Aug 23, 2022 VIA / ATD Board of Trustees Meeting

I AM BOARD

[00:00:01]

[ATD 1. Call to Order]

LET'S BEGIN WITH THE ROLL CALL.

OKAY.

VICE CHAIR, BROW.

I UNDERSTAND THAT HE'S OUT TODAY.

SECRETARY MALONE, TRUSTEE.

HERE.

TRUSTEE, COMPANIA, TRUSTEE COMO HERE, TRUSTEE COOPER, TRUSTEE GONZALEZ HERE, TRUSTEE BY THAT IS HERE.

A TRUSTEE TO WILL IS OUT TODAY.

UH, TRUSTEE WOLF.

YEAH.

GREAT.

UH, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.

WE'LL MOVE ON.

THANK YOU, MR. ARC, DO WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS TODAY? I DO NOT.

OKAY.

UH, NEXT TO A WE'LL ADDRESS, THE CITIZENS TO BE HURT AND BE ANY CITIZENS TO REGISTER TO SPEAK TODAY FOR THE ADVANCED TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT.

WE DO NOT HAVE ANY CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.

OKAY.

[ATD 4. Consent Agenda]

ITEM TRUST.

IS THIS AN ACTION ITEM? ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? IF NOT, UH, MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM AS PRESENTED, SO MOVED SECOND.

OKAY.

WE HAVE FIRST IN A SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED NAME? THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM IS APPROVED.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

[ATD 5. *Legal Briefing]

[1. Call to Order]

UH, CAN WE PLEASE STAND

[2. Moment of Reflection, Pledge of Allegiance, Announcements]

UH, MS. ELDERS, DO WE HAVE A LEGAL BRIEFING? NO, WE DO.

OKAY.

MOVE.

WE ADJOURN THE ATD MEAD.

THEY HAVE A SECOND ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? NAY MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU.

FORGIVE ME FOR THAT OVERSIGHT.

OKAY.

IT'S NOW 5 0 7.

I'M CALLING TO ORDER THE AUGUST 23RD, 2022 MEETING OF THE MIA VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

MR. ARC, DO WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? YES, SIR.

WE DO.

AND WE WILL START WITH CELEBRATING ANOTHER OUTSTANDING EMPLOYEE FROM THE FLEET AND FACILITIES CHAIN SHOP REPAIRMAN DANIEL TOP, TOP.

YEAH, EXCUSE ME.

DANIEL IS DANIEL HERE.

DANIEL'S DESCRIBED AS AN EXCEPTIONAL EMPLOYEE WHO REGULARLY GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND.

MOST RECENTLY WHEN HE WAS GIVEN THE TASK OF MAKING NECESSARY CHANGES TO THE HPAC SYSTEM ON OUR, ON THE ARTICULATED BUSES, WHICH ARE THE PRIMO BUSES WITH THE ACCORDION IN THE MIDDLE AND MOST IMPRESSIVELY, PARTICULARLY FOR, FOR THOSE WHO UNDERSTAND THE AMOUNT OF WORK AND COMPLEXITY, DANIEL SUCCESSFULLY ADDED A SECOND OPERATOR BLOWER FAN AND ADDITIONAL FANS THROUGHOUT THE CABIN AREA TO IMPROVE CIRCULATION AND COOLING FOR ALL ON BOARD DURING WHAT WILL BE KNOWN.

WE ARE CERTAIN AS ONE OF THE HOTTEST, IF NOT THE HOTTEST SUMMERS IN SAN ANTONIO'S HISTORY, THE RESULT WAS THERE A DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENT TO THE COMFORT FOR OUR CUSTOMERS AND FOR THE OPERATORS.

WE THANK DANIEL FOR HIS DILIGENCE AND OUR CUSTOMERS AND OPERATORS.

I'M SURE THANK HIM FOR MAKING THEIR TIME ON THE BUS, QUITE A BIT MORE PLEASURABLE.

AND SO DANIEL, WE'RE GOING TO THE BOARD IS GOING TO COME FORWARD AND YOU CAN COME UP AND WE'LL DO A PHOTOGRAPH WITH YOU.

OKAY.

SO

[00:06:30]

OFFICER, JUSTIN RAWLINGS WAS ONSITE AND ACTED QUICKLY TO ADMINISTER THE HEIMLICH MANEUVER AND CLEAR THE CHILD'S THROAT WHILE THE SECURITY OFFICERS ALERT, DISPATCH SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT AND EMS BOTH ARRIVED SHORTLY THEREAFTER.

AFTER A HEALTH CHECK WAS PERFORMED, THE MOTHER AND CHILD CONTINUED ON THEIR TRIP.

THIS IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF THE EVERYDAY ACTS OF HEROISM THAT ARE PART OF THE SERVICE THAT WE PROVIDE TO THE COMMUNITY.

AND WE PROVIDED ACROSS MANY SECTORS OPERATORS, POLICE.

PROVISORS A CHANCE FOR US TO THANK YOU TO SAY THANK YOU TO PEOPLE LIKE OFFICER RAWLINGS, WHO HELPS KEEP OUR SYSTEMS SAFE, EVEN FROM THE OCCASIONAL CHICKEN NUGGETS.

AND BY THE WAY, UH, REALLY HAPPY OFFICER RAWLINGS IN 2020 BECAME THE FIRST FULL-TIME, UH, VIA TRANSIT POLICE OFFICER WHO TRANS TRANSITIONED FROM A CONTRACT, UH, SECURITY GUARD INTO THE POSITION.

SO CERTAINLY WELL-DESERVED WE SALUTE YOU.

PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME VIAS NEW CONTROLLER.

LISA TODD, LISA HAS EXTENSIVE MANAGERIAL AND ACCOUNTING EXPERIENCE, INCLUDING EXPERIENCE IN GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTING, HEALTHCARE, ACCOUNTING, AND GENERAL ACCOUNTING.

SHE HAS A STRONG TRACK RECORD RECORD OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND HAS SERVED IN SEVERAL HIGH LEVEL ROLES AS CONTROLLER FOR HEALTH, TEXAS MEDICAL GROUP, DIRECTOR OF ACCOUNTING FOR TEXTS, UH, FOR THE UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND CONTROLLER FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.

SHE HAS A BACHELOR'S OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.

SAN ANTONIO IS A CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND IS A MEMBER OF TEXAS SOCIETY OF CPAS.

AS AT VIA LISA WE'LL MANAGE THE GENERAL ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT AND WE'LL KNOW ABOUT NO DOUBT HELP STRENGTHEN OUR ALREADY IMPRESSIVE FISCAL MANAGEMENT TEAM.

SO WELCOME, LISA, ARE YOU HERE? LISA'S NOT HERE, BUT WE'RE GOING TO WELCOME HER.

NONETHELESS.

HOPEFULLY SHE'S WATCHING ONLINE.

ALL RIGHT, PLEASE JOIN ME IN RECOGNIZING OUR VICE PRESIDENT OF PROCUREMENT, DIANE SAMSON FOR BEING SELECTED FOR THE 2023 COHORT OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATIONS LEADERSHIP AFTER PROGRAM LEADERSHIP AT APTUS SEEKS OUT DEDICATED AND HIGHLY MOTIVATED INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS FROM AMONG APTAS MEMBERS.

A VERY COMPETITIVE PROCESS, VERY COMPETITIVE, UM, AND SITTING HERE IN FRONT IS OUR CURRENT LEADERSHIP APP TO, UH, PARTICIPANT DR.

ALLOWAY.

UH, THE PARTICIPANTS WILL, UH, WILL, UH, ARE PRESENTED WITH EXCEPTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET PEOPLE IN THE INDUSTRY.

DIAMOND DYNAMIC SPEAKERS EXPLORE THE VARIETY OF ISSUES THAT

[00:10:01]

AND MS. DR.

ALLOWAY IS CURRENTLY WRAPPING HIS UP.

AND SO DIANE, DIANE, I'M PRETTY SURE HE'LL BE ABLE TO HELP YOU WHEN IT COMES TIME FOR YOU TO DO YOURS AS WELL.

WE ARE SO HAPPY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO REPRESENT US.

AND, UH, CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN, DIANE, DURING THE MONTH OF AUGUST CONGRESS AND THE WHITE HOUSE GAVE VIA ANOTHER REASON TO CELEBRATE WITH THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF OUR FLEET BEING POWERED BY ALTERNATIVE FUELS, INCLUDING COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS AND PROPANE, THE FEDERAL TAX CREDIT OF 50 CENTS PER GALLON EQUIVALENT REBATE HELPS ENSURE V IS ABLE TO PROVIDE A CLEANER WAY TO TRAVEL WHILE ALSO REINVESTING THE SAVINGS BACK INTO SERVICE AND OPERATIONS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

THIS TAX CREDIT, WHICH WAS APPROVED TRANSLATE INTO ABOUT $3 MILLION A YEAR IN REBATES BACK TO VIA AS PART OF THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT OF 2022, CONGRESS AUTHORIZED THE ALTERNATIVE FUEL TAX CREDIT TO BE IN EFFECT FOR CALENDARS 20 22, 23 AND 24, PROVIDING AT LEAST 9 MILLION IN ANTICIPATED GROWTH REBATES BACK TO VIA.

NOW THIS HAS BEEN ON OUR LEGISLATIVE, IT'S ALWAYS ON HER LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS.

AND WHILE IT'S GREAT THAT WE HAVE A THREE-YEAR EXTENSION, OF COURSE, JOHN GARY AND HIS CREW WILL CONTINUE WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT CONTINUES BEYOND THE PERIOD THAT'S CURRENTLY AUTHORIZED, BUT THAT'S A GREAT DEAL FOR US EARLIER THIS MONTH, WE ANNOUNCED THE LAUNCH, I MEAN, NEW FEELINGS ZONE WITH A COMMUNITY CELEBRATION AT SOUTH PARK MALL, THE LINK SERVICE EXPANSION IS PART OF VIAS.

KEEP SAN ANTONIO MOVING PLAN APPROVED BY THE VOTERS IN 2020, PROVIDING FREQUENT AND RELIABLE TRIP OPTIONS THROUGH INNOVATIVE SERVICE DELIVERY IN AREAS WHERE TRADITIONAL BUS SERVICE DOES NOT NECESSARILY WORK AS AN EFFICIENT MODEL.

THE VIA LINK SOUTH ZONE IS THE THIRD ZONE TO OPEN SINCE, SINCE THE OPENING IN 2019 OF THE NORTHEAST ZONE.

AND IN 2021 OF THE NORTHWEST ZONE, WE USE VERY CREATIVE NAMING CONVENTIONS FOR OUR VARIOUS ZONES.

AND I KNOW THAT JOHN GARY IS WORKING ON EVEN SOMETHING MORE CREATIVE, RIGHT? EXPANDING VIDEO LINK TO SAN ANTONIO SOUTH SIDE WAS A NATURAL NEXT STEP IN REALIZING IT KEEPS SAN ANTONIO MOVING PLAN PROMISE TO MOVE MORE PEOPLE FASTER AND FURTHER, PARTICULARLY IN AREAS WHERE INNOVATION IS NEEDED IN ORDER TO PROVIDE MODERN TRANSIT SOLUTIONS.

THE SOUTH ZONE IS HOME TO MAJOR EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND RESIDENTIAL CENTERS THAT ARE HELPING TO DRIVE GROWTH FOR OUR CITY AND REGION.

THEY INCLUDE VIAS MADLA TRANSIT CENTER, PALO ALTO, COLLEGE, TEXAS, A AND M SAN ANTONIO, SOUTH SAN HIGH SCHOOL, SOUTH PARK MALL, SHOPPING AND MEDICAL CENTERS AND THE VICINITY OF TOYOTA MANUFACTURING.

WE WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO JOINED US AT THE FREE COMMUNITY EVENT ON AUGUST SIX AND ENCOURAGED THE COMMUNITY TO TRY VIA LINK AND ANY OF THOSE THREE ACTIVE ZONES, BECAUSE IT REALLY HAS CHANGED THE WAY TO MOVE IN SAN ANTONIO.

THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE HERE EARLIER, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THE SHINY NEW BUS PARKED OUTSIDE THE BUILDING, AND IT WAS SHINY ON YOUR WAY TO THE BOARD MEETING TONIGHT.

WE'RE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE NEWEST ADDITION TO VIAS FLEET 28, NEW CNG, 40 FOOT BUSES BUILT BY GILLIG.

THE NEW BUSES WERE REPLACED 28 OLDER VEHICLES THAT HAVE BEEN RETIRED.

HAVING REACHED THE END OF THEIR USEFUL LIFE AMONG THE IMPRESSIVE FEATURES DESIGNED TO IMPROVE THE COMFORT AND SAFETY OF THE PASSENGERS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED WITH THIS NEW VEHICLE INCLUDED ELECTRONIC FRONT AND REAR DOORS, ELECTRONIC DIGITAL INSTRUMENTS, CLUSTER DASHBOARD, REAR DOOR CAMERAS, REAR VIEW CAMERAS, OPTIONAL BLUE EMITTED, EMITTING INTERIOR LIGHTS THAT REDUCE WINDSHIELD GLARE AT NIGHT.

DIMMABLE LED INTERIOR LIGHTS AND SOMETHING THAT IS SMALL, BUT IS REALLY A BIG DEAL.

FOR MANY PEOPLE, USB PORTS FOR CHARGING DEVICES IN ALL OUR SEATED POSITIONS.

A FIRST FOR VIA BUSES, WE'RE PROUD TO CONTINUE OUR COMMITMENT TO MODERNIZING OUR FLEET WITH RELIABLE, COMFORTABLE VEHICLES THAT ARE RED ON THE OUTSIDE AND GREEN ON THE INSIDE FOR A MORE SUSTAINABLE AND FRIENDLY FLEET.

CONGRATULATIONS, FLEET AND FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS WHO HAVEN'T HELPED ENSURE THE SMOOTH ARRIVAL AND THE INTEGRATION OF THESE NAVY NEW VEHICLES INTO OUR FLEET.

ANOTHER STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, I'M PLEASED TO SHARE SOME NEWS ABOUT OUR OWN JEFF FARM, THE SAN ANTONIO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE SANTA ANA HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RECENTLY ANNOUNCED A CO-CHAIRS OF THE 2023 LEADERSHIP SAN ANTONIO CLASS 47 PROGRAM, WHICH INCLUDES OUR OWN PRESIDENT AND CEO.

JEFF ARN.

JEFF IS A GRADUATE

[00:15:01]

AND SIR, AS L A L L S A CLASS OF 46 STEERING COMMITTEE MENTOR, HIS CO-CHAIR FOR THE INCOMING CLASS IS STEPHANIE SUAREZ OWNER, UH, VICE PRESIDENT OF INTEGRITY, ROOFING AND SIDING, AND THE FORMER MANAGER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS RIGHT HERE AT VIA LSA.

CO-CHAIRS ARE APPOINTED BY THE RESPECTING INCOMING CHAIRS OF THE BOARD FROM EACH CHAMBER AND WORK WITH LSA STEERING COMMITTEE TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO THE MEMBERS OF THE INCOMING CLASS COLLECTIVELY.

THEY RESPONSIBLE FOR RECRUITING THE MEMBERS OF LSA CLASS OF 47, AND WE'LL DEVELOP PLAN AND EXECUTE A YEAR OF IMPACTFUL EXPERIENCES AIMED AT EXPOSING CLASS MEMBERS TO THE INNER WORKINGS OF SAN ANTONIO AND SURROUNDING REGION WITH SPECIAL FOCUS ON THE CITY'S GROWING INDUSTRIES, LSA LEADERS STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY, STAYING CONNECTED AND GIVING BACK JUST SOME OF JEFF'S MANY PASSIONS.

CONGRATULATIONS, JEFF, FOR YOUR CONTINUED INVOLVEMENT AND CONTRIBUTIONS IN HELPING SHAPE THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY WITH YOUR WORK THROUGH LSA.

AND THANK YOU.

I KNOW THERE ARE A NUMBER I'M SORRY.

I KNOW THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE SITTING RIGHT AROUND THIS TABLE THAT HAVE, UH, HAVE BEEN BOTH IN LSA AND HAVE SERVED ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND HAVE SERVED AS CO-CHAIR.

SO IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM AND I'M REALLY HAPPY.

UH, AS I TELL MY GOAL IS THAT EVERY PARTICIPANT THAT LEAVES THAT CLASS IN A CLASS 47 WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT A BLESSING IT IS TO LIVE IN THE CITY, BECAUSE IT IS, UH, RIGHT.

SO, UM, IT'S A DIFFICULT ITEM AND IT SAYS HERE THAT I BRING MIXED EMOTIONS, BUT IT'S, IT'S NOT REALLY MIXED.

WE KNOW WHAT THEY ARE.

UH, I'M SURE FOR ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE GOTTEN TO KNOWN LAKITA, ADAMSON AND WORK WITH HER DURING HER 17 YEARS AT VIA SHE TODAY IS HER LAST DAY.

CORRECT.

SO FIRST PLEASE JOIN ME IN OFFERING HEARTFELT CONGRATULATIONS TO LAKITA AND WISHING HER THE BEST IN HER NEXT ENDEAVOR, WORKING WITH OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

WE REALLY WISH YOU, AND WE'LL PRAY FOR YOU AS YOU DO THAT.

ALSO MAKING IT CLEAR TO LAKITA HOW MUCH THAT WE WILL MISS HERE, HERE AT VIA.

SHE JOINED US IN THE ROLE OF TEMPORARY SECRETARY IN AUGUST OF 2005, SINCE THEN SHE HELD THE POSITION OF SECRETARY ONE SECRETARY TO EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT BEFORE NAMED NAMED EXECUTIVE SYSTEMS WITH PRESIDENT AND CEO IN 2012, WORKING FIRST WITH FORM VIA CEO, KEITH PARKER, AND THEN GRACIOUSLY AGREEING.

I DON'T KNOW THAT SHE HAD ANY CHOICE, UH, TO STAY ON WITH ME, UH, WHEN I SUCCEEDED KEITH.

SO REALLY LAKITA HAS BEEN THE ONLY EA I'VE HAD HAD IN THE 10 AND A HALF YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE.

IT'S BEEN A PRIVILEGE AND A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH LAKITA WHO WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR SUCCESSES AND WILL BE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE SUCCESS OF THE ANY AGENCY WORKS.

SHE WORKS FOR IN THE FUTURE.

WE'LL MISS YOU, YOUR THOROUGH AND DILIGENT WORK ETHIC.

YOU'RE SUPERIOR SERVICE TO THE TEAM, TO OUR CUSTOMERS AND TO OUR PARTNERS.

BUT WHAT WE WILL MISS MOST IS THE CARE THAT YOU SHOW FOR EVERY TASK.

EACH ASK EACH PROJECT, SHE SET A HIGH BAR FOR ALL OF US.

WE WILL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL.

THANK YOU, LAKITA.

GOOD LUCK.

AND PLEASE ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU HAVE FRIENDS AT VIA, UH, HOWEVER BASED UPON WORKING AT THE IRS, WE PREFER YOU STAY A LITTLE DISTANT AT FIRST.

AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO NOW IS HAVE THE BOARD COME FORWARD AND WE'LL DO A PHOTOGRAPH WITH

[00:20:33]

UH, HARRY RODRIGUEZ PASSED AWAY ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 5TH.

HE SERVED AS A BUS OPERATOR FOR VIA, SINCE 2018 IS REMEMBERED AS A FRIENDLY AND HELPFUL COLLEAGUE BY THOSE WHO KNEW HIM BEST.

UH, FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING SERVICES, VISITATION WILL BE HELD FROM FIVE TO 10:00 PM WITH PRAYER SERVICES FROM SEVEN TO EIGHT ON FRIDAY, THE 26TH, THAT TREVINO FUNERAL HOME IN SAN ANTONIO, DON E RILEY PASSED AWAY ON MONDAY, AUGUST 8TH AND WAS LAID TO REST AT FORT SAM HOUSTON NATIONAL CEMETERY ON AUGUST 26TH, 22ND.

HE WAS A VIETNAM WAR VET, AND HE BEGAN HIS 42 YEAR CAREER IN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WITH THE FORMER SAN ANTONIO TRANSIT SYSTEM, WHICH LATER BECAME OF COURSE, VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT AS A BUS OPERATOR AND WAS PROMPTLY PROMOTED TO THE ROLE OF STATION FOREMAN.

HE RETIRED AS ONE OF THE LONGEST TENURED EMPLOYEES AT VIA.

WE REMEMBER HARRY AND DON FOR THEIR SERVICES AND OFFER OUR HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO THEIR FAMILIES, THEIR FRIENDS AND OTHER LOVED ONES DURING THIS TIME OF SORROW AND REFLECTION.

SO IF WE COULD HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE, THANK YOU, JEFF, TO ARI EMPLOYEE AND TO OUR OFFICER.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

AND I'M WORKING WITH, UH, THE PUBLIC, WHICH IS OUR CUSTOMERS, AND OF COURSE THEY DESERVE THE BEST SERVICE THAT WE CAN GIVE THEM.

SO THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO.

I WANT TO WELCOME, UH, LISA TAUGHT TO VIA, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU, UH, MS. SAMSON, CONGRATULATIONS.

UM, AND TO, UH, AND TO JEFF, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK WITH LSA.

UH, I KNOW THAT YOU'VE GOT TO BE A WORKER THAT A LOT OF FUTURE LEADERS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT.

AND LEADERS ALREADY.

UH, SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO DO THAT.

UH, NIKITA.

WE HATE TO SEE YOU GO, BUT, UH, WE WANT TO WISH YOU THE VERY, VERY BEST.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DID FOR US.

I ONLY REGRET IS THAT IN AND WORK WITH YOU LONG ENOUGH.

OKAY.

NEXT WE'LL MOVE ON.

[3. Citizens to be Heard]

DO WE HAVE ANY CITIZENS REGISTERED? JUST SPEAK, MR. CHAIR, WE HAVE ONE CITIZEN TO BE HEARD.

OKAY.

WE HAVE NOW COME TO THE CITIZENS SUPERIOR PORTION OF OUR PUBLIC MEETING.

THE BOARD IS INTERESTED IN HEARING THE COMMENTS AND CONCERNS FROM OUR PATRIOTS AND CITIZENS IN SAN ANTONIO BEAR COUNTY AREA QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS CONCERNING PUBLIC BUSINESS OR POLICY OVER WHICH THE BOARD HAD SUPERVISION.

AND THAT MAY ARISE DURING THIS PORTION OF THE MEETING MAY BE ADDRESSED AT A LATER DATE BY THE PRESIDENT CEO AND OUR, HIS STAFF, THE PROCESS, THIS PROCESS ASSURES THAT YOU RECEIVED THE MOST ACCURATE RESPONSE OR QUESTIONS OR CONCERN.

THANK YOU.

AND B APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME AND EFFORT TO SHARE YOUR COMMENTS WITH US THIS EVENING.

WE HAD MR. JACKIN FINGER.

WELL, MR. CHAIRMAN AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE VA BOARD, MY NAME IS JACK M FINGER.

SHE THINKS I'D LIKE TO BRING UP TO YOUR ATTENTION.

THIS SEEMS TO HAVE AN ONGOING PROBLEM, ALERTING ITS WRITERS TO THE VARIOUS CHANGES THAT OCCUR FROM TIME TO TIME.

YEAH.

YOU KNOW, THE PERIODICAL CHANGES IN SCHEDULES AND SO FORTH.

THAT OCCURRED JUST RECENTLY.

I THINK IT WAS THIS WEEK, YOU KNOW, ROUTINELY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS NOW VIA HAS FAILED TO NOTIFY

[00:25:01]

AND I'M TALKING ABOUT EFFECTIVE NOTIFICATION, YOU KNOW, LIKE PUTTING PLACARDS ON THE BUSES THAT WE CAN, WE AS WRITERS CAN TAKE, CAN ABSORB NOTICE, WALK UP TO, AND TAKE HOME WITH US.

I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT JUST MERE NOTICES ON YOUR WEBSITE THAT WE AS WRITERS DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO LOOK AT FROM TIME TO TIME.

I'M TALKING ABOUT PLACARDS BROCHURES THAT TELL US WHAT THE VARIOUS CHANGES ARE LIKE VIA USED TO DO.

RIGHT.

WELL, WHY DOESN'T VIA PUT THOSE ON THE BUSES ANYMORE SO WE CAN BE APPRISED OF THOSE CHANGES AND NOT HAVE TO FIND OUT AT THE LAST MINUTE ARE TOO LATE.

THAT THE BUS THAT WAS SCHEDULED FOR MY TIME IS CHANGED OR HIS RENT ITS ROUTE HAS CHANGED.

HUH? WHY NOT PUT THAT BACK ON THE BUSES? IT'S NOT THAT HARD.

MR. PRESIDENT AND CEO ART, MR. ART, LIKE WAS A FEW MONTHS AGO, Y'ALL HAD A NUMBER OF CHANGES AND DIDN'T GET, DIDN'T GET THE NOTIFICATION ON THAT.

I FOUND OUT THAT YOU HAD SOME SO-CALLED PUBLIC HEARINGS.

NEVER GOT A NOTICE ON IT CAUSE I NEVER SAW IT ON THE BUS.

YES.

THE, UH, CONSEQUENTLY, I DO MY ROUTE NUMBER TWO THAT I WANTED TO CONNECT WITH THE NORTH STAR MALL TRANSIT CENTER NO LONGER DOES THAT.

I HAVE TO TAKE TIME.

I EITHER IN WALKING OR FIND CONNECTING BUS TO, TO, UH, GET OVER TO SOME OTHER TRANSFERS.

I DON'T LIKE THAT.

I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THAT.

WHY DOESN'T VIA CONTINUED TO DO LIKE A, I USED TO DO PUTTING PLACARDS ON A BROCHURE.

SO WE, THE WRITERS CAN SEE THAT IT'S NOT THAT HARD.

YOU STILL HAVE POCKETS FOR SUCH OR THE, UH, YOU HAVE A, A FRIEND OF MINE.

MR. WILL MCLEOD WHO, UH, UH, TESTIFIED HERE SOME TIME AGO.

HE TOLD ME SINCE THAT POINT THAT, UM, WHEN HE WAS LAST TESTIFYING HERE, THAT HE OFFERED TO OFFER UP PRAYER TO YOU GUYS AND THAT HE WAS STOPPED BY YOU FOLKS CENSORED ESSENTIALLY I'LL HAVE, YOU KNOW, THAT IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL NOW AND F SHOULD HE EVER HAPPEN AGAIN? I PERSONALLY WILL HELP HIM FIND AN ATTORNEY TO SUE FOR HIS RIGHTS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THE NEXT ITEM

[4. Consent Agenda]

TRUSTEES.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? SO MOVE BITCHED HERE.

OKAY.

WE HAVE A SECOND FIRST AND WE HAVE A SECOND ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM IS APPROVED.

[5. *Real Estate A. *Historic Scobey Complex Development Update – For information, discussion, and potential action on the Historic Scobey Complex Development]

UH, MR. THOMAS WILL NOW PRESENT ITEM FIVE REAL ESTATE HISTORIC SCOBEY COMPLEX DEVELOPMENT UPDATE.

YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD AFTERNOON TRUSTEES.

WE'RE HERE TO BRING YOU AN UPDATE ON THE SCOBY COMPLEX DEVELOPMENT.

THIS WILL BE AN UPDATE ON THE PROGRAM AND CONTENT OF THE TERM SHEET.

OH, SORRY.

SO WHAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN THIS PART IS THE PROJECT BACKGROUND, UM, AND IN THE VISION, UH, THAT IS GOING TO BE PRESENTED BY THE DREAM ON GROUP.

SO FIRST OFF WE WANT TO START WITH THE TRANSIT ORIENTED COMMUNITIES POLICY.

THERE'S SIX PILLARS OF THIS POLICY THAT WAS ADOPTED IN 2018.

IT'S PARTNERSHIPS, PLACEMAKING EQUITY, RIDERSHIP REVENUE, AND LAND.

THE SCOBY COMPLEX IS A SIX BUILDING STORAGE COMPLEX VIA PURCHASED IN 2017 FOR $5.2 MILLION TO SUPPORT THE INVESTMENT THAT VA HAS MADE IN CENTRAL PLAZA.

THIS IS A MAP, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE AREA, THE BUILDINGS THAT YOU SEE THAT SAY A, B, C, D E N F, THAT IS A SCOBY COMPLEX, UH, TO THE LEFT.

YOU CAN SEE THE VIET GRAND AND YOU CAN SEE THE CENTRAL PLAZA.

SO WE DIDN'T DO THIS ALONE.

UH, WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROCESS, WE INVOLVED A LOT OF THE DEVELOPERS AND STAKEHOLDERS THAT WERE IN THE AREA.

UM, AND ONE NOTE ON THIS SLIDE, UH, PROPERTY NUMBER FOUR IS LISTED AS GREG LISTENER THAT HAS RECENTLY CHANGED HANDS TO ANOTHER DEVELOPER.

[00:30:01]

SO WE STARTED THIS PROJECT WITH THE MASTER PLAN THAT WE COMPLETED IN 2019, WE RELEASED AN RFI IN 2020.

WE HAD TWO RESPONSES TO THAT.

ONE WAS DREAM ON GROUP.

ONE WAS MISSION DG.

THEN WE LATER RELEASED AN RFP IN LATE OF 2020.

SO THE RFP WE RELEASED IN OCTOBER OF 2020, WE RECEIVED TWO RESPONSES IN DECEMBER, ONE FROM DREAM MON GROUP ONE FROM MISSION DG.

AND IN OCTOBER OF 2021, WE AWARDED THE CONTRACT TO DREAM ON GROUP.

AND SO JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH WITH THIS.

SO FIRST WE'RE GOING TO END, WE ENTERED INTO AN EXCLUSIVE NEGOTIATING AGREEMENT WITH THE DREAM MOM GROUP.

UH, THIS ALLOWED US TO, UH, TALK MORE ABOUT THE FRAMEWORK AND NEGOTIATIONS AND THE TERMS BETWEEN THE TWO ENTITIES.

WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON IS A TERM SHEET THAT WE PLAN TO BRING TO Y'ALL IN SEPTEMBER.

AND THIS IS ALSO A NON-BINDING TERM SHEET THAT OFFERS MORE SPECIFICITY.

UM, AS WE START TO SOLIDIFY THE DESIGN AND THE ENGINEERING PLANS FOR THE PROJECT, AND THEN WE PLAN TO BRING A JOINT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT TO THE BOARD IN 2023.

AND SO I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE AND LET RENEE INTRODUCE HIS TEAM.

RENEE IS FROM THE DREAM ON GROUP.

UM, AND LET HIM GO THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM THAT THEY'VE PROPOSED.

YEAH.

THANK YOU, BRANDON RENEE GARCIA WITH THE DREAM ON GROUP, I'LL LET MICHAEL, YOU WANT TO JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF, UM, MICHAEL BERNSTEIN WITH THE GEYSER GROUP PARTNERING WITH DREAM ON GROUP HERE, UH, WHO LISA DREAM ON GROUP AS WELL.

SO, UH, ANOTHER MEMBER OF OUR TEAM IS THE OVERLAND GROUP, AND WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE AWARE THAT THEY'RE PART OF OUR, OUR TEAM HERE.

SO, SO THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN MEMBERS OF THE BOARD FOR HAVING US TONIGHT, VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE, TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT OUR VISION AND, AND KIND OF SHARE REALLY THE COLLECTIVE WORK THAT YOU STARTED A LONG TIME AGO, AND REALLY IT'S BEEN AN AMAZING JOURNEY FOR US.

AND SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIME TO BE ABLE TO BE HERE FINALLY FACE TO FACE, TO BE ABLE TO SHARE KIND OF OUR THOUGHTS AND OUR VISION ON THIS PROJECT.

YOU KNOW, THE HISTORY OF THIS PROPERTY.

UH, WE HAVE BEEN WATCHING IT FOR AWHILE AND BEEN, YOU KNOW, DEEPLY INVOLVED IN, IN REALLY PURSUING IT AND WORKING WITH THE STAFF UP UNTIL THIS DAY.

UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY RECOGNIZES THE NEED TO REALLY ACTIVATE THIS BUILDING, UM, GO AHEAD.

I THINK YOU'VE HEARD THE TERM THAT THE BONE THAT THE BUILDING HAS GREAT BONES, UH, WE WE'VE FLOWN DRONES AROUND IT.

WE'VE LOOKED AT THE INSIDE OF THIS PRODUCT.

THIS PROJECT WE'VE LOOKED AT THE BASEMENT.

WE'VE REALLY ASSESSED REALLY WHAT, WHAT THIS PROJECT HAS, WHAT THE BUILDING CAN OFFER.

AND WITH THAT, WE GENERATED THE VISION THAT WE CAME UP WITH.

SO IT'S REALLY A, A GREAT STARTING POINT.

I WANT TO GO THROUGH THE VISION.

UH, WE KIND OF TOOK THE WORK THAT YOU'RE YOU HAD DONE STARTING OUT WITH YOUR TEAM WHEN YOU PREPARED THAT RFI, THE RFP.

UH, AND WE TOOK IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL FOR US.

WE BROUGHT IN STAKEHOLDERS IN THE AREA THAT WE THOUGHT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THE WORK THAT THIS BUILDING WOULD OFFER IN REALLY IN THE ATTRACTIVENESS, IN THE ACTIVATION, IN THE AREA, EVERYTHING ELSE.

SO YOU SEE HERE NAMES LIKE, UH, CENTRAL ESSAY, UH, WESTERN URBAN UTS, UH, PETE CORTEZ WITH THE LEFT ECHO TESTS.

UM, THESE ARE ALL FRIENDS OF OURS, PEOPLE THAT WE BROUGHT INTO A CONVERSATION TO REALLY CREATE THE VISION THAT WE'RE SHARING WITH YOU TONIGHT.

SO IT WASN'T CREATED IN A SILO.

IT WASN'T DONE BY THIS GROUP HERE.

SO, BUT IT WAS A STARTING POINT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO REFLECT WITH YOU WHAT WE THINK THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE WITH THIS BUILDING.

SO THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT WE STARTED TO FEEL LIKE, AND WHAT WE'VE REALLY SEEN OVER THE LAST MONTHS THAT WE'VE BEEN PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROCESS IS THE IDEA THAT THIS IS REALLY A CATALYTIC PROJECT FOR THE WEST SIDE.

OUR OFFICES ARE ON THE WEST SIDE.

WE ENJOY THE WORK THAT WE DO ON THE WEBSITE.

WE HAVE OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE, THAT WE'RE INVOLVED WITH THERE.

AND AS WE STARTED TO STUDY THIS PROJECT AND TALKING TO THE NEIGHBORS THAT WE, THAT WE MENTIONED EARLIER, IT BECAME VERY EVIDENT THAT THIS IS BY FAR ONE OF THE MOST, ONE OF THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITIES THAT THERE IS IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA RIGHT NOW, THERE'S ALREADY BEEN A LOT OF WORK WITH RESPECT TO, UH, THE STUDIES, THE INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN PUT TOGETHER ON .

UH, AND THIS IS A BIG PART OF THAT.

AND SO BUILDING DOING THIS WORK, UH, WITH THIS BUILDING, WHAT WE'VE ALREADY EXPERIENCED IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, LIKE BRANDON MENTIONED, THERE'S BEEN A TRANSACTION THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NEXT DOOR.

WE'RE GETTING CALLS AND TALKING TO OTHER NEIGHBORS, HAVING GOOD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE IDEAS THAT THEY HAVE FOR THE AREA.

SO THIS, THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION IS ALREADY EVOLVING, WHETHER IT'S OUT OF OUR CONTROL TO SOME DEGREE.

SO THIS WAS OUR VISION.

WHEN WE WERE DONE WITH OUR PROCESS, WE CREATED THIS RENDERING TO TRY TO ILLUSTRATE FOR YOU AND GIVE YOU THE VISION, THE IDEA OF THE PICTURE THAT YOU NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT WE WERE, WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO, TO CONVEY TO YOU.

IT STARTED WITH REALLY ACTIVATING THE GROUND LEVEL.

THE TOP PART OF THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE RED AREAS, RETAIL GROUND LEVEL

[00:35:01]

AND AS WE GO UP THROUGH THE BUILDING, WE SAW OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOFTS, FOR LIVING.

THE WHOLE IDEA WAS TO CREATE AN URBAN MAGNET.

YOU KNOW, WHAT WE CALL REALLY A PLACE, A DESTINATION DOING PLACEMAKING CREATING A NEW PLACE FOR THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO TO BE ABLE TO COME TO, TO BE ABLE TO CREATE THAT GATE, THAT TRANSITION TO THE WEST SIDE, TO OPEN UP THE CONNECTION BETWEEN DOWNTOWN AND THE WEST SIDE.

AND IT STARTED WITH 18 HOUR ACTIVATION WELLNESS, INNOVATIVE SCHOOL OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS, OFFICE FOOD, AND BEVERAGE.

THIS IS JUST A QUICK IMAGE OF WHAT THE LOSS, THE LIVING QUARTERS MIGHT LOOK LIKE.

THE DEPARTMENTS THAT WOULD GO ON THE SET ON THE SECOND, THIRD FLOOR, SOME RENDERINGS OF WHAT THOSE SPACES MIGHT LOOK LIKE.

LET'S START TO DO THAT WORK MORE RECENTLY.

AND SO WITH THAT, WE KIND OF WANTED TO ADDRESS THE TRANSIT ORIENT COMMUNITY.

AND SO ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE REALLY WERE ATTRACTED TO THIS PROJECT IS BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT TRANSFORMING COMMUNITIES.

AND THAT IS REALLY THE OPPORTUNITY THAT IS PROVIDED IN THIS SPACE, RIGHT? AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT COULD HAPPEN WITH NOT JUST THE SCOBY, BUT THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD IS WHAT WE, HOW WE APPROACHED IT, RIGHT? WE THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO FORGET ABOUT THE BUILDINGS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO LIVE AROUND THERE.

AND THEN WE TALK ABOUT HOW WE BRING THOSE BUILDINGS BACK TO LIFE.

AND SO WE, WE DID A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS WITH, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO CAN COME IN AND ALREADY BE WILLING TO SERVE FROM THIS AREA SO THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO BRING TO LIFE A FORGOTTEN AREA.

I MEAN, THIS AREA HAS REALLY BEEN FORGOTTEN.

AND, AND MOST OF THE TIME WE TALK ABOUT THE WEST SIDE, NOT AS AN AREA FOR DEVELOPMENT, BUT THIS IS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE WEST SIDE TO HAVE A STATE-OF-THE-ART DEVELOPMENT.

THAT'S GOING TO TRANSFORM IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.

WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT IT, YOU KNOW, THE PLACEMAKING OF THIS DEVELOPMENT IS GOING TO CREATE A WHOLE DISTRICT THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE.

AND THAT IS WHAT RENEE WAS TALKING ABOUT.

WE'RE ALREADY TALKING TO THE OTHER DEVELOPERS THAT OWN PROPERTIES AROUND THERE, AND THEY ALL WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS TRANSFORMATION.

AND SO WE'RE SUPER EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT IT.

WE TALK ABOUT WHAT VIA PROVIDES, AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU GUYS, RIGHT? HOW DO WE IMPROVE THE RIDERSHIP BY BRINGING PROGRAMMING WHERE IT'S BASICALLY PROVIDED TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, AND EVERYBODY GETS TO USE IT IN A DIFFERENT APPROACH THAT HAS NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE.

AND WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT EQUITY IS PART OF EVERYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT WHEN WE'RE TRANSFORMING SOMETHING.

IT'S NOT ABOUT DISPLACING.

IT IS ABOUT MAKING AN OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE THAT NORMALLY WOULDN'T SEE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY.

UM, WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT THIS PROJECT HAS TO PAY FOR ITSELF.

WE DON'T WANT TO BE ASKING FOR FUNDING FOR ANYBODY.

WE BELIEVE THAT THIS PROJECT HAS THAT OPPORTUNITY, AND WE HAVE LENDERS THAT ARE ALREADY READY TO COMMIT.

WE DON'T FEEL THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE AN ISSUE GETTING THIS PROJECT FUNDED.

UM, AS WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON BEHIND SCOBY, WHAT IS GOING AROUND AROUND IT.

AND WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT THIS PROJECT IS GOING TO BE THE CONNECTOR.

THAT'S GOING TO BRING THE EAST AND THE WEST SITE TOGETHER, RIGHT.

AS, AS ONE.

AND SO WE'RE JUST SUPER EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THIS.

AND WE HOPE THAT YOU GUYS WILL HAVE QUESTIONS BECAUSE THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, NOT JUST TO US, BUT WE KNOW THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY.

AND EVERYONE'S GOING TO HEAR LATER FROM, UH, EPS ABOUT THE DETAILS ON THE, FROM THE FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE, BUT WE WANT IT TO TOUCH ON JUST A FEW OF THE KEY ELEMENTS TO SUCCESS FOR THE PROJECT, FROM MORE OF A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE.

AND ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS TO UNDERSTAND IS THE USE OF HISTORIC TAX CREDITS HERE.

I THINK AS WE ALL KNOW, SCOBY IS A VERY HISTORIC BUILDING.

AND ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE'RE MAKING THE NUMBERS WORK AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO PROJECT IS SIGNIFICANT, IS TO USE BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL HISTORIC TAX CREDITS.

THOSE TAX CREDITS COMBINED, UM, WILL BRING ABOUT 33% OF THE ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION COSTS, UH, IN FUNDING TO THE PROJECT.

WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED THE WORK ON THIS FRONT.

WE HAVE ENGAGED, UH, HISTORIC TAX CREDIT CONSULTANTS WHO HAVE STARTED THAT OBLIGATE APPLICATION PROCESS HAVE ALREADY GOTTEN SOME INITIAL FEEDBACK FROM THE REVIEWERS THERE.

AND WE'RE CONFIDENT IN THE SUCCESS OF THOSE GRANTS.

ANOTHER THING THAT'S REALLY CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROJECT IS UTILIZING A PROPERTY TAX WAIVER, UH, WITH RESPECT TO THE RESIDENTIAL PORTION OF THE PROJECT, THAT THE NUMBERS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE FOR BPS ASSUME JUST THAT JUST THE PROPERTY TAX WAIVER ON THAT RESIDENTIAL PORTION.

SOMETHING ELSE WE ARE GOING TO EXPLORE AS WE MOVE ON DOWN THE, WITH THE PROJECT IS THE POTENTIAL TO GET NOT ONLY A WAIVER ON THE RESIDENTIAL PORTION, BUT ALSO THE COMMERCIAL PORTION.

IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE ABLE TO SUCCEED WITH, UH, THE OVERALL

[00:40:01]

THE LAST THING, THAT'S A REALLY KEY ELEMENT TO SUCCESS HERE IS VIA HIS COMMITMENT TO LEASE AND PURCHASE THE OFFICE SPACE.

YOU SAW RENEE TALK ABOUT THE OFFICE ELEMENT TO THE PROJECT IN WHAT WE'RE CALLING, BUILDING A AND VIA HIS COMMITMENT TO TAKE THAT SPACE, TO LEASE IT AND PURCHASE IT IN YEAR SEVEN GOES A LONG WAY TOWARDS SECURING THE CAPITAL NEEDED TO, UH, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT.

AND THEN, UH, GOING ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND TALKING ABOUT THE TIMELINE AND OUR PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE.

AGAIN, THIS IS AN AREA WHERE I THINK YOU'LL HEAR MORE DETAIL ON FROM EPS AND OTHER PRESENTERS, BUT WE WANT JUST WANTED TO TOUCH ON IT VERY BRIEFLY, WHICH IS THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE DESIGN DEVELOPMENT PHASE.

AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ALREADY STARTED.

AND THAT'S WORKING WITH OVERLAND OR ARCHITECT WORKING WITH GENERAL CONTRACTORS TO ESTIMATE COSTS AND, UH, PUTTING US IN A GOOD POSITION TO SECURE FINANCING AND START CONSTRUCTION ON AN ESTIMATED DATE OF Q4 OF NEXT YEAR.

AND THEN WE ESTIMATE THAT THAT WOULD BE ABOUT, UH, 18 MONTHS OR SO TO PERFORM THE CONSTRUCTION AND THEN BE READY TO OPEN THE COMPLEX.

SO WITH THAT, UM, WE WANT TO OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYONE MIGHT HAVE FIRST DAYS.

DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YES, SIR.

SEE IF I CAN GET THIS MICROPHONE RIGHT.

CAN YOU GO BACK TWO SLIDES FROM THERE? YES, RIGHT THERE.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT LAST SENTENCE? THE DEAL STRUCTURE IS CONTINGENT ON VIA LEASING ALL THE OFFICE SPACE AND PURCHASING IT IN YOUR SEVEN, BUT DOES THAT REALLY MEAN THAT IT GOES WITH THIS, OR I'M SORRY, IS THERE A FINANCIAL MODEL THAT YOU HAVE THAT GOES WITH THIS? YEAH.

YES, THERE IS A FINANCIAL MODEL AND THAT'S WHAT EPS IS GOING TO BE GOING OVER IN DETAIL LATER ON IN THIS PRESENTATION TODAY, TODAY, TODAY.

GREAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

TRUSTEES.

DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? I JUST WANT TO SAY ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK THAT RENDERING BEAUTIFUL.

I MEAN, SERIOUSLY, IT'S JUST GORGEOUS.

YOU PASS, JUST TO COMMENT, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING SO MUCH RETAIL ON THE BOTTOM FLOOR.

I SAW 32,000 SQUARE FEET.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIG QUESTIONS THAT I HAD IN MY HEAD, BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, VIA IS FUNDED THROUGH A SALES TAX.

AND SO WE'RE ALL WORKING TO FIGURE OUT ANY AVENUE THAT WE CAN GET TO HAVE A MORE SUSTAINABLE MODEL WITH, UH, WITH OUR REVENUE.

SO THANK YOU.

I THINK THAT'S GREAT THAT YOU'RE INCLUDING, UM, THAT AMOUNT OF SQUARE FOOTAGE ON THE BOTTOM TRUSTEES.

I'M JUST GOING TO DO A QUICK COMMENT AND JUST, UH, I THANK YOU GUYS FOR DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB IN BEING VERY, UH, COMMUNICATIVE WITH, WITH AT LEAST SOME OF THOSE BOARD MEMBERS AND SOME OF THE STAFF.

I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF BACKGROUND WORK THAT HAS GONE INTO THIS PROJECT AND YOUR AVAILABILITY OF COMING AND SITTING DOWN AT THE TABLE AND WORKING WITH BIA IT'S BEEN, IT'S REALLY APPRECIATED.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT THE SIGN WORK, I THINK IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PROJECT AND HOPEFULLY YOU CAN GET IT, UM, IN A HEALTHY FINANCIAL STAGE WHERE WE CAN JUST EXECUTE IT AND ACTUALLY DELIVER IT.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

THANK YOU.

UM, MY QUESTION BASICALLY IS, UM, YOU HAVE RAILROAD TRACKS IN THE BACK OF THAT BUILDING THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING.

WHAT IMPACT WOULD THOSE RAILROAD TRACKS HAVE TO THE PEOPLE LIVE IN THERE AND PEOPLE USING THE OFFICE? UM, YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

WE, OUR OFFICE SITS RIGHT NEXT TO RAILROAD TRACKS, SO WE'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT.

YOU KNOW, REALLY HONESTLY, WE, WE REALLY DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO THE ROAD TO THE, YOU GET USED TO IT.

THAT'S NUMBER ONE, AND THAT'S NOT A GOOD ANSWER, BUT, BUT AS FAR AS LOOKING FORWARD AND HOW THAT, THAT IS REALLY APPLIED THE ISSUE OF HAVING THE RAILROAD TRACKS.

I MEAN, THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AS FAR AS SOUND ATTENUATION, SOUND BARRIERS THAT WILL BE DESIGNED INTO THAT SIDE OF THAT.

WE'VE DONE THAT BEFORE, AT LEAST ON SOME OTHER PROJECTS WHERE FOR EXAMPLE, I WAS INVOLVED WITH A PROJECT ON THE EAST SIDE, UH, RIGHT BY RAILROAD TRACKS AND APARTMENT BUILDING, AND YOU CAN DESIGN INTO IT, SOME SOUND ABSORPTION, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT REALLY HELP ADDRESS THAT FOR, FOR THE TENANTS AND FOR THE RESIDENTS.

WELL, THAT, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD CONCERN ME BECAUSE LIVING DOWNTOWN, YOU GET TO THE NOISE, BUT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, YOU'LL HEAR SOME NEW ONES.

EXACTLY.

THE OTHER THING IS THAT, UH, IOS ALSO NOTICED THAT THERE WAS SOME LAND BEHIND THIS THAT IS NOT PART OF THIS DESIGN.

HAVE YOU ALL GIVEN THAT ANY THOUGHT? YEAH, THAT'S THE PROPERTY THAT I THINK WAS MENTIONED THAT WAS RECENTLY, UH, BOUGHT BY SEVEN, UH SEVO UM, IT'S A GROUP OUT OF AUSTIN WHO COINCIDENTALLY IS WORKING ON A PARTNERSHIP WITH GEYSER IN AUSTIN.

SO WE HAVE REALLY

[00:45:01]

AND HONESTLY, WE HAVEN'T REALLY TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE OPTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, BUT IT GOES BACK TO SOMETHING THAT I SAID THAT MAY NOT HAVE REALLY COME ACROSS REAL WELL IS THERE'S BEEN SOME ARTICLES.

I MEAN, I'M NOT, THIS IS JUST FACTS.

THERE'VE BEEN SOME ARTICLES IN THE PAPER ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.

THERE HASN'T BEEN A LOT OF INFORMATION SHARED, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF LANDOWNERS THAT HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN HERE.

AND THOSE LAND OWNERS HAVE BEEN CONTACTING US AND WANTING TO CREATE.

AND LISA MENTIONED THIS WARD DISTRICT, WE'RE ALREADY GETTING CALLS.

CONVERSATIONS ARE HAPPENING ABOUT HOW DO WE CREATE A DISTRICT HERE? THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT ONE BUILDING.

I MEAN, THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE STARTING TO HAPPEN TO BRING OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE COMMUNITY FOCUSED, WANTING TO DO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE WITH US AND TO REALLY PLAN THIS.

SO IT'S NOT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING, IT'S ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING AS A YES, AS ALL PART OF THIS AREA.

SO, AND I COULD ELABORATE MORE ON THAT, BUT I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T, BUT I THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT WHAT YOU'VE STARTED HAS REALLY TRIGGERED A LOT OF GREAT CONVERSATIONS FOR THIS AREA AND WHERE WE WERE EXCITED WHEN WE FIRST STARTED PURSUING THIS PROJECT, BECAUSE WE SAW YOU SEE OUR VISION, WE SAW THE OPPORTUNITY, BUT AS WE'VE GOTTEN INTO THIS MORE AND MORE, AND YOUR STAFF HAS BEEN GREAT TO WORK WITH EVERYBODY THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, THEY'VE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE.

WE'VE HAD SOME BATTLES, SOME GOOD, YOU KNOW, CONSTRUCTIVE BATTLES AND CONVERSATION, WRESTLING, ARM WRESTLING, BUT, UH, WE'VE GOTTEN TO SOME REALLY GOOD PLACES AND WE REALLY ARE EXCITED MORE THAN EVER ABOUT WHAT'S REALLY TRANSFORMING RIGHT NOW JUST IN CONVERSATION.

SO, UM, WE'D LOVE TO KEEP THAT MOMENTUM GOING.

EXCELLENT.

YEAH.

THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT I, THAT I, THAT I WANT TO ADDRESS IS, UM, TO ME, THAT AREA IS KIND OF LIKE THE GATEWAY TO THE WEST SIDE.

AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF IMPACT STUDY DONE ON HOW IT'S GOING TO AFFECT THE RESIDENTS RIGHT AFTER THE, UH, THE JAIL AND HOW FAR THAT GOES.

I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE I'M NOT A DEVELOPER, BUT I, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO BE MOVED OUT OR SOMEHOW GET IMPACTED NEGATIVELY BECAUSE OF SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO DO.

AND, AND, AND BELIEVE ME, I AM ALL FOR THE PROJECT.

I THINK IT'S GREAT.

I THINK IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A JUUL THAT'S CAN HAPPEN RIGHT THERE ON THAT SIDE OF WHICH IS NOT AS DEVELOPED ON THIS HAPPEN THAT MUCH, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE VERY CAREFUL WITH WHAT WE DO WITH THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE.

UM, I THINK FOR SURE, ONE OF THE THINGS, UM, ON THE PROJECTS THAT WE ALWAYS WORK ON, WE, WE ARE MAKING SURE WE'RE NOT DISPLACING ANYBODY, RIGHT.

AND, AND THIS, UM, WHEN YOU TAKE AN OLD HISTORICAL BUILDING LIKE THIS AND BRING IT BACK TO LIFE, EVERYTHING YOU DO AS AN IMPACT, EVERYTHING.

AND SO A STUDY WOULD BE IDEAL BECAUSE WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO TRACK THAT ECONOMIC GROWTH? HOW ARE WE GOING TO TRACK THE JOBS CREATED? HOW ARE WE GOING TO TRACK THE OPPORTUNITIES OF EVERYBODY THAT'S COMING IN TO BE SERVED? RIGHT.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS PROJECT IS THAT BECAUSE TRANSIT, THE TRANSIT CENTER IS KIND OF FRONT AND CENTER OF WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE AND WE'RE BUILDING EVERYTHING AROUND IT AND THE GOAL IS TO CONTINUE EXPANDING IT.

RIGHT? AND SO TO ME, THAT'S WHAT REALLY EXCITES ME ABOUT THE PROJECT.

AND YOU'RE RIGHT.

I MEAN, THERE'S GOING TO BE SO MUCH IMPACT AND OPPORTUNITY TO AN AREA THAT, I MEAN, WE'RE BEHIND THE JAIL.

WE HAVE THE HAVEN FOR HOPE.

WE HAVE THE PLAZA THAT COULD BE ACTIVATED IN A WAY THAT BECOMES KIND OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AMENITY.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE ENVISION COMING TO THIS, UM, ACTIVATION PLAN THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

AND, AND LIKE RENEE SAID, IT'S, IT'S BEEN AMAZING TO SEE THAT MOST OF THE TIME DEVELOPERS, THEY WORRY ABOUT THEIR BUILDING, WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO, HOW THEY'RE GOING TO ACTIVATE IT, WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE.

THE APPROACH THAT WE'RE TAKING IS A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

IT'S GOING WAY BEYOND THE BUILDINGS.

AND THAT'S WHAT REALLY EXCITES US BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE PHASE ONE, PHASE TWO PHASE THREE THAT IS COMING.

AND IF WE GET OTHERS EXCITED TO INVEST IN THE SAME COMMUNITY, IT'S GOING TO BE AN AMAZING IMPACT THAT WE CAN'T EVEN COUNT ON.

IT'S GOING TO BE SO MUCH MORE THAN YOU EVER DREAM OF.

THANK YOU, TRUSTEE.

DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH.

I WANT TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT CHAIR RAY HAS SAID.

UM, MY FAMILY'S FROM THE WEST SIDE, AND SO IT'S A VERY PROUD COMMUNITY.

AND SO I WOULD, UM, ADVISE YOU TO GET THEIR INPUT ON WHEN YOU'RE DEVELOPING THIS STATICS OR THE ART, OR, YOU KNOW, THOSE ITEMS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO PUT INTO THIS AREA BECAUSE THEY'LL NOTICE IF IT'S NOT INCLUDED.

AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS THAT ARE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME, AND I'VE SEEN A PROJECT GOES SOUTH REAL FAST WHEN YOU DON'T INCLUDE THOSE PEOPLE IN THE CONVERSATION AND YOU SHOULD, YOU KNOW, CAUSE THIS IS THEIR AREA, YOU KNOW? SO, UM, THEY'LL WELCOME IT.

AS LONG AS YOU INCLUDE THEM IN THE CONVERSATION.

ABSOLUTELY.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS IN OUR PLAN.