* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. OKAY, EVERYBODY. IT [00:00:01] IS 12 O'CLOCK [1. Meeting called to order] AND I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THIS REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE CITY OF NEW BERN MUNICIPAL SERVICE DISTRICT ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO ORDER AND ASK THAT WE PLEASE HAVE THE ROLL CALL. DAVID AL. HERE. SABRINA VENKEL. HERE. JOHN HAROLDSON? HERE. MIKE L. HERE. V LEWIS. HERE. MICKEY MILLER. HERE. GEORGE OLIVER. DR. JIM POLO. HERE. JOHNNY ROBINSON. HERE. MICHAEL LEE. ROSE WATSON. HERE. KAREN SULLIVAN. HERE. ALDERMAN STER? HERE. ALDERMAN FERGUSON. HERE. FOSTER HUGHES HERE. AND WE HAVE FOUR. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND OKAY. IN YOUR PACKET [3. Approval of Minutes – 11.4.25 Meeting] ARE THE, UM, MINUTES OF THE, UH, NOVEMBER 4TH MEETING. THAT WAS OUR LAST MEETING. HANG ON. THERE WAS A COUPLE OF PAGES THERE. I HOPE EVERYBODY DIVES RIGHT INTO THEM. OKAY. , OR, UM, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY CORRECTIONS, CHANGES, ADDITIONS, DELETIONS, WHAT HAVE YOU? IF NOT, THEN I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION THAT THE MINISTER ACCEPTED THAT. OKAY. JIM, ON THE, UH, MOTION AND JOHN ON THE SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. PER OUR BYLAWS, [4. Appointment of Chair] UM, AT THE FIRST MEETING OF EACH YEAR, UH, WE APPOINT A CHAIR AS THE BYLAW SAID. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COPY, I HAVE THEM HERE. UH, ANYBODY FROM THE FLOOR CAN BE NOMINATED AND CHAIR. THERE'S NO, UM, TERM LIMIT AS WELL ON, UM, THE CHAIR POSITION. SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR NOMINATIONS SHOT AT ONCE. I NO, YOU, UH, SABRINA, GIVE THAT A SECOND. OKAY. IF YOU'RE WILLING, . YEAH. I DON'T, I, AND THIS IS, THANKFULLY, IT HAS REALLY JUST GOTTEN THAT WE'RE JUST HERE TALKING , SO DON'T EVERYBODY GET NERVOUS. , IS IT, IS IT APPROPRIATE TO, TO MAKE A COMMENT AT THIS TIME? ABSOLUTELY. I THINK IT'S BEEN, 'CAUSE WE HAVE A, JUST LET ME GO BACK 'CAUSE WE HAVE A MOTION AND WE HAVE A SECOND. SO NOW THIS IS DISCUSSION. WELL, AND THERE MAY BE OTHER NOMINATIONS. I DON'T KNOW, BUT I, I HAVE BEEN VERY PLEASED THAT IT HAS NOT BEEN A, LIKE A POWER PLAY KIND OF A THING. BEEN MORE AN ORGANIZATIONAL ROLE. AND I, FRANKLY, I'M, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THAT, UM, SOMEONE WHO HAS THE TIME AND THE WILLINGNESS TO ORGANIZE THE AGENDA AND STUFF LIKE THAT, I, UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR DOING THAT. AND, UM, I APPRECIATE THE EVEN HANDEDNESS THAT THIS ENTIRE GROUP HAS HAD. SO, UM, I, I, YOU KNOW, I'M HAPPY TO JUST ROLL ON. OKAY. IS THERE ANY OTHER DENOMINATIONS FROM THE FLOOR? OKAY. WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? A ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. THANK YOU LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. I APPRECIATE IT AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOU ALL AS WE MOVE FORWARD. 'CAUSE I THINK WE'VE DONE A GREAT JOB IN THIS PAST YEAR. YEAR. OKAY. UM, [5. Financial Report – Kim Ostrom, Finance Director] NEXT, KIM, YOU GIVE US THE FINANCIAL REPORT. YOU CAN LOOK AT THE BALANCE SHEET REPORT. YOU CAN SEE THAT YOU HAVE ABOUT 2,304,000 SOME HUNDRED $97 IN CASH INVESTMENTS AS OF JANUARY 31ST, 2026, WITH THE TOTAL ASSETS BEING $2,386,790. TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION LIABILITIES, WE END, UM, WITH THE NET POSITION OF $2,308,349, UM, WITH 1.8 $1,864,908 ASSIGNED FOR YOUR COMMUNITY PROJECTS AND UNASSIGNED BALANCE OF 439,601. MOVE BACK TO THE NEXT ONE. THIS IS THE BUDGET'S ACTUAL, AND, UH, WE'RE PRETTY MUCH IN LINE WHERE WE NEED TO BE. IF I TAKE A LOOK AT THE BOTTOM WHERE WE HAVE A NET POSITION OF WHERE YOU'LL SEE, AGAIN, THE $2,308,349, SUBTRACT OUT YOUR COMMITTEE ASSIGNED COMMITTEE PROJECTS OF $1,864,908, YOU NOW HAVE AN ADJUSTED, UM, NET POSITION OF 443,000, FOUR $41. IF ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS WERE SPENT THIS FISCAL YEAR, IS THERE ANY PLAN TO FINANCE ANY PORTION OF IT? OR WILL WE JUST SPEND SO AS, RIGHT, RIGHT NOW, AND WE'RE GONNA GIVE AN UPDATE ON SOME OF THESE PROJECTS WHERE THEY STAND, BUT WE'LL DISCUSS THAT WITH THE GOVERNING BOARD AND FINANCE DIRECTOR WILL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD ON WHETHER, WHETHER IT WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE [00:05:01] TO FINANCE OR JUST PAY PAYING CASH. ARE RATES ANYWHERE CLOSE TO WHERE THEY WERE WHEN WE BORROWED THE LAST TIME? NO, TWO AND A HALF PERCENT PERCENT. NOT RIGHT NOW. DIDN'T IF THE GOVERNMENT HAD ANY OF THOSE RATES LIE OUT THERE EVEN THEN, THOUGH? I MEAN, EVEN IF THEY ARE IN A FIVE TO 6% RANGE. I MEAN, THAT IS WHAT IT'S, YOU ALWAYS RESTRUCTURED THE DEBT LATER IF THEY WERE TO COME DOWN. THAT'S TRUE. WE'VE DONE THAT BEFORE AND WE HAVE DONE THAT IN THE PAST. ASK QUESTION. YES, PLEASE. UM, IT, IT APPEARS THAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE UNASSIGNED OF 4 39 AND THE ADJUSTED NET OF 4 43 IS WHAT'S CALLED RESTRICTED FOR STABILIZATION BY STATE STATUTE. MM-HMM . CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THAT IS? THAT IS A CALCULATION WITHIN OUR, I JUST LOOKED AT THAT TOO. I APOLOGIZE. UM, I'LL HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT IT IS. BUT IT IS AT YEAR END, WE HAVE A CALCULATION WE NEED TO DO RESTRICTED BY STATE STATUTE. AND I BELIEVE TYPICALLY IT'S STREETS RELATED OR ANY KIND OF GRANT FUNDING. I JUST CAN'T RECALL OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD WHAT THAT ONE WAS. WELL, IT'S NOT BIG, BUT I'M JUST RIGHT. CURIOUS WHETHER IT IS OR IS NOT AVAILABLE. I BELIEVE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN SOME OF WHAT WAS, UM, IN THE YEAR END, UH, PREPAID, POSSIBLY SO. BUT I, I'LL LOOK NOT TERRIBLY MATERIAL, BUT, UM, JUST CURIOUS. I'VE GOT ANOTHER QUESTION. APPROXIMATELY RELATIVE TO THE, UH, PARKING INCOME, WHICH, YOU KNOW, 44,000, ALMOST 50,000 FOR PARKING RENTAL INCOME, I THINK IS, IS, IS GREAT. NOW, 6,000 OF THAT IS FOR THE FARMER'S MARKET. WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GETTING THAT MONTHLY RENTAL. BUT, UM, IS THAT THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS THAT FOR THE LEASES THAT WE HAVE, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GETTING THAT BIGGER NUMBER BECAUSE THOSE LEASES WILL GO AWAY, I ASSUME. AND THE, UH, CRAVEN STREET LOT WILL GO TO THE KIOSK. SO ARE WE GONNA SEE THAT NUMBER DRASTICALLY REDUCE THAT NUMBER? THAT NUMBER WILL COME DOWN. IT WILL REDUCE. SO WHAT WE MAY HAVE BUDGETED MAY NOT TURN OUT TO BE CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. ALRIGHT. JUST CURIOUS ON THAT. I THINK WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF THAT BECAUSE IT, OR WE MAY MAKE MORE MONEY BECAUSE PEOPLE NEED A PLACE TO PARK AND THEY'LL HAVE TO PAY. DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THERE? ANYBODY ELSE? I WOULD JUST SAY AS AN OBSERVATION, I THINK THERE'S A HAPPY MEDIUM OF THE FINANCING ASPECT THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE LOOKING INTO FINANCE A MILLION DOLLARS, MAYBE WE CAN JUST PAY IT DOWN 30%, YOU KNOW, AND THEN FINANCE TO DELTA. THAT WOULD BE A WISE MOVE IF WE WANT TO TRY TO KEEP SOME CASH ON HAND. I DO THINK WE'RE HIGH ON CASH AND BE GREAT SPEND AVAILABLE, BUT WE NEVER KNOW WE'RE GOING ANOTHER PROJECT, SOMETHING ELSE GOES UP. WE WANT SOME CASH ON HERE, SO I WOULDN'T WANNA SEE IT GET DOWN TO LIKE 400,000. WE DID AN HAPPY MEDIUM OF 500, 1 MILLION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT, OKAY. THE NEXT PAGE IS YOUR PROJECT AND WHERE WE'RE AT AS OF JANUARY 31ST SHOWS THE BUDGET WITH, UM, EACH OF THOSE PROJECTS, THE PROJECTS TO LINK 2,015,000. AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, SPENT FOR EACH OF THOSE PROJECTS WITH THE TOTAL 150,000, $92 AND 45 CENTS SO FAR. THERE IS SOME ENCUMBERED, WHICH MEANS THEY'RE IN THE WORKS, THEY'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, PLANS FOR IT. THEY'VE SET THE MONEY ASIDE FOR IT. SO THERE ARE PURCHASE ORDERS OUT THERE FOR 20 2001 59 AND 74 CENTS. AND THEN THE REMAINING THAT'S STILL LEFT, OF COURSE, TO BE SPENT ON THESE IS THE 1.8 MILLION. SO IT JUST SHOWS YOU WHERE WE'RE AT WITH, UM, THE EXPENDITURES OF THOSE. AND THEN THERE ARE COMMENTS WITH SEVERAL ARE IN DESIGN PHASE AND PRE-BID PHASE, AND, UM, OF COURSE BENCH ARE WAITING. AND THEN THE NEXT PAGES ARE THAT REPORT. THESE ARE PAID OFF, UM, FISCAL YEAR 27, 28. SO AS OF THE JUNE 30TH, 2026, THE MSC DEBT BONDS WILL BE HUNDRED 89,004. IT'S TAKEN 30 YEARS TO PAY OFF THE STREET. JUST FYI. 2%. WELL, BACK THEN IT WAS A 2%, BUT WE DID REFINANCE WHEN WE STARTED. THE FIRST BLOCK OF IT WAS, UH, THE, I THINK IT WAS A 200 BLOCK OF MIDDLE STREET WAS THE FIRST ONE TO BE DONE. AND THEN WE PROGRESSED. 300, 100. YOU WENT AROUND, I'M SURE YOU REMEMBER THAT. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BRICK SITE. THE FIRST WALK PLAYS, IT'S TAKE 30 YEARS. NO, [00:10:01] NO. IT TOOK 30 YEARS TO GET US YES. TO FINALLY PAY FOR ALL THE STREETSCAPES DOWN DOWN. YES. YES. THAT'S WHAT SAYING, YOU KNOW, FROM THE START OF WHEN WE DID IT IN THE NINETIES TILL TILL NOW, WE'RE STILL PAYING. IT'LL BE 30 YEARS THAT WE PAY. WE STARTED SOMEWHERE IN 93, 94. AS YOU GO BACK TO THE OF REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES, BUDGET IS ACTUAL FOR 26. MM-HMM . UM, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND HOW THE SALES TAX FIGURE IS EARNED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE YEAR, BUT THE AT IS WAY DOWN. AND ISN'T THAT ALL DUE BY THE FIRST WEEK IN JANUARY? SO THIS IS AS OF JANUARY 31ST. WE'LL PROBABLY, UM, HAVE THE RECONCILIATION TO PAY OUT HERE IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. SO THAT, WE'LL, YOU'LL SEE THAT ADJUST HERE. IS THERE A LAG IN, IN THE MM-HMM . BECAUSE I MEAN, IT AREN'T YOU PENALIZED IF YOU DON'T PAY IT FOR LIKE JANUARY SEVEN OR 10 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I'M JUST SHOCKED AT HOW, AND THEN ISSUES THE PAYMENT TO US AND THEN WE DO THE REC, THEY SUBMIT THE RECONCILIATION WHEN THEY'RE OFFSET. SO EVEN THOUGH IT SAYS JANUARY 31, IT PROBABLY IS NOT REFLECTING ALL THE PAYMENTS THAT WERE RECEIVED. IT'S PROBABLY MORE LIKE THAT. YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED? YEP. WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY. RIGHT. DIDN'T REALIZE THAT IT, THAT TOUGH OF TIME FOR PEOPLE NOT PAYING THEIR TAXES. AND WAS THE SALES TAX AT SEVERAL MONTHS FEE? YEAH. NOT BEFORE WE, YOU KNOW THAT. I MEAN, ONE THANK YOU. DO WE NEED A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE REPORT? YEAH. OKAY. UM, WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE FINANCIAL BOARD SECOND AND DONNIE AS A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? A. ANY OPPOSED? OKAY, FOSTER, [6. Project Updates] LET'S HAVE A PROJECT UPDATE. YEAH. SO, SO AS YOU, AS, AS EVERYONE KNOWS, THE BILL OF THIS, UH, ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON PROJECTS TO THE GOVERNING BOARD. AND THIS BOARD DID A GREAT JOB OF THAT LAST YEAR. SEVERAL PROJECTS ARE IN THE HOPPER AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS WAS THE KIOSK PROJECT, AND I THINK EVERYONE MAY HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THOSE. AND SO WANNA TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT? UM, SO LAST MAY, WHEN I PRESENTED THIS TO THIS BOARD, I PRESENTED THIS INFORMATION HERE AND IT GAVE EXAMPLES OF WHAT THE KIOSK COULD LOOK LIKE. IT GAVE THE DIMENSIONS, IT GAVE THE PRICES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WE TALKED ABOUT THE LOCATION OF WHERE THESE KIOSKS, UH, MOST LIKELY WOULD GO. ONE OF THOSE WAS AT BEAR PLAZA, THE ENTRANCE OF THE OTHER AT UNION POINT PARK. IT MOST LIKELY WON'T GO A UNION POINT PARK RIGHT NOW. ON THE SECOND ONE, ONE THING WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT WAS COLOR. AND SO AND SO H HP C DOESN'T VOTE ON . THEY DO NOT. THEY DO NOT. I WANTED TO SAY THAT SO BAD IN THE COMMENT. THAT'S RIGHT. AND SO, UM, SO WHAT, WHAT WE DID IS WE LOOKED AT THE COLORS ON OUR WAY FINDING WHAT WE ADOPTED PREVIOUSLY. AND SO THERE ARE BASICALLY FIVE COLORS IN OUR WAY FINDING THERE'S A BLACK, A RED, A ROYAL BLUE, A LIGHT BLUE, AND A GOLD. AND SO INTERNALLY WITH STAFF, WE LOOKED AT THOSE AND TO SEE WHAT WOULD BE THE MOST APPROPRIATE, WHAT WOULD LOOK THE BEST. WHEN WE LOOKED AT BLACK, BLACK FADES RED, RED FADES RED, RED IS THE WORST FAVOR. AND SO I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT RED BEING THE GREATEST THING, BUT IT'S MORE HIGH MAINTENANCE THAN ANYTHING. MM-HMM . WE LOOKED AT THE GOLD OR THE YELLOW THAT DID NOT LOOK VERY GOOD. AND THE LIGHT BLUE, WHEN, WHEN WE LOOKED AT IT AS A BIGGER THING, IT DID NOT LOOK GOOD AS WELL. AND THE WHOLE GOAL ABOUT WAY FINDING, IF YOU'LL GO TO ANY CORNER DOWNTOWN, YOU LOOK UP ON THE, ON THE STREET POLES, YOU'RE GONNA SEE OUR WAY FINDING SIGNS. THEY'RE ALL BLUE, SAME BLUE AS THIS. UNFORTUNATELY, THE, THE, THE SIGNAGE THAT'S ON THE POLES, THEY FADED OUT. THIS IS WHAT THE COLOR SHOULD LOOK LIKE. AND SO WE OPTED TO, TO DO THIS WAY FINDING JUST LIKE THAT. THAT'S WHY WE PICKED THE COLOR WE DID. SO SWISS BAY DID A POST THE DAY WE PUT, UM, THE FIRST KIOSK OUT WITHOUT ANY BANNERS OR ANYTHING IN THERE. AND SO IT, IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE ALL THE COMMENTS, NOT ONLY OF WHAT SWISSAIR DID, BUT SEVERAL OF THE OTHER FOLKS, UM, POSTED. AND SO THERE WERE POSITIVE COMMENTS. THERE WERE NOT SO POSITIVE COMMENTS. UH, IT WAS GOOD TO SEE THAT SOMEONE CREATED A POEM REGARDING THE KIOSK . AND FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAD NO IDEA WHO DR. WHO WAS OR WHAT A IS, WHICH IS A, A TIME MACHINE THAT, THAT BROUGHT SOME THINGS TO LIFE. AND, AND I SAW A VIDEO, I THINK LAST NIGHT FROM, FROM SOMEONE THAT BASICALLY, UH, USED AI TO BASICALLY HAVE THEIR DRONE GO RIGHT TO THE RIGHT TO THE KIOSK. THE DOOR OPENED UP AND IT WENT RIGHT IN THERE. AND WHEN IT CAME BACK OUT, IT WAS, UH, EARLY 19 HUNDREDS DOWNTOWN NEW . [00:15:01] SO, AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS UNIQUE. UH, AND BECAUSE THAT'S PROBABLY WHERE WE'RE GONNA PROBABLY TIE SOMETHING INTO THAT ON WHEN WE GET THE, UM, THE, THE FULLISH UNIT OPERATING . BUT THAT'S SOMEONE WITH TOO MUCH TIME ON IT. , RIGHT? THAT'S RIGHT. TAKES AND SO OUT ALL THIS THAT WE'VE SEEN IN NOT EVEN A WEEK YET, IT'LL BE A WEEK TOMORROW. THE ONE THING THAT HAS BEEN GOOD IS PEOPLE ARE, ARE LOOKING AT THIS AND THEY'VE COME DOWNTOWN TO LOOK AT IT. SO WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, THE WHOLE IDEA IS IT SERVES A PURPOSE. IT'S A WAY FINDING MECHANISM. IT'S GOT A MAP THAT SHOWS, I THINK THE MAJORITY OF ALL RETAIL BUSINESSES ARE RESTAURANTS. GOT SOME NOTIFICATION EARLIER THIS MORNING THAT THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT ARE NOT ON THERE. SO WE'LL MAKE SURE WE GET EVERYONE ON THE NEXT RENDITIONS. BUT WE SAW, EVEN DURING MARDI GRAS, A LOT OF PEOPLE, UH, WERE UP THERE LOOKING AT IT THIS MORNING. THERE WERE SOME FOLKS FROM OUT OF TOWN, THEY WERE LOOKING AT IT. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S WHAT'S THERE FOR. IT'S, IT IS THERE TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. IT'S EASY TO FIND. DO WHAT NOW? IT'S EASY TO FIND IT. IT'S EASY TO FIND. AND SO I SAW A LOT OF COMMENTS ON IT. IT SHOULD GO HERE, IT SHOULD GO THERE. WELL, THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF OF THIS TO BEGIN WITH WAS PEOPLE WALKING DOWN THE MAIN QUARTER OF DOWNTOWN SO THEY CAN FIND WHAT'S AROUND THEM. SO THAT'S WHY IT'S WHERE IT'S AT. UM, I SAW SOME COMMENTS ABOUT, OH, IT WILL RUIN, UH, BERY MERRY CHRISTMAS WHEN DOWN THERE. SO ONE THING I WANT TO TELL YOU IS ALL OF OUR KIOSKS ARE PORTABLE. WE CAN MOVE THOSE AT ANY TIME, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'LL END UP HAVING TO DO WITH THE HOLIDAY SEASON. THINGS GONNA BE HAPPEN, HAVE TO BE SHIFTED. UH, BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, THAT'S GOING BE THERE AT, UH, BEAR PLAZA. THE OTHER KIOSK WILL END UP BEING AT THE P*****K STREET PARKING LOT ACROSS FROM CITY HALL. AND WE'RE HAVING TO DO THAT BECAUSE OF ELEC ELECTRICAL AND CONNECTIVITY. SO THE POSITION THAT THAT, THAT THE KIOSK ON, UH, IT MAY PLAZA CURRENTLY IS IT'S GOING TO ADJUST A QUARTER TURN TO WHERE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THE MAP ON ONE ON ONE SIDE AS YOU'RE WALKING DOWN THE SIDEWALK AND THE VIDEO SCREEN ON THE OTHER. AND WE WILL TURN, WE'LL DO THAT ONCE WE GET ALL THE CONNECTIVITY WITH THE VIDEO GOING. SO WE HOPE TO HAVE THAT SQUARED AWAY BY LATER THIS WEEK OR FIRST OF NEXT WEEK. AND SO WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS A COMBINATION OF VIDEOS AND SLIDES ON THERE. UH, ONCE WE GET ALL THE THE BUGS WORKED OUT OF THAT, WE WILL END UP, UM, ADVERTISING FOR SOME BUSINESSES. WE'VE GOT SOME INTERNAL POLICIES THAT WE'VE GOT TO WORK ON. BUT WE'RE ALSO GONNA, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE GONNA TIE IN HISTORICAL IMAGES AND CURRENT IMAGES AND, AND SO IT SHOULD BE NICE AND UNIQUE. UM, ANY QUESTIONS ANYONE HAS ON, ON KIOSK, WILL THE ADVERTISING FUNDS GO BACK INTO THE MSD FUND? IT, IT WILL, YES. OFFICER, YOU GO AHEAD. 'CAUSE I HAVE SOME COMMENTS. I WANNA MAKE SOME QUESTIONS. IT'S NOT A QUESTION. IT IT'S, IT'S A COMMENT. UM, I UNDERSTAND WANTING IT FRONT AND CENTER. SO, UM, PEOPLE SEE IT AND THEY ACCESS IT. I DO, UM, HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT LOSING THAT SIGHT LINE INTO BEAR PLAZA. THAT'S JUST ONE OF OUR CHARMING DOWNTOWN FEATURES. SO I WOULD ASK TO CONSIDER PUSHING IT AGAINST THE CLOSER TO THE WALL ON THE, UH, SOUTH SIDE. THERE A COUPLE THINGS. I'M GONNA PUT MY SURE. AS AN HAT ON SURE. ON HERE, BECAUSE TO ME THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT'S THERE FOR. MM-HMM . YES. OUR, OUR LOCALS ARE GOING TO GET INFORMATION, BUT IT'S TOURISM. UM, YOU KNOW, ONE, WILL TOURISM HERE VISIT NEW BERN? WILL THEY BE THE, THE PERSON I REALLY THINK THEY SHOULD BE IN CHARGE OF MAKING SURE THE INFORMATION IS CURRENT UP TO DATE, WHATEVER THINGS THAT WOULD ENHANCE OUR TOURIST TOUR TOURISM EXPERIENCE HERE IN DOWNTOWN NEW VERN OR THROUGHOUT OUR CITY. AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT PARTNERSHIP REALLY BE TOGETHER BECAUSE JUST WHAT YOU SAID, WE'VE PUT A MAP UP THERE THAT'S ALREADY INCORRECT. AND AS THINGS CHANGE IN OUR DOWNTOWN, THAT BECOMES EXPENSIVE. IT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CONSTANTLY CHANGING. IT'S NOT CORRECT ENOUGH TO DATE. SO WHY NOT PUT AN ADDITIONAL DIGITAL SIGN RATHER THAN A POSTER SIGN AND LET THAT BE SOMETHING THAT IN THE FLIP OF A SWITCH, YOU KNOW, IN THE MORNING, SOMETHING COULD BE UPDATED VERSUS THAT. I JUST THINK WE'VE GOTTA BE SMART ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING MOVING FORWARD. YES, WE HAVE THIS, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A CONSTANT EBB AND FLOW IN DOWNTOWN. ABSOLUTELY. IT IS. AND ESPECIALLY WITH A SERIES OF EVENTS, WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE IS EVEN ON YOUR DIGITAL BOARD, SOME CALENDAR EVENTS, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN NEWBURG WHERE THEY COULD TOUCH IT OR THEY COULD QR IT AND GO RIGHT TO THE VISIT NEW BERN, UH, CALENDAR BECAUSE THEY UPDATE THAT SEVERAL TIMES A DAY. AGAIN, THIS IS, UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WERE TALKING ABOUT, OH, WE DON'T NEED THAT JUST A QR CODE. WELL, WE HAVE QR CODES ALL OVER DOWNTOWN THAT NOBODY'S USING, OBVIOUSLY. UM, AND YOU KNOW, I THINK IT NEEDS TO SAY YOU ARE HERE FIRST AND FOREMOST. I DON'T SEE THAT ANYWHERE ON THAT. IT SHOULD TELL PEOPLE WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED SO THEY CAN FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO I GET TO MITCHELL HARDWARE? HOW DO I GET TO SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT THEY MIGHT SEE IN THEIR GUIDEBOOK BECAUSE OUR VISITORS ARE USING OUR GUIDEBOOK. UM, OR THEY'RE ONLINE ON THE GUIDEBOOK. SO I WOULD JUST REALLY THINK ABOUT THAT AND REALLY HAVE A PROGRAM. 'CAUSE I WANT THE CITY TO [00:20:01] DO WHAT THE CITY DOES BEST. RIGHT. SO NOT TOURISM STUFF. , LET, LET, LET ME ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. SO WE, WE PARTNER WITH THE C-D-T-D-A IS THE ONE THAT CREATED EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THAT IN A PS RIGHT NOW. UH, THE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER WILL BE UPLOADING THAT, THAT INFORMATION, BUT, UM, BASICALLY MELISSA AND HER STAFF AND I BELIEVE EVEN AND KAREN WILL BE FEEDING SOME INFORMATION. SO THAT STUFF WILL BE UPDATED ON A REGULAR BASIS. AND YES, WE ARE, WE'RE RELYING ON THE TDA, UH, TO PROVIDE ALL THE UP-TO-DATE CONTENT. BUT IS THERE ANY THOUGHT TO MAKE MORE INTERACTIVE BOARDS OR MORE DIGITAL BOARD VERSUS YOUR STATIC BOARDS? 'CAUSE AGAIN, WHEN THEY'RE STATIC, THEY, YOU KNOW, THAT BECOMES CHALLENGE. WELL, WHAT I'M GONNA SAY IS LET, LET'S GIVE IT A LITTLE BIT OF TIME BEFORE WE REVISIT THAT. OKAY. GIVE IT A LITTLE TIME. IT HASN'T BEEN A WEEK AND THE WHOLE THING'S NOT UP THE RUNNING YET. RIGHT. I'M, I'M CONCERNED THAT YOU'VE ALREADY SAID THAT YOU'VE GOT SOME, WHAT I CAN TELL YOU WHAT TO YOU IS INTER INTERACTIVE, LIKE THAT IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. UH, AND SO GIVE GIVE A LITTLE TIME. HEY, CLIENT DISNEY COULD DO IT. WE CAN DO IT. , JUST OUTTA CURIOSITY, HOW MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE? I MEAN, WHAT'S THE DELTA? UH, THE, THE INTERACTIVE SCREENS LIKE THAT STARTED AT 10 GRAND. OKAY. IT MIGHT BE WORTH THE INVESTMENT. I THINK WHAT WE CAN DO WITH IT AND THE INFORMATION THAT WE CAN PROVIDE. AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, UP TO DATE, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, IT, IT MAYBE FLASHES, UH, STREETS WILL CLOSE. YOU KNOW, AT FOUR O'CLOCK TODAY, CARS MUST BE OFF. YOU KNOW, THAT MIGHT COULD ROLL AND COME UP. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE PRE-PROGRAMMED. THAT TO ME IS A VALUE, YOU KNOW, UM, WORK, WORK GOING ON AT THE END OF MIDDLE STREET. PLEASE AVOID, AGAIN, I JUST, I SEE IT AS A SERVICE AS WELL AS A OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THAT. AND TO BE FAIR, THAT 10 GRAND IS THE HARD COST, NOT THE OPERATING COST MAINTENANCE AND EVERYTHING. YOU PROBABLY DOUBLE THAT OF COURSE. A COUPLE YEARS. IS IT UPGRADABLE? YES, IT IS UPGRADABLE. OKAY. SO, SO WE CAN REVISIT THIS NOW. SURE. WHEN YOU SAY HARD COST, THAT'S THE FIRST COST, BUT THEN EVERY YEAR, WHAT, WHAT WOULD IT COST TO RUN IT EVERY YEAR? SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE A SUBSCRIPTION TO LIKE, LIKE FOR THE VIDEO SCREEN, THERE'S A SUBSCRIPTION THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE TO, 'CAUSE IT'S BASICALLY A CLOUD BASED SYSTEM WHERE YOU, YOU CAN GO TO BASICALLY ANY COMPUTER AND, AND, AND UPLOAD WHATEVER, UH, WHATEVER YOU NEED TO TO SHOW UP ON THE VIDEO SCREEN. AND SO THAT IS A SUBSCRIPTION EACH, EACH YEAR THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT. AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT COST IS FOR, FOR THE INTERACTIVE. NO, I DO NOT. OH, JUST CURIOUS. DO YOU KNOW THAT COMPANY, SOFTWARE COMPANY FOR THAT SUBSCRIPTION? UH, I COULD NOT TELL YOU. I CAN GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU. THAT OKAY. YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE KIOSK? OKAY. IS IT LIT UP 24 HOURS? IT IS. SO LIKE 3:00 AM 4:00 AM 5:00 AM OKAY. WHICH I THINK IS A GOOD THING. OKAY. SO BEHIND THE KIOSK IS THE LAMPPOST MM-HMM . AND SO NOW WE'VE GOT A LOT OF LIGHT RIGHT IN THAT LITTLE SPOT WE'VE GOT WHEN YOU HOOK THE LIGHTS BACK UP, SO THERE'LL BE THE LIGHTS AND THEN THE KIOSK. SO ARE WE SORT OF LOSING THE AMBIANCE OF THE BEAUTIFUL LAMPPOST? UM, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? IS IT A GOOD IDEA TO MOVE THE KIOSK TO THE SOUTH SIDE OF BEAR PLAZA AGAINST THE WALL, WHICH IS THE SHADY SIDE SO THAT, THAT GLOW OF THE KIOSK WOULD BE, I THINK YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO WALK AROUND THAT AREA. YOU GOTTA HAVE A 360 WALL ALL THE WAY AROUND IT. UHHUH, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DEBATE LOCATIONS OF WHERE IT'S GONNA GO. AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S AT A VERY VISIBLE LOCATION. I DON'T THINK YOU'RE LOSING ALL THAT MUCH AMBIANCE FROM THE, FROM THE, THE LIGHT ITSELF. SO, OKAY. BUT EVERYONE'S GONNA HAVE OPINIONS ON THINGS AND HAPPY TO HEAR WHAT EVERYONE HAS TO SAY ABOUT IT. MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED DURING THE, UM, THE OTHER IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE WORKED ON. YOU KNOW, KIND OF AN OVERALL, UM, UPGRADE OF THAT, THAT WHOLE CORRIDOR. I THINK I HEARD SABRINA SALES PEPSI BLUE. THAT'S RIGHT. PLEASE. I'VE ALREADY GOTTEN FUSSED OUT ABOUT THE LAWSUIT. I MADE A JOKE. AND I WANNA SAY THAT OF THE FIVE COLOR OPTIONS FROM THE PALLET OF THE WAY FAIRING SCIENCE, I THINK YOU CHOSE WISELY. MAKE COMMENT, MAKE A COMMENT AS WELL, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE MADE THE COMMENT ABOUT WHY DIDN'T WE DO IT GREEN? LIKE YOU SEE ON ONE OF THOSE. IF WE WANTED, IF WE WANTED TO DO THAT GREEN, I WOULD'VE SAID, LET'S JUST PUT POSTERS ON THE TRASH CANS BECAUSE THAT WOULD SERVE ITS PURPOSE. THIS IS MEANT TO STAND OUT. SO PEOPLE DON'T LIKE, I THINK THE GOLD EMBELLISHMENTS ARE BEAUTIFUL. THE BEAR, THE GOLD EMBELLISHMENTS ARE REALLY ATTRACTIVE. IT'S IT'S FIRST CLASS. YES. IT'S DEFINITELY VERY NICE. IT'S BETTER THAN WHAT WE CAN KEEP IT CLEAN IF PEOPLE ARE NOT GONNA PUT STUFF ON IT. YOU KNOW, THESE ARE IN A LOT OF HISTORIC, UH, CITIES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES AS WELL. SO COME BACK TO THE $10,000. IS THAT PER SCREEN? FIRST SCREEN. OKAY. SIZE WILL ALSO HAVE [00:25:01] AN INDICATOR, BUT YEAH, WE'VE ALREADY GOT, WE'VE GOT TWO VIDEO SCREENS NOW, OR ONE. THERE ARE TWO. ONE ONE ON EACH KIOSK. OKAY. AND SO, NO, NO. SO, BUT THERE'S ONLY ONE ON A FOUR-SIDED. WE ONLY HAVE THAT'S CORRECT. ONE VIDEO SCREEN ON A FOUR-SIDED. THAT'S CORRECT. AND SO THE NEXT ONE I THINK THERE, UM, WELL WE'VE HAD SEVERAL STAFF THAT HAVE BEEN OUT DUE TO, TO THE ILLNESS, BUT WE HOPE THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE WILL BE IN PLACE OVER AT, UH, P*****K STREET LOT TO WHERE THAT CAN BE INSTALLED, UH, NEXT WEEK AS WELL. SO WE'LL HAVE ALL OF OUR FOSTER FOR THE RECORD. OKAY. SO IT'S IN THE MINUTES. SO WILL YOU PLEASE ADDRESS THAT HPC QUESTION AGAIN? SO THIS DID NOT HAVE TO GO BEFORE HPC? NO, THE STRUCTURE ITSELF DID NOT, BECAUSE IT IS A LABLE STRUCTURE AND IT REQUIRED A MINOR COA, WHICH WE A MINE COA. OKAY. YES. WHICH WE HAD FOR, FOR THAT. SO YOU, IT WAS A COMBINATION OF TWO THINGS. ONE SIGNAGE AND ALSO IT, UH, KIND OF LOOKED AT IT AS A TYPE OF SCULPTURE ARTWORK FOR OKAY. SO YEAH. BUT NO REQUIREMENT. THAT WAS ONE, YOU KNOW, , BUT I THOUGHT IT'D BE GOOD FOR THE RECORD, RIGHT? SURE. WHAT, WHAT'S THE MATERIAL? I'M JUST CURIOUS OF WHAT IT IS. IT'S, WHEN YOU HIT IT IS IT'S KIND OF HOLLOW. YES. UH, GREAT QUESTION. IT'S A, A LITTLE BIT OF FIBERGLASS, A LITTLE BIT OF FOAM THAT HAS, THAT HAS SPRAYED ON COATING TO IT. UH, IT'S VERY RESILIENT. IT'S A RESIN MATERIAL FOR THE HARD COAT. UM, AND SO, UM, IT'S DESIGNED TO, IF SOMEONE RUNS INTO IT, THERE'S SOME DINGS, WHATNOT, IT CAN BE REPAIRED. UH, SO YEAH, IT SHOULD BE VERY RESILIENT FOR US. OKAY. WHAT IF THE SKATEBOARD RUNS INTO IT, WILL IT SHAPE ? UM, I'M JUST CURIOUS IF, IF IT SHIPS, THEN WE CAN, WE CAN FIX IT. OKAY. YEAH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE KIOSK? ALRIGHT, SO NEXT, NEXT PROJECT IS THE RIVERWALK FISHING PIER PARKING LOT. SO CURRENTLY WHERE WE STAND ON THAT IS WE ARE WAITING FOR DEQ TO GIVE APPROVAL. UM, AND, AND THAT'S BEEN IN, IN THE QUEUE FOR, FOR A WHILE. SO OUR CONSULTANTS WORKING TO TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT ISSUES, IF ANY, THERE ARE WITH DEQ, UH, SEVERAL OF WHAT IS DEQ FOSTER, UH, DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY WITH THE STATE. SO WE ORDERED EIGHT TRASH CANS. PUBLIC WORKS HAS PUT OUT THE MAJORITY OF THOSE TO FILL IN GAPS. AND, AND SEVERAL O OTHERS ARE GONNA BE GOING ALONG THE RIVER WALL WHERE THE SEVERAL BENCHES ARE GONNA GO. AND SO STAFF INFORMED ME THAT, UM, THE NEW BENCHES ARE GONNA BE GOING OUT DURING THE MONTH OF MARCH AND APRIL, UH, ESPECIALLY ALONG THE RIVER WALL. WE HAVE TO BUILD CONCRETE FOUNDATION THAT THOSE ARE GONNA BE ATTACHED TO. SO, UM, THEY'RE PLANNING FOR THAT NOW. UH, THE HISTORIC NEWBURN BANNERS, THEY WERE ORDERED, THEY ARE IN, AND THEY WILL BE PUT INTO THE ROTATION SYSTEM. THE DECORATIVE LIGHT POLE REPAINTING PROJECT HAS BEEN COMPLETED ALL DOWNTOWN AND, AND THEY ALL LOOK GOOD BRICK CROSSWALKS. SO WE ANTICIPATE, I, I HOPE IT'S EARLIER THAN THIS, BUT WE ANTICIPATE THAT PROJECT STARTING THE 1ST OF MAY. HOPEFULLY IT'LL START BEFORE THAT. BUT THE FIRST CROSSWALKS THAT WE DO ARE GONNA BE RIGHT THERE AT MIDDLE AND P*****K STREET. AND THEN THEY'RE JUST GONNA START GOING AROUND THE HORN AND, AND, AND, AND TAKING CARE OF US. IT'S NOT GONNA BE AT CITY HALL. IT'S GONNA, I THOUGHT, I'M SORRY. UM, CRAVEN PROBLEM. OKAY. SORRY. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE, MAKE SURE. YEP, THAT'S GONNA BE THE FIRST ONE. OKAY. THEN THE INTER CORE PARKING. SO CONTRACT WAS SIGNED, IT'S IN DESIGN RIGHT NOW. WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS, UM, BASED ON THE AGREEMENT WITH OUR, OUR CONSULTANT IS PROBABLY GONNA BE FOUR MONTHS BEFORE WE HAVE THE DELIVERABLES. THE DELIVERABLES FROM WHAT ALL THEY HAVE TO DO WITH THEIR DESIGN. SO, UM, I'M, UH, FEEL VERY CONFIDENT THAT IT WILL STILL GO OUT TO BID AND, AND WORK WILL BE STARTED ON THIS. IT'LL BE COMPLETED HOPEFULLY BY LATE FALL. WE'LL LOVE TO HAVE IT DONE BY MONTH BEST. THAT'S, THAT'S THE GOAL. UM, LET'S SEE HERE. MAIN STREET CONFERENCE BANNERS CARRYING HAS WORKED ON THE DESIGN FOR THAT. THOSE HAVE BEEN ORDERED AND SHOULD BE ENDED ANY TIME. SO WE'LL END UP PUTTING THOSE UP, UH, RIGHT AROUND THE 1ST OF MARCH, RIGHT BEFORE THAT CONFERENCE. AND WE ARE GOING TO HOLD OFF ON THE P*****K STREET SIDEWALK PROJECT FROM EAST FRONT STREET TO CRAVEN STREET UNTIL AFTER WE GET SEVERAL OF THESE CROSSWALK PROJECTS DONE. SO TAKE CARE OF ALL THAT THEN THAT'LL BE ONE OF THE LAST PROJECTS WE DO. SO WE DON'T MESS ANYTHING UP. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OF THE QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ON PROJECTS. WELL, THE INTER CORE PROJECT, UM, THAT IS AT TO BID. DOES THAT INCLUDE DESIGN TO BID DESIGN? OH, IT'S IN DESIGN. THAT WILL INCLUDE FOR THE TRASH COMPACTOR AS WELL. YES. THERE WILL BE SPACE FOR TRASH. OKAY. WHAT OCCURS WITH TRASH, WHETHER IT'S A COMPACTOR OR A DUMPSTER, THAT'S, UM, STILL YET TO BE SEEN. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE ARE STILL ALSO LOOKING AT POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVES TO CAN THAT BE AT ANOTHER AREA? SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON. UM, WE HAVE DISCUSSED THAT, OR I DON'T KNOW IF IT [00:30:01] WAS THE LAST MEETING, BUT MAYBE THE MEETING PRIOR TO HAVE, UM, GFL MAYBE COME IN AND TALK WITH US A LITTLE BIT MORE AND YOU KNOW ABOUT 'CAUSE OF ALL THE NEIGHBORS IN THAT AREA, WHATEVER. HOW WE BRING ALL THAT TOGETHER. AND THAT PROCESS IS, IS THAT SOMETHING WE STILL WANT TO DO? I DON'T, I DON'T, THAT'S SOMETHING THE CITY'S GONNA THE CITY TAKE IT OFF CITY. THE CITY WILL DEFINITELY, UH, YOU'RE GONNA TAKE THAT ON, HAVE A MEETING WITH ALL OF THE, ALL OF THE CUSTOMERS. OKAY. FOR GFL TO, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF A COMPACTOR IS PUT IN, THE CUSTOMERS WHO, WHO, WHO USE IT ARE GONNA BE THE ONES PAYING FOR IT. THE CITY'S NOT PAYING FOR A COMPACTOR, SO. EXACTLY. YEAH. SO THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO ASK THE GAME WITH THAT. AND WHAT THEY ALSO WILL BE, WE DON'T KNOW, DID IT PAY GFL DIRECTLY? OR IS THAT THROUGH THE CITY? UH, YOU WOULD YOU, WELL, THE BUSINESSES PAY GFL, BUT THE RESIDENTS PAY THE CITY. YEP. SO THERE WOULD PROBABLY IT THERE, THERE'S STILL A, UM, A CHART ON UTILITY BILL TO PAY THE CITY FOR, FOR, FOR COLLECTION. SO IF YOU ARE RENTING A DUMPSTER, YOU PAY GFL FOR THE DUMPSTER. DUMPSTER, THAT'S RIGHT. THE DUMPSTER. YOU PAY THE CITY FOR THE PICKUP. AND SO IT, IT COULD BE SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT. DON'T KNOW HOW GFL WOULD WORK IT OUT. WE JUST HAVE TO PUT THE CONTRACT. IF THERE WAS A COMPACTOR, HOW, HOW THEY WOULD WANT TO BUILD THAT, THAT WOULD, AND THEN THERE'S A SEPARATE FOR THE PICKUP OF THE CARDBOARD THAT'S, THAT'S SEPARATE AS WELL. WE'VE GOTTA FIND A WAY TO, YOU KNOW, REALLY BRING THAT TOGETHER. IT IS SO HARD AND SO CONFUSING AS A BUSINESS OWNER AND TRYING TO LOOK AT MY, MY BILLS AND WHAT HAVE WE PAID. YOU KNOW, IT'S CONFUSING 'CAUSE THEY THROW CHARGES IN THERE, EVERYTHING'S GOTTA AN ENERGY SURCHARGE AND THIS AND THAT. AND YOU SEEN THE NEW BILL UP, THE NEW CITY UTILITY. THE CITY NEW BILL. YEAH. THAT IT'S MUCH EASIER TO READ. IT LOOKS MUCH BETTER. I KNOW YOU EXPERIENCE THE SAME THING TOO, RIGHT. READ UPON PRICES, YOU KNOW, FOR 64 MONTHS HAVE CHANGED YES. ON THEIR END. AND THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT. EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND IT'S ENERGY SURCHARGE, PRICE OF GAS IS COMING DOWN AND STILL ENERGY SURCHARGE, . OKAY. TAKES A LOT TO RUN A LITTLE BUSINESS. ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AS FAR AS THESE PROJECTS THAT WE DISCUSSED IN THE PAST? WHEN THE DESIGN PLAN IS COMPLETED IN APPROXIMATELY FOUR MONTHS, WILL WE GET EYES ON IT TO MAKE SURE WE ALL KIND OF LIKE THAT DESIGN? YOU WON'T HAVE ANY, YEAH. YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE REALLY ANY SAY IN THE DESIGN ITSELF. YOU APPROVE THE PROJECT. YEAH. YOU RECOMMENDED THE PROJECT. THE GOVERNING BOARD, UH, IF THEY WANT TO SEE IT, THEY'RE, THEY'RE MORE, I MEAN, I'M HAPPY TO SHARE IT, BUT ONCE, ONCE WE'RE AT THIS PART YEAH, IT KEEPS ON ROLLING. YOU CAN GO TO BOARD. YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. OKAY. UH, AND, AND I FORGOT TO MENTION THE, THE FLOWER POTS THERE, THEY'RE GOING UP SHORTLY AS WELL. SO I'LL, I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN, WHEN THEY GO UP. SO YOU CAN SEE THAT. DO YOU KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GONNA GO IF YOU PICKED SOME SPOTS? THERE ARE GONNA BE, UM, THERE'S GONNA BE SOME ON, ON MIDDLE STREET. MIDDLE STREET AT THE INTERSECTIONS AND I THINK PILE BECAUSE THERE'S NO FLAG, UH, POLE THING. RIGHT. SO THOSE, THE CORNER, OKAY. THAT'S RIGHT. ALL THERE'S ONE RIGHT IN OF YOURS. BACK, BACK TO THE KIOSK. IT SEEMS, IT SEEMS LIKE A I NEED ONE THOUGH. NORMAL ANSWER. BUT, BUT, UH, THE KIOSK DON'T ALL HAVE TO BE UNIFORM. RIGHT? WE COULD HAVE, WE COULD HAVE A HIGH INTENSITY, UM, COST ONE DOWN ON BEAR PLAZA IN THE OTHERS CAN BE A LITTLE CHEAPER TO, TO MAINTAIN. YES. UM, SO WE TALKED ABOUT THIS FOUR SIDED KIOSK. CAN, CAN WE DO A ONE SIDED KIOSK THAT'S THAT'S, THAT BASICALLY HAS A WAYFINDING MAP? ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. CAN BE DONE. AND I CAN GIVE YOU EXAMPLES OF THAT WHERE WE COULD JUST CHANGE THAT SCIENCE OUT. YES, ABSOLUTELY. SO WE COULD INVEST HEAVILY IN ONE THAT WAS MAYBE MORE INFORMATION DENSE, BUT, BUT THE OTHERS COULD BE CHEAPER. MM-HMM . SURE. IT MIGHT BE GOOD. PUT ONE OF THOSE CHEAPER UNITS. IT DOESN'T HAVE ELECTRICITY IN ANY POINT, OR IF IT PORTABLE WILL FLOW AWAY. , JUST LIKE THE BEARS DID THIS POOR BEARS BOBBING UP DURING THAT STORM. SOMEBODY TOLD ME SOMEBODY WAS DEAD. DO YOU REMEMBER THAT CALL? I DO REMEMBER BOY CALLED ME AND I SAID, PLEASE, PLEASE TELL ME THEY'RE ALIVE. I GOT A PHONE CALL SAYING THAT THEY WERE TWO DEAD BODIES FLOATING DOWNTOWN. SO I CALLED, THEY WENT OUT AND GOT THE RESCUE BOATS WENT OUT AND THE BEARS HAD FLIPPED OVER AND WERE, AND ALL YOU COULD SEE WERE THE NOSE IS FINE. AND SO THOUGHT SO I'M VERY GLAD THAT'S ALL IT WAS. WHEN YOU CALLED ME BACK, HE SAID SABRINA . WELL, HE ACTUALLY SAID ALL . HE SAID NO NAME BONNIE , WHICH WAS A GOOD THING. OKAY. UM, UH, ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. THE, THE BENCHES, UH, SO MARCH AND APRIL THERE WILL BE PEOPLE POPPING IN TO WANT TO KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GONNA BE PLACED. SO WHAT DO YOU, WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO SAY TO YOU? WE, WE CAN SEND THE MAP OUT. OKAY. WHERE IT'S GONNA BE LOCATED. HOW'S THAT? OKAY. [00:35:11] OKAY. UM, THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS. DO WE HAVE ANY, [7. MSD Project Proposals] UH, PROJECT PROPOSALS? SO ONLINE WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY PROPOSALS. I'M HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANYTHING THAT THE GROUP MAY HAVE FOR US TO RESEARCH. NO, NOT A PROPOSAL, BUT, UM, CAN YOU ADDRESS THE, UM, SIDEWALK BARRIER AND FENCE THAT'S INTO THE STREET, UM, AT THE ELKS BUILDING? SURE. UM, SO THE, UH, ELKS BUILDING THAT THEY HAD SOME ISSUES ON THE EXTERIOR FACADE RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE, THE, THE, THE MAIN ENTRANCE ON, UH, THE P*****K STREET SIDE, WHERE, WHERE, UH, SOME OF THE CONCRETE WAS ACTUALLY FALLING DOWN ONTO THE SIDEWALK. THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS MADE A REQUEST TO, HE WANTS TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE SOMEONE COME IN, UH, AN ENGINEER TO LOOK AND SEE IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER ISSUES WITH THAT. AS PART OF THAT, THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT AREA IS BLOCKED OFF, UH, SO THEY CAN DO THEIR WORK. AND SO NO ONE IS INJURED. SO WE HAVE PERMITTED, UH, THEM TO BE ABLE TO BUILD WHAT THEY'VE BUILT, UH, THE WALKWAY AND TO HAVE THAT CLOSED OFF. THEY HAVE 60 DAYS TO DO THEIR EVALUATION AND HOPEFULLY GET THEIR REPAIRS SQUARED AWAY AND THEN IT HAS TO COME DOWN. SO IT'S A TEMPORARY, IT'S REALLY NOT UNLIKE ANYTHING WE HAVE TO DO WITH ANY OTHER BUSINESSES THAT MAY 'EM WANT TO DO SOME MAJOR WORK ON THE EXTERIOR OF THEIR SIDE. BUT WHY IS THERE A FENCE INTO THE STREET? YOU CAN'T WALK ALONG THE SIDEWALK. IT FORCES YOU TO GO INTO THE STREET WHERE, WHEN THE REASON YOU BUILD THOSE IS TO GIVE YOU A WALKWAY THAT IS PROTECTED SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO INTO THE STREET, EVEN THOUGH IT MAY BE IN THE STREET. I, I CAN'T ANSWER THE DESIGN. THEY WANT TO PUBLIC WORKS. AND OUR ABILITY, UH, INSPECTORS ON THE ACTUAL DESIGN FOR THAT, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WERE GONNA BE PUTTING EQUIPMENT ON THE INSIDE OF THAT, THAT, THAT I'VE JUST SEEN SOME VISITORS AND STUFF. I WANT PEOPLE TO BE SAFE. RIGHT. YOU KNOW, IN THAT WALKING CORRIDOR THERE, WHATEVER THEY'RE NEXT TO THE THEATER OR WHAT HAVE YOU. SO IT'S JUST, AND MY COMMENT STAFF BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY ISSUE THE PERMITS, JUST CLOSE THAT PART DOWN AND HAVE PEOPLE WALK ACROSS THE STREET AND, AND GO DOWN THE CHURCH SIDE AND THEN GO HALF THE BLOCK AND COME BACK EVERY THEY DO. BECAUSE THAT SIDEWALK RIGHT THERE ANYWAY IS YES, IT REALLY BAD. IT'S REALLY NOT ACCESSIBLE BASED ON WHAT'S UNDERNEATH THE GROUND. YEAH, AGREED. AND THEN THE LAST THING, IF YOU WOULD HAVE PUBLIC HORSE LOOK AT, UM, ON THE 200 BLOCK OF, UM, MIDDLE FROM A LITTLE BIT BEYOND BEAR PLAZA UP TO THE CORNER OF THE PEPSI STORE, PONDS WATER REALLY, REALLY BAD IN THE, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT, THE GUTTER? IS THAT WHAT THAT WOULD BE CALLED? SO, YOU KNOW, IT RAINED TWO OR THREE DAYS AGO AND WHEN YOU GET OUTTA YOUR CAR, YOU STEP INTO A PUB WITH WATER AND IT'S LIKE THAT IT NEEDS EITHER AN ADDITIONAL DRAIN OR MAYBE A LITTLE MORE GRAVITY OR SOMETHING. AND I, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO PAY TO DO THAT CERTAINLY, BUT IT'S NOT GOOD FOR CUSTOMERS. IT'S JUST NOT GOOD TO HAVE THAT TIMING OF THE WATER THERE. SO THEY DID LOOK AT THAT, UM, LAST YOU, WHEN THIS CAME UP AND I CANNOT REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT, WHAT, WHAT THEY SAID THAT ISSUE WAS, BUT WE'LL DEFINITELY HAVE THEM GIVE AN UPDATE ON THAT. I'LL SEE IT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WHEN WE HAVE BAD RAIN IT'S REALLY BAD, BUT IF THE WATER'S JUST NOT GOING ANYWHERE, IT'S JUST, I THAT'D BE MY PROJECT. I'VE GOT PROJECT INTEREST IF ANYBODY WANTS TO THINK ABOUT IT. BUT I, IF ANYBODY'S BEEN UP TO, UH, WASHINGTON LATELY, THEIR MAIN STREET PROJECT ON, IN WASHINGTON, UH, THE WASHINGTON PARK DRIVE, THEY DID A FABULOUS JOB AND THEY ACTUALLY PUMPED MUSIC DOWN THEIR STREET ON, UH, OFF THE, OFF THE, UH, STREET LIGHTS OR STREET BANKS. AND I THINK IT'S A NICE BACKGROUND, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST REALLY LOW. IT'S NOT REAL LOUD. UM, BUT I THOUGHT THAT WAS, UH, THAT'S A REAL NICE, UH, IT MAKES THE ATMOSPHERE REALLY PLEASANT UP THERE WHEN YOU WALKING UP AND DOWN THE STREET, BASICALLY CHRISTMAS MUSIC. MM-HMM. WELL YOU CAN CHANGE. THAT REALLY HAS BEEN ON OUR LIST OF DOWNTOWN SPEAKER SYSTEM. I KNOW. WE'VE TRIED OUT, I REALLY THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT THAT AGAIN. I'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON IT, IF YOU WANT TO PUT IT ON THE LIST ABOUT HOW I'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH WITHIN THE LAST TWO MONTHS ON THAT IN PARTICULAR, FINDING COMPANIES THAT DO THAT. AND I'VE ALSO REACHED OUT TO A COUPLE OF THE OTHER MAIN STREETS TO GET RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHO THEY USED. SO HOW TO GET INVOLVED WITH ANY, ANY OF THAT. YEAH, YOU CAN PROBABLY SEND INFORMATION ACROSS ABSOLUTELY. ALL THAT. LIKE, ARE WE IN AGREEMENT TO ASK FOSTER MAYBE LOOK IN AND ADD THAT AS A PROJECT? ALSO, DOES THIS ALSO MEAN THAT, UM, THE DISTANCES THAT ARE ALREADY, UM, HAVING MUSIC ON THE SIDEWALKS IS, THERE'S A FEW. SO THAT MEANS THEY HAVE TO STOP IF WE DO A UNIVERSAL, UH, MUSIC THING ON THE STREETS. I MEAN, SO LIKE YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT A SPEAKER OUT THERE SO THAT THEY CAN INTERFERE WITH THE MUSIC GOING DOWN THE, YOU KNOW, SO HOW DO WE KEEP THE DIFFERENT GENRES AND LIKE A BUS, I DUNNO WHAT THAT IS, A STREET PERFORMER? NO, NO, NO, NO. I'M TALKING ABOUT [00:40:01] FENTON. IS ANYBODY, EVEN THE FENTON AND, AND CARRIE, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL AREA ANYWAY, BUT THEY HAVE PIPED IN MUSIC AS WELL, BUT THE SPEAKERS ARE DOWN BELOW BY THE TREES. SO YOU'RE WALKING THE SIDEWALKS AND YOU JUST SORT OF HEAR THAT MUSIC AS YOU'RE WALKING ALONG. SURE. CORRECT. IT'S VERY REALLY WONDERFUL. BUT THERE'S, BUT WE ALSO HAVE SPEAKERS AT, UM, SOME OF THE RESTAURANTS AND SOME OF THE OTHER, WHEN YOU GO BY YOU CAN HEAR PEPSI. RIGHT. OKAY. SO WHAT ARE WE GONNA HAVE? SO IF WE HAVE A UNIVERSAL OUTDOOR MUSIC THING, THEN WHAT ABOUT EVERYBODY ELSE WHO'S DOING THE OWN TASTE IN MUSIC? WELL, I THINK IN FRONT OF THEIR STORES, JUST ON THE GENERAL SPEAKING, I WOULD THINK THAT THE, THE MUSIC BEING PUMPED OUT OF THE, OUT OF THE GROUND OR WOULD BE AT A CERTAIN DECIMAL THAT IT WOULDN'T BE TOO LOUD. UM, JUST KIND OF BACKGROUND MUSIC AND I GUESS IF THE RESTAURANTS OR BARS STILL WANT TO PUMP MUSIC OUT, THEN THEY HAVE THEIR OWN GENRE OBVIOUSLY. I THINK THAT THEY NEED TO BE RESPECTFUL AND ONLY HAVE IT AT A DIFFERENT, AT A CERTAIN LEVEL. RIGHT, RIGHT. UM, BUT THAT I, YOU KNOW, I GUESS IT COULD BOTH COINCIDE. IT'S JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER IF I CAN, AS SOMEBODY WHO ALSO PREVIOUS DOWNTOWN, WE CURRENTLY HAVE VERY FEW RULES THAT APPLY TO ANYBODY DOWNTOWN, WHETHER THAT'S A BUSKER WHO IS NOT PERMITTED, BUT PLAYING AT WHATEVER VOLUME THEY WISH. UH, YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE RESTAURANTS THAT PLAY MUSIC THAT IS NOT RESPECTFUL, UM, THAT IS, IS MAYBE THE KITCHEN STAFF GET TO CHOOSE AND IT'S NEVER CHANGED FOR A WEEK. UH, EXPLAIN WHATEVER VOLUME SEEMS TO BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE PERSON THAT SETS IT. UM, AND IF YOU HAVE PIPED IN MUSIC, THEN YOU CAN OVERLAY THAT WITH ANNOUNCEMENTS. AND NOW YOU HAVE EVERYBODY'S INDIVIDUAL MUSIC AND BUSTERS THAT HAVE NO RULES. THERE, THERE THERE'S NO, THERE'S NOBODY, UM, CAN STOP THE TRUMPET PLAYER THAT'S PLAYING FOR THREE HOURS OUTSIDE. MM-HMM . UM, IT'S, IT'S, I THINK UNTIL WE SET UP SOME ORDINANCES OR RULES THAT APPLY TO EVERYTHING, WE DON'T ADD ANOTHER LAYER OF CHAOS IN MUSIC THAT IS ANOTHER UNGOVERNED, UM, ENTITY. I THINK YOU, YOU DON'T CREATE AMBIANCE. YOU CAN, YOU CREATE CHAOS AND, AND A LITTLE CHALLENGE. SO I WOULD SAY IT, UM, MAYBE AMBIANCE IS SOMETHING YOU CAN ADDRESS AS A TOPIC AND THEN YOU CAN SET SOME ORDINANCES AND GUIDANCE SO WE HAVE CONTROL OF IT. AND THEN YOU CAN PAY MONEY, TAXPAYER MONEY TO CREATE CHAOS IF YOU WANT. UM, BUT I THINK JUST LAYING IT ON SAYING IT'S, IT'S NICE BECAUSE IT HAPPENS SOMEWHERE AND IT'S, AND IT'S, IT WORKS IF YOU, IF YOU SPEND TIME DOWNTOWN TO THINK OF THE DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT NOISE THAT COMES AT YOU ALL OVER TOWN AT DIFFERENT TIMES. IT IS, IT CAN BE A LITTLE TOUGH. AND, AND IF YOU PUT ALL THAT IN BEAR PLAZA, THEN ANYBODY THAT LIVES ON THE SECOND FLOOR IN BEAR PLAZA HEARS ALL OF IT. AND I'M NOT SURE THAT'S, THAT ADDS ANYTHING THERE. UH, SO I WOULD SAY LET'S, LET'S, LET'S GAIN CONTROL OF WHAT HAPPENS DOWNTOWN FIRST AND THEN, AND THEN LOOK AT WHAT YOU CAN ADD TO MAKE IT BETTER. I THINK, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED FIRST. AND ONE THING I'LL ADD TO THAT IS, UH, FOR BUSTERS, UH, AMPLIFIED SOUNDS NOT ALLOWED UNLESS THEY HAVE A PERMIT FOR THAT. SO YOU'RE RIGHT. IF IF YOU'RE PLAYING A TRUMPET AND YOU HAVE THE HARD TO CONTROL THAT, THE NATURAL SOUND THAT COMES OUT OF THAT. RIGHT. OR SOMEBODY, IS IT ELECTRIC APPLICATION OR ANYTHING THAT COMES OUT OF AN AMP? WELL, A TRUMPET DOESN'T COME OUT AN AMP. THAT'S RIGHT. SO YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T LIMIT AN INSTRUMENT. IT'S NOT AMPLIFIED THROUGH ELECTRIC OR BATTERY OPERATED MEANS. OKAY. AND IS THAT ENFORCED FOSTER SOMEBODY? IF IF WE'RE NOTIFIED? YES, ABSOLUTELY. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS YOU HAVE DIFFERENT DECIBEL ARE, CAN BE READ AND THE POLICE OFFICER, IN MY UNDERSTANDING, FOSTER I MAY BE WRONG, HAS TO TAKE THE DE READING FROM WHERE THE COMPLAINT WAS. CORRECT. THAT'S DIFFERENT FROM BUSKERS. NOW BUSKERS, YOU CAN'T AMPLIFY. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH A BUS, JUST PERIOD. THE ORDINANCE IS VERY SPECIFIC ON WHERE, WHEREVER A POLICE OFFICER HAS TO READ IT. I COULDN'T QUOTE THAT TO YOU, BUT, BUT YEAH, THERE'S SPECIFICALLY, IT IS NOT FORWARD. IT'S NOT EASY TO RECORD OR POINT IN THE PROPERTY WHERE IT'S COMING FROM. SO I MEAN, EVEN IF YOU PUT MORE CONTROLS ON IT, ALL YOU'RE DOING IS SUFFOCATING MORE ART, ARTISTIC EXPRESSION DOWNTOWN. SO WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WITH THAT. WELL, ARTISTIC EXPRESSION IS, IS IT'S A BROAD TERM. OH, SURE. NO, I THINK THE LYRICS SHOULD BE SAFE AND FAMILY FRIENDLY. I'M NOT SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, NASTINESS OUT ON THE STREET. NO, NO, NO. I, THE WAY I'M READING IT IS THAT, UM, SOMEBODY'S PLAYING IN THE KEY OF A A AND THEN, YOU KNOW, HALFWAY DOWN THE BLOCK SOMEBODY'S PLAYING IN THE, UH, THE KIA OF F SHARP AND THEN YOU'RE SORT OF, OH SURE. AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THIS, UM, DISSONANCE, INTERESTING NEW SOUND THAT DOESN'T REALLY FLOW, YOU KNOW, FROM ONE SOUND SOUNDS OF THE THAT'S FAIR. EVERYBODY'S BORN IS IN TUNE. THE SAME THINK TO JIM'S POINT IS IF YOU HAVE HIS BACKGROUND MUSIC AND THEN YOU HAVE BUSTERS AND THEN YOU HAVE RESTAURANTS, THEY'RE GONNA BE COMPETING FOR YOUR EAR AND THE [00:45:01] CHAOS AND THE RESTAURANTS ARE GONNA PUMP UP THE VOLUME TO DROWN OUT THE BACKGROUND MUSIC, ET CETERA. I ALSO PERSONALLY WORRY A LITTLE BIT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, MUSIC GENRES VARY A LOT FROM LET'S SAY THE, UH, 15-YEAR-OLD TO THE 85-YEAR-OLD. AND I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CHOOSE WHAT GENRE YOU'RE GONNA PLAY. AND I ALSO THINK OF THE BRU OF MANY A JOKE, WHICH MUSIC THAT WE ALL LOVE BEING PUMPED INTO THE ELEVATORS. AND I JUST, I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE DONE CAUTIOUSLY. UM, AND AND WHO DECIDES WHETHER YOU'RE GONNA PLAY, UM, YOU KNOW, DEATH LEPARD OR FRANK SINATRA ? IF YOU WANT, IF YOU WANT THEM TO LEAVE OR YOU WANT THEM TO ARRIVE FOSTER, YOU HAVE ENOUGH DISCUSSION TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS. YEAH. OKAY, WE'LL, WE'LL FORWARD SOME INFORMATION AT THE NEXT MEETING. GOOD DISCUSSION. AND IT'S GOOD FOR GOOD DEBATE. OKAY. UM, NOW THIS IS THE PORTION OF THE MEETING WHERE WE OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. SO MR. CHO, PLEASE COME FORWARD. JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS. BILL TROY, UH, 2 21 HANCOCK. ALSO IN TWO 17. I'M HERE TO ASK INDIVIDUALLY OR, UM, AS AN ADVISORY GROUP THAT YOU HELP STOP THE STEAL. AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE 2020 ELECTION. I'M TALKING ABOUT PARKING ON THE WEST SIDE OF HANCOCK STREET. UH, SOME OF YOU KNOW, AND ALDERMAN FERGUSON, UH, STEPPED UP AND, UH, TABLED A MOTION, UH, OR AN AMENDMENT TO, TO PARKING ON HANCOCK STREET, WHICH IS IN THE MSD TO TAKE AWAY THE PARKING ON THE WEST SIDE. UM, AND HOPEFULLY IT'S A DEAD ISSUE. BUT IF IT'S ALIVE AND CONTINUES ON, I WOULD ASK YOU INDIVIDUALLY OR AS A GROUP TO STOP THIS DEAL OF OUR PARK. THANK YOU. AND I'M OPENING QUESTIONS OR IS THE WEST SIDE IN SDI THOUGHT MS. D NO, IT'S BOTH BECAUSE NOW THE HOUSE, THE HOUSE IS RESIDENTIAL, UNFORTUNATELY. YES. TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION. . WELL, THERE WAS A PUBLIC HEARING AND THEY VOTED PUBLIC HEARING A LITTLE KID. THANK YOU BILL. ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO SEE YOU. LADIES. ANYTHING. UM, GRETCHEN DEEZ AT TWO 17 P*****K STREET. FOSTER, YOU MENTIONED, UM, THE P*****K STREET SIDEWALKS WILL NOT BE DONE UNTIL AFTER THE CROSSWALKS. IS THERE A POTENTIAL TIMELINE? SOUNDS LIKE . I, I, I CAN GIVE YOU A BETTER IDEA. ONCE THEY START WORKING ON THE, ON THE CROSSWALKS THEMSELVES TO IT IS REALLY GONNA DEPEND ON HOW LONG IT TAKES THEM TO DO THAT. 'CAUSE WE'RE NOT CLOSING THE STREETS DOWN FOR THAT, WHERE BASICALLY IT'LL BE ONE WAY TRAFFIC IN CERTAIN AREAS. SO I REALLY, I CAN PROBABLY GIVE YOU A BETTER UPDATE AT THE NEXT MEETING. I, I WOULD LIKE TO HOPE THAT IF NOT THE END OF THIS YEAR, THE FIRST OF NEXT YEAR, IT WOULD BE DONE. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE DON'T WANT TO DAMAGE SOMETHING THAT THAT'S PUT BACK IN THERE. AND ALSO ON BOTH SIDES OF P*****K STREET, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF COORDINATION WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO, IT'S GONNA MEAN THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO USE THE DRIVEWAY. SO WE'VE GOT, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE, THINGS LIKE THAT TO WORK OUT AND WE'LL, WE'LL ALSO PROBABLY HAVE A MEETING WITH THE AFFECTED, UH, RESIDENTS AS WELL TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT'S COMING UP AND WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT. GREAT. THAT'S GOOD. SECOND QUESTION I HAVE REGARDING THE KIOSKS. UM, YOU HAD RIGHT NOW TWO KIOSKS. WILL THERE BE ADDITIONAL KIOSKS THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED FOR THE FUTURE? UH, WELL, UH, I THINK YOU HEARD COMMENTS THAT, THAT THERE MAY BE SOME DISCUSSION COMING UP ABOUT, UH, NOT NECESSARILY A FOR SIDED KIOSK, BUT POSSIBLY A ONE OR TWO SIDED KIOSK SO THAT, THAT'S UP TO THIS COMMITTEE IF THEY WANNA MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ON THAT FUTURE MEETING. UM, BECAUSE I WOULD SUGGEST, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING BY THE CONVENTION CENTER, SOMETHING BY THE FARMER'S MARKET. THERE'S PLENTY OF LOCATIONS, I THINK THAT THOSE WOULD BE BENEFICIAL. UM, AND I'M JUST CURIOUS IF IT'S NECESSARY AT THE P*****K STREET PARKING LOT THERE, SINCE YOU HAVE A CUB HOUSE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, COULD YOU PERHAPS INCORPORATE SOMETHING MORE WITH THE CUB HOUSE VERSUS THE PARKING LOT? SOMETHING TO CONSIDER CONVENTION. WELL, CONVENTION CENTER'S OWNED BY THE COUNTY AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA FOR THE COUNTY TO TAKE ON SOME RESPONSIBILITY AND PAY FOR ONE AT THEIR, ON THEIR PROPERTY RIGHT THERE, WHICH WOULD BE GREAT. WE'LL HAVE TO DISCUSS SINCE IT'S NO LONGER CALLED RIVER. GO AHEAD. TELL I WOULDN'T HOLD BREATH. I WOULDN'T EITHER, BUT I'VE SAID IT IN PUBLIC. ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS WHERE YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? NO, YOU'RE GOOD. OKAY. ALRIGHTY. UM, I WANNA, I DO WANNA MAKE ONE COMMENT AND JUST GIVE AN UPDATE AT THIS POINT. UM, OUR GOOD FRIEND MR. PHIL BUFFET, WHO WAS OUR DOWNTOWN PARKING EVENT, I THINK EVERYBODY KNOWS PHIL. YOU KNOW, HE HAS, UM, BEEN REALLY STRUGGLING WITH HIS HEALTH, HEALTH LATELY AND UM, HAS, IT'S BEEN DETERMINED THAT HE'S GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A DOUBLE LUNG TRANSPLANT. [00:50:01] ALL LAST WEEK HE WAS AT DUKE, HE PASSED HIS EVALUATIONS WITH FLYING COLORS AND I JUST GOT A TEXT, UM, TELLING ME THAT THEY HAVE A SET OF LUNGS FOR HIM. HE IS GOING UP NEXT WEEK, UM, AND THEY WILL BE DOING SURGERY THAT THE 27TH OR 28TH OF FEBRUARY, DOUBLE LUNG TRANSPLANT. HE WILL BE IN DURHAM FOUR TO SIX MONTHS BECAUSE THE SURGERY AND THE REHAB OR WHATEVER. AND HE'S JUST ASKING EVERYBODY FOR JUST, JUST PRAYERS AND TO, TO KEEP HIM IN HIS THOUGHTS. BUT HE'S IN A GREAT PLACE. UM, I ACTUALLY VISITED WITH HIM YESTERDAY AND HE'S IN A GREAT PLACE AND HE'S, YOU KNOW, READY TO GET THIS DONE BECAUSE HE, HE CAN'T BREATHE. AND IT'S THE REASON THIS HAS HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, HE WAS A FIREFIGHTER IN NEW YORK CITY. THEY WENT TO DC FOR MANY YEARS AND HE WAS ACTUALLY FIGHTING THE FIRE ON NINE 11 WHEN THE PENTAGON FELL. AND, UM, FROM ALL THE INHALATION OF THE SMOKE AND WHATEVER, IT HAS DAMAGED HIS LUNGS. SO, UM, THAT'S WHY HE'S HAVING THIS. BUT PLEASE REMEMBER HIM 'CAUSE HE'S SUCH A DOLLY SPOT, YOU KNOW, IN OUR DOWNTOWN. AND, UM, I TOLD THEM THAT I WOULD PASS THE WORD AROUND, UM, AND JUST KEEP THEM PREPARED TO THE ADULTS. SO THAT WAS MY PUBLIC COMMENT WITH THAT. OKAY. UH, MY COMPLIMENTS TO THE CITY FOR THE LIGHTS AT JAMES, UH, REED LANE LOVET. UM, AND ALSO THAT THEY STAYED UP AT THE FISHING PIER EVEN AFTER THE HOLIDAYS. ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. LOVE IT. THANK YOU. WE WANNA DO SOME MORE THEMES, BUT LOVE THAT. YEAH, IT DOES MAKE IT THE NUMBER OF TOURISTS THAT STOPPED THERE TO TAKE THEIR PICTURE OVER THE WEEKEND AT THE LOVE SIGN. THAT WAS JUST, IT WAS GREAT. APPRECIATE COUPLE YEARS. UM, HOW ABOUT, WAS THERE ANY TALK ABOUT A HOWARD MATTHEWS SCULPTURE? IS THAT, UM, IS THAT SOMETHING ANYBODY WOULD ENTERTAIN? UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE A BENCH THAT YOU COULD SIT ON AND HOWARD, YOU KNOW, THE SCULPTURE HOLDING A GUITAR AND THEN SOMEBODY COULD SIT THERE WITH HIM? IT COULD BE A PHOTO OP. I, I'LL, I'LL MAKE A COMMENT. UH, LAST I HEARD KAREN CAN MAYBE ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT, UM, I THINK KAREN AND, AND A GROUP OF, OF FOLKS WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT, AT THE END OF THE DAY, ANY MEMORIALS, SCULPTURES, ANYTHING LIKE THAT DOWNTOWN CITY PROPERTY ULTIMATELY, UH, UH, ARE UP TO THE APPROVAL OF THE BOARD OF OTTOMAN. AND SO IF, IF ANY GROUPS ARE WORKING ON ANYTHING LIKE THAT, I'D RECOMMEND THAT THEY, THEY, THEY GET WITH US AND LET US KNOW. THAT WAY THE BOARD CAN, IT'S UP TO THE BOARD. THEY CAN SAY YAY OR NAY ON ANYTHING LIKE THAT. AND, AND I UNDERSTOOD THERE WAS A GROUP, UH, GOFUNDME THAT WAS WELL UNDERWAY WORKING ON THAT. I'M NOT SURE, BUT OKAY. I JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHAT, UH, I JUST THOUGHT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO BRING IT UP BECAUSE I WASN'T SURE IF THAT'S SOMETHING AS M MSS D WOULD YOU WANT TO ENTERTAIN GETTING IN ON THAT WITH MSS D OR NO? IS THAT WELL STILL THINK IT WOULD REALLY, YEAH, I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY DIFFICULT AT THIS POINT TOO. WE DIDN'T GET INTO ANYTHING FOR GREG SMITH AT THAT AT THE TIME, AND I DON'T WANNA MAKE WAVES ANYWHERE. I WILL TELL YOU THAT AS FAR AS BAKER'S KITCHEN IS CONCERNED, BECAUSE HE SAT THERE ON OUR BENCH, WE HAVE ORDERED A PLAQUE AND, UM, JUST WAITING FOR IT TO COME IN WITH HIS PICTURE, YOU KNOW, IN IT AND JUST A BRIEF LITTLE SUMMARY THAT WE WILL PUT ON THAT BENCH THERE. UM, JUST BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE HE ALWAYS SAT. RIGHT. AND, UM, ANYBODY, YOU KNOW, THAT COMES BY, WE LOVE TO INVITE THEM TO SIT THERE. NOBODY WANTS TO SIT THERE ANYMORE. WE'VE NOTICED THAT EVERYBODY, SO I, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, UH, JOHN BERGER AND SOME OTHER PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. UH, WE ARE, WE ARE JUST IN THE PHASE RIGHT NOW OF QUOTES ON WHAT SOMETHING LIKE THAT DOES COST. UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT SOMEONE HAD DRAWN OUT A NUMBER AT ONE POINT OF LIKE FIVE TO $6,000, WHICH IS NOT A QUALITY PRODUCT. AND UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE ARE STILL IN THAT EVALUATION PHASE OF WHAT DOES IT ENTAIL? DOES IT, WOULD IT BE ALLOWED ON PUBLIC PROPERTY? IF NOT, IS THERE PRIVATE PROPERTY? UM, JOHN AND I ARE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT IS A MURAL, UM, ONE OF THE NEXT MURALS THAT WE DO AS A COMMUNITY JUST HAVE, CAN SOMEHOW, UM, HAVE SOMETHING IN THERE THAT REPRESENTS AND, AND BECAUSE THAT USUALLY DOES TAKE PLACE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU RUN, YOU JUST RUN INTO THE SITUATION LIKE, LIKE SABRINA MENTIONED, WHERE, YOU KNOW, AT, AT WHAT POINT DO YOU DRAW THE LINE OF WHO GETS HONORED AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND AS AS THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN, THEY HAVE TO TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT. HOW DO WE CHOOSE WHO, WHO GETS A, A SCULPTURE AS A COMMUNITY? UM, AND SO THAT'S WHERE JOHN AND, AND UM, UH, ANTHONY WITH THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND THEN SOME OTHER PRIVATE CITIZENS. AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THAT CONVERSATION OF WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE, UH, AND, AND WHO WOULD BE WILLING TO INVEST IN THAT? AND THEN WHERE DOES IT END UP? SO JUST STILL IN THAT PRELIMINARY PHASE OF WHAT, WHAT DOES IT COST AND WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? ANOTHER [00:55:01] IDEA THAT WAS BROUGHT UP WAS, UM, MORE OF AN ENDOWMENT WHERE WE WOULD THEN RUN A MUSIC SERIES, THE HOWARD MATTHEWS MUSIC SERIES IN THE SPRING FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF MAYBE THURSDAY NIGHTS WHERE WE ACTUALLY USE THAT MONEY INSTEAD TO PAY LOCAL ARTISTS TO PERFORM. AT THE BEGINNING OF THAT SESSION, MAYBE SOMEONE STANDS UP AND TELLS A HOWARD STORY OR EXPLAINS WHAT THE, WHAT THE IMPACT WAS AND WHY WE'RE DOING THIS. UM, BUT THEN THAT CONTINUES TO GIVE BACK AND IT'S, IT'S ALSO STILL CONTINUING TO SHARE THE MESSAGE, BUT ALSO HIS LEGACY OF CONTINUING TO PAY MUSICIANS AND LOCAL ARTISTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. I'M HOPEFUL WE CAN'T DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT ONCE WE REDO BEAR PLAZA. RIGHT. GET RID OF THAT CIRCLE. COULD BE GREAT. YOU PROBABLY WOULD PUT 30 OR 40 CHAIRS IN THERE AND HAVE A LITTLE CONCERT LIKE THAT. I KNOW WHEN WE WERE IN SAVANNAH, IN BETWEEN THE JW MARRIOTT AND THERE'S ANOTHER HOTEL, IT'S CALLED THE MARTIN LUTHER KING PARK, AND IT'S SMALL LIKE THAT AS WELL, BUT THEY PUT CHAIRS UP THERE AND THEY HAVE POETRY READINGS AND MUSIC. I SAW A WEDDING THERE WHEN I WAS THERE THE LAST TIME, SO IT'S A GREAT LITTLE PUBLIC SPACE. I THOUGHT, WOULDN'T THAT BE NICE TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE A LITTLE MUSIC SERIES THERE ON A THURSDAY NIGHT AND TALK ABOUT HOWARD AND PEOPLE CAN JUST COME AND SIT THERE IN THE OUTDOOR. I THINK, YOU KNOW, REALLY LIVEN UP DOWNTOWN AND BE, YOU KNOW, SOME ACOUSTIC, ALL ACOUSTICAL, NOTHING, YOU KNOW, REALLY LOUD, BUT JUST LIKE HOWARD DID WITH A GUITAR OR MAYBE SOMEBODY SINGING SOMETHING LIKE THAT. GOOD IMPACT. OKAY. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? THE GOOD OF THE ORDER? IF NOT, UM, OUR NEXT MEETING IS, UH, MAY 19TH IS THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING AT 12 O'CLOCK HERE AT THE CHAMBER. AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN. MOVE JOHNNY SECOND AND MICKEY, I SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THANK YOU EVERYBODY. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.