[Call to Order and Roll Call]
[00:00:02]
AND JUST TO NOTE THAT THE MAYOR IS GONE TODAY ON, UM, CITY TRAVEL.
[Airport Department]
GONNA GO STRAIGHT TO, UM, AIRPORT DIRECTOR.TURNER WILL COME UP AND LEAD US THROUGH.
YOU WANTED TO, I'M GONNA SIT BACK HERE.
YOU CAN TURN WITH THE IDAHO FALLS REGIONAL AIRPORT.
A LITTLE DIFFERENT VENUE THAN I'M USED TO.
UH, DIFFERENT ROOM PRESENTING TO YOU ALL, BUT, UM, SINCE THE MAYOR IS OUT, I'M ALSO OUT THE REST OF THE WEEK IN OUR SERVICE CONFERENCE.
THERE IS NO AIRPORT BOARD MEETING THIS MONTH.
AND WE HAVE TWO ITEMS THAT ARE, UM, MORE OF A, A TIME SENSITIVE NATURE TO, TO ADDRESS WITH YOU.
SO, UH, THE FIRST ONE IS OUR, OUR CONTRACT FOR AIRCRAFT RESCUE FIREFIGHTING AT THE IDAHO FALLS REGIONAL AIRPORT.
UH, IN JULY OF 2022, A THREE YEAR CONTRACT WAS SIGNED FOR THOSE SERVICES THAT COVERED FISCAL YEARS 22, 23, 23, 24, AND WE'RE GOING INTO THE FINAL YEAR OF 24 25.
UH, THIS IS JUST A BRIEFING TO INFORM YOU OF ONE OF OUR LARGEST EXPENSES ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
AND THIS YEAR THAT THAT EXPENSE IS $748,000.
UM, THOSE FUNDS ARE IN OUR APPROVED FISCAL YEAR BUDGET, UH, AND WE WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THOSE.
SO, SO THAT YOU HAVE EITHER WERE APPROACHING INTO THAT CONTRACT AND, UH, WHAT THAT DOLLAR VALUE WAS.
IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT, I'D HAPPILY ADDRESS THOSE, OTHERWISE I'LL DIVE INTO THE LITTLE BIT MORE.
WAS THERE A BUILT IN PERCENTAGE INCREASE, OR IS THAT THE SAME AS LAST YEAR? HOW DOES THAT WORK EACH YEAR? THE, THE THREE YEAR CONTRACT HAD IN THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT, THE AMOUNT, SO THERE WAS NO, THERE WAS PROBABLY A PERCENTAGE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, BUT THEY WERE WRITTEN INTO THAT CONTRACT.
I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER FOR THIS, BUT YOU SAID IT WAS SIGNED IN JULY, SO IS IT ENDING OF JULY OR IT ENDING OCTOBER 1ST? THOSE WERE FOR FI THE FISCAL YEAR.
SO, SO IT WAS SIGN IN JULY THAT IT STARTED ON? YEAH, OCTOBER.
UH, AERIAL PHOTO FOR THE NEXT ITEM WHILE THE CITY COURT PULLS THAT UP.
UH, THE NEXT ITEM IS A RESTRICTIVE COVENANT FOR A PORTION OF CO FOR ROAD, UH, CO FOR ROAD IS SLATED TO BE EXTENDED FROM ITS EXISTING, UH, ALIGNMENT IN THE HERITAGE HILLS SUBDIVISION SOUTH, UH, THROUGH A PIECE OF AIRPORT PROPERTY AND EAST RIVER TOWN HOME SUBDIVISION, UH, TO WEST 33RD NORTH.
SO HERE'S, HERE'S, UH, NORTH FIFTH WEST, WHICH I BELIEVE SOMEWHERE DOWN HERE IS FREMONT AND THEN MEMORIAL, AND THEN 33RD NORTH IS HERE.
WHAT'S OUTLINED IN GREEN IS A PIECE OF AIRPORT PROPERTY THAT WAS PURCHASED IN 2020.
IT WAS THEN SUBSEQUENTLY REIMBURSED WITH AN FA, A AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM GRANT, WHICH OBLIGATED THAT LAND FOR AERONAUTICAL USE ONLY FOR APPROACH PROTECTION AT THE AIRPORT WITH THE EXTENSION OF CO FORT ROAD.
THAT IS A NON AERONAUTICAL USE.
AND WE NEED TO RELEASE THOSE OBLIGATIONS WITH THE FAA ONE OF THOSE PIECES TO DO THAT IS THIS RESTRICTIVE COVENANT THAT PROTECTS THE FUTURE AVIATION ACTIVITY IN THIS AREA.
AND SO ITEM 24 3 79 THURSDAY NIGHT, WHICH IS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, UH, APPROVES THAT RESTRICTIVE COVENANT FOR 0.617 ACRES.
THAT'S 0.617 ACRES THAT THAT ROAD WILL SIT ON.
ONCE THAT'S APPROVED, I WILL SUBMIT THAT, UH, REQUEST TO RELEASE THE OBLIGATION, RELEASE THE LAND FROM ALL FEDERAL OBLIGATIONS TO THE FAA.
IF THE FAA APPROVES THAT THE AIRPORT AS WELL AS THE AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FUND HAS TO BE REIMBURSED THE VALUE OF THE LAND, WHICH A RECENT APPRAISAL WILL DETERMINE TO BE $27,148.
THE SOURCE OF THOSE FUNDS WILL COME FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT BUDGET.
UM, IF YOU NEED MORE SPECIFICS ON THAT, WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT WITH CHRIS FREDERICKS.
AND, UM, THAT IS THE GIST OF THAT RESTRICTED COVENANT THAT'S ON THE AGENDA THURSDAY.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? I'D BE HAPPY TO.
ANY SENSE OF HOW LIKELY THE FEDS ARE TO SIGN OFF ON THAT? I, I, WELL, I THINK THAT THEY WILL.
THERE, THERE'S, SO IF YOU LOOK AT THIS WHEN THIS LAND WAS, THERE WE GO.
SO, SO THIS PORTION HERE, UNDER THE ORANGE OVERLAY, THIS IS THE APPROACH ZONE.
THIS IS WHY THIS LAND WAS PURCHASED.
[00:05:01]
WHEN WE APPROACHED THE PREVIOUS OWNER OF THE PROPERTY, THEY WERE WILLING TO SELL, BUT WE HAD TO BUY THE WHOLE LAND PIECE OF LAND.SO ALL OF THIS UNDER THE YELLOW IS REALLY WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE, UM, I'M NOT CALLING IT THE FAS TURN FOR, IS AN UNECONOMIC REMNANT.
AND SO THERE'S, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF VALUE TO THE AIRPORT, UH, FROM THE PUR OF THE PURCHASE THAT THE WAY THE GRANT WAS APPLIED, APPLIED TO THE ENTIRE PROPERTY.
IS THIS THE ROAD THAT WAS KIND OF CONFUSING THAT THE DEVELOPER WAS CONNECTING TWO NEIGHBORHOODS OR SOMETHING, OR, YES, AND THIS, THIS WAS, WAS WHAT THE AIRPORT BOARD WAS BRIEFED ON IN APRIL.
THIS IS CONNECTED TO THAT, AND THIS SOLVES THE PROBLEM.
IT'S ONE PIECE TO THE OVERALL.
OKAY, SO THIS IS A FOLLOW UP FROM COUNCIL MEMBER FRANCIS, THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT.
THIS IS BASICALLY THAT JUST SAYS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE UNDER THE SAME RESTRICTIONS.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A ROAD THERE, BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE SAME RESTRICTIONS AS WHAT, UM, WE ALREADY HAVE IN THAT AIRPORT OVERLAY, OR WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT? UH, YOU, YOU CAN DRAW THAT LINE.
THE, THE, THE FA RECOGNIZES THAT.
THE CITY ATTORNEY IS GOING, OH, YEAH, THERE WE GO.
SO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A REAL COVENANT AND THE, THE ZONING CODE IS THAT REAL COVENANTS ARE, UM, CONDITIONS THAT ARE PLACED ON THE PROPERTY THAT RUN FOREVER.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE KIND OF LIKE PRIVATE LAW, LIKE A CONTRACT BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE.
SO I, I THINK THE FA PREFERS RESTRICTED COVENANTS WHEN IT CAN GET THEM, BECAUSE EVEN IF THE CITY CHANGES ITS MIND ON THE ZONING REGULATIONS, THIS RESTRICTIVE COVENANT WILL RUN WITH COHORT ROAD, UH, IN PERPETUITY.
SO THAT IT'S JUST A, YOU COULD LOOK AT THIS AS A BELT AND SUSPENDERS APPROACH TO CONTROLLING, UH, INCOMPATIBLE LAND USES ON THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO GET RELEASED.
AND, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY WHAT THE EPIC A WANTS TO SEE THAT, UM, RESTRICTED COVENANT ON THERE.
IS IT JUST ANOTHER WAY TO ENSURE THAT THE PROPERTY WILL NOT BE USED IN A WAY THAT WILL INTERFERE WITH THE AIRPORT IN THE FUTURE? SO WHEN, OH, SORRY.
SO WHEN WE SEE IT ON THURSDAY, WILL WE SEE THOSE RESTRICTIONS? IS IT JUST THE RESTRICTIONS ARE THAT IT'S GONNA BE A ROAD, I MEAN, OR, YEAH, YOU'LL SEE THE RESTRICTION.
WHAT THE RESTRICTION DOES IS, UH, GRANTS, UM, UH, TO, UH, THE PUBLIC A RIGHT TO USE TO FLY OVER THE PROPERTY AND TO MAKE NOISE UNTIL TAKE OFF AND LAND OVER THE PROPERTY.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING NOW ANYWAY.
IT LIMITS THE HEIGHT OF ANY STRUCTURE THAT CAN BE BUILT ON THE PROPERTY TO, UH, A HEIGHT NO HIGHER THAN 150 FEET, UH, ABOVE THE AIRPORT.
UH, THAT'S ALREADY THAT YELLOW AREA THAT'S ALREADY A CONDITION ON EVERYTHING THAT'S WITHIN THAT YELLOW AREA, BUT IT WILL BE ONE THAT'S, UH, CAN BE INDEPENDENTLY IMPOSED, UH, THROUGH THE REAL COVENANT.
AND, UM, I, I, THOSE ARE THE TWO MAIN RESTRICTIONS.
AGAIN, THIS IS REALLY LOOKING FOR, OH, THERE'S ALSO A REAL COVENANT THAT, UH, UM, THE PROPERTY, UH, WILL TOLERATE SOUND MADE BY AIRCRAFT THAT AIRCRAFT MAY NOW OR MIGHT MAKE IN THE FUTURE.
THE ROAD WILL TOLERATE THAT SOUND.
SO IT, IT ISN'T A RESTRICTION THAT THE PROPERTY BE USED IN THE ROAD SO MUCH AS THAT IS A RESTRICTION THAT THE PROPERTY WILL BE USED IN A WAY THAT WON'T INTERFERE WITH THE AIRPORT.
AND THOSE THREE ITEMS ARE THE MAIN, UH, PROTECTIONS THAT ARE GONNA PROTECT THE AIRPORT.
AND INTERFERENCE WITH NAVIGATION COVENANTS, WE USUALLY THINK OF THE CITY DOESN'T ENFORCE 'EM, BUT IN THIS CASE, THE CITY WOULD BE ENFORCING.
IS THAT RIGHT? OR THAT IT'S A COVENANT THAT'S GOING TO THE BENEFIT OF THE AIRPORTS? THE AIRPORT COULD ENFORCE IT.
UH, YOU'RE RIGHT THAT IN MOST, MOST OF THE REAL COVENANTS THAT ARE IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE BETWEEN INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNERS AND NOT WITH THE PUBLIC.
THERE ARE A FEW THAT THE CITY HAS ON ITS PROPERTY THAT, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, THE PROPERTY THAT'S NEXT TO THE PINEHURST, UH, GOLF COURSE HAS A RESTRICTION FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH FOR, FOR SOME TIME.
UH, AND SO LIKE THERE ARE A FEW CITY HOME PARCELS THAT HAVE RESTRICTIONS ON IT, BUT MOST OF OUR PROPERTY DOES NOT HAVE RESTRICTIONS ON ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? EVERYBODY OKAY.
[00:10:01]
ON, OKAY, GREAT.I'M, I'M CURIOUS, I'D LIKE TO CIRCLE BACK A LITTLE BIT TO THE PREVIOUS PROJECT ABOUT THE, THE PROTECH, UM, CONTRACT.
AND AS FAR AS US ENDING THAT CONTRACT, WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE THE STIPULATIONS ABOUT GETTING IN AND OUT OF THAT CONTRACT? 90 DAYS NOTICE HOW MANY 90 DAYS.
ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE MOVE ON? OKAY.
[Legal and Parks and Recreation Departments]
NEXT WE HAVE THE CONSIDERATION AND DISCUSSION OF THE TRANSPORTATION FOR THE CRANE COMING FROM CANADA.GOOD WAY TO, YEAH, THE CRANE AND THE ZOO.
WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE WHAT TO SAY.
WHAT OTHER DEPARTMENT WOULD BE TRANSPORTING A CRANE? YEAH.
YOU WANNA INTRODUCE THE TOPIC? YOU BET.
WE'VE GOT, UM, LEGAL UP HERE AS WELL AS DAVID, UM, OCK OUR, OUR ZOO DIRECTOR.
UM, WE'VE ALSO GOT OUR REGISTRAR, OUR DEBT, UM, IN THE BACK AS WELL THAT, UH, CAN ANSWER ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
UH, BUT AT THIS POINT, WHAT WE WOULD LIKE, UH, UH, TO DISCUSS, I GUESS, IS THE, UM, TRANSPORTATION OF A CRANE FROM CANADA, UM, DOWN TO IDAHO FALLS.
NOW, THIS HAS BEEN, UM, IN THE WORKS, UM, GETTING BIRDS, GETTING, UM, ANIMALS ACROSS, UH, THE BORDER FROM CANADA TO, TO THE UNITED STATES IS NOT AS EASY AS IT MIGHT SEEM.
AND SO THIS HAS BEEN IN CONVERSATION FOR PROBABLY ALMOST A YEAR, IF NOT, UH, LONGER.
AND, UH, AT THIS POINT THAT WE HAVE FINALLY GOT, UH, THE ARRANGEMENTS MADE AND EVERYTHING READY TO GO.
AND SO IT'S, UM, SOMETHING THAT WE DO HAVE A TIMEFRAME ON THAT WE ARE TRYING TO HIT, WHICH IS WHY WE WANTED TO BRING IT TO YOU GUYS TODAY TO, TO DISCUSS.
SO I WANT TO OPEN THAT UP FOR DAVID TO, TO DISCUSS ANY OTHER DETAILS.
AND STEVE, IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THAT? SURE.
SO, UH, TRANSPORTING ANIMALS, OF COURSE, IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO COMMONLY AT THE ZOO.
WE'RE SENDING ANIMALS TO OTHER ZOOS AND BRINGING ANIMALS IN, PARTICULARLY WITH OUR ASSOCIATION, WITH THE ASSOCIATION OF ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS. IT'S PART OF OUR ACCREDITATION TO EXCHANGE ANIMALS IN A WAY THAT'S HEALTHY FOR THE ANIMALS AND CONSIDERS THEIR GENETIC, THEIR GENETICS AND THEIR GENETIC MATES WHERE THEY'RE GOING, MAKE SURE THEY'RE GOING TO PLACES THAT HAVE THE APPROPRIATE FACILITIES, THE APPROPRIATE TRAINING TO TAKE CARE OF THE ANIMALS, ALL THOSE THINGS.
IT'S VERY ANIMAL FOCUSED, UH, PROCESS.
UM, THE THING WE HAVEN'T DONE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS IS, UH, TRANSPORT SOMETHING ACROSS THE BORDER.
AND THERE ARE A ZA ZOOS IN OTHER COUNTRIES NOW, AND IT'S GROWING INTO COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD.
SO WE'RE BRINGING THIS EXTRAORDINARY CRANE AND DEVILLE CRANE FROM WINNIPEG, CANADA AND BRING IT ACROSS THE BORDER HAS BEEN A VERY BIG CHALLENGE.
AND NOW, AFTER ALL THE WORK AND ALL THE TROUBLE AND POOR DEB, YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN WORKING ON IT SO HARD, ARE YOU
SO NOW THE FINAL LITTLE HOOP WE'VE UNDERSTOOD IS THIS POWER OF ATTORNEY ISSUE.
SO DEB CAN SIGN FOR THE, SIGN THE APPROPRIATE PAPERWORK FOR THE CITY AS THE CRANE COMES ACROSS THE BORDER.
ONE, ONE PIECE THAT I DIDN'T WANT TO ADD TO THIS IS THAT THIS IS PART OF AN SSP PROGRAM, UM, THIS ANIMAL.
AND SO, UM, FOR THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN OUR LIAISONS OR, UM, HAVE HEARD US TALK ABOUT, UH, OUR ZOO EXHIBITS, SSP IS A SPECIES SURVIVAL PLAN.
UM, WE HAVE SEVERAL, SEVERAL, UH, DIFFERENT SPECIES AT OUR ZOO THAT ARE, UH, PART OF THE SSP, BUT ESSENTIALLY IT HOPES OR IT WORKS ON, UH, CONTINUING THE BREEDING AND, UM, FIGHTING AGAINST EXTINCTION, UM, IS KIND OF WHAT THE, THE PURPOSE OF THAT PROGRAM IS.
AND, UH, WE DO HAVE A, UH, A MATE HERE THAT, UH, HOPEFULLY WILL, UM, BE A, UH, HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS CRANE AND CAN HOPEFULLY, UH, CONTINUE TO PRODUCE OTHER CRANES.
AND, UM, FOR, FOR THE SSP TO, TO, UH, MOVE AROUND.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? IS, IS THIS A LOAD OR IS THIS CRANE OURS NOW, OR HOW'S THAT WORK? IT REALLY BE OUR, IT'S A DONATION TO US, BUT IT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION BECAUSE OFTEN THEY ARE LOANS.
SO WE DO HAVE ANIMALS IN OUR COLLECTIONS THAT ARE TECHNICALLY ON LOAN FROM ANOTHER INSTITUTION, BUT THEY ARE TREATED AS IF, AS IF THEY'RE OURS.
SO IT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION, BUT THIS IS, IS NOT ALL.
[00:15:01]
ONE THING I WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED ABOUT WHO WAS GETTING POWER OF ATTORNEY, BUT IT, TO PICK IT UP AT THE ORDER AND WHY HERE, AND SORT OF WHEN, LIKE, WHY DON'T THEY GO? LIKE, HOW DOES THAT GET DETERMINED GENETICS? OH, UM, YOU MEAN WHETHER OUR CRANE GOES THERE OR THEIR CRANE GOES HERE? YEAH.SO THE, UH, WITH ALL OF THE SSP ANIMALS, THERE'S A GROUP OF, UH, OF ZOO RELATED OR ZOO INDUSTRY PEOPLE THAT GET TOGETHER THAT ARE THE SPECIALISTS FOR GRAINS.
AND THEN THEY GO THROUGH ALL THE SS, ALL THE ANIMALS IN EVERY INSTITUTION, EVERY A ZA INSTITUTION, YOU KNOW, WHO HAS WHAT, WHO HAS SPACE, IS THE POPULATION RISING OR GOING DOWN? HOW'S THE GENETIC DIVERSITY? WHO HAS THE APPROPRIATE SPACE TO CARRY MORE OR NOT? AND THEN THEY MAKE THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE DID NOT SAY WE WANT THAT CRANE FOR WINNIPEG.
WE GOT THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE SSP, THIS CRANE FOR WINNIPEG WOULD BE A GREAT ONE THERE.
AND FOR THE OVERALL HEALTH OF THE DEVILLE CRANE POPULATION IN A ZA ZOOS, THIS IS THE MOVE THAT WE SUGGEST.
AND WE ACCEPTED THAT AS WE ALWAYS DO.
I DON'T THINK I'VE DEALT WITH THE POWER OF ATTORNEY THING.
AND SO CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN WHY THIS IS NECESSARY AND HOW IT'S LIMITED? SURE.
SO, UH, THIS WOULD BE WHAT A POWER OF ATTORNEY IS, IS REALLY A DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO ACT ON BEHALF OF, OF, UH, THE CITY.
AND SO THIS IS A, THIS WOULD BE A LIMITED, UH, GRANT FOR OUR CUSTOMS BROKER, A AND A CONTRACT CUSTOMS TO HELP THIS FACILITATE THE PAPERWORK AND, UH, HELP FACILITATE THE INSPECTIONS AND HELP FACILITATE THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT MIGHT BE REQUIRED BY CUSTOMS AGENTS, UH, TO SIGN THOSE FORMS ON, ON AND FOR BEHALF OF THE CITY.
UH, ALTHOUGH WE DON'T ANTICIPATE THERE BEING A LOT OF FEES AND CUSTOMS PAYMENTS THAT WOULD NEED TO BE REPAID TO THE GOVERNMENT, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THIS POWER OF ATTORNEY WOULD DO IS AUTHORIZE, UH, A, A CUSTOMS TO JUST GET THE BIRTH THROUGH CUSTOMS AND PAY THE, THERE'S A, THERE'S A FEE TO REGISTER THE BIRD OR SOMETHING LIKE TO DO THOSE THINGS.
IT SEEMS A LITTLE ANTIQUATED TO ME THAT, I MEAN, BECAUSE YOU CAN SIGN SOMETHING FROM ANYWHERE ANYMORE.
AND AND WHY, WHY IN THE WORLD WE'D HAVE TO DO IT IN PERSON INSTEAD OF
I THINK THAT THE REASON IT'S GOTTA BE DONE IN PERSON IS 'CAUSE IT'S, THEY'RE GONNA BE DEALING WITH SOMETHING WITH A BORDER AGENT RIGHT THERE.
AND SO THE, THESE CUSTOM AGENTS ARE NOT ALL THAT UNUSUAL, UH, KIND OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICE THAT'S BEING OFFERED.
IT'S NOT ONE THAT THE CITY UTILIZES VERY OFTEN 'CAUSE WE DON'T IMPORT VERY MANY THINGS.
UH, AND SO THE REASON WHY THIS IS BEING BROUGHT TO COUNCIL, WE MAY BE WONDERING WHY IS COUNCIL EVEN SEEING THIS? THE ONLY BODY, UH, IN, IN THE CITY OF IOWA FALLS THAT CAN DELEGATE ANY OF THE CITY'S AUTHORITY IS THE COUNCIL.
EVEN THE MAYOR WOULD LACK THE AUTHORITY TO SIGN THIS DOCUMENT WITHOUT GETTING PREAUTHORIZED BY THE COUNCIL.
AND WE DON'T HAVE THE POWER OF ATTORNEY, UH, RESOLUTION THAT DESIGNATES WHO AND WHEN AND WHY SOMEBODY MIGHT HAVE AUTHORITY TO ACT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.
UH, IT'S PART OF, PARTLY BECAUSE IT DOESN'T COME UP THAT VERY OFTEN.
SO THAT'S WHY THIS IS IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY TO APPROVE THAT, UM, POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR, FOR OUR, UH, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACTOR TO HELP WITH THE, UH, WITH THE, UH, UM, MOVING THIS BIRD ACROSS THE BORDER.
BUT THAT'S WHY IT'S COMING TO YOU.
IT'S LIMITED, UH, FOR THE PERIOD THAT IT TAKES TO IMPORT THE BOARD FOR TWO YEARS, WHICHEVER SHORTER.
AND IT'S, AND IT'S STRICTLY LIMITED TO, UH, IMPORTING THIS ANIMAL.
AND I ASSUME THAT IF THIS CAME UP MORE OFTEN, WE WOULD GO TO A POLICY.
IF WE WERE DOING THIS EVERY, UH, COUPLE OF MONTHS, WE WOULD COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT SOLUTION LIKE WE DID WITH THE MINOR CONTRACTS RESOLUTION WHERE COUNCIL'S DELEGATED THE AUTHORITY TO THE MAYOR TO APPROVE CONTRACTS UNDER $75,000.
UH, IF WE WERE DOING THIS ALL THE TIME, COUNCIL MIGHT WANT TO DO THAT TOO.
BUT WHERE THIS IS UNUSUAL AND, AND FACT, I'VE BEEN TO THE CITY FOR SOME TIME NOW.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE IMPORTED A BIRD.
SO IT'S EXCITING NEW GROUND FOR US TO BREAK HERE.
BUT THAT'S WHY IT'S COMING BEFORE YOU, IF WE WOULD'VE JUST HAD A FLY HERE YEAH.
IF ONLY WE COULD HAVE GOT THAT WORKED OUT,
UM, AND YOU BROUGHT UP SOMETHING THAT I HADN'T CONSIDERED A PAYMENT.
DO WE ANTICIPATE THAT THERE WILL BE A PAYMENT AT THE CUSTOMS? THERE WILL BE SOME FEES.
IT WON'T BE, BUT WE KNOW WHAT THOSE FEES ARE.
SO THEY'RE AUTHORIZED TO PAY THOSE FEES THAT WE ARE, THAT WE KNOW ARE YES.
SO IT ISN'T, THEY AREN'T GOING
[00:20:01]
TO RUN UP A, A HUGE DINNER BILL OR ANYTHING, BUT THEY, THEY MIGHT HAVE TO PAY A, A PROCESSING FEE AND, AND, UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY ARE PRECISELY, BUT IF, IF YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW, WE CAN FIND THOSE OUT FOR YOU.BUT YOU, YOU ALL KNOW WHAT THEY'RE, IT'S USUALLY LIKE, UH, US FISH AND WILDLIFE USUALLY JUST A PROCESSING FEE.
UM, ANY FEES, LIKE TWO A NA CUSTOMS WOULD BE PROCESS, EXCUSE ME, PROCESSING FEE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT UNDER $500 FOR ALL OF IT.
AND JUST JUST SO YOU GUYS ARE AWARE THERE, WE DO HAVE A, A LINE IN OUR BUDGET, UM, FOR, UH, TRANSFER AND PURCHASE OF ANIMALS.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE TYPICALLY WILL EITHER HAVE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS SOME KIND OF NEGOTIATION, BUT YOU KNOW, WHERE WE'LL HAVE TO DRIVE ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND PICK UP A TIGER, FOR INSTANCE, OR, UM, DELIVER, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE TIMES YOU'LL WORK WITH A ZOO TO KIND OF MEET HALFWAY AND, AND WE'LL MEET YOU IN DENVER.
UH, YOU DRIVE PARTWAY WE DRIVE KIND OF THING.
SO WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO KEEP THOSE COSTS DOWN.
BUT WE DO HAVE BUDGET AUTHORITY FOR THIS SPECIFICALLY.
WE JUST SHIPPED ONE OF OUR SLOT BEARS TO DETROIT, BUT IT'S BEEN WITHIN THE WEEK, A WEEK AGO.
HAVE WE SENT ANY OF OUR ANIMALS TO CANADA? WE HAVE SENT SEVERAL TO CANADA.
AND, AND IS IT THE SAME PROCESS GOING THE OTHER DIRECTION, OR ARE THEY PRETTY MUCH IT, IT IS CHANGED A LOT SINCE COVID.
UM, AND THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WE'RE GONNA BE DOING MORE LAND TRANSFERS RATHER THAN AIR.
UM, YES, WE'LL BE DOING MORE LAND TRANSFERS.
UM, A LOT OF THE AIRLINES, UNTIL THEY GET BACK TO THE JUMBOS, JUMBO JETS, THEY'RE SMALLER PLANES THAT CAN'T TAKE A FOUR FOOT TALL CRATE THAT THIS, IN THIS CASE, THIS IS WHAT THAT BIRD WILL BE ON.
I THINK LIKE IT'D BE A LOT EASIER ON THE ANIMAL THAN FLYING.
IT'S A LOT EASIER TO FLY IN BECAUSE IT'S QUICKER.
'CAUSE LIKE WE LOOKED AT POSSIBLY FLYING THIS BIRD, BUT IT WOULD HAVE TO GO TO SEATTLE AND THEN BACK OR DOWN TO SALT LAKE CITY AND THEN BACK UP TO IDAHO FALLS, AND IT WOULD ACTUALLY END UP BEING LONGER IN THE CREEK THAN US DRIVING OVER THERE PICKING IT UP AND DRIVING IT BACK.
AND WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE? DO WE IDENTIFY THE SPECIFIC PERSON FOR THE POWER OF ATTORNEY AND DO WE SET ANY KIND OF LIMIT OR SOMETHING? I KNOW, YEAH.
SO WE, UM, A AND A, UH, CUSTOMS HAS A FORM POWER OF ATTORNEY THAT I'VE REVIEWED, UH, THAT FORM WOULD WORK FOR THE CITY.
UH, BUT I'VE ALSO WRITTEN A ANOTHER ONE BECAUSE THEIR FORM DOESN'T HAVE, THE CITIES ARE NOT IMPORTERS AND EXPORTERS.
BUT, UH, BUT THE, SO THEY DON'T HAVE A POOR PART FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO CHECK.
SO I WROTE ONE THAT DESIGNATES THE CITY IN ITS PROPER CAPACITY IS A MUNICIPAL OR, UH, CORPORATION TO THE STATE OF IDAHO THAT, UM, AND PUT THE LANGUAGE TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT IT'S THE, THE CITY.
AND THEY CAN USE THAT ONE WHAT THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO SHOW THE CUSTOMS OFFICERS THAT THEY CAN SIGN THE DOCUMENTS AND VERIFY THAT INSIDE OF THE CRATE IS A BIRD AND THAT KIND OF THING.
WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND IS WE, WE HAVE SOME PROPOSED LANGUAGES TO EITHER APPROVE THE POWER OF ATTORNEY THAT THEY PRESENTED OR TO APPROVE THE ONE THAT'S MODIFIED, OR YOU CAN JUST, UH, APPROVE, UH, THE, UH, A NA, UH, CUSTOMS AS THE CITY'S CUSTOMS AGENT AND, UH, REQUEST THAT, UH, THEY BE GIVEN POWER OF ATTORNEY TO EFFECTUATE THE TRANSFER OF THE CRANE AND, UH, AUTHORIZE, UH, CITY STAFF TO EXECUTE ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO MAKE THAT AUTHORITY HAPPEN.
WHAT WOULD BE THE PREFERENCE? I MEAN, YOU GAVE A COUPLE OF MOTIONS,
YEAH, I THINK, I THINK, UH, I THINK MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO GIVE STAFF, UH, SOME BROAD AUTHORITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET IT DONE.
PART OF, UH, PART OF THIS IS THAT, UH, WE, WE GOT GOT THIS ON FRIDAY, UM, AND UH, THEY WERE ASKING SOMEBODY TO SIGN IT.
AND IF IT WAS, UH, IF, IF THE CITY WAS A BUSINESS, I'M SURE IT COULD GET TURNED AROUND WITH NO PROBLEM AT ALL.
THE TROUBLE WITH THAT, IT JUST HAVE, THEY WERE THINKING THE MAYOR WOULD JUST SIGN IT AND THEY EXPLAIN TO THEM THAT, NO, UH, THE MAYOR LACKS THE AUTHORITY TO DO IT.
SO WHEN THEY GET TO COUNCIL, AND THEY WERE OKAY WITH THAT, BUT, UM, THEY HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW MY PROPOSED, UM, CHANGES.
AND SO IT MIGHT BE WORTH HAVING SOME BROADER AUTHORITY SO THAT IF WE HAVE TO DO A LITTLE BACK AND FORTH AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN SATISFY ALL THE
[00:25:01]
CUSTOMS AGENTS, THAT WE CAN BE ABLE TO DO THAT.SO IT'S THE CUSTOMS AGENTS THAT ARE GONNA TAKE THIS POWER OF ATTORNEY? YES.
AND ANYONE READY TO MAKE A MOTION ON THAT?
THAT WOULD WORK AS PRESENTED AS PER, YEAH.
IT'S, IT'S ON THE AGENDA LISTED A WAY THAT I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE READING FROM.
READY FOR A MOTION THEN? SO DIDN'T YOU JUST MAKE A MOTION? I DIDN'T.
'CAUSE I'M GONNA CALL FOR THE ROLL CALL.
I'LL VOTE TO APPROVE THE POWER ATTORNEY AS PROVIDED.
UM, AND AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR OR CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT TO SIGN NEXT TO THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS.
DOES THAT WORK? THAT WORKS GREAT.
I HOPE YOU'LL ALL GOOGLE DE CRANE SOMETIME.
DOES THIS EXTRAORDINARY MIGRATION.
WHEN I SAW THE AGENDA ITEM, I THOUGHT, YOU'RE BRINGING A PIECE OF, UH, CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT TO THE ZOO, RIGHT? AND I WAS LIKE, YEAH, I THOUGHT THAT WE HAVE A LACK OF CRANES.
WE HAVE A THINKING ABOUT CRANES.
GUESS WE NEED TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFIC.
MAKES ME CURIOUS ABOUT GOING THE OTHER WAY BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW, FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE GOING FROM THE UNITED STATES, CANADA IS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT FROM THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, THE UNITED STATES IS MUCH MORE DIFFERENT FROM THE UNITED STATES.
COMING BACK INTO UNITED YOUNG LADY, SEE IF THE CHEMISTRY IS THERE.
P DECIDE THEY WANT MOVE THEM AROUND AGAIN, MORE LIKELY TO LIVE THEIR, WE'RE GOING TO, UM, SPEND, WE HAVE 30 MINUTES ALLOTTED FOR THIS NEXT ITEM.
I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA TAKE 30 MINUTES FOR THIS ITEM.
[Mayor and Council]
COUNCIL, MAYOR, AND COUNCIL REPORTS.UM, ANY CALENDARS ANNOUNCEMENT OF EVENTS.
AND IF YOU DON'T MIND, JIM, WE'LL START WITH YOU.
WE'LL JUST WORK OUR WAY AROUND.
I, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING AT THE TABLE.
YEAH, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD, JOHN.
NOTHING OTHER THAN THERE'S ROOM THE ZOO GOING HOME, SO WE'RE PENDING THIS WEEK.
ZOO LIGHTS NEXT, SO THAT'S FINE.
THE ONLY OTHER THING I HAVE IS POLICYMAKERS COUNCIL STUFF, BUT WE'LL DO THAT TIME.
SO I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.
I WOULD MENTION THE REAL HERO'S TRUNK OR TREATMENT IS NEXT WEEKEND ON SATURDAY, UM, STARTS AT 4:00 PM YEAH.
COUNCIL, WELL, THE ONE THING FROM PUBLIC WORKS IS THAT THEY COUNTY APPROVED IT AREA OF IMPACT.
MAYBE THAT'S ALREADY KNOWN TO EVERYBODY, BUT NO, I DON'T THINK THAT WAS, IT WAS DONE ON OCTOBER 16TH.
THEY, ALL THREE COMMISSIONERS HAVE SIGNED IT, SO IT'S NOW THEIR ORDINANCE.
THEY, AND JUST TO ADD UP ONTO THAT, THEY DID NOT GO BACK AND READJUST THE AREA OF IMPACT WE TALKED ABOUT.
MAYBE THEY WOULD GO BACK AND READJUST IT AROUND THE SUNNYSIDE CORRIDOR AND YEAH.
LEVEL THINGS OUT, BUT THEY DID NOT.
SO IT WAS ADOPTED AS PRESENTED TO US IN THE COUNCIL POSITION.
AND IT GIVES US SOLE DISCRETION ON ANY ONE AT A TIME, WHICH IS ALL CONSISTENT WITH IDAHO CODE NOW STATUTE, NOTHING.
UM, THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD SAY, AND REALLY IT'S MORE FREEMAN WHO CAN WEIGH IN HERE BECAUSE I WAS GONE, BUT, UM, BMPO HELD THE HIGH CAPACITY ROADWAY STUDY, PUBLIC INPUT SESSION WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED.
UM, I, I'LL LET JIM, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND SHARING A LITTLE BIT AND THEN I'LL TALK ABOUT SOME PATH FORWARD.
WELL, LIKE SHE SAID, THERE WERE, I I WOULD, I WOULD GUESS, I MEAN, THE ROOM WAS COMPLETELY FULL.
THERE WAS, YOU COULD HARDLY GET THROUGH THAT BIG GYMNASIUM
[00:30:01]
AT THE, AT THE ACTIVITY CENTER.UM, WE HAD A NUMBER OF STATIONS SET UP WHERE PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH, YOU KNOW, UH, SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE ENGINEERS AND THE DESIGNERS, THE DEVELOPERS OF THE PLAN.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WITH US A NUMBER OF THE B NM PO, UM, POLICY BOARDERS THERE, WE HAD PEOPLE FROM THE FROM TAC WERE THERE, UM, YOU KNOW, A GOOD GROUP OF PEOPLE.
UM, I WOULD SAY OF THE COMMENTS THAT I HEARD THAT NIGHT, 90% OF THEM WERE NEGATIVE.
UM, AND I THINK PART OF IT WAS THAT THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT IT WAS MORE OF A PRACTICE IN, YOU KNOW, LET'S, LET'S PRESENT THIS PLAN, SEE WHERE IT GOES.
'CAUSE WE DID WANT THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE GOT A LOT OF PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT MOST OF IT WAS NEGATIVE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT OUR PLAN AND, AND SEE, YOU KNOW, WHERE THAT PUTS US.
UH, PEOPLE WERE JUST THINKING THAT IT WAS A DONE DEAL KIND OF A THING.
I, AND I, AND I THINK THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOMEONE, UM, THERE THAT WASN'T ON OUR SPECIFIC TEAM, THAT THAT WAS KIND OF SPREADING THAT, UM, THAT IT WAS, THERE'S, IT'S GONNA HAPPEN WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, KIND OF A, KIND OF AN ATTITUDE.
AND IT WAS THE WRONG MESSAGE TO SEND.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE GOTTEN LETTERS.
I'VE GOTTEN QUITE A FEW ALREADY.
UM, PE YOU KNOW, PEOPLE JUST STIRRED UP AND SOMETIMES THEY SAY THINGS THAT THEY DON'T FOLLOW THROUGH ON VERY WELL.
YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T KNOW THE FACTS.
I MEAN, THEY WERE ACCUSING US OF NOT BEING THERE.
YOU KNOW, WE WEREN'T WHERE WAS EVERYBODY FROM THE BMPO WHERE WERE, WHERE WERE THE ELECTED OFFICIALS? AND YOU KNOW, I'M RIGHT HERE WITH MY BADGE ON MY CHEST WALKING AROUND THE ROOM.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE I WAS INVISIBLE TO THEM.
UM, SO IT WAS, AND I GOT A PHONE ASKING WHY I VOTED FOR IT.
I WAS LIKE, IT WAS, YEAH, IT WAS UGLY.
YEAH, IT WAS, IT WAS ONE OF THE MORE CONTENTIOUS PUBLIC MEETINGS I'VE EVER BEEN TO.
UM, SO WE, WE HAVE A MEETING, UM, NOVEMBER 4TH, UH, WITH THE COMMITTEE, THE HIGH CAPACITY ROADWAY, UM, STEERING COMMITTEE.
AND WE'LL DISCUSS, DISCUSS THOSE COMMENTS WE GOT.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WRITTEN COMMENTS THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO COMPILE.
UM, YEAH, IT WAS, IT WASN'T PRETTY
BUT, YOU KNOW, I, I'D LIKE PEOPLE OUT THERE TO KNOW THAT THIS IS, THIS IS, THERE'S NO, NOTHING'S CUT AND DRY.
I MEAN, IT IS, IS STILL, IT'S STILL IN FLUX.
WE'RE STILL TRYING TO FIND A WAY FORWARD.
SO, SO I HAVE A TEXT MESSAGE FROM SOMEBODY WHO WASN'T ABLE TO GET IN.
IS B MPO O STILL TAKING COMMENTS ONLINE OR ANYTHING? YEAH, THERE SHOULD BE A, AN ONLINE FORM.
THE B NM PO UHHUH, THEY, THAT'S HOW THEY DID IT.
BUT IN THE LAST ONE, SO I'LL MAKE SURE, UM, KIND OF, THEY, THEY RAN OUT OF, UM, COMMENT SHEETS TOO AT THE THING.
SO YEAH, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GO ONLINE.
YOU WE'RE STILL TAKING COMMENTS.
WE'D LIKE TO HAVE COMMENTS FROM PEOPLE IF THEY'RE GONNA GIVE US.
AND, AND PART OF THAT TOO, JUST THE PATH FORWARD IS, UM, I THINK THE BIG, WE HAD 150 PEOPLE AT THE FIRST PUBLIC INPUT, SO THAT WAS SOMEWHAT THE EXPECTATION.
THERE WERE OVER 350 PEOPLE IN THIS ONE.
AND SO I THINK THAT THE FORMAT WAS NOT A GOOD FORMAT FOR THAT MANY, UM, PEOPLE BECAUSE THAT, IT WAS KIND OF A SHOTGUN APPROACH OF, WELL, YOU CAN HEAR THIS OR HEAR THAT.
UM, SO WELL, THERE WASN'T A, AND IT WASN'T A PRESENTATION, THERE WASN'T A FORMAL PRESENT.
SO IT WAS JUST KIND OF LIKE, CAN YOU CATCH WHAT THIS PERSON WANDER AROUND THE ROOM AND PICK UP A PIECE HERE AND THERE.
SO, UM, THE PLAN RIGHT NOW IS TO, UM, WORK AS THE STRATEGIC, UM, STEERING COMMITTEE ON NOVEMBER 4TH TO LOOK AT WHAT A FORMAL PRESENTATION WOULD LOOK LIKE, SO THAT IT ISN'T KIND OF JUST THE WALK AROUND THE ROOM AND LOOK AT THE BOARDS, UM, BUT HAVE FORMAL PRESENTATIONS AND THEN TARGETED NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS.
UM, AND OBVIOUSLY DISCUSS THAT THIS IS NOT A, A DONE DEAL.
TALK ABOUT THE PROS AND CONS OF THE PLAN, UM, AND WHAT WOULD, WHAT STEPS IT WOULD LOOK LIKE MOVING FORWARD.
UM, THAT WOULD BE SOME POINT AFTER NOVEMBER 4TH.
THERE'S A, A PERCEPTION OUT THERE THAT, LIKE JIM SAID, THAT THIS IS MOVING FORWARD AND THE
BASE, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY IF A EXPRESSWAY TO NOWHERE IS THAT IDEA, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GONNA COME TO OUR LAND, THERE
[00:35:01]
ISN'T, THERE ISN'T FUNDING FOR IT.IT ONLY MATTERS IF, UM, DEVELOPMENT HAPPENS AND IT'S PROTECTING OF THE RIGHT OF WAY.
BUT, UM, I, THE COMMENTS FOR SURE WERE NEGATIVE.
AND PEOPLE DO HAVE A PRETTY GENERAL SENSE THAT 65TH WAS PLANNED TO BE THAT STRATEGIC ARTERIAL.
AND SO IT'S LIKE, WHY ARE YOU, WHY ARE YOU CHANGING THE PLAN? SO ANYWAY, WE'RE BACK TO THE, UM, I'M NOT GONNA SAY THE DRAWING BOARD, BUT I THINK WE ARE BACK.
WE WE'RE TAKING A STEP BACK, STEP BACKWARDS, UM, AND AS SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, BUT WHERE I'VE BEEN ON THIS PLAN ALL ALONG IS THAT WHATEVER WE ADOPT THAT THE CITY AND THE COUNTY AMON, THAT EVERYBODY'S ADOPTED A PLAN AND THEY DON'T ADOPT SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVE NO INTENTION OF IMPLEMENTING.
SO THAT'S, FOR ME, IT'S LIKE, WHATEVER THAT PLAN LOOKS LIKE, LET'S JUST MAKE SURE THAT, THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CONTROL ACCESS ON WHATEVER ROADS WE CHOOSE AND THAT EVERYBODY IS MOVING IN THE SAME DIRECTION.
SO THAT'S, UH, IF YOU GET COMMENTS, FEEL FREE, FORWARD THEM TO US.
GIVEN WHERE WE'RE AT IN THE PROCESS, I KNOW IT'S REALLY WOULD BE NICE IF THESE PEOPLE HAD BEEN FOLLOWING THIS PROCESS FOR THE LAST YEAR OR TWO, BUT NOW THEY'RE, THEY'RE HOOKED IN, THEY'RE REALLY FOCUSED.
SO WITH THE STEP BACK, DOES THAT GIVE US A CHANCE TO TALK THROUGH IT AND, AND BECAUSE THEY'RE INTERESTED, THEY'LL START TO UNDERSTAND WHERE, WHERE THE BMPO REALLY IS RIGHT NOW.
WELL, MAYBE A STEP BACK ISN'T THE RIGHT WORD.
UM, BECAUSE WHAT WE HAD BEFORE WAS COME AS THE PUBLIC AND GIVE US INPUT RIGHT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT WAS, WE REALLY WANT FUTURE PLANS AND A BELT ROUTE.
AND THAT KIND OF STEERED US INTO THIS DIRECTION.
SO NOW THAT PEOPLE ARE ENGAGED, IT'S BECAUSE THERE'S A, NOT A PROPOSED ALIGNMENT, BUT A SWATH OF LAND THAT AN EXPRESSWAY COULD FIT IN.
NOT THAT IT IS, THEY GOT TO GET A MAP TO LOOK AT A POTENTIAL EXPRESSWAY.
AND SO NOW, SO THERE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THAT KIND OF ENGAGEMENT PRIOR TO US SAYING, WELL, NOW WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS? NOW IT'S LIKE, WE HATE IT.
SO, SO MOST OF THE COMMENTS WERE ON THE SOUTH SIDE, SOUTH SIDE, NOT MUCH ON THE NORTH.
NO, I, NO, WE, WE, WE MOVED AWAY FROM THE NORTH.
BASICALLY THE NORTH, NORTH IS UP IN THE AIR AS FAR AS WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING UP BASICALLY UP THERE UNTIL I 1520 CONNECTOR GETS, GETS FURTHER ALONG.
DID, WAS THERE ANY COMMENT ON EACH SIDE? YEAH.
EACH SIDE DOES NOT EXIST BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T PROTECT THE RIGHT OF WAY.
SO ON EACH SIDE WILL HAVE SOME, SOME STRATEGIC MATERIALS, BUT THE ONLY ONE THAT HAD AN EXPRESSWAY THAT WAS OFF ALIGNMENT, EVERYTHING ELSE IS ON ALIGNMENT.
SO THIS IS ONE THAT IS OFF ALIGNMENT, IS THE SOUTHERN EXPRESS.
DO DO YOU THINK THE IDEA OF WHY IT'S OFF ALIGNMENT WAS UNDERSTOOD? NO, I DON'T THINK IT WAS.
I THINK THAT EVERYBODY WONDERS WHY WE ABANDONED 65TH TO GO FURTHER SOUTH.
SO SOME OF THE MESSAGING, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S, YEAH.
WELL, AND, AND ONE OF THE BIG COMPLAINTS I HEARD TOO IS PEOPLE WERE LIKE, I HEARD ABOUT THIS FROM MY NEIGHBOR.
WHY DIDN'T I HEAR ABOUT IT FROM, FROM YOU GUYS? YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE SAME MESSAGE WE HEAR A LOT WHEN EVERY TIME WE HAVE A PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT THAT, THAT PEOPLE SAY, WHY, YOU KNOW, WHY ARE YOU HIDING THIS FROM US? KIND OF A KIND OF AN ATTITUDE, YOU KNOW, DISTRUST OF GOVERNMENT, KIND OF AN ATTITUDE THAT, THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PULL SOMETHING OVER ON PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HEAR ABOUT IT.
AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE, WE FIGHT AGAINST THAT ALL THE TIME.
THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY ONLY HEAR WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR, BUT THEN WHEN THEY DO HEAR SOMETHING THAT'S LIKE THIS, THAT THAT REALLY STIRRED 'EM UP.
I MEAN, IT WAS, IT WAS, I FELT BAD FOR STAFF.
THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, BUT OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT ARE THE ONES THAT SENT OUT THE, THEY USED THE GIS TO SEND OUT PERSONAL LETTERS TO PEOPLE ANNOUNCING THIS.
SO I THINK THAT WAS THE REASON WHY IT, BUT NOT EVERY, BUT NOT EVERYBODY GOT ONE, RIGHT? YEAH.
SO THERE WAS LIKE ONE NEIGHBOR GET ONE AND ONE NEIGHBOR DIDN'T, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, MAIL RIGHT.
WORK THE OFF ALIGNMENT THEY DID AS THE POINT TO GO OUT.
I'LL JUST ADD TWO THINGS THAT I THINK WE NEED TO BE COGNIZANT OF WITH THESE KIND OF CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES IS THAT BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A ONE PARTY STATE, THIS COMMENT USED MADE THAT, HEY, IT'S JUST GONNA HAPPEN.
IT DOES FEEL LIKE THAT SOMETIMES IN THE STATE BECAUSE THERE ISN'T AN OPPOSITION OFTEN.
AND SO THINGS DO JUST HAPPEN, MAKES A DECISION.
AND THEN THE OTHER PIECE THAT IS THE DIVISION MAKES IT ALL RIGHT FOR THEM TO COME
[00:40:01]
OF US, RIGHT? LIKE THE CIVILITY IS LOST AS WELL AND THE NATIONAL DIALOGUE SOMETIMES.UM, BUT I JUST AN OBSERVATION.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S PROBLEMATIC OR, WELL, I THINK WE'VE GOT GOOD CONTEXT NOW FOR A LOT OF THESE POTENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN HELP FORMULATE WHAT THE MEETINGS LOOK LIKE AND THEN WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS GOING IN AND COMING OUTTA MEETING.
LIKE I PERSONALLY, I MEAN, I FEEL BAD THAT JIM WAS THERE TO TAKE THE ARROWS FOR IT, BUT I THINK THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW.
BECAUSE IF WE GO AHEAD AND SAY, OH YEAH, LET'S ADOPT THIS PLAN AND THEN TRY AND ESTABLISH THIS ALIGNMENT.
I MEAN, THAT'S WHY THE PLANS GET TOSSED IN THE RUBBISH BIN.
SO I, I THINK THE SMALL MEETINGS IS A GREAT IDEA.
I THINK THAT, AND THAT, I THINK THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO EMPHASIZE WHAT YOU ARE.
'CAUSE THIS ISN'T A CITY DECISION.
IT'S NOT DECISION'S, IT'S NOT A COUNTY DECISION.
UNLESS THOSE THREE MAIN PIECES ARE ON THE SAME PAGE, IT'S NOT A DECISION.
AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING WE HAVE TO COMMUNICATE.
I DON'T THINK PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT V MPO O IS.
I DON'T THINK SO EITHER OR, OR A LOT OF THE ACRONYMS THAT THEY WERE USING EVEN IN THE MEETING, LIKE PROTECTING THE RIGHT OF WAY, RIGHT OF WAY ACCESS.
YOU KNOW, LIKE THEY THOUGHT IT WAS, WE'RE COMING IN AND BUYING THE RED ROAD BY NOT HAVING THE NORTH AS PART OF THE DISCUSSION AND NOT HAVING EAST AS ALL AND THEN NOT HAVING ANYTHING ON THE WEST.
IT'S DOES, I HAD A HARD TIME ANSWERING THE QUESTION OF WHY ARE YOU BUILDING A FAST SPEED ROAD TO THE AMMOND BUSINESSES? YEAH.
MY WIFE ASKED ME THAT SAME QUESTION.
WHY ARE WE MAKING A ROAD TO MOND
IT'S HARD TO ARGUE THAT POINT.
I MEAN, THEY DEFINITELY, THE, THE EXPRESSWAY PULLS TRAFFIC FROM 17TH AND SUNNYSIDE.
ANYTHING FURTHER SOUTH DOES NOT PULL IT.
AND EVEN 65TH DOES NOT PULL TRAFFIC FROM SUNNYSIDE OR 17TH.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, THE, THE COST, THE PERCEPTION IT, WE'RE LOOKING TO, YOU KNOW, WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT ON THE FOURTH, BUT WE'LL KEEP EVERYBODY IN THE LOOP.
AND LIKE I SAID, I FEEL BAD THAT THERE WAS THE ANGST IN THAT MEETING, BUT I'M REALLY, I'M, I'M HAPPY TO SEE IT HAPPEN AT THIS, THIS STAGE.
RIGHT? WE, YEAH, WE GOT GREAT ENGAGEMENT, RIGHT? YEAH.
THAT'S, WE DON'T ALWAYS GET 'EM ALL THE FEEDBACK.
WE MORE PEOPLE PUT THE MPOS, NOBODY KNOWS WHAT IT'S, I AGREE.
NOW PEOPLE KNOW IT'S OUT THERE AND THEY'RE PAYING ATTENTION.
SO THIS GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY THEN TO ENGAGE THEM AND EXPLAIN WHAT THE REAL PLAN IS.
BUT THERE IS A, THAT WE'RE WORKING ON A PLAN.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE WANT.
BUT I THINK, YEAH, THIS INITIAL, THAT GOT EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION HAS VALUE.
WELL, IT'S SO MUCH BETTER TO START THE DISCUSSION NOW RATHER THAN 15 YEARS FROM NOW AND GO WELL, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS HERE.
WELL, YEAH, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF TIMES I HEARD THAT NIGHT.
UM, WHY DIDN'T WE START THIS 20 YEARS AGO? RIGHT? WHY DON'T WE START HAVING THIS DISCUSSION 20 YEARS AGO? WE COULD HAVE SAVED THAT RIGHT AWAY ON 65TH.
DID YOU USE YOUR TREE QUOTE? THE BEST TIME TO PLANT A TREE WAS 20 YEARS AGO.
SO ANYWAY, THAT MORE TO COME ON THAT, THAT'S, AND THAT'S EVERYTHING BUT THAT I HAD FOR SHARING.
SO, UM, WE DIDN'T ASK, I THINK WE STOPPED.
DID WE STOP KIRK? DID YOU? I HAVE, I GUESS WE STOPPED AFTER YOU
[Parks and Recreation Department]
OUR BREX AND REC DEPARTMENT FOCUS.UM, SO A COUPLE OF THINGS HERE.
SO HERE'S THE MARY AND THE COAL HERE, THE LITTLE BIT OF THE GUINEA PIG.
UM, AND IS THIS NOT, AND REC GOLF IS WHAT? IT'S SPECIFIC TO GOLF AND ZOOM.
PARKS AND REC WAS GIVEN TWO DAYS, TWO CALENDAR TIMES TO COME BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENT WAS SO BIG.
UM, DIRECT TO HOME WAS GIVEN LIKE AN OUTLINE.
SO THIS WOULD BE, SO KEEP IN MIND IF THERE'S SOMETHING IN THIS PRESENTATION, NOT SPECIFIC TO THE ZOO, BUT SPECIFIC TO THE OVERALL PRESENTATION THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE CHANGED, LET'S CHANGE THAT BEFORE WE HAVE THE NEXT, THE NEXT, UH, DEPARTMENT COME FORWARD.
SO IT'S LIKE, OH, I DIDN'T LIKE THAT FORMAT, OR I DIDN'T LIKE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE, UM, A TIME TO GET,
[00:45:01]
IT'D BE GOOD TO GET FEEDBACK AND GIVE THE NEXT DIRECTOR SOME TIME TO MAKE THAT, UM, CHANGE.OTHERWISE, THIS, THIS IS THE FORMAT THAT HAS BEEN SELECTED TO MOVE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
SO, UM, OTHER THAN THAT LITTLE CAVEAT OF INPUT, UM, TURN THE TIME OVER TO DIRECT YOUR HOME.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, FOR HAVING US.
WE ARE, UM, WE'RE EXCITED TO BE THE GUINEA PIGS.
WE'RE, WE'RE A LITTLE NERVOUS TO BE THE GUINEA PIGS, BUT, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT GOLF AND ZOO.
SO AS, UH, COUNCIL PRESIDENT, UH, BURTON SHAW HAD MENTIONED, WE DO HAVE TWO MONTHS, UH, SET ASIDE FOR PARKS AND RECREATION, UM, TO BE ABLE TO HIT EACH OF OUR, UM, OF OUR DIVISIONS.
AND SO, UM, TODAY OBVIOUSLY IS GOLF AND ZOO.
UH, IN MARCH WE'LL BE COMING BACK AND BE PRESENTING ON PARKS, CEMETERIES AND RECREATION.
AND SO, UM, SOME OF WHAT, UH, WHAT WE'LL SEE TODAY, I GUESS DEPARTMENT WIDE IS A LITTLE BIT ABBREVIATED BECAUSE OF A LOT OF KIND OF THE CAPITAL CONVERSATIONS AND THAT FOR THE DEPARTMENT WIDE FITS A LITTLE BIT BETTER IN THE PARKS, UH, CONVERSATION.
AND SO, UH, WE'RE GONNA GO, GO AHEAD AND DIVE, UH, RIGHT IN AS, UH, AS, UH, COUNCIL PRESIDENT BURTON SHAW HAD MENTIONED, WE DID HAVE SOME, UH, TEMPLATES FOR OUR SLIDES AND A, UM, A BIT OF A, AN OUTLINE, I GUESS, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO FOLLOW AND KIND OF MAYBE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE, UM, YOU GUYS MIGHT WANT TO HEAR FROM THESE DIVISIONS WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT.
IF AT ANY POINT WE DO HAVE SOME POINTS FOR, WE DO HAVE SOME TIME FOR QUESTIONS.
UM, IF AT ANY POINT YOU DO HAVE QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY ON WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, I WOULD SUGGEST GO AHEAD AND POP IN AT THAT POINT.
UM, BECAUSE ALL OF THIS IS BUILT SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF TALK THROUGH EACH SLIDE OR YOU CAN WAIT TILL THE END AND, AND WE CAN HAVE THAT DISCUSSION AT THE END.
UM, CAN I INTERRUPT YOU FOR ONE SECOND? YOU BET.
LIKE, WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE TO HAVE THIS READ TOO.
WE CAN JUST, WE CAN MOVE THROUGH SOME OF THAT AND YOU CAN HIGHLIGHT THAT.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ON THE SAME PAGE.
SO WE DO, ACCORDING TO, UM, THE TEMPLATE AND ACCORDING TO THE DIRECTION THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE, UH, ONE HOUR THAT GIVES US ABOUT 45 MINUTES FOR, UM, DEPARTMENT AND FIRST DIVISION, AND THEN ABOUT 15 MINUTES FOR THE SECOND DIVISION.
SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, BECAUSE I, UM, WE ARE GONNA HIT MORE OF THE DEPARTMENT WIDE STUFF 'CAUSE OF THAT, UH, CAPITAL, LIKE I SAID, IS MORE, UH, PARTS RELATED.
UM, WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA HIT MORE DIVISIONS, UH, TODAY AND MORE OF THE DEPARTMENT COME, COME MARCH.
AND SO WE'LL HOPEFULLY WE'LL KEEP IT ABOUT, UH, PROBABLY 30 AND 30 OR SOMEWHERE IN THERE, UM, FOR THESE TWO.
BUT WE'RE, UH, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED HERE.
IS THAT, YOU GOTTA MOVE IT TO YOUR RIGHT.
SO, AS LISA MENTIONED, UM, WE'RE NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT ALL OF THIS.
ONE THING I DID WANT TO MENTION, UM, IS OUR MISSION STATEMENT.
SO OUR MISSION STATEMENT IS TO ENRICH COMMUNITY.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE TAKE VERY, UH, VERY SERIOUSLY IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
AND, UM, NOT ONLY ENRICHING COMMUNITY, BUT ENRICHING COMMUNITY IN A WAY THAT BUILDS A STRONGER COMMUNITY FOR ALL OF US THROUGH THE, THROUGH OUR OFFERINGS, WHETHER THAT'S OUR, OUR FACILITIES THAT ARE WELL MAINTAINED, OR WHETHER THAT'S PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES THAT, THAT OUR STAFF IS OPERATING.
UH, OUR VISION STATEMENT IS VERY SIMPLE AS WELL, TO BE LEADERS IN PROVIDING HEALTHY, FUN EXPERIENCES.
UM, AND SO THAT, UH, IS WHAT WE LOOK AT AND TRY TO FOCUS ON EVERY DAY IN OUR, IN OUR, WITHIN OUR VISION INTRODUCTION.
I JUST WANTED TO, UH, MENTION A COUPLE OF UPCOMING DATES AS, UM, COUNCILMAN RADFORD HAD MENTIONED.
WHO AT THE ZOO, UM, HAD BEEN THE LAST, UH, IT WAS THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY OF THIS LAST WEEK, UH, AS A LITTLE BIT EARLIER THAN, UM, PRIOR YEARS.
AND SO IT DID COME UP WITH A LITTLE BIT OF A SHOCK, I THINK FOR SOME FOLKS HOW EARLY IT WAS.
BUT WE STILL HAD A GREAT ATTENDANCE.
WE, WE SAW, UH, 9,266 FOLKS COME THROUGH THE ZOO IN THREE DAYS.
UM, THE NEXT TWO NIGHTS ARE PART OF, UM, ZOO LIGHTS AND THOSE ARE GOING TO BE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME LIGHTS.
EVERYTHING IS THE SAME AT, AT BOOT ZOO, BUT WE DON'T HAVE VENDORS THERE GIVING OUT CANDY.
SO IF IT'S MORE THE LIGHTS THAT YOU WANT TO SEE LESS OF THE, THE WAITING IN LINES AND KIND OF BEING IN A, A PARADE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE ZOO, UM, THIS IS THE NIGHT FOR THAT.
SO WE WOULD SUGGEST THAT, UH, OUR COMMUNITY COME OUT AND SEE US.
IT'S FIVE TO NINE, UH, THE NEXT TWO NIGHTS.
WE ALSO HAVE A, UH, OUR DOWNTOWN TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY.
IT'S SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23RD AT 6:00 PM WE'RE VERY EXCITED.
[00:50:01]
UM, ACTUALLY LIGHTING UP OUR LARGE CHRISTMAS TREE OVER KIND OF BY THE WATER TOWER.UM, JUST, UH, UH, WEST OF, UH, KEY BANK THERE.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE MAKING SOME CHANGES TO THAT EVENT AND VERY EXCITED TO GET THAT GOING.
LAST IS THE UTV HOLIDAY LIGHT PARADE THAT WILL BE ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20TH, WHERE WE'VE ALREADY HAD A TON OF INTEREST IN THAT.
PEOPLE CALLING AND SAYING, HOW DO WE REGISTER? HOW DO WE REGISTER? WE DON'T WANNA MISS IT.
UM, AND SO WE HAVE A, UM, A PLANNING MEETING ON WEDNESDAY OF THIS WEEK, AND AT THAT POINT WE'RE GONNA OPEN UP REGISTRATIONS AND START TAKING, TAKING FOLKS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT, UM, IS DO WE GO WITH A, DO WE INCLUDE A FEE THIS YEAR? WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT IN THE PAST AND WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY ON THE FENCE OF THAT.
IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE THAT, BUT IT ALSO IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK FOR A $10 FEE OR SOMETHING, THOSE FOLKS THAT OWN UTVS WOULD BE PROBABLY MORE THAN HAPPY, IN MY OPINION, TO PAY A SMALL FEE LIKE THAT TO BE PART OF IT.
IT WAS A FABULOUS EVENT LAST YEAR AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
WHAT KIND OF EXPENSES DO WE DO WE INCUR BECAUSE OF SPREADING THIS THING? SO NOT A LOT.
REALLY WHAT IT CAME DOWN TO WAS STAFF TIME FOR MEETINGS.
WE HAD A LOT OF MEETING PREPARATION MEETINGS BEFOREHAND.
WE DID HAVE SOME STAFF THAT WORKED THE DAY OF, UH, CLEANING UP TRASH.
AND THAT, UM, THIS YEAR WE WILL BE ALSO USING A LITTLE BIT BETTER COMMUNICATION FOR, UH, TRAFFIC CONTROL ON THAT.
AND SO WE WILL BE USING SOME TIMBER BOARDS.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN UTILIZE THOSE, UH, THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY AND THAT WON'T COST US ANYTHING.
BUT IF WE DO HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE AND RENT THOSE, THAT MIGHT COST US A LITTLE BIT.
OR WE COULD MAYBE DO A TRADE FOR SOME SPONSORSHIP, BUT REALLY SHOULD BE REALLY STAFF POWER IS GONNA BE OUR BIGGEST EXPENSE.
I MEAN, I, THERE'S JUST TWO WAYS OF I CAN SEE IT, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT WE'D LIKE TO RECOUP OUR COSTS THAT IT COSTS US TO PUT THE THING ON.
BUT THESE PEOPLE ARE ALSO SPENDING A TON OF MONEY TO DECORATE THEIR VEHICLES AND THINGS, RIGHT? YES.
AND, AND USING THEIR OWN THEIR OWN STUFF.
AND, AND, AND PUTTING ON A SHOW FOR THE REST OF THE CITIZENS ABOUT A HAUL.
SO, YOU KNOW, THEREFORE WHY, WHY ATTACK ON ANOTHER FEE ON TOP OF IT.
AND, AND THAT IS KIND OF THE CONVERSATION THAT WE'VE ALREADY HAD THAT WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO DIVE INTO IT JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE LOOKED AT IT AS, AS, UH, AS AN ECONOMIC DRIVER, WE LOOKED AT IT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD PROBABLY, I THINK WE FIGURED ABOUT $11 MILLION WORTH OF UTVS THAT WERE IN LAST YEAR'S PARADE.
SO JUST THAT ALONE, MOST LIKELY THROUGH A HANDFUL OF, OF DEALERS IN OUR AREA, UM, IS PRIOR, PRIOR, UH, ECONOMIC, UM, STIMULANT, BUT ALSO AT THE SAME TIME, UM, THOSE FOLKS ARE GOING IN AND BUYING ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT, BUYING WHITE BARS, BUYING THAT THING.
SO IT'S, YEAH, MAYBE WE LOOK FOR SPONSORS AND WE ACTUALLY HAD A HANDFUL LAST YEAR, BUT WE WILL, WE WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE EVENT.
A THOUGHT, THE FLIP SIDE OF THE COIN THAT, THAT, UH, TIM TALKED ABOUT, SOMETIMES IF YOU CHARGE, IT MAKES THE PEOPLE WHO PAY THAT DO A BETTER JOB WITH THEIR ENTRANCE.
AND IF IT'S SOMEBODY THEY JUST THOUGHT, WELL, I'LL JUST DRIVE IN 'CAUSE I'VE GOT TIME TONIGHT.
YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS.
THEY TAKE A LITTLE MORE SERIOUSLY COME IN.
YOU REALLY DON'T DO MUCH WITH THEIR, WE, WE ALSO ACTUALLY SAW QUITE A FEW, ABOUT 30, UM, THAT SIGNED UP THAT DIDN'T SHOW UP.
AND I, AGAIN, I THINK IF YOU HAVE THAT LITTLE BIT OF SKIN IN THE GAME, YOU'RE GONNA SHOW UP IF YOU PAID, EVEN IF IT'S MINIMAL.
YEAH, THERE WAS SOME CHARM TO THE DIVERSITY, BUT I ALSO JUST, ONE OTHER SUGGESTION, WHICH I, I WOULDN'T EXPECT FOR THIS YEAR, BUT MAYBE FOR NEXT, IS SOMETHING AROUND THE GATHERING.
IT WAS, IT WAS REALLY FUN AND I HAD A LOT OF FUN BEING THERE EARLY AND BEING WALKING IT, BUT WE COULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, CAROL, SOMETHING I THINK WOULD'VE, PEOPLE WOULD'VE LOVED TO JUST JOIN.
SO WE HAD LOOKED AT THAT LAST YEAR AS WELL.
WE ACTUALLY DID A DONUT FEED AND HOT COCOA FEED AT THE, AT, UH, AT THE END.
UM, THE PROBLEM WAS IT TENDED TO BE MORE OF FOR THE, THE PEOPLE THAT WERE DRIVING BECAUSE THERE JUST WEREN'T A LOT OF SPECTATORS THERE AT THE MOUNTAIN MERRICK CENTER, BUT WE WANTED TO HAVE IT WHERE WE WERE ALL ALREADY AT AND WHERE IT WAS CONGREGATING.
AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE, IT'S SUCH A LARGE GATHERING, 300 VEHICLES, 300 KEYS, 300 TRAILERS MOST LIKELY OR CLOSE TO THAT.
IT TAKES SUCH A LARGE AREA THAT WE REALLY HAD TO HAND PICK.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT OTHER LOCATIONS, BUT REALLY JUST TO HAVE THE PARKING IS A BIG, BIG DEAL.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO, WE'RE GONNA QUICKLY MOVE ON HERE.
UM, JUST WANTED TO KIND OF TOUCH ON THESE.
NUMBER ONE OF THREE, UH, COMMUNITY CENTER WITH EMPHASIS ON AMENITIES THAT BUILD COMMUNITY, NOT JUST FITNESS.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE TO, TO GET STARTED ON THIS, UM, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL, UM, WE HAD SEVERAL QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO THE COMMUNITY CENTER THAT WERE SUBMITTED FOR INCLUSION IN THE CITYWIDE SURVEY.
WE'RE HOPING THAT, UH, WE CAN GET A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION BACK ON THAT.
WE'VE ALSO, UM, HAD HAD, UH, UM, LOOKED AT USING PARK IMPACT FEES, UM, TO FUND A FEASIBILITY STUDY.
UM, I HAVE IDENTIFIED SOME OTHER FUNDS TO BE USED FOR THAT.
[00:55:01]
DEFINITELY GONNA HAPPEN, UM, THIS YEAR ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.UM, BUT, UM, BUT WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING A FEASIBILITY LOCATION AND, AND AMENITY, UH, STUDY FOR, FOR THAT EVENT OR FOR THE, UH, FACILITY STARTING TO IDENTIFY CONSULTANTS.
UH, FOR THE FEASIBILITY STUDY, I WAS JUST AT THE NATIONAL RECREATION PARK ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE AND WENT TO A LOT OF VENDORS, TALKED TO SOME CONSULTANTS THAT DO THESE TYPE OF THINGS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
UM, AND SO WE ARE, WE ARE GONNA START THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND, AND LOOKING AT PROBABLY AN RFP FOR, UM, A, A CONSULTANT TO DO THAT FOR US.
AND THEN WE ALSO STARTED A SMALL INTERNAL, UM, VISIONING COMMITTEE, UM, THAT, UM, REALLY HAS A FEW DIFFERENT, UH, THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
SO ONE IS TO LEARN FROM PRIOR ATTEMPTS TO BUILD REC CENTERS.
WE ACTUALLY ARE MEETING WITH A COUPLE OF PRIOR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, BRAD ELDRIDGE AND IDA HARDCASTLE.
WE'RE MEETING WITH THEM THIS THURSDAY AT 3:00 PM IF ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US, UH, FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS, UM, OR, UH, UM, OR THAT, BUT WE ARE, UM, EXCITED JUST TO KIND OF HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW AND WHY THOSE DIDN'T SUCCEED, UH, IN THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS.
ALSO TO RESEARCH AND VISIT OTHER COMMUNITY RECREATION CENTERS.
UM, MICHELLE WAS, UH, GRACIOUS ENOUGH THAT WHEN SHE WAS IN COEUR D'ALENE WAS ABLE TO, TO GO TO THE CROC CENTER UP THERE AND REALLY VISITED THAT.
GOT A LOT OF BROCHURES AND HANDOUTS.
WE HAVE, UH, WE COMPLETED A, UM, UM, A, A, A SHAREABLE COMPARING SPREADSHEET SO THAT WE CAN REALLY START TO LOOK AT OTHER CENTERS AROUND THAT WE'RE GOING TO VISIT, BUT ALSO JUST START PUTTING IN WHAT DID THEY COST? WHAT, HOW, HOW DID THEY PASS, HOW ARE THEY FUNDED, WHAT ARE INCLUDED, WHAT THEIR RETENTION AND AND MEMBERSHIP RATES ARE, THAT KIND OF THING AS WE START TO LOOK AT MULTIPLE FACILITIES.
YOU SAID A 3:00 PM THURSDAY MEETING? YES.
WHERE IS THAT? THAT'S A DIRECT CENTER AT THE CONFERENCE ROOM UPSTAIRS.
UH, AND THEN IDENTIFY POSSIBLE FUNDING STRATEGIES.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE, UH, EXCITED THAT THAT IS MOVING FORWARD.
OUR SECOND COUNCIL PRIORITY, UH, IS RIGHT SIZE USER FEES AND SCRUTINIZE THE CITY'S RELATIONSHIP WITH NON-USERS, NON-CITY USERS.
UH, THE RECREATION DIVISION, UM, HAS IMPLEMENTED A PRICING CALCULATION, UM, TO BETTER IDENTIFY THE CONTRIBUTION OF OUR RESIDENTS.
SO THIS HELPS US TO BETTER ENSURE THAT NON-RESIDENTS, UM, ARE PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE FOR EVERYTHING FROM ADMISSIONS TO PROGRAM FEES TO RENTALS OF, UM, SHELTERS AND, AND FACILITIES, UH, FOR GOLF AND ZOO.
AND THAT SOME OF THAT SEEMS, UM, LIKE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE PRIOR, OR THAT'S SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING THAT WOULD'VE BEEN DONE IN THE, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETIME OVER THE, THE PAST WHERE WE ARE SUBSIDIZED THROUGH THE, THE, OUR RESIDENTS.
UM, BUT FOR US, A LOT OF WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE ACTUALLY ADVERTISED THE NON-RESIDENT FEE, UM, AND UTILIZED, LOOKED AT IT AS A, AS THE LARGEST FEE THAT WE COULD CHARGE AT SOME OF OUR FACILITIES AND HAVE JUST NOT OFFERED THAT BENEFIT TO OUR RESIDENTS.
SO IN SOME CASES, RATHER THAN GOING UP, UH, AND, AND CHARGING MORE FOR NON-RESIDENTS, WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA BE OFFERING SOME DISCOUNTS FOR THE LOCALS.
UM, FOR THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE ALREADY CONTRIBUTING INTO SEVERAL OF OUR PROGRAMS, WE'LL BE ADJUSTING, MOST LIKELY BOTH OF THOSE FEES UP A LITTLE BIT TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE KEEPING ON TOP AND, AND RIGHTSIZING THOSE FEES.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, HOPEFULLY OUR, WE'RE GONNA REALLY WORK.
AND THAT'S KIND OF THE NEXT PIECE FOR GOLF AND ZOO.
WE'RE STRIVING TO IMPROVE OUR METHOD OF COMMUNICATION WITH RESIDENTS TO ENSURE THAT EVERY RESIDENT GETS THE DISCOUNT THAT THEY DESERVE AND THE DISCOUNT THAT THEY SHOULD RECEIVE FROM ALREADY CONTRIBUTING IN THROUGH, UM, THROUGH THE, THE RECREATIONAL LEVY.
NOW WE'RE WORKING WITH USER GROUPS AND OUTLYING SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO SCRUTINIZE THE IMPACT THAT THEY, UH, THEIR, THEIR USE OF OUR FACILITIES HAS, AS WELL AS THE USABILITY FROM OUR, OUR RESIDENTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY PAYING INTO THAT.
WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU MIND SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY TO THAT ONE? LIKE WHAT ARE YOU, 'CAUSE IT'S LIKE WE'RE WORKING WITH USER GROUPS, SO WHAT THINGS HAVE YOU ALREADY IMPLEMENTED? LIKE, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE, WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE TOUCH POINTS? SO, AT THE AQUATIC CENTER SPECIFICALLY, THAT WAS, THAT WAS ONE THAT WE WERE REALLY STARTING TO SEE A LOT.
A LOT OF SCHOOLS STARTING TO RELY HEAVILY ON US.
SO WE HAVE PUT IT IN, WE, WE'VE DONE AN HOURLY BREAKDOWN OF OUR, OF THE COSTS AND THE, AND THE SUBSIDIES THAT GO INTO THE AQUATIC CENTER.
WE'VE DIVIDED THAT BY THE NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS TO GET KIND OF A, A RESIDENT RATE.
UM, WHICH WE FOUND THAT NOT ONLY WAS OUR, WERE OUR RESIDENTS UNDERPAYING, BUT OUR NON-RESIDENTS AND VISITORS WERE PAYING WELL UNDER WHERE THEY SHOULD BE.
AND SO LAST YEAR WE, WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS AS A TWO YEAR, UH, INCREASE FOR BOTH THE ICE AND, AND THE AQUATIC CENTER.
UM, BUT WE LOOKED AT THOSE TRUE COSTS AT WHICH THEY WENT UP PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY.
SO AT THE AQUATIC CENTER, IT WAS FOR, SAY, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THEY WERE PAYING $13 PER LANE PER HOUR.
WE DID THE CALCULATION, IT CAME OUT CLOSER TO 17 FOR RESIDENTS AND 27 TO 35 FOR NON-RESIDENTS, DEPENDING ON THAT.
SO WE DID GO UP TO A 20, I THINK A $23 RATE IS ABOUT WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THE SECOND YEAR.
WE'RE GONNA GO ALL THE WAY UP TO THAT FULL 27TH,
[01:00:01]
AND THEN WE'LL BE PAYING FULL COST FOR THE NUMBER OF HOURS THAT THEY'RE USING.UM, ON THAT, WE'VE ALSO DONE THE SAME, UM, AT THE ICE RINK.
WE'VE, UM, THE, UH, YOUTH HOCKEY ASSOCIATION, THE FIGURE SKATERS, AS WE LOOKED AT THEM, WE HAD REALLY LOOKED AT, DO WE LOOK AT HOW MANY RESIDENTS THEY HAVE IN THEIR GROUPS, UM, OR DO WE, UM, AND, AND BREAK THAT DOWN.
AND THEN WE NEED PROOF OF RESIDENCY AND THAT, UM, WE'VE FOUND A PRETTY GOOD IN BETWEEN WITHOUT HAVING TO REQUEST ALL OF THEIR USER INFORMATION, WHICH THEY WERE VERY, VERY, UM, AGAINST SHARING THAT WITH US.
UM, BUT WE'VE FOUND KIND OF A, A, A, AN IN-BETWEEN THAT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO CHARGE THOSE RATES A LITTLE BIT HIGHER AND MEET KIND OF MORE IN THE MIDDLE.
SO GOING FROM ABOUT A HUNDRED, A HUNDRED DOLLARS AN HOUR LAST YEAR WILL BE TO $185 AN HOUR AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.
AND WE'RE KIND OF IN BETWEEN THIS, UM, THIS LAST YEAR.
AND SO WE WANTED TO GIVE THAT TWO YEARS.
IT WAS A PRETTY BIG STICKER SHOCK FOR THEM.
AND, UM, WHICH IT SHOULD, IT SHOULD BE IN SOME CASES.
THEY'VE HAD SUCH A GREAT DEAL.
UM, AND REALLY WE'VE LOOKED AT THAT ACROSS OUR BOARD, THAT THAT, AND AS WE'VE LOOKED AT THE HISTORY OF COUNCILS WHEN, FOR INSTANCE, DAVID HAS CUT, OR, UH, TIM CAME TO COUNCIL, UM, IN THE NINETIES, MAYBE I GUESS UNDER TOM CAMPBELL AND SAID, HEY, WE'RE WE'RE SHORTFALL OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
HE SAID, UM, AT, AT THAT POINT, THE DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR WERE, IF, IF IS OKAY FOR THE CITY, FOR THE GENERAL FUND TO SUBSIDIZE FROM TIME TO TIME, WE WANT TO KEEP AN AFFORDABLE PROGRAM, AN AFFORDABLE GOLF PROGRAM HERE IN IDAHO FALLS.
AND SO IT WAS ENCOURAGED FOR YEARS TO KEEP THOSE PRICES DOWN, THAT THE GENERAL FUND WOULD HELP SUBSIDIZE THAT.
WE SEE THAT THAT POSSIBILITY OF THAT OPPORTUNITY MIGHT JUST NOT BE THERE ANYMORE.
AND SO NOW IT'S TIME THAT AS MUCH AS WE WANT TO HAVE THE LOWEST PRICES IN THE COUNTRY, OR THE LOWEST PRICES IN THE REGION FOR A ZOO, IT IS MAYBE TIME TO SIT A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO OUR, UH, TO PAR WITH OUR, WITH OUR, UH, COMPETITORS OR OUR, OR THE OTHER FOLKS THAT ARE IN OUR INDUSTRY AND, AND CHARGE A LITTLE CLOSER TO THAT.
WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH DISTRICT 93, AND THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT A, A PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO, WHERE THEY LIVE, AND WE ARE GONNA BASE THOSE FEES OFF OF, AND THAT'S FOR EVERYTHING FROM GOLF.
THEY HAVE, THEY USE A LOT OF GOLF.
UM, THEY USE A LOT OF OUR SOCCER FIELDS AND BASEBALL FIELDS.
WE JUST DON'T SEE A WHOLE LOT OF RETURN ON THE OTHER END BECAUSE WE JUST, WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN REMOVED A LITTLE BIT FROM SOME OF THOSE PROGRAM OR FROM SOME FACILITIES.
AND OVER THE TIME WE'VE KIND OF PULLED BACK A LITTLE BIT MORE FROM 93.
SO NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT OKAY, AS NON-RESIDENTS AT A, I THINK THEY'RE AT A 14% RESIDENT RATE, UM, AT THIS POINT FROM LAST YEAR'S NUMBERS OR MAYBE 11%, UM, RIGHT IN THERE.
AND SO WE ARE GOING TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AS WE'RE, AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE NEW JOINT USE AGREEMENT.
HOW, WHAT ARE THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE USING THE POOL? I MEAN, WHERE ARE WE GETTING PEOPLE COMING FROM? SO, RIGBY, UH, MADISON, UM, IDAHO FALLS AND, UH, VILLE COUNTY AS A WHOLE.
SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE OUR FIVE HIGH SCHOOLS ABOUT BLACKFOOT AND SHELLY, UH, BLACKFOOT AS WELL.
UM, SHELLY, I BELIEVE THEY ARE SWIMMING TOGETHER WITH, UH, OTHER TEAMS, SO THEY DON'T HAVE A FULL TEAM.
UM, RIGBY WAS A, WAS THE HIGHEST USER OF OUR FACILITY LAST YEAR.
IT WAS BECAUSE THEY TOOK THE, KIND OF THE CRUDDY INTO END OF NIGHT TIMES.
THEY WERE WILLING TO PUT THEIR KIDS IN WHEN NOBODY ELSE REALLY WANTED IT.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UM, THAT NOT ONLY, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE WILLING TO DO THAT, THAT PUTS A LARGE STRESS ON OUR STAFF SO THAT NOW WHEN WE'RE HAVING TO KEEP OUR STAFF UNDER 19 AND A HALF HOURS A WEEK, SAY ON OUR SEASONAL STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STAYING WITHIN THEIR A CA RULES, NOW WE'RE NOT HAVING TO STAY THERE UNTIL 1130 AT NIGHT.
UM, IF THEY WEREN'T, IF THEY DIDN'T BUY UP ALL, ALL THAT TIME, UM, SAVING THOSE HOURS, SAVING OUR STAFF FROM STRESSING OUT AND JUST OVERWORKING SOME OF THOSE, THOSE, UH, YOUNGER SEASONAL STAFF.
SO DOES RICHBURG HAVE AN INDOOR POOL? THEY DO NOT.
THEY, UH, LAST TWO YEARS, THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO USE BYUI, UM, I GUESS SOMEBODY WITHIN BYUI HAD A SON THAT WAS SWIMMING, SO THEY WERE ABLE TO GET THEIR, THEIR FEET IN THE DOOR.
TYPICALLY, WE'VE HEARD THAT BYUI IS NOT OPEN FOR THE COMMUNITY TO COME IN AND UTILIZE.
AND SO THEY'VE, THEY HAVE, THEY, THEY WILL MOST LIKELY BE COMING AND KNOCKING ON OUR DOOR THIS YEAR TO, TO, UH, WORK THAT.
AND OUR THIRD, UM, PRIORITY THAT WE HAVE, UH, IS PURSUANT IMPLEMENTATION OF EXISTING PLANS FOR SEVERAL FACILITIES, HERITAGE, TOFA ZOO, FUNLAND TRAILS, AND ET CETERA.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, WE'VE BUDGETED TO REALIGN AND WIDEN NORTH PARK ROAD IN TAHU.
UM, WE'LL THEN BE ABLE TO CLOSE SOFTBALL DRIVE, UM, FOR THE NEW ENTRANCE AT THE ZOO, WHICH IS ALSO PART OF THE PLAN.
UM, OUR, OUR MASTER PLAN BUDGETED IMPACT FEES TO INSTALL LIGHTING AT HERITAGE PARK ON ALL OUR
[01:05:01]
PATHWAYS AND PARK, UH, PARKING LOTS.UM, A GRANT WAS WRITTEN AND APPROVED TO BUILD PATHWAYS AROUND THE PERIMETER OF TOFU PARK, WHICH IS PART OF NOT ONLY, UH, THE MASTER PLAN FOR TOFU, BUT ALSO PART OF COC OR THE CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITY PLAN.
UH, AND, UH, WORKING WITH, WITH USER GROUPS TO BUILD RESTROOMS AT RYDER PARK AND AMENITIES, UM, ON OUR PARKS THAT THEY ARE UTILIZING.
AND SO WE ARE RELYING HEAVILY ON USER GROUPS AND, UM, THOSE PLANS TO HELP GUIDE US ON WHERE WE ARE BUILDING AND WHAT WE'RE BUILDING MOVING FORWARD.
UM, WE CURRENTLY RENOVATING THE LOG BARN MORE, MORE TO DO IN THAT FACILITY.
WE'RE WORKING ON OUR LWCF COMPLIANCE CURRENTLY, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH, UM, UM, COLLABORATING WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO DESIGN AND PLAN FOR THE NEXT SECTIONS OF CANAL TRAIL, WHICH ARE ALSO PART OF THE COC PLAN.
AND A LETTER WAS ACTUALLY SENT OUT TO SEVERAL NEIGHBORS ON THE SECTION THAT GOES SOUTH FROM COUNT FROM SUNNYSIDE, UM, TOWARDS THE NEW, UM, FRONTIER FIELDS.
UM, AND, UH, THAT HAS BEEN SENT OUT, UH, JUST SO THAT THEY WOULD HAVE AN IDEA, WE SENT OUT A COPY OF THE MASTER PLAN OR THE MASTER AGREEMENT, AS WELL AS THE PLAN FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AND A LETTER EXPLAINING KIND OF WHY AND HOW WOULDN'T, AND WHEN WE'LL BE, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT, UH, CONSTRUCTING THAT WENT OUT AND ROAD YOUR NEW TRAIL, THE ENTIRETY OF IT.
FIVE MILES FROM, FROM CEI TO COMMUNITY PARK.
CAN, CAN I BACK YOU UP TO THAT PRIOR TO SLIDE TOO? UM, WHEN YOU TALK, FUNLAND IS OPEN.
UM, WELL WITH SOME, SOME, SOME HOLDS ON SOME SPENDING.
WE WERE GONNA UTILIZE SOME IMPACT FEES FOR THAT.
UHHUH
UM, BUT THE OTHER FUNDS THAT WE WERE PLANNING ON USING, UM, IT MIGHT PUT THAT ON HOLD JUST, BUT, UM, THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE IS ON BOARD WITH EVERYTHING WITH THAT FOR THAT LOCATION.
WE'RE ALL, YES, WE'RE ALL GOOD.
AND THEN I DO HAVE, WE HAVE, UH, CATHERINE SMITH WORKING WITH KATHY MUIR, UM, THROUGH THE IDAHO PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT, UM, TO WORK THROUGH THE PAPERWORK SIDE OF THINGS.
REALLY QUICKLY, THE DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATION, UM, I INCLUDED, UH, UH, THE, THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT'S ORGANIZATION CHART.
UM, WE'RE GONNA FOCUS TODAY SPECIFICALLY, LIKE WE'VE TALKED ON ZOO AND GOLF.
SO I WANTED TO START WITH, UM, THE ZOO.
WE HAVE 21 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.
UM, WE HAVE OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OUR REGISTRAR AT ADMIN AT THAT, UH, UM, YOU HAD MET EARLIER THIS SE OR THIS AFTERNOON, UH, DEB.
WE HAVE 11 ANIMAL CARE STAFF MEMBERS, THREE EDUCATION AND VOLUNTEER COORDINATORS.
UH, ONE GUEST SERVICES EMPLOYEE, AND FOUR FOR FACILITIES.
AND THAT'S FOR NOT ONLY MAINTENANCE, BUT IT'S ALSO BEEN IN CONSTRUCTION FOR THE HAMILTON BUILDING FOR FUNLAND AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE BUILD WITHIN OUR DOORS.
TYPICALLY, WE BUILD WITHIN THE STAFF, UH, ON THE, ON THE ZOO SIDE.
SO I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND PASS THIS OVER TO, TO DAVID, AND HE'S GONNA TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE ZOO FOR A LITTLE BIT.
IT'S ALWAYS A, IT'S ALWAYS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE ZOO.
THE, UH, THE ZOO MISSION, YOU CAN READ IT, BUT IT CONSISTS OF THREE IMPORTANT PARTS.
YOU KNOW, IT HAS, HOW'S WILDLIFE TO PROVIDE RECREATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND TO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN CONSERVATION.
THOSE ARE THE THREE GENERAL THINGS THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
UM, YOU LOOK AT, UH, IN ADDITION TO OUR, UH, YOU SAW PJ WENT THROUGH ALL OF OUR, UH, STAFF MEMBERS.
YOU SEE, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE DEPEND ON A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS AND A LOT OF SEASONAL SEASONALS.
SO YOU SEE OUR LIST OF SEASONALS HERE.
WE HAVE CONTRACTED VETERINARIAN, 55 VOLUNTEERS, AND THEN A LOT OF INTERNS FROM VARIOUS UNIVERSITIES.
THOSE ARE PAID FOR THROUGH GRANTS.
AND THE REST ARE, UH, ARE, UH, NON-PAID.
YOU CAN SEE IT COMES UP 8, 8, 9 STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE SEASONAL OR VOLUNTEER OR INTERNS.
UH, AFTER THAT YOU CAN SEE, UH, HERE'S THE, UH, ASSETS OF THE ZOO.
YOU CAN RUN DOWN THOSE NUMBERS.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE LITTLE SLIDE ON THE LEFT WHERE I'VE, UH, BLOCKED OUT ALL THE DIFFERENT BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES, AND YOU THINK OF EVERY ONE OF THOSE HAS ANIMALS IN IT AND PUBLIC WALKWAYS THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF 'EM, AND YOU'RE MIXING, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE, THE PUBLIC WITH ANIMALS AND ANIMALS WITH ALL THEIR, UH, SHALL WE SAY, FACILITY NEEDS WITH THE PLUMBING AND CAGING AND NOT, YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE THINGS.
IT'S A, IT'S A COMPLICATED PLACE.
IT IS A FACILITIES NIGHTMARE OR WONDERLAND.
HOWEVER, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT.
[01:10:02]
UM, HERE'S A QUICK OVERVIEW.WE HAVE, REMEMBER, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE, EDUCATIONAL AND RECREATIONAL.
I THINK WE DO THAT IN EXTRAORDINARY FASHION.
THERE'S FEW ORGANIZATIONS THAT, THAT, UH, PROVIDE A SERVICE FOR OUR COMMUNITY LIKE THE, LIKE THE ZOO DOES AND REACHES SO MANY PEOPLE LIKE THE ZOO DOES.
AND YOU SEE, HERE'S OUR, OUR, UH, NUMBER OF PEOPLE SERVE FROM JUST THIS, UH, 20, 24 FISCAL YEAR, A HUNDRED, ALMOST 170,000 PEOPLE.
THAT INCLUDES, OF COURSE, THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY EVENTS AT NEARLY 15,000 PEOPLE.
134,000 PEOPLE GOING THROUGH THE GATE FOR, UH, ONE, ONE REASON OR ANOTHER, ANOTHER 4,000 IN OUR, IN OUR, UH, UH, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. UM, WHAT'S IMPORTANT, AND I'VE SHOWN SLIDES LIKE THIS TO MANY OF YOU BEFORE, IS WHERE THOSE PEOPLE COME FROM.
AND I THINK THIS REALLY MATTERS.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOP, YOU JUST TAKE THAT 133,000 PEOPLE, 134,000 PEOPLE THAT COME THROUGH THE GATE.
UM, ABOUT 37% OF 'EM ARE FROM IDAHO FALLS, YOU KNOW, JUST OVER A THIRD ARE FROM IDAHO FALLS BECAUSE THE NUMBER'S SO BIG.
HOWEVER, THAT'S A LOT OF IDAHO FALLS RESIDENTS THAT ARE STILL GOING THROUGH, THAT'S STILL ALMOST 50, 50,000 PEOPLE FROM IDAHO FALLS THAT USE THE ZOO.
THAT OF COURSE INCLUDES REPEAT VISITORS.
AND WE DO HAVE OUR REPEAT VISITORS, BUT IT'S, UH, IT'S A WELL USED FACILITY AND BY ITS CITIZENS.
AND ANYBODY THAT'S BEEN THERE, OF COURSE, KNOWS THAT.
JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THAT THOUGH, THAT IT IS WELL USED BY THE CITIZENS OF IDAHO FALLS.
INSTEAD, IT ATTRACTS SO MANY PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE OF IDAHO FALLS.
63% OF OUR VISITORS ARE FROM OUTSIDE OF IDAHO FALLS.
84,000 PEOPLE CAME TO THE ZOO IN THE FISCAL YEAR 24 OUTSIDE OF IDAHO FALLS.
AND YOU SEE THE BREAKDOWN THAT WE HAVE, 31% OF 'EM COMES FROM WITHIN A HUNDRED MILES AND, UH, 32% OF 'EM, UH, OUTSIDE OF A HUNDRED MILES.
DID THIS MATCH YOUR EXPERIENCE AT THE MUSEUM? YES, VERY CLOSELY.
UM, AND AS I'VE SAID, AND I'LL SAY A HUNDRED TIMES MORE, I THINK OUR CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES LIKE THE ZOO, LIKE THE MUSEUM, ARE UNDERAPPRECIATED FOR THEIR ECONOMIC VITALITY THAT THEY BRING TO OUR COMMUNITY.
NOT JUST BY ATTRACTING ALL THESE PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE TO COME IN AND SPEND THEIR MONEY, BUT BY PROVIDING, THIS IS TRUE WITH PARKS AS WELL.
PROVIDING A COMMUNITY THAT PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE IN.
AND I KNOW YOU'VE TALKED TO PEOPLE, I'VE TALKED TO HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE OVER THE YEARS THAT HAVE TOLD ME EXACTLY THAT I CAME TO IDAHO FALLS.
I NEVER IMAGINED WORKING HERE.
I I, I, I CAME TO APPLY JUST TO GET THE EXPERIENCE, BUT I'D NEVER HEARD OF IDAHO FALLS.
BUT I GOT HERE AND I WENT TO THE ZOO, I WENT TO THE MUSEUM, I WENT HERE.
THIS IS A PLACE I CAN RAISE MY FAMILY.
AND THEY'RE HERE BECAUSE OF THAT.
I'VE HEARD THAT STORY A HUNDRED TIMES.
ALRIGHT, THEN THE LAST THING THAT WE HAVE TO DO IN OUR MISSION IS TO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN CONSERVATION.
AND THIS IS, UH, THIS IS QUITE A SLIDE, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING IN CON CONSERVATION.
I HOPE SOMETIME I HAVE A CHANCE TO TALK TO EACH OF, OF YOU ABOUT THAT.
OF ALL THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS WE'RE SUPPORTING AND INVOLVED IN, UM, IT'S ALL SUPPORTED THROUGH OUR QUARTERS FOR CONSERVATION PROGRAM.
EVERY VISITOR, 50 CENTS OF THEIR, OF THEIR FEE GOES TO THE, TO THE CONSERVATION FUND.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S FUNDED AT THE, UH, BIG VEHICLE.
IN THE MIDDLE IS A RESEARCH VEHICLE IN THE GOBY DESERT IN MONGOLIA.
AND IF YOU NOTICE UP IN THE WINDOW, UP, UP AT THE TOP IN THE BACK WINDOW, THERE'S A LITTLE DECAL THAT'S THE IDAHO FALLS ZOO LOGO THERE ON THE RESEARCH VEHICLE IN, IN MONGOLIA.
GRANTED NOT A GREAT MARKETING STRATEGY, BUT IT SURE SURE REPRESENTS WELL, UM, HOW WE ARE ACTIVELY INVOLVED LOCAL CONSERVATION PROJECTS, INTERNATIONAL CONSERVATION PROJECTS.
I HOPE I'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO, UH, TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT.
THOSE THAT, UH, AREN'T ACQUAINTED WITH THEM SO MUCH.
UM, AND THIS CAN'T BE OVEREMPHASIZED ENOUGH IN MY MIND, IS THAT D IDAHO FALLS ZOO IS ACCREDITED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS. UM, NOT ALL ZOOS ARE THE SAME.
NOT ALL AQUARIUMS ARE THE SAME.
NOT ALL OF 'EM HAVE THE SAME STANDARDS AS OTHERS.
AND ONE WAY TO DETERMINE IF THEY DO, UH, LIVE TO THE HIGHEST KNOWN, OPERATE ACCORDING TO THE HIGHEST KNOWN STANDARDS OF THE INDUSTRY, IS THE ACCREDITATION BY THE ASSOCIATION OF ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS. IT IS THE GOLD STANDARD OF DETERMINING WHETHER SOMEONE IS LIVING TO THE STANDARDS AND NOT EVERY ZOO DOES.
AND, UH, AND THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE.
SO TO, TO, UH, DISPLAY ANIMALS TO THE PUBLIC, YOU HAVE TO BE LICENSED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
AND THERE ARE 2,800 INSTITUTIONS ACROSS THE UNITED, UNITED STATES THAT
[01:15:01]
HAVE THAT LICENSE.LESS THAN 10% OF THEM 238 REACHED THE STANDARD, OR AT LEAST DEMONSTRATED THAT THEY REACHED THE STANDARDS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF SUSAN BRAND.
THIS COMING YEAR IS OUR ACCREDITATION YEAR.
YOU HAVE TO DO IT EVERY FIVE YEARS, AND IT'S NOT A RE-ACCREDITATION.
YOU HAVE TO APPLY AGAIN AND GET ACCREDITED AGAIN.
WE GO THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS AGAIN.
AND THAT WILL BE ONE OF THE GREAT FOCUSES OF OUR COMING YEAR, IS MAKING SURE WE'RE PREPARED FOR OUR ACCREDITATION INSPECTION.
UM, NOW WE GO ON TO THE, UH, BUDGET OVERVIEW.
YOU SEE THE, UH, YOU SEE THE REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES, YOU SEE THAT IN OUR REVENUES.
WE HIT, UH, 58% OF OUR, OF OUR, UH, PREDICTED REVENUES AND ONLY SPENT 74% OF OUR BUDGETED EXPENDITURES.
I'LL BE EXPLAINING FOR SOME PART OF THAT AS FUNLAND THAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT IN A MINUTE.
BUT ANOTHER PART OF IT IS OUR, UH, ATTENDANCE.
UM, OUR ATTENDANCE WAS BASED ON THE YEAR 2022 BECAUSE WE'RE DOING THE BUDGET DURING 2023 WHEN WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY ATTENDANCE YET, AND WE PREDICTED A 6% INCREASE.
SO IT'S AN 11% SWING THAT RIPPLES THROUGH IN ALL THE INCOME PRODUCING THINGS AT THE, AT THE ZOO.
SO IT'S ATTENDANCE AND FUNLAND ARE THE TWO BIG ONES.
AND THEN THE THIRD ONE IS OUR, UH, RETAIL SALES, WHICH IS AN EXPLOSION OF BOTH EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE BUDGET AUTHORITY TO BE FLEXIBLE FOR WHATEVER HAPPENS THAT YEAR.
IS THAT, IS THAT NUMBER LIKE GATE THOSE ARE, THAT'S NOT COUNTING ALL THAT COMES FROM THE CITY.
THAT 1 MILLION 6, 4 4, YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S REVENUE THAT WE GET.
THAT IS NOT THE INVESTMENT THAT THE CITY COUNCIL MAKES TOWARDS.
BUT THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT, IN FACT, HERE WE'VE GOT THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS THAT, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, OH, HERE'S OUR REVENUES AGAIN FROM THE LAST FEW YEARS.
HERE'S OUR EXPENDITURES FROM THE LAST FEW YEARS.
YOU HAVE 'EM ALL THERE ON YOUR SHEET.
AND THEN, UH, UM, AND THEN HERE'S OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND.
SO I THINK IT'S ALSO, UH, IMPORTANT TO SHOW THAT THE, UH, WE HAVE LOTS OF REVENUE THAT IS NOT GENERAL FUND REVENUE, UH, ALMOST THE ENTIRETY OF OUR DEVELOPMENT ARM.
IT GOES INTO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND INTO OH FOUR NINE INSTEAD OF THE GENERAL FUND.
AND YOU CAN SEE, SEE THE LAST FEW YEARS OF THOSE, THOSE EXPENDITURES AND THEY'VE, UH, YOU KNOW, 200 OR $300,000 A YEAR IN REVENUE AND A HUNDRED TO $200,000 IN EXPENSES.
WE NOW HAVE $892,000 READY FOR, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AT THE ZOO.
AND WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT SOME THINGS.
UM, HERE'S THE, UH, UH, A CLOSER LOOK AT THAT, UH, INVESTMENT THAT THE CITY MAKES INTO THE ZOO.
I PREFER TO CALL IT AN INVESTMENT INSTEAD OF A SUBSIDY 'CAUSE I THINK IT'S SUCH A GOOD POSITIVE INVESTMENT, ONE THAT'S WELL WORTH IT.
YOU CAN SEE THE LAST TWO YEARS WE HAVE HERE, WE'VE HOVERED ABOUT $1.5 MILLION THAT, UH, OUR REVENUES HAVE BEEN IN SHORTFALL COMPARED TO OUR EXPENDITURES THAT THE GENERAL FUND FILLS.
UM, IF YOU LOOK AT IT PER VISITOR, IF WE JUST TAKE THAT, UH, ATTENDANCE, IT'S ABOUT $10 AND 25 CENTS PER VISITOR.
THE CITY, THE CITY SUBSIDIZE, IF YOU DIVIDE IT AMONG HOUSEHOLDS, OF COURSE, IT'S ABOUT $66 PER HOUSEHOLD THAT IS SUBSIDIZED BY THE GENERAL FUND FOR THE ZOO EVERY YEAR.
OR AT LEAST THAT WAS THE CASE IN 2024.
WHAT, WHAT IS THE ENTRANCE FEE AGAIN? UH, $9 FOR A NINE.
ALRIGHT, SO, UH, FUNLAND, YOU ASKED ABOUT FUNLAND.
UM, THE GREAT NEWS ABOUT FUNLAND IS THAT WE DID MAKE MONEY.
WE DIDN'T MAKE A LOT OF MONEY.
WE CERTAINLY DIDN'T MAKE THE KIND OF MONEY THAT WE PREDICTED IN OUR BUDGET, BUT WE DID NOT LOSE MONEY.
AND WE COUNT THAT AS A, AS AN IMPORTANT VICTORY.
YOU CAN SEE OUR REVENUE EXPENSES THERE IN A, A NET OF $21,000.
UM, AND, BUT WE'LL BE TALKING MORE ABOUT WHY THAT IS AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE THAT.
UH, THE, THE, THE ZOO'S INTEREST IN FUNLAND IS REALLY ONE THING, AND THAT IS TO PRODUCE MORE REVENUE FOR THE ZOO TO DECREASE THE INVESTMENT THAT THE CITY NEEDS TO MAKE IN THE ZOO EVERY YEAR.
THAT'S BEEN OUR INTEREST FROM THE BEGINNING.
[01:20:01]
FUNLAND FOR ITS HISTORY AND ITS CULTURAL IMPACT, THE PERSONALITY THAT HELPS PROVIDE OUR CITY.BUT AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE ZOO, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S MY INTEREST IN FUNLAND? IT'S ONE THING, AND THAT IS TO, TO INCREASE OUR REVENUES.
AND SO I HAVE HIGH HOPES FOR IT, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT HERE IN THAT, UM, AGAIN, YOU'LL SEE THE, UH, RUNDOWN OF OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND.
UH, THERE ARE ASSETS NOW AT $894,000.
THESE ALL COME FROM, UH, DONATIONS AND, UH, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND, UH, UH, MONEY THAT COMES IN THROUGH OUR TICKET SALES, $1 PER VISITOR.
AND SO AS PART OF, UH, DECREASING THAT, UH, 8 94 ALSO, OH, GO AHEAD.
IS IT ALSO AT THE ZOO AND THE AZ I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T HEAR YOUR QUESTION.
894,000 IS THAT ALSO IS AT THE ZOO MONEY.
SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE ENTRANCE, THE TOUGHEST PARK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY, ALL OF OUR EVENTS, LIKE WHO AT THE ZOO GO THROUGH THE TOUGHEST PARK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY AND THEY HOLD THOSE FUNDS SEPARATE.
SO WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT WHEN WE GET TO THE ENTRANCE.
A GOOD QUESTION, IS THIS PICTURE TAKEN ON A REGULAR SATURDAY? OR IS THIS, WOULDN'T THAT BE GREAT? YEAH, IF IT WAS THIS, THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN AT THE OPENING, AT THE GRAND OPENING.
I WAS HOPING WE DID HAVE A FEW VERY BUSY DAYS.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, IT WAS, IT WAS NICE.
WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT THE FEES YET.
SO, UH, THIS IS THE FEES THAT THEY EXIST RIGHT NOW.
UM, IF YOU COMPARE THEM TO SOME OF THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN THE REGION, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE AT THE LOWER END.
YOU SEE ZOO BOISE, SEE, UH, ZOO, IDAHO AND POCA TELLS LESS THAN US, BUT IT IS A, A DIFFERENT FACILITY THAN US.
YOU CAN SEE HOBEL AND ZOOM, MONTANA MUSEUM OF IDAHO.
THEIR, THEIR PRICES HAVE INCREASED QUITE SIGNIFICANTLY THROUGH TIME.
THE, UH, EAST IDAHO AQUARIUM, BEAR WORLD, THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU CAN SEE THE KIND OF, KIND OF FEES THEY'RE CHARGING.
UM, AND SO HERE'S, UH, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE MANY THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING, AS I MENTIONED WITH FUND LAND, UM, ALSO, UH, CONSIDERING OUR TICKET PRICES IS SOMETHING IMPORTANT THAT PJ'S ALREADY STARTED TO TALK ABOUT.
AND SO WE'RE PROPOSING TO IN, IN INCREASE OUR CRISIS AGAIN, THIS COMING YEAR.
WE DID IT JUST LAST YEAR, THE WHOLE TIME, WHILE I'VE BEEN THE DIRECTOR OF THE ZOO, IF MY MEMORY SERVES, UH, WE'VE RAISED THE PRICES ONLY TWO TIMES, ONCE, JUST LAST YEAR FOR A DOLLAR, AND THEN ONE OTHER TIME FOR 50 CENTS.
I'VE BEEN THE DIRECTOR NOW FOR EIGHT YEARS.
CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT? SO WE'RE SUGGESTING A $3 INCREASE FOR NON-RESIDENTS IN KEEPING OUR PRIORITIES AS, UH, BJ JUST OUTLINED BEFORE.
AND THEN ANOTHER ADDITIONAL ADULT DOLLAR FOR CITIZENS OF IDAHO FALLS.
WE'LL BE SPENDING THE WINTER, UH, WITH OUR GUEST SERVICES MANAGER FIGURING OUT THE LOGISTICS OF THAT, HOW IT IS EXACTLY HOW WE DETERMINE, HOW WE CHARGE, HOW THAT'S GONNA FUNCTION FOR OUR FRONT DESK PEOPLE.
PANOFF, DOES OUR FEE RESOLUTION ALREADY INCLUDE THIS? UM, I, IT, IT DOES NOT.
BUT WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO APPROACH THAT AGAIN EARLY IN THE EARLY IN JANUARY WHEN HOPEFULLY THAT OPPORTUNITY WILL COME UP AGAIN.
SO, YEAH, SO ONE THING I WANTED TO TOUCH ON THAT IS, UM, AND THIS IS KIND OF A, A BASED OFF OF THE WAY GOLF USED TO ALWAYS DO THIS.
SO BECAUSE DURING THE BUDGET SEASON, WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF WHATEVER PROGRAMMING SEASON WE'RE, WE'RE IN, TYPICALLY, WE LIKE TO KIND OF GET THROUGH THE END OF THE SEASON AND USE THAT OUR WINTER BREAK MONTHS TO REALLY RE-LOOK AT THOSE, THOSE FEES.
SO A LOT OF THE TIME YOU'LL SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST ON FACILITY ADMISSIONS, WE WON'T DO MANY INCREASES WITH THE BUDGET.
OR IF WE DO, WE, WE DO KIND OF A, A SMALLER VERSION.
AND THEN WE LOOK AT, KIND OF REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND WE'LL COME BACK TO COUNCIL, MOST LIKELY THROUGH SOMETIME THROUGHOUT THE WINTER WITH A, ANY KIND OF PLAN INCREASES FOR BOTH GOLF AND RIZ.
AND, AND THE ADDITIONAL CHALLENGE IS THAT WE'RE MAKING THESE DECISIONS BEFORE OUR, OUR SEASON THE COMING YEAR.
SO WE'RE BUDGETING FOR 2025 WHEN WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENED IN 2024 YET BECAUSE WE DON'T OPEN UNTIL APRIL.
SO WE'RE MAKING A LOT OF THESE DECISIONS WITH NOT ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE HOPE TO HAVE.
UH, ACCORDING TO A QUICK LITTLE, UH, CALCULATION YOU CAN SEE ON THE BOTTOM, WE'RE HOPING THAT THIS ADDITIONAL RAISE IN, UH, FEES THAT THE COUNCIL APPROVES WILL, UH, PRODUCE ABOUT ANOTHER 250,000.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT FUNLAND, WE, WE MENTIONED THE HAPPY NEWS THAT WE, UH,
[01:25:01]
WE MADE MONEY OUR VERY FIRST SEASON, A COMPLETE SEASON OF RUNNING IT.BUT WE ALSO CONTINUE TO BE VERY OPTIMISTIC THAT IT IS A SIGNIFICANT INCOME GENERATOR FOR THE ZOO.
AND, UH, I'VE LISTED A FEW REASONS HERE WHY WE THINK, FOR ONE THING, THE RENOVATION'S NOT COMPLETE YET, PARTICULARLY THE LOG HUT.
WE DO, WE HAD VERY LIMITED CONCESSION SALES THERE, JUST A FEW PACKAGED FOODS, AND IF ANYBODY REMEMBERS FUNLAND, THEY KNOW, UH, THE IMPORT, MUCH OF THE IMPORTANT INCOME CAME FROM HAMBURGERS AND HOT DOGS AND, AND ICE CREAM AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
SO, UH, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT RENOVATION NOW, UH, LARGELY FUNDED BY THE CHC FOUNDATION AND GRANTS AND OUR WONDERFUL FUNLAND COMMITTEE THAT WORKED SO HARD TO, UH, RAISE MONEY FOR THE ZOO.
UM, IN ADDITION TO, UH, FINISHING THE THOSE THINGS, UH, THERE'S SCHOOL GROUPS.
WE DON'T OPEN FUNLAND UNTIL MEMORIAL DAY.
THAT FITS WELL WITH THE RHYTHM OF THE ZOO AND USING OUR FACILITIES PEOPLE TO PREPARE FOR THE OPENING OF THE ZOO.
WE GET A LOT OF FIELD TRIPS COMING TO THE ZOO AND ADDING THE FUNLAND AS A POSSIBILITY IS AN IMPORTANT, UH, FUND, UH, FUND GENERATING, UH, POTENTIAL THAT, UH, WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE HAPPEN WITH OUR STAFF.
UM, WE'VE GOT INCREASED MARKETING, YOU KNOW, THAT WE, WE REALLY MARKETED FUNLAND VERY POORLY THE FIRST YEAR.
AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER PROJECT WE HAVE FOR THE COMING YEARS.
COME UP WITH A GOOD, UH, MARKETING PLAN FOR FUNLAND, UM, CONSISTENT HOURS, KEEP ALL THE RIDES RUNNING AND SAFE.
THE OCTOPUS WAS DOWN QUITE A BIT.
WE'RE STILL LEARNING HOW TO DO IT AND WHAT SOUND MEANS, WHAT THE SLIGHT LITTLE SOUND.
WE'RE CLOSING IT DOWN FAST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO BE CONSERVATIVE AND CAUTIOUS AND WE'RE, UH, STILL LEARNING ABOUT ALL OF THAT.
WE'VE GOT BIG PLANS ON HOW TO IMPROVE FUND LAND FOR TIME THAT WE THINK WILL, UH, WILL REALLY INCREASE.
ITS, ITS ABILITY TO INCREASE, UH, TO GENERAL FUNDS.
SO I CONTINUE TO BE VERY, VERY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT FUND LAND BEING A SIGNIFICANT PART OF OUR, UH, REVENUE INCREASING PLAN.
YOU TALK TO ANY DIRECTOR OF ANY ZOO ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES, THEY'LL SAY THE SAME THING.
THAT THE THINGS THAT DRIVE ATTENDANCE ARE BABY ANIMALS AND NEW EXHIBITS ARE THE, ARE THE TWO BIG THINGS.
AND SO I'LL JUST MENTION A FEW THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE HAD OUR SECOND IMPROVEMENT TO OUR PENGUIN EXHIBIT, UH, ENTIRELY FUNDED BY GRANT FUNDS, UM, RECEIVED THERE TO THE RIGHT HOW, UH, INTIMATE AND WONDERFUL THE, UH, EXPERIENCE NOW WITH, WITH OUR, WITH OUR PENGUINS IS, UM, WE'RE JUST, UH, READY TO, UH, CONSTRUCT A HORN BUILD BARN THAT ALLOWS THESE BEAUTIFUL BIG BROWN BIRDS FROM AFRICA WALK AROUND IN THE SAME EXHIBIT WITH OUR ZEBRAS AND ALLOW PEOPLE TO PEEK IN AT 'EM DURING THE WINTER.
AND IT ALSO FULFILLS AN IMPORTANT, UH, INCREASE IN HUSBANDRY FOR THESE EXTRAORDINARY BIRDS WITH, UH, WINTER HOUSING.
AND, UH, FINALLY, OUR BIGGEST, UH, PROJECT RIGHT NOW IS ISLANDS THAT, UH, WILL BE OPEN THIS SUMMER.
AND, UH, UH, WE'VE SPENT, UH, OVER $300,000 ON THAT NOW HAVE, UH, UH, ALMOST $300,000 DESIGNATED FOR, FOR IT NOW TO COMPLETE IT AND SOME EXTRA, UM, MONEY DESIGNATED FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, BUT ARE ABLE TO GO TO, UH, TO ISLANDS IF WE NEED IT.
UM, AND I HAVE, AS I'VE GONE THROUGH TIME AND IN THE DIRECTORSHIP AT THE ZOO, I CAN SEE HOW POWERFUL THESE THINGS ARE.
AND OUR ATTENDANCE HAS STARTED TO CREEP DOWN A LITTLE BIT OVER THE LAST YEARS.
AND IT'S BEEN, IN MY OPINION, THE HEAT, YOU KNOW, AS OUR SUMMERS GET HOTTER.
AND THIS SUMMER IS A PARTICULAR, WAS A PARTICULAR GOOD EXAMPLE.
THE ATTENDANCE REALLY GOES DOWN.
OUR ATTENDANCE WAS TRACKING HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR UNTIL THE HEAT WAVE CAME.
AND THEN IT DIPPED SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW LAST YEAR, AND WE ENDED UP THE YEAR SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW LAST YEAR.
SO THE HEAT, AND THE SECOND THING IS, IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE'VE HAD SOMETHING NEW AND EXCITING.
AND SO THOSE TWO THINGS ARE, ARE, ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND THEN FINALLY, A NEW ENTRANCE.
UH, IF YOU'VE BEEN TO OUR ZOO AND BEEN IN OUR GIFT SHOP AND GONE THROUGH THE ENTRANCE, YOU KNOW HOW WILDLY INADEQUATE OUR ENTRANCE AND GIFT SHOP IS TO SUPPORT 130, 140, 150,000 PEOPLE IN A SIX MONTH SEASON.
IF YOU HAD GONE TO GO WITH THE ZOO THE OTHER NIGHT AND SAW PEOPLE LINED UP BACK TO THE BEHIND THE ICE ARENA, YOU'D SEE HOW WILDLY INADEQUATE IT IS.
AND BESIDES THAT, HOW MUCH INCOME GENERATION WE MISS BY HAVING SUCH A SMALL, CRAMPED AND AWKWARD GIFT SHOP.
SO OUR GIFT SHOP SALES ARE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US NOW.
WE THINK THAT WE COULD INCREASE THEM WILDLY WITH A, WITH A NICE GIFT SHOP.
[01:30:01]
AND RIGHT NOW THERE'S OVER $650,000 ALREADY IN THE POT WAITING TO SPEND ON OUR NEW GIFT SHOP.AND HERE'S WHERE THE TOUGHEST PARK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY COMES IN.
SO, UH, BUT WITH THE ZOO AND THE OTHER FUNDRAISING EVENTS IN THE EVENING ARE RUN BY THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
THEY KEEP THAT MONEY FOR THE EXPRESS PURPOSE OF RAISING IT FOR A NEW ENTRANCE GIFT SHOP FOR THE ZOO.
AND AT BOO AT THE ZOO, THEY SET ASIDE $1 PER ENTRANCE FOR A NEW CAFE FOR THE ZOO, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT NEXT.
HERE'S THE, UH, DESIGN, THE DESIGN, THE INITIAL ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN THAT'S MADE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE, UH, PICTURE THERE OF THE DOG THERE IN OUR GIFT SHOP.
OUR WONDERFUL JUSTICE, UH, IT IS NOT CONDUCIVE TO SALES.
OUR, OUR GIFT SHOP, IT'S JUST NOT CONDUCIVE AT ALL.
IT'S AMAZING THAT WE MAKE WHAT WE DO FROM IT, AND IT SHOWS THE POTENTIAL OF WHAT A, A MORE EXPANDED GIFT SHOP.
SO YOU SEE THE, UH, THE, UH, FLOOR PLAN OF OUR PROPOSED GIFT SHOP THERE IN THE MIDDLE.
THAT RED SQUARE IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF OUR CURRENT, OUR CURRENT ENTRANCE GIFT SHOP IN COMPARISON.
SO YOU CAN SEE IT'S A SIGNIFICANT, SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE.
AND THEN HERE'S OUR CUCKOO CAFE.
WE DON'T NEED A LARGE, SPACIOUS RESTAURANT, BUT WE DO NEED SOMETHING PERMANENT THAT ISN'T FALLING TO PIECES AND HAS THE SPACE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A, A LARGER, BETTER MENU SO THAT WE CAN, UH, WE CAN GENERATE MORE FUNDS WITH OUR, WITH OUR, UH, FOOD SERVICES.
YOU MIGHT REMEMBER THAT THIS YEAR'S THE FIRST FULL SEASON THAT WE'VE TAKEN OVER THE, UH, FOOD SERVICES AND IT'S GONE EXTREMELY WELL.
UM, IT'S GONE MUCH SMOOTHER THAN I IMAGINED, AND THINGS WENT REALLY WELL, MOSTLY BECAUSE OF BILL GRA SERVICES MANAGER AS A LOT OF RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE.
SO WE'RE, WE ARE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE HIM.
SO WE HAVE ABOUT $35,000 NOW RAISED TO CHANGE OUR GIFT SHOP OR OUR, UH, CAFE.
IT'S A LITTLE TRAILER AND WE WANT TO HAVE, UH, ONE THAT'S ABOUT ALMOST TRIPLE THE SIZE AND, UH, ON A PERMANENT FOUNDATION AND A PERMANENT STRUCTURE.
AND SO FUTURE PLANS, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
WE'VE GOT OUR TIME WELL FILLED.
SO WE HAVE, UH, THE, THE, UH, THINGS THAT WE JUST MENTIONED, OUR ISLANDS EXHIBIT.
THIS IS EXACTLY FROM THE TOP OF PARK MASTER PLAN.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THAT IS WHAT HAS BEEN DRIVING ALL THESE SORTS OF DECISIONS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING IS FOLLOWING THE MASTER PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL SOME YEARS AGO.
AND SO WE HAVE OUR ISLANDS EXHIBIT THERE IN, IN SPACE TWO.
WE HAVE COMPLETE THE FUNLAND RESTORATION THERE, THAT'S IN SPACE FOUR, AND OUR HORN BILL BARN THERE AS WELL.
WE HOPE TO HAVE ALL THOSE DONE WITHIN THE YEAR.
BUT COMING INTO THE FUTURE, WE HAVE OUR NEW ENTRANCE GIFT SHOP THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
AND THAT, UH, PJ'S TALKED ABOUT OPENING THE, UH, ENTRANCE INTO, UH, THOMAS PARK SO THAT WE CAN PLACE OUR ENTRANCE WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.
THEN WE'VE GOT THE NEW CAP, UH, CUCKOO CAFE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
UM, AGAIN, REMEMBER THESE ARE ALL CONSISTENT WITH THE PLAN TO INCREASE OUR REVENUES AND DECREASE THE INVESTMENT OF THE CITY IN THE, IN THE ZOO EVERY YEAR.
AND THEN WITH THE LAND THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED FOR US TO EXPAND INTO, WE'VE GOT A OLIAN STEPS EXHIBIT THAT'S PLANNED, AND I'VE TOLD MANY OF YOU ABOUT THAT AND THE WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP THAT'S BUILDING WITH THE, THE GOVERNMENT OF MONGOLIA AND, AND THEIR EXCITEMENT IN, IN, IN HELPING US WITH THIS.
AND THEN AN AFRICA SAVANNAH EXHIBIT AS WELL, THAT WE'VE GOT SEVERAL, UM, FUNDING ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT TO START LOOKING INTO THAT.
I DIDN'T QUITE DO IT AS FAST AS I COULD PROBABLY LIKED, BUT THERE IT IS, IF YOU HAVE ANY, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, I GUESS THE BIG POINT THAT I'D LIKE TO MAKE IS, IS THAT WE'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS CITY INVESTMENT EVERY YEAR FOR A LONG TIME FROM THE MOMENT THAT I BECAME THE DIRECTOR, THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE ON OUR MIND, AND THESE PLANS HAVE BEEN IN THE PROCESS SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING.
IT'S A LONG GAME GRANTED, BUT IT IS STRATEGICALLY PLANNED AND I FEEL LIKE A, A A POWERFUL PLAN TO, UH, INCREASE OUR REVENUES IN A, IN A SIGNIFICANT WAY.
AND YOU OPEN THE ISLANDS EXHIBIT, ARE YOU, YOU'RE PLANNING ON DOING IT IN THE SUMMER, BUT YOU PLAN TO LET IT GO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER INTO THE YEAR THAN NORMALLY SEE YOU CLOSE? WELL, UH, JUST WILL YOU SAY THAT QUESTION A LITTLE LOUDER JUST SO THAT THE MIC CAN PICK IT UP.
AND YES, THE, UH, ISLANDS EXHIBIT WAS
[01:35:01]
DESIGNED IN A WAY TO HELP WITH THAT BECAUSE A BIG CHUNK OF IT IS INDOORS.UM, AND, UH, FOR TWO YEARS, NOT LAST YEAR, BUT THE TWO YEARS BEFORE WE EXTENDED OUR SEASON THROUGH IN, DURING THE WEEKENDS OF NOVEMBER JUST TO SEE HOW IT WOULD WORK.
AND WE LEARNED A LOT OF INTERESTING THINGS.
AND THE FIRST THING WE LEARNED WAS WE CAN GENERATE ENOUGH, UH, UH, ATTENDANCE TO COVER OUR COSTS AND A LITTLE MORE.
THE SECOND THING WE LEARNED IS HOW INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT, IT'S BECAUSE THE WEATHER IS UNPREDICTABLE AND WE DON'T HAVE A STAFF TO SUPPORT THAT.
ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'VE GOT TO FIGHT ICE AND SNOW AND, UH, WITH OUR SALARIES AND THE NUMBER, THE STAFF WE HAVE, THEY'RE BILL FOR A SUMMER TO, TO DEAL WITH IT IN THE SUMMER, BUT NOT SO MUCH IN THE WINTER.
SO TO CALL 'EM, YOU KNOW, ON A SUNDAY MORNING IS, IS A, IS A BIGGER CHALLENGE.
AND WE DON'T HAVE OUR SEASONAL PEOPLE AVAILABLE THAN THAT.
SO IT'S, WE HAVE A FACILITIES ISSUE TO OVERCOME FIRST, BUT ONCE WE DO THAT, THAT IS PART OF THE PLAN TO START OPENING UP MORE AND MORE OF THE ZOO FOR LONGER AND LONGER SEASON.
AND DOES THAT MEAN LIKE THE MONKEY HOUSE TOO SEEMS PRETTY ADJACENT? YES.
OUR TWO INDOOR, UM, FACILITIES ARE, ARE CLOSE TO EACH OTHER.
THE ONE CHALLENGE IS, IS THAT OUR ANIMALS THAT ARE DO REALLY GOOD IN THE WEATHER ARE FAR AWAY.
SO THEY'LL BE PART OF THE WINTER, WINTER TIME TOO.
YOU GOTTA GET ACROSS THE ZOO TO SEE THE SNOW LEOPARDS AND THE CAMELS AND YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT IN THE PANDAS THAT DO WELL IN THE COLD WEATHER.
AND THEY'RE OUTSIDE ALL THE TIME.
DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH IS LEFT FOR THE GIFT SHOP TO ENTRANCE CONSTRUCTION? THEY HAVE 650,000.
SO NOW THE BOO BEIT THE ZOO'S OVER, WE'RE GOING TO REENGAGE THE ARCHITECTS TO COME UP WITH SOME CONSTRUCTION DESIGNS SO WE KNOW EXACTLY THE COST.
I'LL TELL YOU THAT, UH, UM, THE INITIAL COST BASED ON THAT WAS 1.2 MILLION, MAYBE 1.3.
SO THERE'S A WAYS TO GO, BUT, UM, I'M CONVINCED, AND MANY OF YOU KNOW, I'M MAYBE MORE OPTIMISTIC THAN I SHOULD BE AT TIMES, BUT I'M CONVINCED WE CAN BRING THAT COST DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY.
MUCH OF THE, THE ADDITIONAL COST IS, IS OVERCOMING THE ELEVATION DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHERE THE GIFT SHOP'S GONNA BE AND DOWN TO THE MAIN PART OF THE ZOO.
THERE'S QUITE A HILL THERE RIGHT NOW.
THE ZOO IS NOT A DA FRIENDLY, THERE'S THE HILLS DO NOT COMPLY.
SO TO MAKE, TO, TO MAKE, GET IT INTO COMPLIANCE, THE PLAN THAT THE ARCHITECT CAME UP WITH IS VERY EXPENSIVE, WAS OVER $200,000 JUST TO, JUST TO DO THE PATH WHERE IT IS THAT WE WANTED TO DO IT.
WE'VE COME UP WITH SOME PLANS TO CHANGE THAT AND WE THINK WE CAN BRING THE COST DOWN QUITE A BIT, BUT THAT'S YET TO BE SEEN.
AND THEN FINALLY YOU SAW THAT 800 EXCESS OF EIGHT, ALMOST $900,000 LEAD CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND IF WE CONTINUE TO BUILD OUR PROJECTS THE WAY THAT WE HAVE A LITTLE TY, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A LITTLE TIME DOING SO MUCH INTERNALLY, BUT HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE ENOUGH MONEY AT THE END TO INVEST IN THAT AS WELL, TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN MUCH SOONER.
SO WE'LL KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED.
AND DO YOU ENVISION A DAY WHEN THERE'S A FAMILY COULD BUY A PASS BOTH ZOO AND FUNLAND FOR THE DAY OR, UH, AN ANOTHER GREAT QUESTION AND ONE OF THE GREAT, UH, REASONS TO HAVE THE ENTRANCE WHERE IT IS, IS SO THAT IT SERVE FARMLAND DOWN THE ZOO AND BRING IT ALL AS PART OF ONE BIG EXPERIENCE.
I HAVE A QUESTION THAT PJ YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER, LIKE, I HAVE NO IDEA, BUT IT MADE ME THINK OF IT JUST THROUGHOUT THIS CONVERSATION.
DO YOU SEE, UM, ANY CORRELATION, POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE WHEN YOU'RE HOLDING SOFTBALL AND BASEBALL GAMES THERE TO INTO THE ZOO? LIKE WHEN IT'S BUSY AT THE PARK, IT'S BUSY AT THE ZOO, OR LIKE PEOPLE DON'T COME TO THE ZOO? YEAH, YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
UM, THERE'S DEFINITELY A CORRELATION BETWEEN THAT, NOT ONLY WITH THE ZOO, BUT FUNLAND IS A SIGNIFICANT, WE SEE A SIGNIFICANT, UH, CONTRIBUTION THERE.
WHAT WE NEEDED TO GET BETTER AT ABOUT IS, IS DOING SOME MORE CROSS KIND OF GRILL MARKETING, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE AWARE OR MAYBE HAVING SOME KIND OF DEALS FOR IF YOU'RE HERE FOR THAT, THAT YOU CAN GET A DISCOUNT AND GO IN.
BUT WE DEFINITELY SEE HOCKEY IS THAT ONE THAT, THAT THE END OF THE YEAR, UM, THE END OF THE SEASON FOR THE, FOR, FOR, UH, THE ZOO.
WE SEE A LOT OF THAT CROSSOVER, BUT IT'S SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME THAT, UH, THAT THAT TENDS TO GO AWAY PRETTY QUICKLY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR DAVID? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU DAVID.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE DIRECTLY INTO GOLF.
UM, WITH, UH, WE'VE GOT TIM RANK HERE WHO'S OUR OVER ALMOST 47 YEARS OF BEING THE GOLF PRO AT,
[01:40:01]
UH, PINE CREST GOLF COURSE.LONG, LONG TIME, UM, MUST BE A PRETTY EASY JOB, I GUESS
UM, BUT, UM, SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND START TALKING DIRECTLY ABOUT, UH, GOING TO OUR ORG CHART FOR, FOR GOLF.
SO WE HAVE, UH, 12 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.
UM, IN THAT WE HAVE THREE GOLF PROFESSIONALS, ONE OF WHICH, UM, TIM ACTS AS THE MANAGER OF GOLF OPERATIONS.
AND REALLY THAT GIVES US, GIVES, GIVES ME AS THE DIRECTOR, ONE PERSON THAT I COULD TALK TO ONE DIRECT REPORT IN WITHIN GOLF, UM, TO BE ABLE TO, TO, TO REACH ALL, UH, AREAS OF, UH, OF THAT DIVISION.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE THREE ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONALS.
WE'VE GOT THREE SUPERINTENDENTS OF GOLF MAINTENANCE, ONE OF WHICH ACTS AS THE DIRECTOR OF AGRONOMY.
THEY HELP SET, UH, SCHEDULING AND, AND WE'VE REALLY USED IT TO HELP MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT, OUR MAINTENANCE MORE EFFICIENT SO THAT WE'RE ORDERING AND USING THE SAME PRODUCTS BETWEEN A, BETWEEN COURSES.
WE, I KNOW THAT SEEMS LIKE THAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED LONG, LONG TIME AGO, BUT USING SHARING EQUIPMENT, SHARING SCHEDULES SO THAT, UM, NOT EVERYBODY IS TRYING TO SAY TOP DRESS OR VERTA CUT ON THE SAME WEEKENDS.
WE CAN MOVE THOSE AROUND, UTILIZE STEALTH STAFF TO HELP, BUT THAT, UH, LEAD AGRONOMIST OR THAT DIRECTOR OF AGRONOMY, UM, HELPS LEAD THAT AND, AND, UM, AND SUPERVISE THAT, THAT, UH, THAT, UH, COORDINATION.
AND THEN WE DO HAVE THREE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, UH, COURSE MAINTENANCE, UH, EMPLOYEES AS WELL.
UH, TO HELP WITH THAT, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND PASS IT OVER TO TIM AND HAVE HIM TAKE OVER GOLF.
UM, AS THE COMMUNITY GROWS, GOLF CONTINUES TO EXPLODE.
IT'S, UH, IT'S, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE QUITE HONESTLY.
EVERY, EVERY REPORT I GIVE TO PJ EVERY MONTH WE TALK ABOUT OUR REVENUE.
EVERY MONTH WE'RE UP, IT'S TIME TO QUIT, I THINK BEFORE, BEFORE IT CHANGES, BUT KIND OF A LITTLE INSIGHT FOR THOSE OF YOU DON'T PLAY GOLF TEE TIMES.
WE GIVE 'EM FOUR DAYS IN ADVANCE AND IN 15 SECONDS EVERY SINGLE TEE TIME IS GONE.
WE GIVE ABOUT, UH, 150 TEE TIMES OR A HUNDRED, UH, ABOUT 600 PLAYERS AT, AT EACH 150 PLAYERS AT EACH OR AT TEE TIMES AT EACH COURSE.
I MEAN, IT'S A WONDERFUL THING FOR OUR REVENUE.
IT'S A VERY FRUSTRATING THING FOR THE PEOPLE THAT LIVED HERE THAT USED TO PLAY GOLF AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GETTING ON OUR COURSES.
I MEAN, IT, IF THERE'S A GRIP ABOUT GOLF AS YOU CAN'T GET ON, UH, WE'RE REALLY GOOD ABOUT WORKING PEOPLE ON.
THAT'S SOMETHING TO KNOW BEHIND THE SCENES.
BUT TEE TIMES GO EXTREMELY FAST.
SO GOLF HAS EXPLODED AND, UH, AS I SAY, IT'S A WONDERFUL THING FOR THOSE THAT LOVE TO PLAY GOLF.
UM, ANOTHER LITTLE HISTORY I JUST WANTED TO MENTION BEFORE I GO THROUGH MY REPORT.
PINECREST BEING 90 OR ALMOST 90 YEARS OLD THIS YEAR, UH, IS A, IS A REAL GEM IN THE COMMUNITY.
THOSE THAT PLAY GOLF PROBABLY KNOW THIS, BUT, UH, GOLF DIGEST IS, IT RANKS, RANKS, UH, GOLF COURSES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND THEM DONE IT FOR ABOUT EIGHT YEARS, EIGHT OR NINE YEARS NOW.
BUT THE LAST TIME THEY RATED IT, PINECREST WAS THE NUMBER ONE PUBLIC COURSE IN THE ENTIRE STATE.
SO KUDOS TO THE CITY OF MEADOW FALLS FOR, FOR WHAT THEY DO HERE.
YOU KNOW, HAVING THREE WONDERFUL GOLF COURSES, NOT THAT SAND CREEK AND SAGE AREN'T AS GOOD A GOLF COURSES 'CAUSE THEY ARE.
BUT PINECREST BEING AS OLD AS IT IS JUST GETS THE KUDOS FROM, FROM THESE PUBLICATIONS.
AND CONSEQUENTLY, BECAUSE OF THAT, WE GET HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF TOURISTS THAT COME GOING TO THE NATIONAL PARKS AND THEY SEE, YOU KNOW, OUR RATING IN, IN THE MAGAZINES AND THEY STOP AT IDAHO FALLS AND WANT PLAY GOLF.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A REAL COOL THING.
UM, I'M JUST GONNA HIT ON SOME OF THESE.
I GOT A BUNCH OF CHARTS I WANNA SHOW YOU, BUT, UH, THE FOCUS OF OUR, OF THE GOLF DIVISION HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO PROVIDE A PUBLIC RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITY THAT'S AFFORDABLE TO OUR RESIDENTS.
UM, AND, AND PJ KIND OF HIT ON THIS YEARS AND YEARS AGO, ALL THE YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE, I KNOW THE COUNCIL YEARS AGO, IF THE GOLF DIVISION LOST SOME MONEY, IT WAS NOT IMPORTANT TO THEM.
THEY JUST SAID, WE'RE NOT GONNA RAISE FEES.
AND EVEN THOUGH THAT WAS A NICE THING FOR THE RESIDENTS AT THAT POINT IN TIME, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, DOLLARS ARE WHAT KEEP THINGS OPEN.
AND SO AS TIME HAS GONE ON, WE'VE HAD TO RAISE THEIR FEES.
AND, AND THAT'S BEEN A GOOD THING.
AND I I'LL SAY THAT EVEN, UH, WITH ALL THE, UH, PEOPLE THAT I KNOW THAT PLAY GOLF, THEY UNDERSTAND THAT GOLF NEEDS TO TAKE ENOUGH REVENUE AND TO PAY ALL THE BILLS THAT, UH, CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF COURSES NEED.
SO IT'S, IT IS BEEN A GOOD THING.
AND I'M GONNA HIT THOSE FEES HERE IN A MINUTE.
BUT THE PROFESSIONALISM, AND I LIKE TO HIT ON THIS 'CAUSE I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT OF OUR ENTIRE STAFF FROM OUR CERTIFIED GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS TO OUR PGA PROFESSIONALS UNMATCHED.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT'S REALLY APPRECIATED BY OUR GUESTS.
YOU TALK TO ANY OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO PLAY A LOT OF GOLF, THEY REALLY APPRECIATE HOW THE COURSES ARE IN WONDERFUL CONDITION AND THEY APPRECIATE THE, UH, GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE THEY GET.
SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A KUDO TO ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR US.
UM, THIS JUST KIND OF OVERVIEW OF, UH, AND I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THIS REAL QUICK.
THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY OF OUR GOLF PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANTS PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL
[01:45:01]
CUSTOMER SERVICE TO EVERY CUSTOMER WALKS UNDER THE GOLF COURSES, WHETHER THEY'RE RESIDENT OF OUT OF FALLS OR A VISITOR FROM AROUND THE WORLD.IN ADDITION TO RUNNING THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS, THE GOLF SHOP, THESE PROFESSIONALS PROVIDE EXPERT CLUB FITTING.
WE TEACH THE GAME OF GOLF, PROMOTE ORGANIZED LEAGUES AND TOURNAMENTS.
WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF THOSE THINGS THAT GO ON ALL THE TIME.
AND SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR CUSTOMERS REALLY ENJOY.
OUR SUPERINTENDENTS THAT MAINTAIN THE GOLF COURSE IS THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY, OBVIOUSLY TO PROVIDE EXCELLENT COURSE CONDITIONS WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF COURSES, MAYBE COMPARE OFF COMPARE TO LIKE HIGH SEA AND MAYBE, UH, DOWN IN SHELLY, THAT GOLF COURSE.
THEY'RE WONDERFUL GOLF COURSES, BUT THEY DON'T SPEND THE MONEY THAT WE DO TO KEEP THE COURSES IN SUCH WONDERFUL SHAPE.
AND NOT THAT THAT'S A NECESSITY DOWN THERE.
PEOPLE WHO PLAY THOSE COURSES ARE KIND OF GETTING IN THE GAME.
THEY'RE NOT REALLY WANTING TO, UH, THEY'RE NOT REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT COURSE CONDITIONS.
BUT WHEN PEOPLE PLAY OUR COURSES, THEY WANT GREENS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE.
THEY WANT SPEED, THEY WANT ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND, AND SO WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT COSTS MORE MONEY, UH, BUT PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO PAY FOR THAT.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD THING.
BUT OUR SUPERINTENDENTS, UH, THEY, THEY, UH, TURF AND TREE MAINTENANCE, THEY DO 24 HOUR MONITORING OF OUR LARGE IRRIGATION SYSTEMS, HERBICIDE AND PESTICIDE APPLICATION AND COMPLETE ASSET MANAGEMENT.
THAT'S A HUGE JOB THOSE GUYS DO.
AND, UH, THEY DO A WONDERFUL JOB OF IT.
SOME OF OUR ASSETS OF THE GOLF DIVISION, UM, WE MAINTAIN MORE THAN 500 PLUS ACRES AND 62 PUTTING GREENS OF GOLF COURSE PROPERTY.
UM, WE HAVE 47 BUILDINGS ON THE FACILITIES.
PINECREST HAS 18, SAND CREEK 16 SAGE IS 13.
FIVE PRACTICE PUTTING GREENS, THREE LARGE IRRIGATION SYSTEMS, FOUR IRRIGATION PUMPING STATIONS, OVER A HUNDRED, UH, VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT TO MAINTAIN THOSE COURSES.
I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THAT, BUT WE DO HAVE A LOT OF FENCING OUT THERE.
UH, WE HAVE 215 GOLF CARTS ALL PAID FOR, AND, UH, WE HAVE GOT ABOUT 550,000 IN GOLF MERCHANDISE THAT, UH, FACILITATES OUR SALES.
THIS IS, UH, THIS YEAR WE TOOK IN, UH, WE'RE ABOUT 4.3 MILLION WE TOOK IN OUR BUDGET, UH, SO FAR EXPENSES, AND THESE WILL GO UP A LITTLE BIT.
OUR 4.1 MILLION, IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE 573,000 IN MURPH EXPENSES.
THAT'LL HIT OUR BUDGET AS WELL.
UH, SO IT'S BEEN A SUCCESSFUL YEAR.
UH, THIS IS, THE REVENUES KIND OF LOOKS THROUGH THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
OUR REVENUES JUST CONTINUE TO EXPLODE EVERY YEAR.
THEY WE'RE, WE JUST KEEP GOING UP.
AND WHAT, WHAT'S INTERESTING, I BELIEVE IT WAS 2000 OR 2001, WE WERE PINE CHRISTMAS CLOSED.
WE SPENT 3 MILLION ON THAT, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT MORE HERE IN JUST A MINUTE.
BUT THAT YEAR WE WERE CLOSED, PINECREST HAD NINE HOLES OPEN, AND I WAS CONCERNED, I THOUGHT OUR REVENUE'S GONNA BE DOWN, OUR REVENUE WAS UP 500,000 THAT YEAR.
I THOUGHT, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT HAPPENED, BUT PEOPLE JUST KEPT PLAYING AND THEY, THEY SPENT A LOT OF MONEY.
SO IT WAS A, IT WAS A REAL POSITIVE THING THAT I DIDN'T THINK WOULD HAPPEN.
UH, THESE ARE EXPENSES, AND YOU, IF YOU'LL KNOW IT IN THIS YEAR, WE, UH, WE SPENT QUITE A BIT IN OUR MUR FUND.
WE BOUGHT, UH, NEW GOLF CARTS, WHICH WAS PROBABLY ALMOST HALF OF THAT 360,000 FOR NEW GOLF CARTS, SO THAT WE NEEDED.
AND, UH, THOSE ARE JUST SOME BALANCE ITEMS FOR YOU.
UM, BALANCE SHEET ITEMS YOU CAN LOOK THROUGH THAT, YOU GUYS CAN HAVE COPIES OF THAT.
UM, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, MARK PROBABLY HELP ME WITH THAT.
OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND, UM, I'M GONNA SHOW YOU A CHART ON THIS.
THE MOST IMPORTANT PART ABOUT THIS TO ME, OVER THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, WE'VE, WE'VE TAKEN IN 1.6 MILLION JUST FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND WE RAISED OUR FEES ACCORDINGLY TO, TO GENERATE THAT.
UH, SO IT'S BEEN, AGAIN, ANOTHER POSITIVE.
UM, THESE ARE KIND OF SOME INTERESTING CHARTS.
UH, I, I WENT THROUGH WHEN I FIRST STARTED IN 1984 AS THE HEAD PROFESSIONAL FOR THE, UH, ADULT SEASON PASS WAS $200 AND THIS YEAR IT'LL BE 1,006.
AND SO I THOUGHT THAT'S AN INTERESTING STAT.
I DIDN'T REALLY THINK ABOUT THAT, BUT I DIVIDED THAT OVER 41 YEARS.
SO WE'VE RAISED OUR PASS, HONESTLY NOT VERY MUCH, $19 AND 65 CENTS A YEAR.
SO IT, IT, WHICH IS LESS THAN THE PRICE OF A GREEN FEE.
BUT I THOUGHT, EH, IT'S, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CORRECT THAT WE, WE RAISED THAT, BUT IT IS ACTUALLY BEEN ACTUALLY NOT A BAD, NOT A BAD DEAL.
OUR GOLF SHOP, MERCHANDISE SALES COUPLE, ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO, WE WERE ABLE TO GET OUR THREE ASSISTANT PROFESSIONALS ON FULL TIME.
AND WHAT I LEARNED FROM THAT EXPERIENCE IS KNOWLEDGEABLE HELP SELLS A LOT OF STUFF.
AND PEOPLE WANT PEOPLE THAT KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
NOT THAT OUR SEASONAL HELP DOESN'T 'CAUSE THEY'RE WELL TRAINED, BUT THEY'RE NOT WELL TRAINED AS OUR ASSISTANT PROFESSIONALS AND OUR HEAD PROFESSIONALS.
BUT OUR SALES HAVE, YOU KNOW, HONESTLY BOOMED, UH, DUE TO THAT.
[01:50:01]
RESULT, KIND OF GOING BACK TO WHAT DAVID SAID AT THE ZOO, I MEAN, MERCHANDISE SALES ARE ANOTHER PLUS FOR THE GOLF DIVISION.WE MADE $215,000 IN PROFIT THIS YEAR, OR WE'RE CLOSE TO THAT.
UM, SO GOLFERS LIKE TO SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, THE GOLF COURSES 'CAUSE THEY REALIZE THE PROFITS STAY IN OUR GOLF, YOU KNOW, AND THE GOLF DIVISION HELP OUR BOTTOM LINE.
SO IT'S, UH, UH, IT, IT'S BEEN ANOTHER, THAT'S JUST ANOTHER REVENUE SOURCE THAT REALLY DOES HELP US.
WHAT'S INTERESTING HERE IN, UH, I THINK IT'S 2006 WE SOLD, IT WAS A RECORD YEAR.
THAT WAS BEFORE THE RECESSION HIT.
WE HAD, WE HAD A RECORD YEAR OF 1,789 PASSES.
AND I THINK BACK TO THAT DAY, THOSE THAT YEAR, UH, THERE WERE PEOPLE BUYING PASSES THAT I'M NOT SURE EVEN USED THEM.
I MEAN, MONEY WAS SO PEOPLE WERE SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY BACK THEN BEFORE THE ECONOMY.
THEY'RE THROWING, OF COURSE, ALL THIS ON CREDIT CARDS AND
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS, IT WAS A, IT IS A REALLY GOOD NUMBER, BUT IT WAS REALLY NOT A, A REALISTIC NUMBER.
AND SO IF YOU LOOK OVER TIME, WE, THIS YEAR WE, WE SOLD 1300 PASSES, WHICH IS ABOUT WHAT WE'D LIKE TO SELL.
SOME PEOPLE USE 'EM EVERY DAY, SOME DON'T USE AS MUCH ACTIVITY ON 'EM.
UH, AND THOSE THAT PLAY EVERY DAY GET A REALLY GOOD BARGAIN.
BUT, UH, UM, I'M GONNA GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
WHAT'S INTERESTING, BECAUSE WE'VE RAISED OUR PRICES ON PASSES AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO KIND OF GRADUALLY RAISE PRICES, UM, AS PAST PRICES INCREASED, GREEN FEE REVENUE WENT UP.
AND SO WE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE MADE MORE MONEY NOT SELLING AS MANY PASSES JUST BECAUSE WE GOT DAILY PLAY.
AND SO IT'S A, IT'S A BALANCE.
YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS THINK ABOUT DO WE GET RID OF SEASON PASSES? I THINK, I THINK IN MY OPINION, I KEEP PASSES BECAUSE ONE THING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO, WHO BYPASSES, THEY'RE OUR CUSTOMER.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE ALWAYS COMING BACK TO OUR FACILITIES.
IF YOU STRICTLY DID GREEN FEES, THEY MIGHT TEND TO GO TO REXBURG AND ALL THESE OTHER PLACES MORE, MORE OFTEN THAN OUR PLACE.
NOT THAT THEY'RE NOT DOING THAT, BUT UM, PASSES KIND OF GET YOU A BASE OF PEOPLE THAT, UH, AND, AND A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE SPEND MONEY IN OUR CAFES.
THEY'RE PLAYING IN OUR TOURNAMENTS.
THEY NOT ONLY SPEND MONEY ON THE PAST, THEY'RE SPENDING EXTRA MONEY BUYING PRODUCT FROM OUR FACILITIES.
SO IT, IT IS A, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S SOMETHING THAT TO ALWAYS LOOK AT NUMBER OF GREEN FEE ROUNDS.
IN 2006, IT WAS A RECORD YEAR.
AGAIN, PEOPLE WERE PLAYING AND, AND SPENDING LOTS OF MONEY.
AND, AND THEN, THEN WHEN THE ECONOMY GOT KIND OF BAD THERE, WE, UH, WE, WE, OUR NUMBERS WENT DOWN IN 2013.
IT WAS A WONDERFUL, I, I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.
I THINK IT WAS IN THE SIXTIES IN FEBRUARY.
WE THOUGHT, WHAT THE WORLD'S HAPPENING HERE? AND, UH, SO THOSE WERE BONUS YEARS, EH, WE KIND OF WENT DOWN A LITTLE BIT, BUT, AND, AND THIS, THE LAST TWO YEARS, OUR, OUR REVENUE OR, OR A NUMBER OF GREEN FEE ROUNDS HAVE GONE UP.
UM, SO, AND WE'RE JUST A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF 2006.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE ONE POINT THAT, THAT THIS IS NUMBER OF ROUNDS PLAYED ON GREEN FEE ONLY.
SO YEAH, I BELIEVE WE'RE AT ABOUT 136,000.
THAT ACT OF ROUNDS PLAYED AT THE COURSES.
THIS IS 52,000 ONLY GREEN FEE.
52,000 OF 'EM ARE AND WHEN DID SAGE LAKES OPEN? SAGE OPENED, LET'S SEE, THEY'RE ALMOST 93.
ANOTHER THING THAT WE DID, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU HATE RAISING PRICES, BUT I'M GONNA SAY THIS HONESTLY, UM, I HEAR IT ALL.
AND WE HAD VERY FEW GRIPES ABOUT RAISING OUR, OUR PRICE.
WE, SO IN 2020, WE, WE RAISED OUR FEES FROM A DOLLAR AROUND TO $120 FOR EVERY SEASON PASS HOLDER.
AND EVERY GREEN FEE PERSON PUTS $4 INTO THAT, AS WELL AS OUR CART RIDERS.
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE CHART HERE, I MEAN, WE'VE RAISED MONEY, WE'VE HAD, WE'RE, WE'RE PAYING OFF RIGHT NOW, THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM AT PINECREST.
BUT IT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO DO.
AND FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, SO YOU HEAR IT 'CAUSE YOU, YOU GUYS HEAR FROM THE, THE, UH, COMMUNITY AS WELL.
THEY JUST UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR, I MEAN, THINGS ARE EXPENSIVE.
AND AS, AS WE GO FORWARD LOOKING AT SAND CREEK, SAND CREEK, THE NEXT COURSE THAT NEEDS AN IRRIGATION SYSTEM, THAT'S GONNA BE PROBABLY MORE EXPENSIVE.
IT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WE'LL LOOK AT TO MAYBE RAISE OUR CAPITAL FEES SLIGHTLY OVER, OVER TIME.
UM, ONE OTHER THING I WANNA MENTION ABOUT FEES IS WE USED TO, WE, WE'VE KIND OF BEEN ON THE PATH WHERE WE KIND OF GRADUALLY HERE RAISING THE MAYOR EVERY YEAR.
I THINK OUR PASSIVE NEXT YEAR WE'RE AT ASKING FOR A $40 INCREASE, OUR GREEN FEE'S, A DOLLAR.
UM, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD, A GOOD, UH, TREND TO BE ON BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY PRICES ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO GO, YOU KNOW, TO GO UP AND IF GOLF IS GONNA, YOU KNOW, KEEP PAYING ITS WAY.
UM, I THINK WE JUST GOTTA KEEP LOOKING AT THAT.
SO, DO I UNDERSTAND THIS CORRECTLY, $384,000 IS WHAT WE COLLECTED
[01:55:01]
FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT THIS YEAR? THIS YEAR, YEP.AND THAT'S THE BEST YEAR WE'VE HAD.
THAT'S ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GETTING EACH YEAR.
SO SINCE 2020, I THINK THAT YEAR WE RAISED JUST LESS THAN 300,000.
OUR GOAL, I KNOW OUR AT FDE MARK, OUR, OUR LOAN PAYMENT'S ABOUT 300,000 A YEAR.
SO WE'VE, WE'VE HIT OUR, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PAYING OFF THAT LOAN THIS YEAR.
LIKE I SAY, IT WAS A RECORD 384,000.
SO WE WE'RE TAKING IN MORE THAN WE ANTICIPATED, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, A REAL GOOD, REAL GOOD PROBLEM.
HOW MANY YEARS? COULD LONG? SEVEN YEARS.
SO HOW, HOW MUCH LONGER? IT'S ABOUT SEVEN YEARS LEFT.
SO THE 384,000, THEN 300,000 WENT FOR THE LOAN PAYMENT.
I KNOW IT STAYS IN THE CAPITAL FUND FOR, FOR THAT PAYMENT.
WE HAVE A GRADUATING FEE RE REPAYMENT.
SCHEDULE GOES UP, BUT IT COMES OUT OF THIS NUMBER.
AND THEN THE, THE SURPLUS GOES TO OTHER OFFER TRAVELING LIKE GOLF CARTS OR WHATEVER IS GOING ON.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE IT'S WORTH? ABSOLUTELY.
SO IT, IF IT WAS A GOOD THING IN 2020, WE RAISE THOSE FEAST IT AND IT IS JUST SUB WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO.
I I JUST MADE A COMMENT ABOUT THAT.
BECAUSE THERE WERE, WHEN WE DID THAT, IT, IT WAS A REAL, I REMEMBER BEING CONCERNED THAT WE WOULD LOSE GOLFERS, RIGHT? AND, AND THAT OUR REVENUES WOULD ACTUALLY GO DOWN AND, AND IT HAD, THAT HASN'T BEEN THE CASE.
IT, IT, IT, YOU KNOW, WE THOUGHT WELL, WE'LL RAISE 'EM UNTIL WE START SEEING A DECLINING IN THE NUMBER OF ROUNDS, MAYBE.
ONE THING THOUGH, JIM, THAT THAT HAS HAPPENED, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR PAST PRICES, 'CAUSE WE HAVE RAISED THOSE, I MEAN, OUR PAST PRICES HONESTLY WERE WAY TOO INEXPENSIVE COMPARED TO OTHER COMMUNITIES THAN THE THINGS WE DO.
UH, WE'VE RAISED THOSE AND WHICH WAS REALLY GOOD.
I'LL, I'LL SAY WHO WE, WHO WE REALLY LOST WAS WE LOST A LOT OF SENIORS THAT PLAY JUST NINE HOLE ROUNDS.
'CAUSE WHEN YOU COMPUTE YOUR NINE HOLE, WE SELL A NINE HOLE PUNCH.
BUT THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT THAT IS EVERY TIME THEY PLAY, WE'RE GETTING A SET FEE FROM 'EM WHERE YOUR PASSOVER, THE MORE THEY PLAY, THE THE CHEAPER THAT GETS.
UM, THIS IS JUST A BUDGET OVERVIEW.
THESE ARE 2025, UH, PROJECTS THAT, UH, THAT WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO, UH, UH, FUND THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND, THE DRIVING RANGE NET AT SAND CREEK.
THOSE THAT ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT SAND CREEK.
UH, WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THE GAME OF GOLF IS GOLF BALLS ARE GOING FURTHER AND FURTHER AND FURTHER, WHICH IS WHAT PEOPLE WANT.
UM, THE BAD PART IS IF YOU OWN A DRIVER RANGE LIKE WE DO AT SAND CREEK, IT'S A LIMITED RANGE OUT THERE.
AND WHAT'S INTERESTING IS WE PURCHASE A DAVE, I WANNA JUST HIT THIS REAL QUICK.
DAVE SMITH, THOSE THAT KNOW HIM IN THIS ROOM OWNS I OR, UH, UH, STEEL, IT'S, UH, TETON TETON STEEL.
UH, HE DONATES, IN FACT, UH, IT COSTS HIM ABOUT 9,000 A YEAR.
AND I ASKED HIM ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO, I SAID, DAVE, ARE YOU GONNA DO IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR? HE SAID, TIM, LET ME JUST MAKE THIS EASY.
I WILL BUY RANGE BALLS FOR THE CITY OF IDAHO FALLS TILL THE DAY I DIE.
AND HE'S MAYBE 60 YEARS OLD NOW, SO HE WILL BE OUR RANGE BALL.
HE LOVES THE GAME OF GOLF AND HE CAN AFFORD TO DO IT.
BUT ANYWAY, AT SAND CREEK, WE HAVE LIMITED FLIGHT GOLF BALLS.
AND, UH, WHICH IN THEORY WORKS, THE PROBLEM AT SAND CREEK IS EVERYBODY HATES LIMITED FLIGHT RANGE BALLS.
SO THEY REACH IN THEIR OWN BAGS AND THEY HIT THEIR TISTS OR WHATEVER THEY'RE HITTING OUT THERE, AND THEY'RE GOING OVER OUR FENCE LINE BECAUSE GOLF BALLS GO SO MUCH FURTHER THESE DAYS.
AND SO I THINK WHAT WE HAVE THIS YEAR, WE HAD FIVE OR SIX, UH, WINDSHIELDS THAT GOT HIT.
AND OF COURSE, PEOPLE ARE NOT HAPPY.
AND, AND SO WE'RE GONNA INVEST, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE ABOUT 120,000 ACTUALLY.
WE'RE GONNA EXTEND OUR, WE'RE GONNA PUT A, A HIGHER FENCE OUT THERE.
IT'S A NETTING SYSTEM THAT'S DESIGNED FOR GOLF BALL.
SO THAT WILL HAPPEN THIS YEAR.
UM, WE JUST PUT A NEW ROOF ON SAGE LAKE'S GOLF COURSE, UH, WHICH IS 42,000 THAT JUST GOT COMPLETED.
AND AS OLD AS THE, UH, CLUBHOUSES AT PINECREST.
I THINK THEY MAY BE THE ORIGINAL FURNACES.
I THINK HE TOLD ME THEY WERE IN THE FIFTIES.
THOSE, THOSE FURNACES, WE ARE REPLACING THOSE, UH, I THINK THIS, THIS WINTER.
UM, SOME FUTURE CAPITAL PLANS, UM, CONTINUE TO PAY OFF OUR PINECREST IRRIGATION SYSTEM LOAN.
UH, WE HAVE A TRAILER OUT OF SAND CREEK.
THAT'S A, IT IS PRETTY DILAPIDATED.
UM, AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA LOOK FOR A NEW IRRIGATION SYSTEM, PROBABLY ANOTHER SEVEN YEARS.
ONCE WE GET OUR ORIGINAL LOAN PAID OFF FOR PINECREST, WE'RE GONNA NEED A NEW ROOF OF PINECREST.
I DON'T SEE THAT PROBABLY IN THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS.
[02:00:01]
UH, WE'RE HOPING TO GET A RESTROOM ON WHOLE NUMBER FOUR AT SAGE LAKES.UH, PJ AND I HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD ON THAT, JUST GETTING, WE GOT PROBLEMS. WE HAVE A DITCH THERE THAT WE HAVE TO GET ACROSS.
AND THEN IT'S, UH, WORKING WITH THE, UH, WITH THE, UH, HOMEOWNERS, OR NOT THE HOMEOWNERS, BUT THE, UH, DEVELOPER ON GETTING, UH, ON GETTING THAT, UH, WATER OVER THERE.
SO HOPEFULLY WE GET THAT DONE THIS YEAR.
UM, WE DID THOSE, THOSE HAVE BEEN OUT TO SAGE LAKES.
UH, THE, UH, I THINK THE CITY, PJ YOU COULD PROBABLY ANSWER THIS BETTER THAN I CAN.
UH, THEY PUT IN A, UH, SOME KIND OF WATER NEW TRUNK, THE NEW WATER WATER LINE, UM, TO CONNECT ALL OF, UH, ALL OF, UH, FAIRWAY ESTATE, RIGHT? SO THEY NEEDED THAT FULL SYSTEM TO GET BETTER WATER PRESSURE THROUGH THAT.
WE ALL, WE WANT TO DO, WE WANNA BRING WATER AND SEWER INTO OUR, INTO THE CLUBHOUSE.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE ON A SEPTIC SYSTEM.
AND, UH, AND A WELL, UM, THE REASON I HAVE A QUESTION MARK WITH TRADE IT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, HAS BEEN PROPOSED TO US FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IS A PUTTING A NEW, WELL, A NEW WELL OUT, UH, ON THE PROPERTY.
UM, HOPEFULLY, I THINK IT WOULD BE MAINLY SERVING FOR THAT LARGE DEVELOPMENT ACROSS 65TH.
BUT WITH THAT, WE HAD SAID, HEY, IF WE DO THAT, IS THERE ANY WAY YOU COULD HELP US GET SOME SEWER AND STUFF AND, AND WATER INTO OUR CLUBHOUSE? THAT THEY WERE VERY OPEN TO THAT CONVERSATION.
AND SO WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN GET THAT DONE THROUGH THAT PROCESS OF, OF ALLOWING A WELL TO BE BUILT TO OUT ON ST PLACE PROPERTY.
AND LASTLY ON THIS SLIDE, UM, AGAIN, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN OUT TO SAGE LAKES, UH, OUR MAINTENANCE FACILITY, UH, YEARS AGO BEFORE THE SUBDIVISIONS GOT BUILT OUT, THERE IS QUITE A WAYS AWAY FROM THE GOLF COURSE.
IT'S, UH, GOSH, HOW FAR IS THAT? IT'S, IT'S QUITE A WAYS.
SO OUR MAIN FACILITY SITS OUT THERE ON, UH, ON FIFTH WEST.
ANYWAY, UH, SO OUR CREW, UNFORTUNATELY HAS TO GO THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS TO GET TO THE, UH, TO, TO GET TO OUR FACILITY, WHICH WASTES A LOT OF TIME.
SO WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A HOME OUT THERE THAT OUR, THAT OUR SUPERINTENDENT LIVES AT.
AND WE'VE GOT A NICE, WELL, IT'S, IT'S NOT A NICE, IT'S DILAPIDATED.
IT'S A, AN OLD MAINTENANCE BUILDING.
UH, WHAT WE, WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO, PROBABLY AS TIME GOES ON, PROBABLY NEXT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, IS SELL THAT PROPERTY AND THEN BUILD A, UH, NICE MAINTENANCE FACILITY ON, ON PROPERTY.
UH, AND I KNOW A LITTLE HISTORY, UH, SI DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY KNOWS THIS IN HERE, BUT THERE'S A SCHOOL OUT THERE, AN OLD SCHOOL, YEARS AND YEARS AGO, IT'S CALLED SAGE SCHOOL.
ANYBODY REMEMBER THAT? ANYWAY, THAT'S HOW SAGE LAKES GOT NAMED.
MILLERS AND I REMEMBER BROUGHT THAT UP AND THAT THAT'S THE NAME WE HIT.
BUT, UH, THE, THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY OUT THERE WAS JUST A PIECE OF LAND APPARENTLY THE CITY OWNED.
AND THAT'S WHY THEY STARTED THAT, YOU KNOW, THE MAINTENANCE OUT THERE.
AND OF COURSE THERE WASN'T ANY HOMES OUT THERE.
SO THEY TRAVERSE THROUGH THE FIELDS, BUT NOW WE'RE GOING THROUGH HOMES.
HAVEN'T HAD ANY CRACKS ABOUT IT, BUT IT WOULD BE NICE TO CHANGE THAT.
WE'LL, WE'LL LOOK AT, AND I THINK IF WE SELL THAT PROPERTY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS, PROBABLY TWO ACRES.
I THINK WE MIGHT MAKE ENOUGH MONEY WITH THE, THE HOME ON THERE TO, UH, BUILD A MAINTENANCE FACILITY.
UM, LAST THING, I WANTED TO JUST SAY THOSE IN THIS ROOM SO THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, EVEN THOUGH UNFORTUNATELY WE GOT A RAISE PRICES FOR GOLF, WE DO OFFER FAMILY DAY GOLF.
AND I THINK IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT THING.
WE STARTED DOING THIS ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO, BUT IT'S, IT'S BEEN A REAL HIT.
GOLF IS ON SATURDAYS, IT'S AFTER THREE O'CLOCK, BUT IT'S ONLY 10 BUCKS TO PLAY.
AND SO IT OFFERS OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT MAYBE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO PAY THE PRIMETIME FEES.
IT GIVES 'EM A GREAT TIME TO COME OUT AND PLAY.
AND, AND I'LL SAY THIS, I THE LAST, THIS YEAR ESPECIALLY, IT IS, IT, WE FILL IT UP FROM THREE O'CLOCK TILL ABOUT SEVEN 30 AT NIGHT.
THEY CAN BRING THEIR KIDS OUT THERE AND IT'S NOT AN EXPENSIVE THING TO GO PLAY OUR WONDERFUL GOLF COURSES.
SO ANYWAY, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT IN CASE SOMEBODY EVER GRANTS LOT FEES, THERE, THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO GET OUT THERE THAT ARE NOT NEARLY AS EXPENSIVE.
AND WE'RE FORTUNATE WE HAVE THE THREE COURSES BECAUSE WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT.
MOST, MOST COURSES ARE AREN'T ABLE TO DO THAT AND GIVE AWAY, YOU KNOW, GOLF AT A FAIRLY CHEAP PRICE.
AND WHEN THAT DOES HAPPEN, IT DOES ROTATE FROM COURSE TO COURSE.
AND SO THERE'S ALWAYS OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO PLAY ALL THREE OF THE COURSES SATURDAYS, WHICH IS A GREAT DAY.
A LOT OF TIME WHEN YOU OFFER A DISCOUNT, IT'S GONNA BE A WEEKDAY DURING THE SCHOOL DAY OR DURING THE WORKDAY.
THIS OFFERS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR FAMILIES TO, TO COME OUT.
IT ALSO OFFERS SOMEBODY WHO'S NEW TO THE GAME.
YOU DON'T HAVE THAT PRESSURE OF SOMEBODY BEHIND YOU.
IT'S A VERY, IT'S A VERY BEGINNER, FAMILY ORIENTED EVENT THAT THAT MAKES IT SO THAT, UH, YOU TAKE THAT PRESSURE OFF.
SO LIKE SEASONED PASS HOLDERS, THEY CAN'T USE THEIR SEASON PASS DURING THAT TIME.
AND, AND, AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S AN INTERESTING POINT YOU BRING UP.
MOST, MOST PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE A SEASONED PASS.
WE'LL PROBABLY BRING SOME FAMILY MEMBERS THAT, THAT AREN'T PLAYING AND MAYBE THEIR WIVES OR WHATEVER, AND THEY'RE PAYING A GREEN FEE FOR THEM, BUT THEY, THEY ARE ABLE TO PLAY.
[02:05:01]
WE HAD A NICE OCTOBER.OH, IT'S, IT, IT AGAIN, A KNOCK ON WOOD, EVERY TIME I'D REPORT TO HIM, IT'S, IT'S UP OVER LAST YEAR.
AND I WOULD SUSPECT LAST, LAST YEAR WE PLAYED ALMOST TILL THANKSGIVING.
WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS THIS YEAR.
BUT OCTOBER'S BEEN, YEAH, ANOTHER BONUS, BONUS REVENUE.
WHEN DO YOU THINK IT'S TIME TO BUILD ANOTHER GOLF COURSE?
I'LL SAY THIS AS A TAXPAYER, UM, WE LIVE IN A GREAT PLACE AND YEAH, THERE'S, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF NICE THINGS.
I'M, I'M OBVIOUSLY INTO GOLF, SO I'M, I'M A LITTLE BIASED TOWARDS GOLF, BUT, UH, I, I, I THINK, UM, WE DEFINITELY MEET THE NEED.
THE NICE THING, I'LL SAY THIS FOR OUR REGION IS WE FILLED UP REXBURG.
THE COUNTRY CLUB IS FULL, BLACKFOOT IS BECOMING FULL.
I MEAN, WHAT, AND IT IS NOT JUST US, BUT WE WE'RE KIND OF THE LEADERS.
PEOPLE ALWAYS ASK, I GET TONS OF CALLS FROM OTHER, YOU KNOW, GOLF, GOLF FACILITIES.
YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING? THAT'S SO GOOD.
AND, AND, AND I WANNA JUST HIT ON ONE OTHER THING HERE.
THE NICE THING ABOUT THE, UH, CITY OF BATTLE FALLS GOLF FUND, AND I SEE THIS IN ALL THE OTHER FACILITIES THAT I, THAT I TALK TO, IS WE HAVE THAT M FUND FOR EQUIPMENT.
THAT IS A, THAT'S, THAT'S JUST A WONDERFUL THING BECAUSE I KNOW FOR INSTANCE, RIGBY HAD SET SOME MONEY ASIDE FOR EQUIPMENT AND UNFORTUNATELY THE, THE ROOF WENT GONE OR WHATEVER, RIGHT? AND SO THEY RAIDED THAT, YOU KNOW, RATE IT TO, TO, TO PAY THAT, WHERE WE CAN'T TOUCH THAT.
AND THAT'S BEEN A REAL GOOD THING BECAUSE IT, IT HELPS OUR COURSE CONDITIONS.
BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, JIM, I DON'T, I DON'T SEE THAT FOR A WHILE.
I MEAN, IT'S, I, I, IF, IF SOMEBODY DID THAT, I THINK IT'D BE A PRIVATE DEVELOPER, MAYBE KIND OF LIKE SAFE LAKES THAT WANTS TO DEVELOP SOME LAND OUT THERE.
I THINK, I THINK THEY, THEY COULD GO OF IT.
UH, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ECONOMY'S GONNA BRING.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A TEE TIME, PEOPLE COME OUT AND WE CAN STILL GET 'EM ON.
WE'RE, WE'RE SATISFYING THE NEED.
I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S PEOPLE WE TURN AWAY ON CERTAIN DAYS, BUT, UH, AS I SAY, THAT'S A GOOD PROBLEM.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE 14 SECONDS? LIKE HOW DO THEY LINE UP ELECTRONICALLY? LIKE HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? SO, YEAH, ALL OUR TEE TIMES ARE BASED, THEY, YOU GO ONLINE TO OUR WEBSITE, GOLF FIVE.COM, AND YOU HIT, YOU HIT THE DEAL.
AND, AND IN FACT, THERE ARE GROUPS THAT HAVE FOUR OR FIVE PEOPLE IF THEY WANT, YOU KNOW, THREE, YOU KNOW, FOUR, FOUR TEE TIMES, THEY JUST GO GET 'EM.
AND SOMETIMES THEY GET 'EM, SOMETIMES THEY DON'T.
IT'S ALL ELECTRONIC AND IT IS A GOOD THING.
THE PROBLEM IS, IF YOU CALL IN AT SEVEN, WE TAKE 'EM AT SEVEN O'CLOCK.
IF YOU CALL IN, BY THE TIME I GET IT TYPED, IT IS GONE.
IT JUST, SO IT'S, IT IS AN INTERESTING THING.
UM, WE LOVE IT 'CAUSE WE'RE ON TAKE AND MAKE PHONE CALLS, BUT IT, THEY GO FAST.
IT'S, I MEAN, IT'S A GREAT, IT'S A GREAT PROBLEM.
SO DO YOU SAVE SPACE FOR WALK-ONS IN THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU WERE SAYING YOU'RE SELLING OUT.
SO YEAH, COUNCILMAN FRANCIS, WHAT WE DO IS OUR TEAM TIMES ARE BASICALLY NINE TO 10 MINUTE INTERVALS.
SO THERE'S ALWAYS TIMES WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT WHAT YOU JUST SAID, THE PEOPLE THAT GET MORNING TEE TIMES ARE AVID GOLFERS.
THEY, I MEAN, THEY KNOW THE PEOPLE THAT WANNA PLAY ARE ON AT SEVEN O'CLOCK, YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY.
AND WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THAT, THEY, MOST OF THE PEOPLE LIKE TO PLAY IN THE MORNING, ESPECIALLY AS HAZY GETS.
SO THOSE MORNING TIMES ARE GONE LIKE THAT.
BUT WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THAT IS THOSE PEOPLE THAT GET THOSE TIMES ARE GENERALLY, THEY, THEY, THEY DON'T, THEY, THEY GET TO THE TEE AND THEY GO HIT IT.
THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T SCREW AROUND.
SOME OF OUR GOLFERS, THEY GET LATER TEE TIMES.
THEY'RE IN THERE GETTING THEIR BEERS, GETTING THEIR STUFF, GETTING ALL THEIR STUFF, NOTHING.
THEY DO THAT, BUT IT TAKES SOME MORE TIME.
SO GETTING THEM TO THE TEE ON TIME IS A, IS A PROCESS.
I'LL JUST SAY THAT
SO A LOT OF TIMES WE ARE WAY AHEAD OF TIME.
IN FACT, PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS MAKE THE COMMENT TEMP.
I COME OUT HERE, YOU KNOW, IN THE MORNING AND THERE'S SOME GAPS HERE.
I SAID, THERE ARE GAPS BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE JUST, THEY MOTOR ON.
SO, AND WE, WE LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, AND AS TIME PROGRESSES, PEOPLE LEARN THAT AND THEY COME OUT AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE ON THE WAITING LIST AND THEY GET ON, THEY GET ON ALL THE TIME.
I HOPE YOU DON'T GET TO ASK ANY GOLF QUESTIONS.
DO YOU WANT TO TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? YES.
SO UNFORTUNATELY WE GOT, UH, I THINK IT WAS ABOUT $26,000 WORTH OF GOLF CLUBS AT RETAIL VALUE.
UM, THE PERSON THAT DID THIS HAD BROKEN INTO, UH, REDHAWK GOLF COURSE IN BOISE.
THIS WAS PROBABLY, I THINK EITHER EARLY THIS YEAR OR LAST YEAR.
AND THEN HE BROKE INTO THE DRONE, UH, COUNTRY CLUB PRO SHOP, I THINK EITHER
[02:10:01]
LAST FALL OR THIS SPRING.AND, AND JEROME ACTUALLY HAD CAMERAS AND THEY, THEY HAVE A PICTURE OF THE GUY.
THEY HAVE HIS LICENSE PLATE, THEY'VE GOT ALL THE THINGS ON THIS GUY.
AND WHAT'S WHAT'S REALLY SAD IS, UM, KEVIN, OUR HEAD PROFESSIONAL AT SAGE LAKES WAS WORKING.
THE GUY CAME IN AND TALKED TO KEVIN TWO DAYS BEFORE HE RIPPED US OFF AND WAS SAYING, HE'S A NUDE, HE GONNA MOVED OUT OF FALLS OR WHATEVER HE WAS DOING.
SO HE TALKED TO KEVIN AND KEVIN HAD AN INKLING THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING UP WITH THIS GUY.
WELL, HE'S THE GUY THAT DID IT.
AND, AND I DIDN'T REALIZE THIS, BUT THE IOWA STATE POLICE HAS CAMERAS ON THAT FREEWAY.
THEY, WHEN, WHEN HE BROKE IN AT ONE 30 IN THE MORNING, BROKE THROUGH THE GLASS, THE ALARMS WENT OFF.
WE HAVE ALARMS OUT THERE, BUT BY THE TIME THE SHERIFF AND KEVIN GOT OUT THERE, IT WAS LONG GONE.
BUT I STATE POLICE HAS A CAMERA ON THE INTERSTATE AND THEY SAW HIS LICENSE PLATE GO.
HE WAS HEADED, UH, HE WAS HEADED WEST AND, UH, SOUTH.
OR SOUTH, EXCUSE ME, HEAD SOUTH, YEAH, SOUTHWEST.
AND I MEAN, WE DON'T, THAT'S ALL WE KNOW.
AND I DON'T KNOW, HE'S APPARENTLY BROKE INTO A LOT OF COURSES IN UTAH.
SO THE FBI ACTUALLY IS HELPING WITH THIS CASE.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE AT AT, BUT, UH, WE HAVEN'T SEEN, WE HAVEN'T SEEN HIM FOR CLUBS BACK.
BUT THE OTHER THING THAT'S INTERESTING, A LOT OF THE CLUBS HE TOOK, LIKE PING GOLF CLUBS ARE ALL SERIAL NUMBERS.
THEY CAN TELL, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY SENT THOSE TO SAGE LAKES.
THEY, THEY COULDN'T TELL IF SOMEBODY BOUGHT 'EM.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT A SAD DEAL.
UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE ONE AND I, YEAH, THIS MIGHT BE, I HOPE IT DOESN'T TAKE VERY LONG.
UM, I HAD A QUESTION FOR PJ AND I HAD SENT IT EARLIER TO HIM DURING THE BUDGET SESSION.
THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT BALANCE SHEET, ABOUT RUNNING NEGATIVE.
IT'S LIKE, OH, IT HASN'T BEEN POSITIVE FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND IT WAS BACK AND FORTH.
AND SO THEN I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THIS IS ON THE BUDGET SHEET, CASH RUNNING NEGATIVE, WE HAVE 22, 23 AND 24.
IT JUST SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE ALL OF THESE POSITIVE YEARS.
AND I'M NOT COMPLETELY SURE HOW TO READ THIS BALANCE SHEET AS FAR AS IF WE'RE NEGATIVE CASH.
IS THAT SUBSIDIZED? LIKE, JUST HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE FINANCIALS OF THIS, OF THE BUDGET OVERVIEW FROM 21 THROUGH AUGUST OF 24.
SO I'M GONNA ASK MARK, IF MARK CAN, CAN JOIN US.
HE HELPED PUT THIS TOGETHER, UM, TO BETTER HELP DESCRIBE WHAT IS HAPPENING, OKAY.
SO THIS IS STILL EVEN KIND OF A CONFUSION, A CONFUSING PIECE FOR ME.
BUT IT, I I BELIEVE A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH MURPH.
AND THEN, SO WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS WE HAVE, THIS IS WHERE THINGS ARE JUST, IT'S CLOSE, RIGHT? IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT OFF.
AND UH, WHAT WE SEE HERE IS ALSO WHAT, ONE OF THE THINGS I HAD TALKED TO TAYLOR IS THAT, IS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE OUR INVENTORY IS ROBUST.
LIKE WHEN PEOPLE COME IN, THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE, THEY SHOULDA HAVE A WAY TO BUY THINGS THAT SHOULDN'T BE JUST ONE.
THAT MEANS WE, WE INCREASE OUR INVENTORY HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO SELL ITEMS. SO THAT WAS A CASH DECREASE.
THAT KIND OF WAS ONE OF WEEKS.
THAT WAS A CHANGE THAT WE MADE IN 2011.
AND SO PLUS YOU HAVE ITEMS THAT GIFT CARD.
SO THOSE ARE ALL PART OF THE CASH FLOW FLOWABILITY.
AND SO YOU'RE RIGHT, IT'S NOT TRADITIONAL BALANCE SHEET, BUT I WANTED TO BE TO READ.
SO YOU HAVE YOUR ASSETS UP HERE, YOUR LIABILITIES DOWN HERE.
SO CASH FLOW IS MORE THAN JUST AN INCOME STATEMENT.
THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LIKE TO FOCUS ON HERE IS ON THE REVENUE THEY'RE GETTING.
I MEAN WE'RE, WE'RE SHOWING THROUGH AUGUST HERE, 3.6, 3.6 MILLION THAT'S COVERING YOUR OPERATIONAL COSTS, WHICH IS ALL THIS UP HERE.
IT'S NOT WAGE BUSINESS OPERATIONS.
THIS IS ALL BEING COVERED BY THE FEES WHERE WE, WHERE I, I FORESEE HOW THE GOVERNMENTAL ARM HELPS OUT IS ON THE CAPITAL SIDE.
AND THAT'S WHAT, SO SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID THIS YEAR, CORRECT? THE ROOF, THE FURNACE, THE NETTY, MOST THE MUNICIPALITIES OFFER SOME SUPPORT TO THE GULF.
AND SO I THINK THERE'S SEVERAL WAYS WE COULD DO HERE IS ALSO OFFERING THEM A, A CASH RESOURCE.
WHAT YOU SEE HERE AS NEGATIVE CASH ON ON INTEREST IS THIS IS US CHARGING THEM A FEE BECAUSE THEY'RE IN NEGATIVE CASH.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE COULD DO IS KIND OF GIVE THEM A, A JUST A AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY HOLD ONTO A DEPOSIT SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT NEGATIVE CASH FLOW.
SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GIVE UP OPPORTUNITIES, BUT WHAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT FROM MINUS FEES IS THAT THE GOVERNMENTAL ARM SHOULD BE ASSISTING ON THE CAPITAL FACILITY.
[02:15:01]
TRUE AMONGST RECREATION ZOO.UM, WHATEVER THESE GOVERNMENT, ESPECIALLY WEAPONS ARE, WE FEEL THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE HAPPY WITH CAPITAL AND THE ITEMS. SO AS WE LOOK FORWARD INTO HIS PLAN, NOW THAT THIS IS KIND OF A BIGGER DOCUMENT, HE, THERE WERE SOME CAPITAL EXPENDITURES THAT OBVIOUSLY WE DID THIS YEAR ONE TIME, BUT THEN MOVING FORWARD, THOSE WOULD BE EXPENDITURES THAT THERE WOULD BE, NOT AN EXPECTATION, BUT AN OPPORTUNITY AGAIN TO ASK FOR.
SO THEY HAVE THEIR DOLLAR FEE AND THAT'S GONNA BE USED FOR THE GOLF STUFF.
BUT WHAT I THINK WHAT COULD HELP OUT IS DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS IS WHAT CAN WE COVER WITH THEIR RATES? THEY'RE GOING UP THERE EVERY YEAR, WHAT CAN WE COVER THROUGH THE CAPITAL DOLLAR? WHAT'S LEFT OVER THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF? AND THAT'S WHERE WE LANDED ON THIS YEAR ON GENERAL FUND HELPING NOW TO SPEND ALL 100 OR 200,000, SO TO SAY, OH, IT'S IN THE BUDGET, IT WAS JUST, IT COULD BE IN THE BUDGET, BUT IT, IT JUST WEAKENS THE, THE WHOLE SYSTEM TO NOT HAVE IT BE ONE TIME MONEY FROM GOVERNMENTAL.
BECAUSE BALANCE SHEET ITEMS ARE NOT LIKE ITEMS. YEAH.
SO IT'S SIMPLISTICALLY, IF SOMEONE COMES UP TO ME AND SAYS, WHY IS THE CITY, UH, SUBSIDIZING GOLF? I I DON'T WANT TO SUBSIDIZE GOLF.
WELL, THEY'RE SUBSIDIZING IS THE ASSET.
THEY'RE NOT SUBSIDIZING THE OPERATION.
THEY'RE MAKING SURE THE ASSET IS STILL VALID TO USE TO, TO ACQUIRE THE FEES AND THE, WE'VE RUN INTO THAT FOR ALL KINDS OF ACTIVITIES.
RIGHT? WE TALKED ABOUT IT WITH THE ZOO.
I DON'T GO TO THE D OR WHATEVER.
I MEAN, IT IS PART OF OUR CITY, BUT GOLF HAS JUST DONE SUCH A GOOD JOB MAKING THAT LIKE REALLY COME INTO A REALLY NARROW AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT JUST THE CAPITAL, WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO GOLF FOR OVER 10 YEARS THAT DID IT ALL THEMSELVES.
HOW, HOW DID WE GO FROM 200 800 MARK? THIS IS A, AN ACCOUNTING ISSUE.
THIS IS NOT ONLY THE ALLOCATION, BUT WHAT WE SPENT.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO ADVISE A WAY THAT WE CAN SEPARATE THE TWO OUT.
SO LIKE WHAT TIM SAID, HE SPENT 547, 500 50,000.
THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT'S THE MUR EXPENDITURE.
THE OTHER OFFICE, WHAT WE ADDED TO MUR AS THAT ALLOCATION, WE SEE THAT IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
IS WE NEED CLEAR, WE STRUGGLED TO SEE.
WE JUST GOTTA MAKE THAT SEPARATION.
WE ACTUALLY HAD A MEETING THIS AFTERNOON WITH THESE GUYS AND THAT WAS OUR STRUGGLE WAS HELP US FIGURE THIS, HOW TO READ MURPH OUT JUST A LITTLE BIT BETTER BECAUSE IT IS A, A LITTLE BIT OF A, SO WE, UH, WE NEED TO SEPARATE MURPH EXPENSE AND MURF FOUNDATION.
IT'S CLEAR WHAT'S, BECAUSE IT JUST BUILDS UP YEP.
AND THEN GETS SPENT AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT LOOKS LIKE THAT WAS THE ONE YEAR, CORRECT.
SO THE, THE CAPITAL OUT OUTLINE LISTED THERE, THAT'S SEPARATE FROM MURPH.
THAT IS, THAT'S A DIFFERENT CATEGORY OF CAPITAL THAN COVERS.
OUR GOAL IS TO PUT EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN IN A BUR BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE DISCIPLINE TO PUT IT UP FRONT.
SO BURS TURNED OUT AS ONLY VEHICLES.
AND SO NOW WE'RE TRYING TO ADD MORE THINGS AS LIKE PLAYGROUNDS OR, OR IRRIGATION SYSTEMS EVENTUALLY.
SO WE WON'T PUT THOSE STUFF INTO MURF SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK AND ASK FOR A MILLION DOLLARS
BUT WE CAN'T DO THAT IN ONE YEAR.
AND ONE THING I'D ADD IS THAT FOR GOLF ESPECIALLY, UH, IN FACT NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, I INCREASED OUR MURF, THE MONEY WE ARE GONNA DUMP INTO OUR MUR ACCOUNT.
I THINK I DUMPED ABOUT A HUNDRED GRAND.
AND SO THAT'D BE INCLUDED IN FEES.
BUT YEAH, I'M, EVERY YEAR I'M LOOKING AT THAT AS PRICES GO UP.
BUT BY DOING THAT THIS YEAR, WE FEEL LIKE THIS WILL CHANGE BY HAVING THAT CAPITAL SPENT OUT THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND.
THIS SHOULD MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
YEAH, WE'RE ALMOST THAT EXACT DOLLAR.
BUT THE ISSUE IS WE'RE DOING THIS IN SEPTEMBER.
THIS IS A BALANCE SHEET, RIGHT? SO THIS IS SEPTEMBER.
SO IT GOES DOWN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO GIVE THEM A DEPOSIT TO MAINTAIN THAT.
AND THEN IT GETS, IT HITS POSITIVE IN JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, AND IT GOES BACK DOWN AGAIN.
SO YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO COME TO COUNSEL WITH A RECOMMENDATION OF WHAT THAT DEPOSIT WOULD BE SO THAT THEY COULD AVOID THE INTEREST AND AVOID DIPPING NEGATIVE IN CASH.
AND MAYBE THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING FOR THE NEXT BUDGET? YES.
WE, WE SPENT ABOUT A YEAR TALKING ABOUT THAT, BUT WE HAVEN'T WORKED OUT THE DETAILS.
I'LL GIVE UP GOLF FEES BACK TO THE ZOO.
WHAT'S THE RATIONALE FOR JUST $2 MORE FOR NON-RESIDENT? THAT SEEMS LOW TO ME THAT THERE A FORMULA THAT LED TO THAT.
[02:20:01]
$3 FOR NON-RESIDENTS AND A $1 FOR, FOR RESIDENT.UM, WHAT WE LOOKED AT WAS JUST THAT, YOU KNOW, AT WHAT POINT ARE WE GONNA HIT THAT, THAT POINT OF DIMINISHING RETURN.
AND SO AT THIS POINT WE THOUGHT, LET'S, LET'S CATCH UP WITH SOME OF THOSE OTHER FACILITIES.
THE AQUARIUM WAS THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT, THE LIBRARY OR THE, UM, MUSEUM WAS THAT.
SO WE THOUGHT LET'S GET ON PAR WITH SOME OF THOSE FACILITIES, SEE WHERE THAT PUTS US, AND THEN WE'LL WE CAN MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS.
WE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING A SEASON PASS, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING A LARGER EXPEND EXPENDITURE, YOU KNOW, FOUR OR FIVE, $6 ISN'T A ISN'T A BIG DEAL WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A $6 PASS GOING UP $3 FOR, FOR A CHILD.
I MEAN YOU'RE, THAT'S A LARGE PERCENTAGE.
AND SO WE'VE JUST GOTTA TAKE THAT A LITTLE BIT, KIND OF WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH, UH, IN RECREATION, MAYBE A TWO YEAR STEP SYSTEM OR A STEPPING, UM, UH, TIMEFRAME ON THAT.
BUT, UH, EVENTUALLY WE'LL GET PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT MORE.
BUT THAT, THAT WAS WHAT WE FELT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST THAT COULD BE STOMACH WITHOUT REALLY STARTING TO AFFECT THE INCOME.
AND THOSE THAT COME MULTIPLE TIMES A YEAR.
I STILL THINK WE'RE LY UNDER, I PAY 15 FOR A MOVIE TICKET.
IT'S JUST SILLY THAT WE'RE PAYING, BUT, BUT IT HELPS THAT YOU COMPARED IT TO OTHER ACTIVITIES BECAUSE THAT, THAT'S A RATIONALE, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
INSTEAD OF JUST SAYING, CAN YOU GO THROUGH? YEAH.
AND, AND I WOULD ADD SOMETHING TOO IS THAT IT, IT IS SUCH A HARD CONVERSATION AND, AND PARTICULARLY AT THE ZOO, IT'S HARD FOR GOLF.
BUT AT THE ZOO, I THINK IT EVEN MAGNIFIES BECAUSE THE ZOO REACHES ABSOLUTELY EVERY DIMENSION IN THE COMMUNITY COMES.
AND SO YOU SAY, WELL, IT'S $9.
BUT THEY, WE WILL LOSE SOME PEOPLE BY RAISING IT TO 10 OR 12.
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT WILL STOP COMING AND, AND YOU SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT OUR EXACTLY AS TIM SHOWED MAYBE FINANCIALLY THAT PAYS OFF FOR US.
AND WE, WE END UP, OUR REVENUE START, YOU KNOW, INCREASES AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
AND THAT'S THE PRICE WE PAY AND WE LOSE SOME PEOPLE THAT COMES.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A LEGITIMATE AND APPROPRIATE DECISION TO MAKE.
BUT WE SHOULDN'T LOSE THE FACT ABOUT WHY THE ZOO WAS ORIGINALLY BROUGHT TO THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, WHY IT WAS DECIDED TO MAKE IT AN A ZA ZOO IN THE EIGHTIES WHEN THE CITY COULD HAVE SHUT IT DOWN WHEN EVERYBODY WAS CALLING FOR IT.
IT IS A SERVICE TO PROVIDE FOR OUR CITIZENS AND IT DOES PROVIDE THE, THE PERSONALITY AND CHARACTER OF OUR CITY LIKE OTHER INSTITUTIONS DO.
BUT IT'S ONE OF THE OLDEST, MOST BELOVED AND TOUGHEST PART IS IT'S JUST, IT, IT IS MORE THAN DOLLARS AND CENTS.
SO AS YOU START RAISING IT UP AND YOU LOSE THAT LOWER END, IT'S A GOOD, IT IS A LEGITIMATE DECISION TO MAKE, BUT WE SHOULD MAKE IT WITH OUR EYES WIDE OPEN THAT WE ARE LOSING PEOPLE THAT WE'VE SERVED IN THE PAST.
AND WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON'T RAISE IT FOR CHILDREN, BUT RAISE IT FOR ADULTS? YEAH.
THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S CERTAINLY A POSSIBILITY AS WELL.
THERE'S ALL KINDS OF WAYS TO DO IT.
AND THIS NON-CITIZEN RATE IS CERTAINLY A LEGITIMATE ONE, UH, PARTICULARLY FOR THE THIRD OF OUR VISITORS THAT ARE NOT EVEN FROM WITHIN A HUNDRED MILES OF OUR ZOO.
YOU KNOW? WELL, I MEAN, I THINK WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE WE SUPPORTING THE ZOO AS A CITY BECAUSE WE'RE INTERESTED IN A, AN EDUCATED AND EXPERIENCED CITIZENRY AND RESIDENCE, OR ARE WE NOT? RIGHT.
COUNCIL RADFORD WITH YOUR, YOU KNOW, ASSOCIATION WITH A MOVIE TICKET, RIGHT? BUT I DON'T WANT FAMILIES TO FEEL LIKE THIS, A MOVIE'S AS AFFORDABLE AS THE ZOO.
THIS IS AN EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR THEM.
I THINK THAT TEACHES, YOU KNOW, ANIMALS TEACH EMPATHY.
THEY TEACH SO MUCH ABOUT THE WORLD.
WE HAVE SO MANY GREAT EDUCATIONAL, UH, YOU KNOW, EXHIBITS WITHIN THE ZOO ABOUT CONSERVATION AND, AND JUST, IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE THAT I THINK WE WANT, UM, YOU KNOW, LOWER INCOME FAMILIES TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD AND TO ACCESS AND WE HAVE TO FIND A BALANCE, RIGHT? THERE'S ALSO A BALANCE THAT THE MUSEUMS FOUND AND THAT IS SNAP.
THEY HAVE A REALLY GOOD PROGRAM, WHICH MAKES A TON OF SENSE 'CAUSE THEY'RE ALL PRE-QUALIFIED THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LOW INCOME.
BUT THE OTHER, I AGREE COMPLETELY WITH WHAT MICHELLE'S SAYING, BUT I ALSO, THERE'S ANOTHER PUSHBACK TO THAT IS THAT YOU'RE DEVALUING YOURSELF A LITTLE BIT.
LIKE IF I LOOK AT A ZOO PRICE AT SEVEN, I'M NOT THAT, AND I DON'T DISAGREE WITH THAT EITHER.
AND IT'S ALL, EVERY COMMENT HERE IS ABSOLUTELY 100% TRUE.
AND IT'S WHAT MAKES THE CONVERSATION SO DIFFICULT.
SO AGAIN, I THINK THE MOVIE ANALOGY IS A GOOD ONE.
I DON'T TAKE MY FAMILY TO THE MOVIE ANYMORE.
I MEAN, I GO ONCE A YEAR MAYBE WHERE WE USED TO GO ALL THE TIME, AND IT IS, AND IT IS JUST BECAUSE OF THE PRICE I MISS GOING TO THE MOVIE.
WELL, IT'S ALSO BECAUSE, BUT IT IT IS SOME OTHER OPTIONS THOUGH.
YOU DON'T HAVE ANOTHER OPTION TO GO TO A ZOO.
AND SO IT DOESN'T MAKE IT LESS VALID BECAUSE THE FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS ARE
[02:25:01]
JUST AS VALID AS THOSE CONSTRAINTS.SO IT JUST WHAT MAKES THE CONVERSATION A CHALLENGING ONE AND EXACTLY AS, UH, AS PJ WAS MENTIONING, WHY A STEP AT A TIME, YOU KNOW? MAKES SENSE.
SO MICHELLE, BASED ON WHAT YOU SAID, WOULD KEEPING THE PRICE LOW FOR CHILDREN SUPPORT FAMILIES? YEAH, REGULARLY.
I, I, I THINK THAT WELL, AND 'CAUSE NOT ALWAYS, BUT OFTENTIMES CHILDREN, THERE'S MORE CHILDREN, THERE ARE ADULTS ATTENDING, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE DATA ON THAT, BUT, UM, ALL THE TIMES I'VE BEEN AT THE ZOO, YOU DON'T ALWAYS SEE TWO ADULTS WITH CHILDREN.
YOU MIGHT SEE ONE ADULT AND THREE KIDS.
55% OF OUR VISITORS ARE ADULTS.
SO I THINK THAT THAT MIGHT RECONCILE SOME OF THAT CONVERSATION, ESPECIALLY KNOWING THAT LITTLE PIECE OF INFORMATION.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO EXPLORE HAVING NON-RESIDENTS PAY THEIR PROPER SHARE, NO ONE WANTS TO OVERCHARGE ANYBODY, UM, BUT TO PAY THEIR PROPER SHARE OF WHAT IT COSTS TO RUN THE FACILITY.
I THINK WE JUST KEEP LOOKING AT THAT AS WELL.
BUT I THINK IT'S DIFFERENT THAN GOLF.
RIGHT? YEAH, I THINK THAT WAS PROBABLY MY MAIN POINT.
GOLF ALSO PROVIDES MANY IMPORTANT LIFE LESSONS.
THEY WANT, THEY WANT THOSE CONDITIONS.
AND WE'RE FORTUNATE WE HAVE THAT FAMILY DAY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A, THAT'S JUST ANOTHER PLUS THAT WE HAVE THAT MOST COMMUNITIES DON'T, BUT GOLF GOLFERS JUST KNOW THEY, THAT'S WHAT THEY NEED TO PAY.
I MEAN, WE'RE STILL LESS THAN EVERYBODY ELSE.
WE DON'T WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT SOMETIMES IT'S A LUXURY ITEM AND NO, AND IT'S, IT'S, AND, AND I DON'T WANT THE ZOO TO BE CONSIDERED A LUXURY ITEM, BUT I'M A TAXPAYER AND I THINK THE ZOO NEEDS TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
I PAY TAXES NOT, AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM PAYING TAXES ON THE ZOO.
YEAH, IT'S THE ONE, OH, SORRY, GO AHEAD.
I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, I, THE LONG GAME YOU'RE PLAYING THE LONG GAME, I, IT WOULD BE, UM, INTER IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO, TO SEE HOW ALL OF THAT CAPITAL PLAYS OUT BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT IF WE SEE A CORRELATION BETWEEN THE SOFTBALL AND THE REC, LIKE WHO BETTER THAN THE SOFTBALL TOURNAMENTS TO COME IN AND OFFER SOME OF THAT TO THE ZOO.
SO I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF THEM BEING ABLE TO ADVERTISE SPECIFIC TO PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY IN YES.
AND I, I JUST ADD THAT FINAL THING THAT WE'RE ALL SAYING IS THAT IT IS, THE FINANCIAL DECISION IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AND IT IS THE DECISION THAT WE'RE HERE TALKING ABOUT, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT.
IT'S, IT'S CRITICAL AND I'M SUPPORTIVE OF IT, BUT, BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR EYES WIDE OPEN THAT IT IS A BIGGER DECISION THAT, I MEAN, WE ARE DECIDING WHAT OUR COMMUNITY IS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE PERSONALITY OF OUR CITY, THE QUALITY OF LIFE, THE ENERGY THAT WE GENERATE AS A CITY.
AND UH, IT IS THINGS LIKE THE ZOO THAT, THAT DO IT.
THINGS LIKE ZOOS AND MUSEUMS AND GOLF COURSES IS WHAT PROVIDES OUR CITY WITH ITS PERSONALITY AS THE UNIQUE PLACE THAT IDAHO FALLS IS.
AND IT IS A WILDLY UNIQUE CITY.
IT'S JUST VERY, VERY WONDERFULLY UNIQUE.
AND I'LL JUST ADD TO THAT, I THINK WE SHOULD DO WHAT WE DO WITH THE WAGE STUDIES AND JUST USE AS MUCH DATA, BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT.
I MEAN, THERE'S NO EASY ANSWER.
SO LET'S LOOK AT WHAT THE DATA IS SAYING TOO AND SEE IF THERE'S A MIDDLE GROUND, UM, MIDSIZE CITY ZOOS THAT HAVE AZA ACCREDITATION.
LIKE, I MEAN, THAT'S A HUGE UNDERTAKING, THE AZA.
SO I KNOW THAT IT, IT'S COM I MEAN, I CAN APPRECIATE THE COMPLEXITY OF IT, THAT MY, PROBABLY THE ONE CONCERN THAT I HAVE JUST HAVE IN THIS IS THAT IT'S MORE SUBSIDY THAN REVENUE, WASN'T IT 10 25 PER ATTENDANCE.
SO I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE FOR NEXT YEAR THAT'S AT LEAST WE'RE GETTING PAST, WE'RE GETTING OVER THAT HUMP.
LIKE THAT'S THE PART THAT I CAN APPRECIATE IS THAT THE SUBSIDY INVESTMENT, THANK YOU, PER PERSON, THE INVESTMENT PER PERSON IS GREATER THAN THE ADMISSION THAT, THAT, THIS IS GOOD FOR ME BECAUSE IT'S A, IT'S A TRUE NUMBER THAT I THINK OH, OKAY.
LIKE, HOW TO LOOK AT IT, HOW TO THINK ABOUT IT.
WELL, I, UH, I, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO STAY AT ABOUT AN HOUR.
WE'RE AT AN HOUR AND 43 MINUTES, SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
WE, WE FORESAW THAT THERE WOULD BE QUESTIONS AND THERE WOULD BE THINGS THAT WOULD DERAIL THE CONVERSATION A LITTLE BIT OR EXTEND IT.
BUT, UM, WE WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO COME AND BE THE GUINEA PIGS AND WE HOPE THAT THIS WAS INFORMATIVE FOR, FOR YOU GUYS.
UM, I FEEL, I THINK THAT WE HAVE SOME DIRECTION AND A LITTLE BIT OF, OF, UM, INFORMATION THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE AS WELL THAT WE CAN TAKE INTO OUR BUDGETING AND TAKE TO OUR NEXT DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
SO WE THINK YOU WOULD APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU.
[02:30:01]
MAKE A COMMENT? IT'S GREAT TO SEE THE FOCUS ON THE ITEMS THAT WERE PUT ON THE, THE LIST WHEN WE TALKED IN FEBRUARY.UH, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE THE SYSTEM ISN'T PERFECT, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S WORKING.
SO THANK YOU FOR MAKING IT WORK.
WELL, I THINK, UH, ONE THING THAT I WAS GRATEFUL FOR IS WHEN I SAW YOUR PRIORITIES, IT ALIGNED PERFECTLY WITH WHERE WE WANTED TO GO AND WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO GO.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS, IS HOW DO WE NOT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, WHEN I STEPPED IN AS THE DIRECTOR WAS WE, I THINK WE WERE ON TOO FAST OF A GROWTH PROCESS OR TOO FAST OF A GROWTH AND PULLING THAT BACK AND CONCENTRATING MORE ON MAINTENANCE, MAINTAINING WHAT WE HAVE AND REALLY DEVELOPING THOSE PLANS THAT WERE ALREADY DEVELOPED FOR THE PROPERTY WE ALREADY OWN, I THINK IS EXACTLY WHERE WE WANTED TO HEAD.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR GUYS' PRIORITIES ALIGNED WITH OUR PRIORITIES AND IT'S MADE IT A LOT EASIER TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD AND MEET THOSE.
I, I ACTUALLY DON'T REGRET THE TIME SPENT AT ALL.
I THINK THIS WAS VERY INFORMATIVE.
SO, AND MAYBE TO MARGARET, THE MAYOR, THIS IS MORE, I MEAN, IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE QUESTIONS THEN WE'RE GONNA DIVE IN.
AND IT WORKED TONIGHT, THE TIME IT WORKED TONIGHT.
IF I HAVE ONE QUESTION, DID THE OVERALL FORMAT WORK, ARE THERE THINGS THAT IN THE POWERPOINT THAT YOU WOULD CHANGE? OR BEFORE WE SHARE THAT? I THINK MAYBE HAVING MARK AS PART OF THE CONVERSATION WITH EACH ONE MAKES SOME SENSE SIMILAR BECAUSE THE ACCOUNTANT, THE ONES WHO CAN KNOW THAT, AND WE PROBABLY EACH HAD SOME QUESTION.
AND MAYBE IF THE CONVERSATION WITH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.