation with attorney regarding law form items pursuant to section 551.071. The city council will consult with the city attorney regarding legal issues related to law form development agreement amendment and propose annexation of the 1 I'm sorry 10.108 acre tract executive session pursuant to Texas government code 551071 to consult the city attorney regarding a potential claim and related legal issues.

And we are reconvening into our regular session. We will pick up with new business section two. Number one is a resolution of the city of Elgen, Texas, authorizing the mayor to execute the first amendment to the amended and restated development and consent agreement with Lawn Farms Investment LLC, a Texas uh limited liability company, and Lawn Form Municipal Utility District, a conservation and reclamation district of the state of Texas, amending section 2.03, annexation, and adding section 2.05, 5 dissent session and section 2.06 identification uh identification and making certain findings thereof.

Yes, council. This is the farms development brought forth to this amended development agreement which allows annexation into the city and allows for future potential disification to such um Farms, as you know, is plus orus 2700. It is on the north side of town, Lond. been moved and [snorts] second. We'll begin with council member Kesnowski.

Kasnowski, yes. Gibson, yes. Yes. Love, yes. St. Pierre, yes. Rodriguez, yes. Yes. Chan, yes. Motion carries. Number two, an ordinance annexing a 10.108 108 acre track of land here here to in describe territory to the city of Elgen, Bastrop, and Travis County, Texas, and extending the boundary limits of said city so as to include said here in after described property within said city limits and granting to all the inhabitants of said property all the rights and privileges of other citizens and binding said inhabitants by all of the acts, ordinances, resolutions, and regulations of said city. zoning of PDD planned development district.

The piece of the property the 10.108 acres development as Madame Mayor to approve the ordinance as [laughter]

All right. has been moved by Brazer and second by love. And we will begin with Deputy Mayor Pro Tim. Mayor Pro Tim Brazer. Mayor Proim, I'm sorry. I got too many up in here. I don't know what I am. Okay, let's start that over. We'll begin. Brazier. Yes.

Shan, yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Love. Yes. St. Pierre. Yes. Rodriguez, yes. Motion carries this 10:04, y'all. Good lord. Okay. Number three, an ordinance assigning newly annexed properties to city council warden area number three providing for severility clause and providing an effective date.

Yes, this is for the track that was just annexed into the city. This would be as discussed previously with properties looks larger but will be redistrict.

I'll make the motion. All right. It's been motioned by St. Pierre and second by Rodriguez. And we'll begin with council member St. Pierre. St. Pierre. Yes. Rodriguez. Yes. Fraser. Yes. Mcshian. Yes. Kesnowski. Yes. Gibson. Yes. Swain. Yes. Love. Yes.

Motion carries. I want to tell everybody merry Christmas and it'll be a new year when we come back. Looking forward to that. Hope everybody has happy holidays and stays well and come back safe so we can make more decisions and move forward as a city. We It is 10:05 and we are ajour. Thank you.