[A. Omaha Streetcar Presentation]
[00:00:04]
NOW I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO BRANDON. OKAY.
JUST WANTED TO MAKE A QUICK INTRODUCTION. TODAY WE HAVE A PRESENTATION OF THE OMAHA STREETCAR BY MAYOR OMAHA MAYOR JEAN STOTHERT AND STEVE JENSEN. WHERE WE GET YOU? IN AND OUT, MAYOR. BOY, WE'RE UP NOW. ALL RIGHT.
GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. HOW ARE YOU ALL? THANKS FOR INVITING US HERE TODAY. AND STEVE JENSEN AND I ARE GOING TO DO ABOUT A 30 MINUTE PRESENTATION ON THE STREETCAR RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE GIVEN IT. WE FIGURED TO AT LEAST 4000 PEOPLE.
SO ANYBODY THAT ASKS US, BUT ESPECIALLY YOU GUYS, OF COURSE, WE'LL GIVE THIS PRESENTATION TO YOU.
TODAY. WE'RE OPEN FOR QUESTIONS. WE'RE GOING TO EXPLAIN HOW WE'RE GOING TO FUND IT IN OMAHA.
WE'RE GOING TO SHOW YOU THE CARS. SO THERE'LL BE A LOT OF INFORMATION TODAY.
I WANT TO, AND I KNOW HOW THIS GOES. I'M NOT GOING TO ASK YOU A QUESTION, BUT THE QUESTION I ALWAYS ASK THE AUDIENCE THAT WHEN WE GIVE THIS PRESENTATION, I ALWAYS SAY, FIRST OF ALL, HOW MANY OF YOU SUPPORT STREETCAR? YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER ME. AND THEN I'LL SAY, HOW MANY OPPOSED? AND I USUALLY IF THEY OPPOSE, I'LL SAY I'LL ASK 1 OR 2.
WHY DO YOU OPPOSE IT. BUT AFTER WE GIVE THIS PRESENTATION, I USUALLY ASK THE SAME QUESTION.
AND AFTER WE DO, WE USUALLY TURN THE MOST THE MOST SKEPTICAL PEOPLE THAT ARE IN OPPOSITION TO THE STREETCAR, TO SUPPORTERS. ONCE THEY UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE DOING IT, THE BENEFITS AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE PAYING FOR IT.
SO WE'LL GO OVER THAT TODAY. SO WE HAVE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS.
LIKE I SAID, FROM THE INITIAL PLAN THAT WE HAVE.
WE HAVE MADE IT A LITTLE SHORTER THAN THE ADDITIONAL ROUTE, BECAUSE NEBRASKA MEDICINE IS VERY INTERESTED NOW IN THE STREETCAR COMING THROUGH UP TO THEIR CAMPUS. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF NEW DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE CORRIDOR WHERE THE STREETCAR IS GOING TO COME.
SO I WANT TO GIVE YOU JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND TO START OUT, BECAUSE LITERALLY WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT A STREETCAR IN OMAHA FOR 20 YEARS OR SO, BUT IN 2018, OUR GREATER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, WITH THE ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE CITY AND FROM ME, CREATED AN URBAN CORE COMMITTEE. WE CALLED IT AND IT WAS TO PLAN FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT DOWNTOWN AND IN MIDTOWN.
THE COMMITTEE RELEASED ITS STRATEGIC PLAN IN 2022, AND THEY IDENTIFIED PRIORITIES TO HELP OMAHA GROW AND MOVE FORWARD RATHER THAN THE OPPOSITE, TO DECLINE AND FALL BEHIND. AND I LOVE THIS STATEMENT.
I USE IT A LOT AND THIS IS SO TRUE. CITIES NEVER STAND STILL.
THEY ARE EITHER GROWING AND MOVING FORWARD, OR THEY ARE DECLINING AND FALLING BEHIND.
AND I LOVE TO GIVE THE EXAMPLE OF MY HOMETOWN WHERE I GREW UP, ST.
LOUIS. ST. LOUIS NOW IS SMALLER THAN OMAHA, IF YOU COULD BELIEVE IT.
AND THERE'S A CITY THAT IS DECLINING AND FALLING BEHIND RIGHT NOW.
THEY'RE UNDER 300,000 PEOPLE NOW IN THE CITY OF ST.
LOUIS. YOU KNOW, ANOTHER GOOD EXAMPLE IS DETROIT, WHICH I'M SURE YOU ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENED THERE.
I HAVE ALWAYS SAID SINCE I'VE BEEN DOWN TO CITY HALL AND I'VE BEEN DOWN THERE 12 YEARS AS MAYOR AND FOUR YEARS ON CITY COUNCIL BEFORE THAT IS THAT I REALLY DID UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF A STREETCAR, BUT I WOULD NOT SUPPORT IT WITH A TAX INCREASE TO PAY FOR IT.
AND I ALWAYS SAID, IF SOMEBODY COULD SHOW ME A FUNDING MODEL WHERE WE DIDN'T HAVE TO INCREASE THE TAXPAYER'S TAXES TO BUILD IT, THEN I WOULD BE ALL FOR IT. YOU COULD COUNT ME IN.
AND THEY DID. AND WE'LL GO THROUGH THE STREETCAR FINANCING IN JUST A MINUTE.
STEVE WILL DO THAT. BUT I WILL TELL YOU THIS.
I'M ALWAYS ASKED THREE MAIN QUESTIONS. NUMBER ONE, WHY THEY DIDN'T PUT IT TO A PUBLIC VOTE.
NUMBER TWO IS WHY AM I AFRAID TO PUT IT TO A PUBLIC VOTE? NUMBER THREE WOULD BE WHY NOT USE ALL THAT MONEY OR USE IT FOR THE STREETCAR TO FIX YOUR POTHOLES AND YOUR STREETS AND ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS? SO IF THE STREETCAR REQUIRED A LEVY INCREASE, I WOULD PUT IT ON THE BALLOT.
[00:05:02]
WE DEFINITELY WOULD DO IT. BUT THE WAY WE'RE FUNDING IT, AND WE'LL EXPLAIN IT TO YOU, IT DOES NOT REQUIRE THAT.OR IS IT OR DO WE REQUIRE A NEW TAX FOR EXAMPLE? SO WE DID NOT NEED TO PUT IT ON A BALLOT. THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT I GIVE EXAMPLE IN OMAHA THAT WE'VE DONE.
THE NEW BALLPARK DIDN'T GO ON A BALLOT. THE REVITALIZATION OF ALL OUR PARKS DOWNTOWN, $400 MILLION.
IT DIDN'T GO ON A BALLOT. SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS DEPENDING ON THE WAY WE ARE FUNDING IT, THAT DIDN'T REQUIRE TO GO ON A BALLOT. THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT WILL REALLY BE PAYING FOR THE STREETCAR ARE INCOME PRODUCING COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES ALONG THE ROUTE THAT WILL PAY FOR THE STREETCAR THROUGH THE INCREASED VALUE OF THEIR PROPERTY.
AND WHEN WE LOOK AT THE ROUTE, WE CONSIDER THREE BLOCKS FROM THE RAILS, AND THEN WE LOOK AT ANOTHER AREA WE CALL THE AREA OF INFLUENCE, WHICH IS ACTUALLY SIX BLOCKS FROM THE ROUTE. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE THERE'S NOTHING TO BE AFRAID OF BY PUTTING IT ON A BALLOT.
HOWEVER, WE DON'T NEED TO BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE FUNDING IS NOW.
WE SAID WHEN WE FIRST STARTED LOOKING AT THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY ALONG THE ROUTE, WE EVEN HAD A COMPANY FROM BALTIMORE COME IN AND LOOK AT OUR FUNDING MODEL AND LOOKED AT EVERY PARCEL ALONG THE ROUTE. EVERY ONE OF THEM.
AND THEY CALCULATED THROUGH. THEY SPENT NINE MONTHS IN OMAHA DOING THIS, THAT IN THE FIRST 15 YEARS IT WOULD GENERATE ABOUT $2 BILLION WORTH OF NEW DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE ROUTE. AND THAT WOULD MORE THAN PAY FOR THE STREETCAR WITH THE INCREASED DEVELOPMENT ALONG THERE.
BY THE END OF 2024, WE HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED CONSTRUCTION OF THE ACTUAL STREETCAR YET.
WE'VE ALREADY HAD 1.5 BILLION, AND WE HAVEN'T REALLY STARTED THE CONSTRUCTION YET.
SO IT'S REALLY ALREADY SUCCESSFUL BEFORE WE REALLY EVEN STARTED BUILDING IT.
NOW THIS COMPANY OUT OF BALTIMORE SAYS THEY BELIEVE WE WILL GENERATE 4 BILLION IN THE FIRST 15 YEARS, SO THEY'VE ALREADY DOUBLED THE AMOUNT OF NEW DEVELOPMENT.
EVERY CITY THAT WE STUDIED THAT IS BUILDING A STREETCAR SO FAR, THAT THEIR VALUE ALONG THE DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE ROUTE HAS SURPASSED WHAT THE INITIAL ESTIMATES WERE. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. AND WE ARE SEEING THAT IN OMAHA.
SO WE ALREADY HAVE $1.5 BILLION WORTH OF DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE ROUTE.
SOME OF THE THINGS ARE THE NEW MUTUAL OF OMAHA SKYSCRAPER THAT'S GOING IN DOWNTOWN.
I DID THE PRESS CONFERENCE WITH THE PRESIDENT OF MUTUAL. HE WOULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT THE STREETCAR.
COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT THE STREETCAR ADJACENT TO THE GENE LEAHY MALL.
SULLIVAN'S IS AT THE BASE. THAT IS AN OLD OFFICE BUILDING THAT WAS 75% VACANT.
SOON TO BECOME 100% VACANT. TODD BOUGHT IT. HE'S PUTTING OVER 700 APARTMENTS IN THERE.
HE SAID I WOULDN'T DO THIS WITHOUT THE STREETCAR. THAT'S JUST ANOTHER.
A COUPLE OF GOOD EXAMPLES. SO WE WILL SEE. WE'RE SURE OF IT.
OVER THE NEXT 15 YEARS, ABOUT $4 BILLION WORTH OF NEW DEVELOPMENT.
AND WITHOUT THE STREETCAR, THAT BIG POT OF MONEY, WHY DON'T YOU USE IT FOR SOMETHING ELSE? WITHOUT THE STREETCAR, THERE IS NO MONEY. YOU KNOW THE STREETCAR WILL PAY FOR ITSELF WITH THE INCREASED DEVELOPMENT THAT HAPPENS ALONG THE ROUTE.
VOTERS HAVE ALREADY APPROVED A $200 MILLION BOND ISSUE IN OMAHA THAT WE PASSED IN MAY OF 2020 FOR THE STREETS, SO THIS IS BASICALLY NOT AFFECTING WHAT WE ARE DOING, THE ADDITIONAL WORK WE'RE DOING FOR OUR ROADS IN OMAHA, AND ALSO THE OMAHA CITY COUNCIL HAS ALREADY APPROVED IN PUBLIC MEETINGS LIKE YOU'RE IN NOW.
ANY VOTE THAT I NEEDED FOR THE STREETCAR TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO HDR IS THE DESIGNER OF THE STREETCAR. THEY CONFIRMED IT WILL CREATE NEW DEVELOPMENTS.
THE DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE ROUTE SURPASSED WHAT THE INITIAL ESTIMATES WERE.
SO RIGHT NOW I'M GOING TO HAND IT OFF TO STEVE.
HE'S GOING TO GO THROUGH THE POWERPOINT, AND THEN I'M GOING TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW MORE WORDS, AND THEN WE'LL BE OPEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
SO, STEVE. WELL, THANK YOU, MAYOR. AS THE MAYOR SAID, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GREAT THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN DOWNTOWN OMAHA AND IN THE URBAN CORE. AND YOU SEE SOME OF THEM THERE, AND SHE'S ALREADY TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THEM.
BUT WE DO HAVE ISSUES IN THE CITY THAT WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT.
ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE BEEN TRACKING FOR QUITE SOME TIME IS THAT OMAHA ITSELF WILL BEGIN TO RUN OUT OF ROOM TO GROW INTO ON THE ON THE SUBURBAN FRINGE. AND SO WHERE OMAHA HAS FOR 100 PLUS YEARS.
THERE IS A POINT IN TIME WHERE WE RUN OUT OF ROOM TO GROW.
[00:10:06]
BUT THAT SORT OF JAGGED EDGE THAT YOU SEE ON THE WEST IS THE RIDGE LINE BETWEEN THE PAPILLION CREEK WATERSHED SYSTEM AND THE ELKHORN AND PLATTE VALLEY.AND THE REASON THAT RIDGE LINE IS SO IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE THE SEWER SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE USED TO POWER ALL OF THAT GROWTH OVER ALL THESE YEARS RUNS OUT WHEN IT GETS TO THAT RIDGE. THAT IS THE END OF THE PAPILLION CREEK WATERSHED SEWAGE TREATMENT SYSTEM.
AND SO AFTER THAT, WHEN YOU DROP INTO THE VALLEY, THERE IS A LOT OF FLOODPLAIN.
THERE IS NO UNIFIED SEWER SYSTEM THERE TO HELP WITH DEVELOPMENT.
NOW, WE ESTIMATE THAT THAT WILL PROBABLY HAPPEN ABOUT 2050 OR WHEN OMAHA IS ABOUT 200 YEARS OLD.
AND SO WE DON'T WANT TO REACH THAT POINT AND THEN START TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT DO WE DO.
BECAUSE AT THAT POINT YOU HAVE THIS FIXED TAX BASE.
AND THE PROPERTY THAT IS WITHIN THAT FIXED TAX BASE STARTS TO AGE.
AND YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH IS GETTING OLDER, STARTS TO COST MORE AND THE VALUE OF THAT EXISTING DEVELOPMENT OR THAT EXISTING PROPERTY DOES NOT GO UP AS QUICKLY AS IT ONCE DID. SO YOU START TO RUN INTO THIS PROBLEM WHERE THE COST OF YOUR AGING INFRASTRUCTURE AND MAINTAINING THAT IS GOING UP FASTER THAN THE ABILITY TO KEEP UP WITH IT, WITH YOUR PROPERTY VALUES.
AND SO WE WANT TO BE PROACTIVE AND WE WANT TO GET AHEAD OF THAT ISSUE.
SO WHAT WE LOOKED AT WAS WELL THEN LET'S LOOK AT GOING BACK TO WHERE OMAHA STARTED.
A LOT OF VALUE. AND SO AS WE STARTED TO LOOK AT THAT BACK IN THE EARLY 2000, WE STARTED TO REALIZE THAT WE HAD A PROBLEM WITH PARKING. AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT A PLAN THAT WAS DONE BACK IN 1963, AT THAT TIME, WE HAD ABOUT 48,000 JOBS IN THE URBAN CORE IN DOWNTOWN. IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, WE HAD ABOUT 27,000 PARKING STALLS.
WELL, WHAT HAPPENED SINCE THAT TIME, WHEN WE LOOKED AT IT AGAIN IN 2014, WAS WE HAD LOST 21,000 JOBS, BUT WE HAD ADDED ABOUT 13,000 PARKING STALLS.
AND SO WHAT WE WERE SEEING IS WE'RE STARTING TO TRADE JOBS FOR PARKING.
BUT WHAT WE FOUND WAS WE WERE STARTING TO USE UP THE LAND WITH THAT PARKING.
AND SO WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE AERIALS FROM 1963, THESE SORT OF BLUISH GREEN RECTANGLES ARE THE OFF STREET PARKING LOCATIONS IN THE URBAN CORE IN 1963. WHEN WE LOOKED AT IT AGAIN IN 2014, THIS IS HOW MUCH ADDITIONAL LAND HAD BEEN ADDED IN TERMS OF OFF STREET PARKING.
IN TERMS OF OFF-STREET PARKING, WHAT'S WORSE IS THAT AS WE STUDY THIS, AFTER MAYOR STOTHERT CAME INTO OFFICE, WE CREATED A PARKING DIVISION. THEY STARTED TO STUDY ALL OF THIS.
AND WHAT THEY FOUND WAS THAT OF THAT PARKING THAT IS IN THE URBAN CORE, IT CONSUMES ALMOST 50% OF THE LAND IN THE URBAN CORE THAT CAN BE DEVELOPED, AND ABOUT 50% OF THAT PARKING SITS VACANT AT ANY GIVEN POINT IN TIME.
SO NOT ONLY ARE WE CONSUMING THE URBAN CORE WITH PARKING, IT IS SITTING.
ABOUT HALF OF IT IS SITTING VACANT. AND OF COURSE, WHEN YOU HAVE A PARKING STRUCTURE THERE, YOU CAN'T BUILD THE BUILDING. AND SO WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET THE REVENUE THAT WE WOULD GET FROM NEW DEVELOPMENT.
AND IN THAT STUDY, THERE WAS ANOTHER MARKET STUDY DONE FOR DOWNTOWN THAT'S BEEN DONE OFF AND ON, REALLY SINCE ABOUT 2009. ALL OF THOSE STUDIES, IF YOU BOIL THEM DOWN, SAY ABOUT THE SAME THING, AND THAT IS THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ATTRACT ABOUT 30,000 JOBS AND 30,000 RESIDENTS TO THE URBAN CORE OVER A 30 YEAR PERIOD.
BUT IF WE DID THAT, AND WE CONTINUED TO PARK THAT NEW DEVELOPMENT THE WAY WE ALWAYS HAVE, WE WOULD NEED ABOUT 50,000 NEW PARKING STALLS AT THE CURRENT COST OF PARKING, JUST A STANDARD OFF STREET PARKING STRUCTURE, ABOUT 30,000 A STALL.
IT'S GOING UP, AS WE KNOW. THAT WOULD BE ABOUT $1.5 BILLION IN PARKING.
NOW, THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT IS GETTING SO EXPENSIVE TO BUILD THAT PARKING WE CAN'T CHARGE ENOUGH.
NOW, IN THOSE NEW PARKING STRUCTURES TO PAY FOR THAT PARKING.
SO WHAT THEN HAPPENS IS WE HAVE TO ASK THE TAXPAYERS TO BEGIN TO SUBSIDIZE ALL OF THAT NEW PARKING.
[00:15:04]
TAXES ON THAT SAME 40 SQUARE BLOCKS. WE WOULD TYPICALLY HAVE ABOUT $50 MILLION IN DEVELOPMENT ON EACH BLOCK.SO WE LOSE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ABOUT $2 BILLION IN NEW DEVELOPMENT.
SO THIS APPROACH ISN'T GOING TO WORK GOING FORWARD.
THIS IS THAT SAME AREA IN 2021. AND SO YOU CAN SEE, OBVIOUSLY THEY'VE DONE SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE ALL OF THAT NEW DEVELOPMENT. BUT WHAT'S REALLY INTERESTING WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS WAS THAT THEY HAVE ABOUT THE SAME NUMBER OF PARKING STALLS IN DOWNTOWN DENVER AS WE HAVE IN DOWNTOWN OMAHA, BUT THEY HAVE ALMOST FIVE TIMES AS MANY JOBS IN DOWNTOWN DENVER AS WE DO.
AND THE WAY THEY DID THIS WAS TO INCREASE THEIR INVESTMENT IN TRANSIT, SPECIFICALLY RAIL TRANSIT, TO BE ABLE TO GET MORE PEOPLE IN AND OUT AND TO MOVE AROUND THE URBAN CORE WITHOUT ALWAYS NEEDING TO GET IN YOUR CAR IN ORDER TO MOVE AROUND OR TO GET IN AND OUT OF THE URBAN CORE.
IT REDUCES THE DEMAND FOR THAT PARKING WE GET A GET A CHANCE TO UTILIZE ALL OF THAT 50% VACANT PARKING FREES UP LAND FOR MORE DEVELOPMENT AND CREATES. I'LL EXPLAIN IN A MINUTE SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO ALSO HELP TO FUND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THE MAYOR MENTIONED THE DUO PROJECT BY TODD HIESTAND'S NEW STYLE DEVELOPMENT, AS SHE SAID, THE BUILDING 70 PLUS PERCENT EMPTY AND ON ITS WAY TO 100% EMPTY.
THIS BUILDING WILL NOW, TOGETHER WITH AN ADDITION THAT GOES ON THE BACK SIDE OF THIS BUILDING, ABOUT 707 APARTMENTS, ABOUT $183 MILLION PROJECT.
AND THE REASON IS THAT HE GENERALLY LOOKS ABOUT SIX BLOCKS IN ANY DIRECTION FROM HIS PROJECT, TRIES TO LOOK AT HOW MANY JOBS ARE IN THAT AREA, HOW MANY PEOPLE MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN LIVING IN HIS APARTMENTS, AND WHO MIGHT WORK AND THEN LIVE AND WORK IN THAT AREA.
SO MY MARKET IS MUCH BIGGER. HE ALSO DOESN'T NEED AS MUCH PARKING.
THE BRICK LINE, THE MERCANTILE THAT HAS BEEN OPENED RECENTLY.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE WHERE WE SEE A MAJOR DEVELOPMENT WITH LESS PARKING BEING DEVELOPED.
SO WE ARE SEEING THIS NEW DEVELOPMENT HAPPENING WITH LESS PARKING NEEDED TO BE BUILT.
THEY TOOK JOBS AT THE AT UNMC, AND THEY LOOKED AT THIS LOCATION AND SAID, WE'RE FAMILIAR WITH COMING FROM A BIGGER CITY WHERE WE DON'T NEED TO USE OUR CAR TO GET BACK AND FORTH FROM WORK. SO THIS IS A GREAT LOCATION TO MOVE TO, NOT ONLY NICE APARTMENTS, BUT WHEN THE STREETCAR IS IN PLACE, WE CAN TAKE THE STREETCAR TO GO BACK AND FORTH TO THE MED CENTER.
THIS IS ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WE JUST RECENTLY ANNOUNCED.
THIS IS THE COMBINATION OF THE NEW CHILDREN'S MUSEUM AND THE BEAM.
ANOTHER PROJECT AGAIN NEW STYLE DEVELOPMENT. AGAIN, LESS PARKING BEING BUILT FOR BOTH OF THESE PROJECTS PUT TOGETHER THAN WHAT WE WOULD DO HISTORICALLY. AGAIN, BEING ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE STREETCAR AND THE ABILITY OF PEOPLE TO GET TO AND FROM THESE VENUES WITHOUT NEEDING TO HAVE THEIR CAR.
SO STREETCARS HELP US DRIVE GROWTH. IT REALLY CONNECTS PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE URBAN CORE.
SOMETIMES THEY'RE CALLED HORIZONTAL ELEVATORS.
THE IDEA IS YOU HOP ON, HOP OFF. WE WON'T BE CHARGING TO RIDE THE STREETCAR.
AND SO REALLY, IT IS A WALK EXTENDER, A WAY TO PARK YOUR CAR ONE TIME AND MOVE AROUND THE CAR, THE CORE WITHOUT NEEDING YOUR CAR. IT'S SIMPLE.
YOU CAN LOOK AT THE TRACKS, YOU CAN SEE WHERE IT'S COMING FROM. YOU CAN SEE WHERE IT'S GOING. SO PEOPLE DON'T WONDER, IS IT GOING TO TURN? IS THIS BUS GOING TO TURN AT THE NEXT CORNER? YOU KNOW WHERE THE STREETCAR IS GOING TO GO. IT ALSO IS HELPING US ATTRACT AND RETAIN YOUNG TALENT.
I ACTUALLY HAVE A GRANDDAUGHTER WHO LIVES IN THE CORE.
LOVES BEING THERE. THINKS THE STREETCAR IS THE GREATEST THING AND REALLY IS EXCITED ABOUT OMAHA, IN PART BECAUSE OF ALL THE GREAT THINGS HAPPENING IN THE CORE AND THE ABILITY OF THE STREETCAR TO MAINTAIN THAT AND CONTINUE THAT.
SO WHAT WILL IT LOOK LIKE IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THIS STRETCH OF FARNUM STREET? IT IS JUST TO THE WEST OF 20TH. ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THIS IMAGE, THE BROWN BUILDING IS THE ROSE THEATER.
[00:20:02]
IT'S MOSTLY VACANT PARKING LOTS. AGAIN, A PIECE OF GROUND OWNED BY NEW STYLE DEVELOPMENT.WHAT THEY'VE ALWAYS SAID IS WE'RE WAITING TO FIND OUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO THE STREETCAR, BECAUSE IF YOU AREN'T, WE'LL NEED TO BUILD MORE PARKING.
IF, ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU'RE BUILDING THE STREETCAR, THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT, BUILDING WHERE YOU WHERE YOU CAN GO TO BIGGER BUILDINGS, BECAUSE WE CAN MAKE USE OF THE PARKING IN THE AREA.
THEY DON'T NEED TO DEVOTE AS MUCH LAND TO PARKING.
AND THE WAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PAYING TO BUILD IT AND TO OPERATE AND MAINTAIN IT, PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT THAT AND SAYING, WELL, HOW CAN THAT BE? HOW CAN IT BE THAT MY TAXES AREN'T GOING TO GO UP, THAT I'M NOT PAYING FOR THIS? AND WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND IS THAT THIS IS AN INVESTMENT.
IT'S AN INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT, NOT UNLIKE WHAT THE CITY DID AT EXURBAN VILLAGE.
IN THAT CASE, THE CITY INSTALLED THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR EXURBAN VILLAGE.
AS DEVELOPMENT HAPPENED, THE TAX INCREMENT THAT OCCURRED BETWEEN THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY WHEN IT WAS THE RACETRACK, THE VALUE OF THE NEW DEVELOPMENT, THE ADDITIONAL TAXES THAT ARE PAID, A PORTION, A SHARE OF THOSE TAXES COME BACK TO THE CITY TO HELP PAY BACK THE CITY'S INVESTMENT IN THAT INITIAL INFRASTRUCTURE. SO IT'S THAT KIND OF REVENUE PRODUCING PROJECT THAT WE DO THIS ALL THE TIME.
AND SO IT'S NOT UNUSUAL. WHAT IS ALSO KIND OF HARD FOR PEOPLE TO, TO IMAGINE IS THAT IN OMAHA WE HAVE SOMETHING CALLED THE SANITARY IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT MECHANISM, WHICH ALLOWS A DEVELOPER IN THE SUBURBAN FRINGE TO INSTALL INFRASTRUCTURE TO FLOAT TAX FREE MUNICIPAL BONDS, TO PAY FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE.
THEN, AS DEVELOPMENT OCCURS, THE TAXES THAT ARE PAID, A PORTION OF THOSE TAXES COME BACK TO PAY OFF THE BONDS THAT WERE FLOATED TO PAY FOR THAT INFRASTRUCTURE. AGAIN, VERY MUCH THE SAME THING AS TIF.
IT'S A SORT OF A SUBURBAN VERSION, IF YOU WILL, OF TAX INCREMENT FINANCING.
SO AS THE MAYOR SAID, HOW DO YOU PAY FOR A STREETCAR? YOU BUILD A STREETCAR. SO AGAIN, A LITTLE BIT HARD TO KIND OF PICTURE.
BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT THAT VACANT PARKING LOT, IT'S GOING UP IN VALUE.
BUT IT'S GOING UP VERY SLOWLY. SO IT'S NOT REALLY PRODUCING MUCH IN THE WAY OF TAX REVENUE.
THE DEVELOPER IS ALLOWED TO USE THAT TAX TO COME BACK AND OFFSET SOME OF THEIR COSTS.
AND THOSE ARE VERY DEFINED. BUT ONCE THOSE LOANS ARE PAID OFF, GENERALLY IN ABOUT 15 YEARS, IN SOME PARTS OF THE URBAN CORE, IT GOES UP TO 20 YEARS.
BUT WHEN THOSE LOANS ARE PAID OFF AFTER 15 OR 20 YEARS, THAT TAX INCREMENT FINANCING ABILITY STOPS AND ALL OF THAT INCREASED TAX REVENUE THEN GOES ON TO THE TAXING ENTITIES. SO WHAT ABOUT THE STREETCAR? WELL, AS WE'VE SAID, THE STREETCAR ALLOWS THIS BUMP IN DEVELOPMENT, THIS BUMP IN VALUE.
SO THE VALUE OF THAT PROPERTY BUMPS UP BY AN ADDITIONAL INCREMENT.
SAME THING HAPPENS AFTER ABOUT 15 YEARS, 20 YEARS IN SOME PLACES.
WHEN THAT IS DONE, THAT REVENUE THEN GOES ON TO THE TAXING ENTITIES.
SO IF THERE'S NO PROJECT THERE, IF THERE'S NO STREETCAR, THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL REVENUE.
SO AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, PEOPLE SAY, WHY DON'T YOU USE THAT MONEY FOR POTHOLES WITHOUT THE STREETCAR? THERE'S NO BUMP IN VALUE, NO BUMP IN VALUE, NO INCREASE IN TAX REVENUE, NO MONEY TO HELP PAY FOR POTHOLES.
SO, AS THE MAYOR SAID, WHAT IS REALLY CRITICAL FOR OUR TAXPAYERS IN OMAHA TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO ARE PAYING FOR THE STREETCAR ARE THOSE INCOME PRODUCING COMMERCIAL AND MULTIFAMILY PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN THAT 6 TO 7 BLOCK CORRIDOR.
NO SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, CONDOMINIUMS, EVEN THE SMALLER A RESIDENTIAL.
MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS FOR FOUR OR FEWER UNITS ARE NOT PAYING FOR THE STREETCAR.
NOW, WE ORIGINALLY HAD AN ESTIMATE OF A CONCEPTUAL PLAN.
THAT ESTIMATE WAS AROUND 306 MILLION, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED.
MUNI CAP. HAD WE HIRED MUNI CAP TO DO AN ESTIMATE, THEY CAME BACK AND SAID, WE THINK AT A MINIMUM, YOU COULD GET $2 BILLION WORTH OF DEVELOPMENT OVER 15 YEARS.
THAT GENERATED ABOUT $600 MILLION, $608 MILLION IN REVENUE THAT WE COULD THEN APPLY TO PAY FOR THE STREETCAR, WHICH WAS MORE THAN ENOUGH TO PAY FOR THAT 306 MILLION.
BUT WE KNEW THAT IT WOULD COST MORE BECAUSE THIS WAS JUST A CONCEPTUAL PLAN.
[00:25:02]
AND SO WE ASKED THE CITY COUNCIL FOR AUTHORIZATION FOR UP TO $440 MILLION IN BONDS TO PAY FOR THE STREETCAR.WE ARE UPGRADING OUR SEWER LINES, ESSENTIALLY TRYING TO FIX ANYTHING WE CAN IN THE CORRIDOR SO THAT WHEN THE STREETCAR OPENS, ALL OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS UNDERNEATH THE STREET IS IN GOOD SHAPE AND WE DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK AND TEAR UP THE STREET.
THE PROJECTION NOW IS JUST SHY OF $4 BILLION OVER THE NEXT 15 YEARS.
AGAIN, ABOUT 1.3 BILLION. ACTUALLY 1.4 BILLION NOW DONE BY THE END OF 2024.
NOW I MENTIONED AFFORDABLE HOUSING EARLIER. AND WHAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO KNOW IS THAT THE PLAN THAT WE PUT TOGETHER FOR THIS PROJECT IS CALLED THE HOUSING AND MOBILITY REDEVELOPMENT PLAN. AND THE REASON WE SAID THAT IS THAT WE ALSO KNOW THAT OVER THE LIFESPAN OF THIS ABILITY TO COLLECT TIF, WE WILL COLLECT FAR MORE THAN THE 940 MILLION.
AND SO WE WILL COLLECT ENOUGH THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO SPEND SOME OF THAT TAX INCREMENT MONEY TO HELP PUSH DOWN THE COST OF NEW HOUSING IN THE URBAN CORE, AND TO HELP OFFSET SOME OF THE COSTS AND CREATE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AGAIN, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE SORT OF SORT OF BUMP IN VALUE AT THE OUTSET.
THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT OTHER CITIES SEE. THEY SEE THIS, THIS RUSH OF DEVELOPMENT, THIS BUMP OF DEVELOPMENT OCCURRING, AND THEN THAT DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES ON, MAYBE AT A MORE TYPICAL PACE.
AND SO RIGHT NOW, AGAIN, ALMOST 4 BILLION OVER A 15 YEAR PERIOD.
THIS IS JUST A LIST OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THAT LIST THAT YOU CAN SEE 1.5 BILLION.
THERE ARE SOME PROJECTS THERE, ABOUT SIX PROJECTS THAT WE HAVEN'T YET SEEN COME THROUGH THE DOOR.
WE'RE TALKING TO THE DEVELOPERS. WE KNOW THEY'RE IN PROCESS.
WE'LL SEE THOSE SOON. SO WE'LL BE UP OVER 1.5 BILLION WHEN THOSE COME THROUGH.
AGAIN, WE'RE NOT TAKING ANY MONEY FROM CITYWIDE.
THERE'S NO NEED FOR A CITYWIDE PROPERTY TAX RATE INCREASE.
NO MONEY FROM SINGLE FAMILY CONDOS AND SO FORTH.
THIS IS THE ROUTE ON THE ON THE WEST END RIGHT NOW.
WE STOP AT ABOUT 39TH, JUST SHORT OF 40TH STREET IN BLACKSTONE.
IT IS TWO WAY IN FARNUM STREET. SO IF YOU WERE TO GO EASTBOUND ON FARNUM THROUGH A MIDTOWN CROSSING DOWN THE HILL TO TURNER BOULEVARD, TURN ON TURNER BOULEVARD TO HARNEY, EASTBOUND ON HARNEY TO 10TH, 10TH UP TO CAPITAL OVER TO EIGHTH STREET, EIGHTH STREET DOWN TO FARNUM AND FARNUM BACK TO 39TH.
YOU SEE THE ARROWS GREEN ARROWS ON EACH END. AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, WE PULLED BACK.
WE INITIALLY WERE GOING TO GO TO ABOUT 42ND UNMC WAS STILL WORKING ON SOME PLANS.
WE WEREN'T EXACTLY SURE WHERE THEY WERE GOING TO GO FROM THERE.
WE WEREN'T EXACTLY SURE WHERE THEY WANTED TO EXTEND THE STREETCAR, SO WE KIND OF JUST STOPPED AT 39TH, SO WE DIDN'T TRY TO DO ANY WORK OR INSTALL INFRASTRUCTURE WE WOULD HAVE TO TEAR OUT LATER.
SIMILARLY, WE AT ONE POINT THOUGHT ABOUT STOPPING AT THE FRONT OF THE CHI HEALTH CENTER.
IF WE WERE TO EXTEND IT FURTHER TO MILLER COMMONS, ON TO GALLUP, ON TO THE AIRPORT, THAT'S NOT REALLY WHERE WE WOULD PUT THE STOP OR HOW WE WOULD DESIGN IT. SO WE INSTEAD DECIDED TO JUST CUT OFF AT CAPITOL FOR NOW AND TAKE A LONGER LOOK AT THE AT THAT EXTENSION.
THIS IS AN IDEA OF WHAT THE CARS MAY LOOK LIKE.
THEY ARE MADE BY CAF, WHICH IS A COMPANY OUT OF SPAIN.
IT'S BASICALLY THE SAME CAR THAT IS USED IN KANSAS CITY, WITH ONE MAJOR EXCEPTION.
[00:30:05]
THAT IS THAT IN KANSAS CITY, THE CARS ALWAYS RUN ON WHAT'S CALLED ON WIRE.SO YOU SEE THE SEE THE LITTLE PANTOGRAPH ON THE ROOF THAT WOULD GO UP, IT WOULD ATTACH TO THE WIRE, IT WOULD RUN ALONG THAT WIRE, AND THAT WOULD BE THE POWER THAT THEN POWERED THAT ELECTRIC VEHICLE.
OUR VEHICLES WILL HAVE BATTERY OPTIONS AS WELL.
WHAT THE STOPS LOOK LIKE. THIS IS A TYPICAL SIDE STOP BY ALL MAKES ABOUT 26TH AND FARNUM.
SO FAIRLY SIMPLE STOPS BUT THEY WILL BE LEVEL BOARDING.
THE VEHICLES ARE 100% LOW FLOOR LEVEL, SO HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE.
THIS IS A CENTER STOP IN THE MUTUAL, WHERE MUTUAL'S CURRENT CAMPUS IS.
PART OF THIS IS TO SLOW DOWN TRAFFIC IN THAT MIDTOWN BLACKSTONE AREA.
THIS IS KIND OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FROM AN AERIAL VIEW. SO MORE OF A CENTER PLATFORM.
YOU LOAD BOTH SIDES. THAT IS WHAT? ANOTHER VIEW.
AND THE BRIDGES ARE ALSO UNDER DESIGN, THEY'LL BE MUCH MORE ATTRACTIVE THAN OUR CURRENT BRIDGES.
WE WILL BE SOON TEARING OUT HARNEY STREET BRIDGE.
THAT IS THE FIRST BRIDGE TO BE REBUILT, AND THEN THE FARNUM STREET BRIDGE WILL FOLLOW THAT.
THE SHELTERS ARE FAIRLY SIMPLE. AGAIN, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE HERE VERY LONG.
THE VEHICLE MAINTENANCE FACILITY IS BEING TUCKED DOWN UNDER THE INTERSTATE.
THEY WILL BE BUILDING THE VEHICLE MAINTENANCE FACILITY.
THIS IS AN IDEA OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FROM AN ELEVATION STANDPOINT.
JUST SOME DIFFERENT VIEWS OF THE VEHICLE MAINTENANCE FACILITY.
SO, IT WILL BE FAIRLY ATTRACTIVE. WE'RE DONE WITH THE ESSENTIALLY FINAL DESIGN.
THE VEHICLES HAVE BEEN ORDERED. WE ARE WORKING ON THE COLORS RIGHT NOW.
WE'LL RUN THROUGH 27. WE THEN GET THE CARS. THEY COME ONE AT A TIME.
EACH CAR HAS TO BE BURNED IN AND RUN. SO IT TAKES SEVERAL MONTHS TO TEST THE SYSTEM.
RUN EACH OF THE CARS AND TEST THEM BEFORE WE BEGIN SERVICE.
SO WE WILL BEGIN SERVICE PROBABLY IN AROUND MEMORIAL DAY IN 2028.
SO WITH THAT, WE GO BACK TO THAT URBAN CORE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT THE MAYOR MENTIONED AT THE OUTSET.
THAT IS OUR GUIDE. IT SAYS TO REACH OUR POTENTIAL.
OMAHA MUST REAFFIRM AND REINFORCE THE URBAN CORE HISTORIC ROLE AS A CULTURAL, ENTERTAINMENT, RESIDENTIAL AND EMPLOYMENT HEART OF THE REGION.
AND THE STREETCAR GETS US THERE. SO WITH THAT, WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
LIKE STEVE SAID, WE'VE TYPICALLY GROWN WITH ANNEXATION, BUT IN THE FUTURE, IT NEEDS TO COME FROM REDEVELOPMENT, REVITALIZATION AND GROWING UP AND NOT OUT. BECAUSE OMAHA WILL BE AT ITS POSITION.
WE CAN'T GO WEST ANYMORE IN THE URBAN CORE IS POSITIONED TO LEAD US THERE.
WE TRULY BELIEVE THAT THE STREETCAR WILL PROVIDE ACCESS TO JOBS AND HOUSING AND ATTRACTIONS, ENTERTAINMENT, RECREATION, ALL THE THINGS THAT WE WANT DOWNTOWN.
IT'S GOING TO ENABLE PEOPLE TO GET IN DOWNTOWN, AROUND DOWNTOWN AND OUT OF DOWNTOWN.
I DO WANT TO MENTION THAT THE ROUTE HE SHOWED YOU, IT'S ABOUT A THREE AND A HALF MILE ROUTE.
THAT IS THE INITIAL ROUTE IS HOW WE'RE LOOKING AT IT.
AND WE HAVE ALREADY APPLIED FOR A FEDERAL GRANT TO STUDY EXPANDING IT NORTH.
IT COULD GO NORTH TO, YOU KNOW, NORTH JUST NORTH OF WHERE CHI IS AND NORTH OMAHA.
WE WOULD LIKE IT TO END UP GOING UP TO THE AIRPORT.
AND WE'RE DOING THE BILLION DOLLAR REMODELING AND REDEVELOPMENT OF THE AIRPORT TERMINAL RIGHT NOW.
AND BRINGING THAT STREETCAR UP THERE WOULD MAKE A LOT OF SENSE.
[00:35:01]
AND THEN LOOK AT IT GOING SOUTH TO PERHAPS TO THE ZOO IN THE FUTURE, TOO.WE ARE ALREADY SEEING THAT. AND AS STEVE MENTIONED, WE CAN USE THAT ADDITIONAL REVENUE FOR OTHER THINGS LIKE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR BIKE LANES, A LOT OF PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS. SO THERE WILL BE ENOUGH REVENUE.
WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH TO PAY FOR THE STREETCAR AND TO PAY FOR OTHER THINGS WE NEED ALONG THE ROUTE TO IT WILL NOT TO PUT THE CITY IN ANY DEBT, AND WE KEEP ON SAYING THAT TO PEOPLE. THERE WILL NOT BE A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE OUR NEW TAXES.
THAT'S THE THING THAT WE HEAR THE MOST ABOUT.
WELL, I DON'T WANT TO PAY FOR IT. I LIVE OUT WEST.
WHY SHOULD I PAY FOR A STREETCAR? THOSE PEOPLE WILL NOT BE PAYING FOR THE STREETCAR.
IN FACT, WE'RE KIND OF ALMOST WHERE WE SHOULD BE ORIGINALLY IN 15 YEARS OF NEW OF NEW DEVELOPMENT.
SO WE'RE SEEING IT ALL ALONG THE ROUTE RIGHT NOW. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN THAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM BEING DOWN ON EIGHTH AND DOUGLAS, AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE JUST ANNOUNCED RECENTLY WITH A NEW APARTMENT BUILDING NEXT TO IT.
THAT'S A LITTLE KIND OF A TRIANGLE OF LAND THAT WE OWN.
THE CITY OWNS. AND BECAUSE THE STREETCAR WILL GO ALONG THE ROUTE, WE'RE GETTING A NEW CHILDREN'S MUSEUM AND A NEW DEVELOPMENT WITH HOUSING, AND WE'RE BUILDING A LOT OF HOUSING DOWNTOWN RIGHT NOW TO ATTRACT NEW BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN, TOO. BUT I'M TELLING YOU, AS FAST AS WE BUILD THEM, THEY FILL UP.
TODD, HE SAID, WHO HE MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES.
HIS APARTMENTS ARE ABOUT 98% FULL. AS HE BUILDS THEM, THEY FILL UP RIGHT AWAY AND HE WILL SAY OVER AND OVER AGAIN, LIKE WITH THE NEW APARTMENTS HE'S GOING TO BE BUILDING BY WHERE THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM IS.
I CANNOT DO THIS WITHOUT THE STREETCAR. SO IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE TO GO FORWARD AND DO IT NOW.
YEAH, I KNOW THE MAYOR IS GOING TO ASK ME SOME HARD QUESTIONS.
YOU KNOW, MAYOR, ONE OF THE COMMON QUESTIONS I GET ABOUT THE OMAHA STREETCAR AND THE POSSIBILITY OF A STREETCAR IN OMAHA IS WE SEE VACANT METRO AREA BUSSES TRAVELING UP AND DOWN THE STREET ALL THE TIME.
WHY WOULD YOU PUT IN A STREETCAR? AND I TELL PEOPLE, IT CERTAINLY MAY BE MASS TRANSIT.
AND I DON'T THINK PEOPLE GRASP THAT THAT THAT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS OUR TOTAL MOBILITY SYSTEM WE HAVE IN OMAHA.
SO YES, WE WILL STILL HAVE METRO TRANSIT. YOU KNOW, WE DEVELOPED AND OPENED UP THE ORBIT.
AND WHAT HAPPENED WHEN WE DID THE ORBIT AND COVID HIT? WELL, OF COURSE, THERE WEREN'T A LOT OF RIDERS ON THE ON THE NEW ORBIT DURING COVID, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE PEOPLE RIDING IN OUR AIRPLANES EITHER OUT OF THE AIRPORT, AND WE WEREN'T TALKING ABOUT SHUTTING THE AIRPORT DOWN, AND THAT RIGHT AWAY HAS REALLY PICKED UP.
AND WITH THE ORBIT, IT'S ABOUT 8500 RIDES A WEEK FOR THE BUS SYSTEM TOTAL OVER ALMOST 3.5 MILLION PEOPLE RIDE IT EVERY WEEK. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OMAHA THAT DO DEPEND, AND RIDE OUR BUS SYSTEMS. IF YOU DON'T, IF YOU LOOK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY, THERE MIGHT NOT, MIGHT NOT BE FULL.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER TIMES OF THE DAY, IT IS.
BUT WHEN I SAY TOTAL MOBILITY SYSTEM, ALWAYS PEOPLE COMMUTE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF I COULD BE SO BOLD. BLACK AND GOLD IS A GOOD COLOR SCHEME.
YEAH, WELL, YOU KNOW, I LIKE HE LOOKED AT ME WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT COLORS BECAUSE I LIKE THE MORE COLORS ON IT, THE BETTER. AND YOU KNOW, WITH OUR DOWNTOWN PARKING SYSTEM, PARK OMAHA THAT WE HAVE WE ALREADY HAVE COLORS WITH THE KIOSK, AND THEY ARE ALMOST THE COLORS, ALL THE COLORS YOU SAW ON THAT DRAWING THERE WE HAVE PURPLE, WE HAVE GOLD, WE HAVE BLUE. AND I'D LIKE TO KEEP IT KIND OF THE SAME WITH WHAT WE'VE ALREADY DEVELOPED WITH OUR PARKING SYSTEM DOWN THERE, BUT IT IS MOVING ALONG, NO PUN INTENDED THERE.
AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S ALREADY SUCCESSFUL BEFORE WE HAVE BUILT IT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION FOR STEVE.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A QUESTION, SURE. GO AHEAD.
GO AHEAD. SORRY. HE KNOWS MORE ABOUT, WELL, STEVE AND OTHER PEOPLE IN THE ROOM.
AND I'M ASKING STEVE BECAUSE YOU'RE MAYBE MORE FAMILIAR WITH COUNCIL BLUFFS.
[00:40:10]
OMAHA? SURE. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY WITH DODGE PARK.AND SO ONE OF THE BIG OPPORTUNITIES YOU HAVE IS TO, IS TO REDEVELOP THAT SPACE.
AND IF THAT WERE TO BE REDEVELOPED IT WOULD PROVIDE A LOT OF ADDITIONAL HOUSING, A LOT OF ADDITIONAL PROBABLY SOME RETAIL THAT WOULD GO WITH IT, PERHAPS SOME OFFICE, AND THERE'D BE A VALUATION THAT GOES WITH THAT.
BUT I THINK THE OTHER THING ABOUT IT IS, AND I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO YOU'RE DOING A STUDY ON THIS.
BUT PART OF THE QUESTION THEN TOO IS CAN YOU DO WHAT WE ARE SEEING IN OMAHA AND NOT HAVE TO SPEND SO MUCH MONEY ON PARKING IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT DEVELOPMENT GO? AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I THINK YOU'LL FIND THAT YOU DON'T NEED AS MUCH PARKING BECAUSE YOU'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO THAT AREA WITHOUT EVERYBODY ALWAYS HAVING TO HAVE A CAR AND MOVE AROUND USING THEIR CAR.
BUT I KNOW YOU'RE ALSO LOOKING AT CAN YOU THEN CONTINUE THAT ROUTE ON FIRST AVENUE AND BRING IT ALL THE WAY TO THE HOSPITALS? YOU'VE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY THAT IN OMAHA WE WISH WE HAD, WHICH IS YOU DON'T HAVE ANY UTILITIES UNDER THAT FIRST AVENUE CORRIDOR LIKE WE DO IN OMAHA. AND THAT IS A VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE AND VERY TIME-CONSUMING COST FOR US.
IT'S ADDED PROBABLY A YEAR TO OUR PROCESS AND PROBABLY $100 MILLION TO OUR COST.
SO A HUGE EXPENSE THAT YOU WOULDN'T HAVE BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A RAIL CORRIDOR.
AND SO, I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY NOT HAVE TO SEE THE LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT THAT WE ARE SEEING IN DOWNTOWN OMAHA IN ORDER TO GENERATE THE REVENUE THAT YOU NEED, BECAUSE YOUR COST MAY BE LOWER. NOW, THE BRIDGE WON'T BE CHEAP.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN PAY FOR A SIGNIFICANT SHARE OF YOUR EXPENSES ON THAT TOPIC.
RIGHT. IT'S THE DODGE PARK AND SELLING DODGE PARK.
IF SOMEBODY IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PAY FOR THE STREETCAR WITH TIFF AND THEY SAID YOU HAD TO SELL GENE LEAHY MALL TO PAY FOR IT, WOULD YOU BE MOVING DOWN THIS, THIS ROUTE? IF WE HAD TO SELL THE GENE, DID YOU SAY.
SO WE'RE NOT USING THAT TIFF TO OR WE'RE NOT CURRENTLY LOOKING AT THAT.
SO THAT A LOT. I KNOW THAT'S WHERE I STRUGGLE, RIGHT? I SEE THE BENEFITS OF THE STREETCAR. BUT THEN TO COME INTO OUR COMMUNITY AND, AND TO DEVELOP ONE OF OUR LARGE GREEN SPACES, THAT'S WHERE I'M STRUGGLING. YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, AND I WOULD HATE TO SAY WHAT I THINK YOU SHOULD DO IN COUNCIL BLUFFS, BUT I WILL SAY THIS IS IT'S THIS IS LIKE 50 YEAR VISIONING.
I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT TO THINK AHEAD. AND WHEN I, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE REDEVELOPED OUR RIVERFRONT PARKS, HEARTLAND AMERICA PARK, LEWIS AND CLARK LANDING, I REALLY GOT CRITICIZED FOR REDEVELOPING THE JEAN LEAHY MALL.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THIS BEAUTIFUL PARK DOWNTOWN? BUT I KNEW IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, AND WE HAD SO MANY PEOPLE INVOLVED IN IT.
AND NOW THAT IT IS DONE, I MEAN, IT'S A MASTERPIECE.
AND ALREADY WE HAVE HAD 5 MILLION PEOPLE VISIT THE GENE, THE NEW GENE LEAHY MALL.
SO SOMETIMES I THINK IT'S JUST A MATTER OF VISIONING.
WHAT DO YOU SEE THAT YOU WANT TO HAPPEN IN COUNCIL BLUFFS? NOT NOW, BUT IN THE FUTURE TOO. AND I THINK THAT'S THE IMPORTANT WAY TO LOOK AT IT.
NOT EVERYBODY AGREES WITH THIS STREETCAR AT THIS, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OMAHA DON'T BELIEVE THAT THEIR TAXES WON'T GO UP TO PAY FOR IT. BUT I THINK WE SHOWED OVER AND OVER AGAIN, IT'S ALREADY SUCCESSFUL AND IT'S ALREADY HAPPENING.
AND THEN GO AHEAD. NO, I APPRECIATE THAT. AND THEN HOW HAVE YOU WORKED WITH YOUR FIRE AND POLICE TO MAKE SURE THAT AS IT EXPANDS, YOU HAVE THE STAFFING? I MEAN, AS THESE COMMUNITIES BUILD AROUND, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BRING IN MORE POLICE, MORE FIRE. THE COST OF ALL THOSE NEW EMPLOYEES, THE HIRING CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW TO HAVE ENOUGH CANDIDATES TO FILL POSITIONS. HOW ARE YOU GUYS FACING THOSE? AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN MAYOR.
BUT OMAHA DID CONTINUE AND IS STILL CONTINUING TO GROW OUT WEST.
ALL OF THE CITIES THAT WE ANNEXED INTO THE CITY, YOU KNOW, OMAHA, NEBRASKA IS ONE OF THE FEW STATES, I THINK THERE'S 2 OR 3 OTHERS THAT CAN ANNEX WITHOUT A VOTE OF THE PEOPLE.
[00:45:03]
YEAH. SO WE KEEP ON DOING THAT. AND AS WE DO THAT, WE ARE.I'M ALWAYS WORKING WITH FIRE AND POLICE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH.
IN FACT, I WANTED TO WE'VE ALWAYS HAD FOUR POLICE PRECINCTS AND ONE IN EACH QUADRANT OF THE CITY.
I WANTED TO PUT A FIFTH PRECINCT OUT IN ELKHORN BECAUSE WE NEEDED IT, BECAUSE THE GROWTH WAS ALL OUT THERE, AND THE POLICE CHIEF AND I HAD A FOUR YEAR PLAN ON HOW TO ADD 100 MORE POLICE OFFICERS TO OUR BUDGET.
REALLY EXPENSIVE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DO, BUT I ESTIMATE ABOUT $100,000 PER POLICE OFFICER WITH BENEFITS, AND SO THAT TOOK FOUR YEARS TO DO IT. BUT THAT'S THE NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS WE THOUGHT WE NEED.
AND IT'S JUST A IT'S A WAY TO I MEAN, IT'S AN ISSUE OF PLANNING AND THINKING AHEAD NOW AS WE HAVE ALL THIS ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT DOWNTOWN, WE ARE GOING TO NEED A SIXTH PRECINCT DOWNTOWN.
THERE WAS A NEW POLICE PRECINCT DOWNTOWN, AND IT'S GOING TO BE A COMBINATION POLICE PRECINCT AND FIRE STATION, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO STILL HAVE TO DISPATCH DOWNTOWN BECAUSE OF ALL THE NEW DEVELOPMENT.
SO IT'S JUST WE'RE PLANNING AHEAD FOR THE DEVELOPMENT THAT WE HAVE NOW.
POLICE IS A CHALLENGE. IT'S A NATIONAL STAFFING CRISIS NOW.
I TELL PEOPLE ALL THE TIME, WE USED TO HAVE FOR A POLICE RECRUIT, CLASS 16 TO 1800 APPLY.
WE JUST GRADUATED 27 JUST LAST FRIDAY THAT WERE IN THE ACADEMY.
WE PLANNED TWO MORE CLASSES THIS YEAR. WE USED TO DO ONE.
WON TESTING EVERY TWO YEARS. NOW WE DO IT TWICE A YEAR.
SO IT'S JUST PLANNING AHEAD AND TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH WHAT IS GOING ON.
BUT AS FAR AS THIS GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, YEAH, THAT'S ALWAYS ON OUR MIND OF WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
WELL, IF YOU RUN THE STREETCAR TILL 2 A.M. OR WHENEVER, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO KEEP US SAFE? AND WE'VE ALREADY TALKED A LOT ABOUT THAT, ABOUT HAVING CAMERAS THAT ARE ON THE ACTUAL STREETCAR THEMSELVES.
THE STREETCAR WILL HOLD 100 TO 150 PEOPLE. AND WE ALL, WE TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN KEEP IT SAFE.
WE LOOK AT OTHER CITIES, TOO. KANSAS CITY HAS AMBASSADORS.
THEY CALL THEM, THAT RIDE ON THE STREETCAR. SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE'VE LEARNED FROM LOOKING AT OTHER CITIES, TOO. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. AND I JUST REITERATE, AND IT'S NOT A DIRECT QUOTE, BUT YOUR EARLY QUOTE, IF YOU'RE NOT MOVING FORWARD, YOU'RE DYING. ABSOLUTELY.
AND I THINK WE'VE SEEN THAT IN MANY OTHER CITIES.
AND ONE OF THE SLIDES THAT USUALLY GETS PEOPLE'S ATTENTION THE MOST IS IN OMAHA.
NOW, HALF OF DOWNTOWN IS DEDICATED TO PARKING, AND AT ANY GIVEN TIME, HALF IS VACANT.
THAT'S NOT A GOOD USE OF LAND IN DOWNTOWN OMAHA.
AND SO THEN YOU LOOKED AT THAT SLIDE WITH DENVER.
AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY TELLING. YOU SEE IT BACK IN THE 60S, ALL THAT SURFACE PARKING.
YOU SEE IT NOW. THEY REPLACE PARKING WITH BIG BUILDINGS AND BUSINESSES AND JOBS.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IN TAX REVENUE AND TAX REVENUE.
YOU SAID IT, MAYOR. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT I HAD.
MAYOR AND STEVE, THANKS FOR COMING. A LOT OF PEOPLE ASK ABOUT THE HOURS, RIGHT.
AND IN PARTICULAR THE HOUR SIDE. RIGHT. IF WE WERE TO MOVE FORWARD AND THEN SECURITY.
AND THEN WHY IS THERE NOT A CHARGE? RIGHT. AND YOU TOLD US HOW YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR IT, BUT UNDERSTANDING WHY THERE'S NO CHARGE AND THEN YOU KNOW, JUST UNDERSTANDING THAT WITH AND KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE.
SO WE DECIDED IT WOULD BE USED A LOT MORE IF THERE WAS NO CHARGE AT ALL.
I KNOW I TOLD ONE GROUP THAT WERE OLDER PEOPLE AND THEY SAID I KEPT ON USING THE TERM.
YOU JUST HOP ON AND HOP OFF WHENEVER YOU WANT.
AND SOMEBODY SAID, WELL, I CAN'T HOP. AND I GO, WELL, I CAN'T EITHER, BUT YOU JUST WALK ON, WALK OFF AS MUCH AS YOU WANT. I LIVE OUT WEST OMAHA.
WHAT I WOULD DO IS I WOULD DRIVE MY CAR TO MIDTOWN.
THERE ARE THREE GARAGES AT MIDTOWN THAT MUTUAL OWNS.
NOW THE CITY IS GOING TO BUY THOSE GARAGES, SO WE'LL OWN AND OPERATE IT.
SAFETY YOU MENTIONED, I THINK I PRETTY MUCH ANSWERED, WE LOOK AT WHAT OTHER CITIES DO.
THEY JUST SOLVED THAT WITH AFTER YOU MAKE ONE COMPLETE ROUTE, EVERYBODY EXITS.
SO THERE ARE THINGS WE LEARNED FROM OTHER CITIES TOO.
AND THEN THE HOURS. IT KIND OF DEPENDS ON THE TIME OF YEAR.
[00:50:01]
I MEAN, IF IT IS, YOU KNOW, DURING COLLEGE WORLD SERIES, WE MAY RUN IT TILL TWO IN THE MORNING.IF IT IS TEN BELOW IN A BLIZZARD, IT MAY NOT RUN TILL PAST MIDNIGHT.
SO IT JUST DEPENDS A LOT ON THE EVENTS, THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.
RIGHT NOW, IT STOPS AT 39TH. THEY WANT IT TO GO BY THE MED CENTER ALL THE WAY TO SADDLE CREEK.
SO, THEY'RE WORKING WITH HDR NOW ON A DESIGN FOR THAT.
AND IT WILL BE A REAL BENEFIT TO THEM, TOO. IF THE MED CENTER DOES EXPAND IT, THEY WILL NEED.
STEVE, TWO MORE CARS OR ONE MORE CAR? ONE MORE CAR.
PROBABLY ONE MORE CAR WOULD NEED TO BE PURCHASED FOR THE MED CENTER, BUT THEY HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PAY FOR IT, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM ON THAT. I MENTIONED YOU WERE ASKING ABOUT THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE.
BECAUSE WE'RE ABLE TO USE OUR EXISTING PARKING SYSTEM MORE EFFICIENTLY.
WE'LL HAVE MORE PEOPLE PARKING IN OUR PARKING SYSTEM.
AND SO THERE WILL BE SOME ADDITIONAL REVENUE THAT COMES FROM THAT ADDITIONAL PARKING.
AND IT'S THAT ADDITIONAL REVENUE THAT WE WILL USE TO OPERATE AND MAINTAIN THE STREETCAR.
6.5 MILLION FOR THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE EVERY YEAR.
BUT WHEN WE DEVELOPED BASICALLY AN ENTERPRISE SYSTEM FOR OUR PARKING SYSTEM.
SO THAT'S ALL OF OUR GARAGES. IT'S OUR METERS.
IT'S OUR KIOSKS, ALL OF THAT, THAT THAT REVENUE GOES INTO AN ENTERPRISE, AND WE CAN USE A LOT OF THAT MONEY FOR THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, AND IT GENERATES MORE THAN THAT. AND YOU KNOW, WE I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU WITH YOUR GARAGES IF YOU BUILD GARAGES A LOT, BUT WE DO WE BUILD GARAGES A LOT FOR DEVELOPMENTS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO WORK WITHOUT ADEQUATE PARKING.
BUT WE THEY, THEY'RE REVENUE PRODUCING FOR US.
SO WE BUILD THEM BECAUSE THEY PAY FOR THEMSELVES.
AND WITH THE REVENUE THAT WE CHARGE FOR THE GARAGES, THEY PAY FOR THEMSELVES.
AND THAT'S HOW WE PAY OFF THE BONDS. WE SHOULD FIGURE THAT OUT.
WE GOT ONE THAT DOESN'T PAY FOR HERSELF. WELL, SORRY I HAD TO GET THAT.
YEAH. YOU KNEW IT WAS A CHALLENGE IN THE FUTURE.
I UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGE IN THE FUTURE WITH GARAGES IS THEY'RE COSTING SO MUCH MORE.
WELL YEAH I MEAN IT'S CRAZY. THE PARKING LOT I WAS THINKING IT WAS 12,000 A STALL.
IT'S 35. WHEN I BECAME MAYOR IN OMAHA, IT WAS ABOUT 24,000 A STALL.
AND NOW IT'S ABOUT 44 FOR A STALL. ANOTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS, DO YOU HAVE ANY STATISTICS ON PEOPLE THAT AREN'T USING CARS ANYMORE? I MEAN, I'LL BE HONEST, IF I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO ANYWHERE, I'M DRIVING, RIGHT? AND A GROUP OF US ARE GOING SOMEWHERE.
I'M DRIVING. I'D RATHER HAVE MY CAR. AND JUST IN GENERAL, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT, YOU KNOW SPEAKS TO THAT DATA? I DON'T KNOW IF STEVE HAS ANY, BUT I WILL SAY IN OMAHA, ABOUT 80%, I'D SAY MAYBE 85% OF THE PEOPLE COMMUTE BY CAR AND THEY PROBABLY STILL WILL.
BUT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS WHEN WE DID THAT URBAN CORE STRATEGIC PLAN IS WHAT IS IT WE NEED TO DO IN OUR URBAN CORE TO ATTRACT YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, NEW BUSINESSES. WILL YOU GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT? WHAT DO THEY WANT? THEY WANT AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THEY WANT WALKABILITY.
THEY WANT PUBLIC SPACES. THEY WANT ENTERTAINMENT AND THEY WANT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE THE ENVIRONMENT IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA THAT WILL ATTRACT BUSINESSES.
IT USED TO BE THE OPPOSITE. YOU USED TO BUILD THE BUSINESS AND THE PEOPLE WILL COME. WELL, NOW IT'S THE OPPOSITE. SO WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE THAT ENVIRONMENT THAT WILL ATTRACT NEW BUSINESSES AND NEW JOBS INTO OMAHA. STEVE, DID YOU HAVE ANY DATA? YOU KNOW, I THINK I THINK ALL I WOULD SAY IS THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE FOCUSED SO HEAVILY ON PARKING, THAT IS STILL HOW PEOPLE THINK ABOUT MOVING IN AND OUT OF DOWNTOWN.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, HAVING SAID THAT, IT REALLY DOES COME DOWN TO CONVENIENCE.
SHE'LL USE A SCOOTER, SHE'LL TAKE AN ELECTRIC BIKE, SHE'LL WALK.
SHE'S YOU KNOW, IT'S A HASSLE TO MOVE THE CAR.
SHE'S FOUND A SPOT WHERE SHE DOESN'T REALLY HAVE TO PAY MUCH IN TERMS OF PARKING.
AND SO FOR HER, IT'S A HASSLE TO GO GET THE CAR, GET IN THE CAR AND THEN DRIVE SOMEPLACE ELSE IN DOWNTOWN, FIND A PARKING STALL, PARK, PAY. YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST EASIER FOR HER TO WALK AROUND AND WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT KIND OF LIFESTYLE WORK IS YOU REALLY HAVE TO HAVE DENSITY. YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A TON OF DEVELOPMENT SO THAT WHEREVER YOU'RE GOING, YOU'RE WALKING PAST SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS AND YOU'RE WALKING BECAUSE IT IS EASIER AND IT'S MORE CONVENIENT.
AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT LIFESTYLE YET. BUT THIS STREETCAR WILL HELP US GET TO THAT KIND OF LIFESTYLE.
AND, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE WE HAVE IN OMAHA, WE HAVE SO MANY NEW VENUES, BUT WHAT PEOPLE TYPICALLY DO IS THEY GET IN THEIR CAR AND THEY DRIVE TO A BALLGAME AND THEY PARK AND THEY PAY, AND THEN THEY WANT TO GO OUT TO EAT, AND THEY GET IN THEIR CAR AND THEY DRIVE AROUND AND
[00:55:04]
THEY PARK AND THEY PAY, AND THEN THEY MIGHT WANT TO GO TO A BAR OR A SHOW, AND THEN THEY GET IN THEIR CAR AND THIS GOES ON AND ON.AND SO WHAT THE STREETCAR WILL DO WILL ENABLE PEOPLE JUST TO PARK ONCE IF THEY DON'T LIVE DOWNTOWN, GET ON THE STREETCAR AND TAKE IT ALL AROUND DOWNTOWN.
AND THAT'S A REAL BENEFIT FOR THE PEOPLE TOO.
WE WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, MAYOR .
THANK YOU, STEVE . APPRECIATE IT. STAFF, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING YOUR TIME TO COME OVER.
OKAY. THANKS, PAULA. HAZELWOOD IS UNDER THE WEATHER AND SO WE'LL GO RIGHT TO MARK
[C. Mark Eckman - CVB’s FY 2026 budget.]
ECKMAN. MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING TIME ON YOUR BUSY AGENDA FOR ME TO PRESENT THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2026 COUNCIL BLUFFS CVB BUDGET. WITH ME HERE TODAY IS OUR BOARD PRESIDENT, ASHLEY CRUZ, ALONG WITH BRIAN SHAY, WITH THE POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, ALONG WITH LEN FRIEDENBACH, ALL THREE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.INSIDE OF THAT, YOU'LL SEE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE A COPY OF MY POWERPOINT SLIDES.
DO I JUST NEED TO? OKAY. RIGHT BEHIND THAT IS THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 PROPOSED BUDGET.
AND THEN BEHIND THAT IS AN UPDATED VERSION OF THE FULL ANNUAL REPORT.
WOULD IT BE EASIER FOR ME JUST TO GO? YEAH. WHY DON'T YOU GO THROUGH THE BUDGET? GO THROUGH THE BUDGET, MAYBE, OR WHATEVER. YOU CAN JUST GO DOWN YOUR PART.
WE HAVE IT, AND SHE CAN ADD IT AS. YEAH, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THE SLIDES.
OKAY. ON SLIDE TWO, I START WITH SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE HEARD ME REITERATE MANY, MANY TIMES.
AND THAT IS JUST TO DEFINE WHAT OUR LANE IS AS FAR AS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
WHAT OUR FOCUS IS. AND AS YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY SEVERAL TIMES, WE'RE ALL ABOUT BRINGING NEW CUSTOMERS TO LOCAL BUSINESSES, NEW CUSTOMERS COMING IN THE FORM OF VISITORS THAT HAVE DRIVEN AT LEAST 50 MILES OR FARTHER COMING TO COUNCIL BLUFFS.
AND WHEN THEY ARRIVE, ALMOST ALL OF THEM BECOME NEW TAXPAYERS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
BECAUSE IF THEY DO STAY OVERNIGHT AT A HOTEL, THEY'RE GOING TO PAY THAT HOTEL MOTEL TAX.
THEY'RE GOING INTO THE BRICK AND MORTAR STORE AND ACTUALLY BEING CHARGED THAT.
AND WHEN YOU ADD THAT THOSE TWO BENEFITS TOGETHER, IT EQUALS ONE FOR ALL LOCAL RESIDENTS.
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHILE WE MIGHT BE INVITING STRANGERS TO TOWN, IT'S WITH A DECIDEDLY LOCAL PURPOSE IN MIND OF SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND ULTIMATELY ALL LOCAL RESIDENTS.
THOSE NEW CUSTOMERS SPENT A THIRD OF $1 BILLION IN POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY DURING CALENDAR YEAR 2023.
IN TERMS OF NEW TAXPAYERS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
WELL, I DIDN'T HAVE THIS INFORMATION IN AUGUST WHEN I PRESENTED TO YOU LAST.
WE DO KNOW THAT IN FISCAL YEAR 2024, WE NOT ONLY SURPASSED $3 MILLION IN TERMS OF HOTEL MOTEL TAXES COLLECTED, BUT WE SET A NEW RECORD FOR A THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEAR AT $3.466 MILLION.
AND THE NEXT SLIDE ON SLIDE FOUR, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE SNAPBACK THAT WE EXPERIENCED AFTER THE PANDEMIC THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS OF MORE THAN $3 MILLION IN HOTEL MOTEL TAXES IN EACH YEAR, BEING A RECORD SETTING AMOUNT.
GOING ON TO SLIDE SIX TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT OUR ROLE IS IN ANY OF THAT, ANY STIMULATION,
[01:00:03]
ANY PART THAT WE PLAYED TO LEAD THE WAY IS BASICALLY A COLLABORATION WITH OUR PARTNERS AT HOTELS, VENUES, RESTAURANTS, ATTRACTIONS AND EVEN OUR PARTNERS ACROSS THE RIVER.GET THAT MESSAGE OUT. INVITE PEOPLE BACK. INSPIRE THEM TO COME AND SPEND SOME OF THEIR TIME.
AND YES, SOME OF THEIR MONEY IN COUNCIL BLUFFS IN POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
IT WAS TWO YEARS AGO THIS MONTH THAT WE LAUNCHED OUR VERY FIRST WINTER CAMPAIGN.
AND WE'VE REPEATED THAT THE LAST TWO YEARS. OR I SHOULD SAY THIS LAST YEAR.
AND THEN THIS YEAR, AT THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY, WE LAUNCHED OUR MOST RECENT EDITION OF THAT.
AND OVER THE COURSE OF 2024, WHILE WE DIDN'T CREATE AS MANY DIGITAL MARKETING IMPRESSIONS THAT DROPPED FROM 7 MILLION TO 5 MILLION, WE ACTUALLY BECAME MORE EFFECTIVE AND MORE EFFICIENT BECAUSE WE SAW BOTH THE CLICKS ON OUR ADS AS WELL AS THE PAGE VIEWS.
ONCE THEY GOT TO OUR WEBSITE, BOTH GO UP BY MORE THAN 20%.
MORE THAN 20%. AND IF YOU DIDN'T CATCH THIS ON THE NEWS LAST NIGHT, KETV DID A STORY ABOUT MOUNT CRESCENT AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING THIS YEAR IN TERMS OF PRODUCING SNOW, AND IT'S REALLY GOING VERY, VERY WELL.
THEY'VE LEARNED SOME LESSONS ALONG THE WAY, BUT AS THAT STORY DEPICTED THE HILL, PRETTY MUCH ALL THE RUNS, NOT EVERY SINGLE ONE IS COVERED WITH MAN MADE SNOW.
LIKE ALL BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS, WE USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO GREAT EFFECT.
SO BOTH THE DIGITAL MARKETING AND THE SOCIAL MEDIA MESSAGING POINTS BACK TO OUR WEBSITE, UNLEASHEDKBB.COM, WHICH, AS I'VE SHARED WITH YOU BEFORE, SERVES BOTH RESIDENTS AND VISITORS AT THE SAME TIME.
AND OVER THE COURSE OF THE FISCAL YEAR, FISCAL YEAR 2024, WE SAW A GROWTH IN TERMS OF UNIQUE VISITORS, SESSIONS AND PAGE VIEWS. AND THEN, OF COURSE, I MENTIONED TO YOU LAST TIME A 35% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF EVENTS THAT WE HAVE ON THE WEBSITE. IT REALLY SPEAKS TO A LOT OF WHAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR.
THERE'S THAT FEAR OF MISSING OUT OR FOMO. I THINK EVENTS DO A LOT OF THAT AND HAVE GENERATED SOME TRAFFIC BASED ON THAT INTEREST IN EVENTS, BUT ALSO THE OTHER CONTENT THAT WE HAVE. NOW, THIS IS NOT ON THE SLIDE, BUT NOW THAT WE'RE PAST THE HALFWAY POINT OF FISCAL YEAR 2025, I CAN TELL YOU DEFINITIVELY THAT THE GROWTH IS CONTINUING, BUT ACCELERATING THE GROWTH IN TERMS OF TRAFFIC HAS GONE UP BETWEEN 20 AND 40%. PAGE VIEWS HAS GONE UP 40%, WHICH IS ALSO VERY TELLING BECAUSE IT'S SHOWING PEOPLE WANTING TO DIG DEEPER INTO THE WEBSITE TO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
THAT BRINGS ME TO THE POINT OF MY PRESENTATION, WHICH IS TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE BUDGET.
ON THAT LAST SLIDE OR NEXT TO THE LAST SLIDE, SLIDE SEVEN GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY ABOUT THE INCREASES THAT WE'VE RECEIVED OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS. THIS IS THE 11TH BUDGET THAT I PRESENTED TO THE COUNCIL.
AND OVER THE COURSE OF THOSE YEARS, WE'VE HAD SOME SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES, SUCH AS IN 17 2020, 2023 AND 2025, RANGING BETWEEN 8.8 AND 12.5%.
THERE CERTAINLY WERE SOME MORE MODEST ONES IN 16, 18 AND 19, RANGING BETWEEN 4 AND 4.3%.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, THREE YEARS IN WHICH WE DID NOT RECEIVE AN INCREASE BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.
AND THEN IN 2024, BECAUSE OF SOME LEGISLATIVE ACTION.
OUR PROCESS BEGINS WITH MEETING WITH MAYOR WALSH CHIEF OF STAFF, GARRETT.
WE CERTAINLY WANT TO BE VERY STRONG ADVOCATES ON YOUR BEHALF AND DO ALL THAT WE CAN, BUT WE'VE GOT SOME PENDING ACTIONS BEING TAKEN, OR AT LEAST BY THE LEGISLATURE. AND THE MAYOR CAME BACK AND SAID THAT HE WOULD AUTHORIZE A 3% INCREASE IF REVENUE PROJECTIONS PERMIT.
THAT'S GOING TO ALLOW US TO CONTINUE DOING BUSINESS AS BEST THAT WE CAN, COVERING THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS, ALTHOUGH IT'S COMING DOWN IN TERMS OF THOSE INFLATIONARY PRESSURES.
[01:05:03]
3% INCREASE. WE'RE NOT SEEING A HECK OF A LOT OF CHANGES.YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME INCREASES TO TAKE CARE OF THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS.
BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO DECREASES BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO COVER SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE CURRENT INFLATION RATE, BUT IF YOU GO ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM, I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT SOMETHING 124 LINE ITEMS ARE KIND OF HARD TO REVIEW IN A VERY TIMELY BASIS.
BUT THAT LINE 124, I JUST WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO BECAUSE IF YOU DID COME ACROSS IT, YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. THERE'S A NEGATIVE AMOUNT OF -$57,116.86.
I KNOW THAT ALL OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THAT PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY. WHAT WE DO IS WHEN WE DO HAVE EXCESS DOLLARS, WE PUT IT INTO THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET SO THAT WE CAN TAKE CARE OF SOME UNANTICIPATED EXPENSES OR TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME UNANTICIPATED OPPORTUNITIES.
BUT I THINK WE DO A VERY EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE, EFFECTIVE JOB IN TRYING TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT AND BEING ONE OF THOSE VERY VISIBLE ADVOCATES. WE KNOW THE STORY OF HOW OTHERS HAVE KIND OF REALLY HELD ON TO THESE VERY NEGATIVE, BUT ALSO NOT TRUTHFUL IMPRESSIONS OF COUNCIL BLUFFS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MARK, FOR ALL YOU DO. AND THANKS TO THE BOARD FOR WHAT THEY DO.
ANY QUESTIONS? WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU. THANKS, MARK, FOR COMING. THANK YOU ALL.
THANK. YEAH. YOU KNOW, I GOT A QUESTION THAT MAYBE IS NOT YOUR QUESTION, BUT YOUR QUESTION.
YOU KNOW THAT THE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN GOOD. AND COMING OUT OF COVID, THERE WAS SOME REAL CONCERN THAT BUSINESS TRAVEL WAS NEVER GOING TO COME BACK TO WHERE IT WAS. PEOPLE WERE GOING TO DO BUSINESS VIA ZOOM.
HAVE YOU SEEN THAT HAPPEN OR IS. YEAH. YEAH, YEAH.
YOU GOT IT. YEAH. I DON'T THINK THAT ONE'S ON.
YEAH. OKAY. 2022 WAS GREAT. 2023 WAS GREAT. LAST YEAR THE FIRST QUARTER WAS AWFUL. BUT THE REST OF THE YEAR WAS GREAT.
MY WIFE WORKS FROM HOME, BUT HER OFFICE IS NOW MAKING THEM COME BACK TO THE OFFICE FULL TIME.
THEY DON'T ZOOM AS GOING OUT AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.
SURE, SURE. MARK. MARK, HE'S GOT TO BE ON CAMERA.
WE GOT TO GET YOU ON CAMERA, TOO. COME ON. WE CAN'T SEE YOU OVER THERE.
BUT FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN 11 MONTH PLUS BUSINESS TRAVELER MARKETING CAMPAIGN.
IT'S ALREADY STARTED. IT'S ALREADY SHOWING ITS RESULTS.
IN TERMS OF THE WEB ANALYTICS THAT I'M SEEING THAT I SAW JUST THIS MORNING FROM LAST WEEK.
WE HAVE LENS PROPERTY PARTICIPATING IN IT, ALONG WITH THE HOLIDAY INN HOTEL AND SUITES AT AMERISTAR, ALONG WITH ITS COMPANION PROPERTY, THE HAMPTON INN.
WE MAY HAVE SOME OTHERS, BUT THE STATE OF IOWA GAVE US A $10,000 GRANT TO BE ABLE TO PURSUE THAT.
NOT AS MUCH ON THE WEEKENDS BECAUSE A LOT OF THAT IS TAKEN UP.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT THERE'S NOT ROOM ON CERTAIN WEEKENDS, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, WE'RE REALLY AGGRESSIVELY GOING AFTER THAT IN A WAY I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY OF OUR DMO OR CVB COUNTERPARTS.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. REVIEW THE AGENDA. ARE THERE ANY
[D. Review Agenda]
[01:10:06]
QUESTIONS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ON 6620? THIS IS CONFUSING IN THE PACKET.WE'RE VOTING TO APPROVE THIS. IT WAS CROSSED OUT AND MOVED AROUND AND WE VOTED TO APPROVE LAST TIME, BUT WE DIDN'T WANT TO. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GOING TO APPROVE THIS AND GO BACK TO OUR ONE.
THAT'S WHAT I SAW. OKAY. WHILE YOU'RE UP THERE, CHRIS.
YES, SIR. KIND OF ON A SIMILAR VEIN, 3.F. WHEN I READ THAT IN THE NARRATIVE, IT SAID THAT YOU AND HALEY SPOKE FOR THE RESOLUTION, BUT THEN IN THERE THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO DENY.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION ON THAT.
SO THAT'S AN ALLEY VACATION REQUEST OFF OF THE INTERSECTION OF 17TH AND AVENUE P TO THE NORTH.
YOU HAVE THE RAIL LINE. IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, WE, AS STAFF MADE THE PRESENTATION, THE PLANNING COMMISSION JUST GIVING THEM A BASELINE UNDERSTANDING. BUT ULTIMATELY, SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE DID RECEIVE, BOTH FROM MID-ARM AND FROM PUBLIC WORKS, WAS TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THAT VACATION FOR THE NEED TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THOSE EXISTING UTILITIES.
SO FROM A STAFF PERSPECTIVE, WE WERE JUST RECOMMENDING DENIAL.
SO YOU WEREN'T REALLY SPEAKING FOR YOU WERE JUST SPEAKING CORRECT, JUST GIVING YOU, JUST A BACKGROUND UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE REQUEST WAS ABOUT AND WHAT, THERE'S TOO MUCH THERE THAT THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS.
IT IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. THERE'S A SANITARY SEWER THAT RUNS THROUGH THAT SECTION OF NORTH 17TH STREET, AND THEN THERE'S OVERHEAD POWER LINES THAT RUN ALONG THE BACK SIDE OF THOSE PROPERTIES IN THE ALLEY.
AND I WAS JUST ASKED TO MAINTAIN ACCESS TO THAT.
CAN'T REALLY GET TO IT FROM THE RAILROAD TO THE NORTH OF IT.
SO THEY WANT TO MAINTAIN THEIR ABILITY TO SERVICE AND MAINTAIN THOSE LINES.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE WELL, YOU CAN SEE ON THE PICTURE WHERE THE ACCESS WE HAVE THAT CURB CUT OUT TO GET BACK THERE, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THAT FIRST LANDOWNER IS USING THAT TO HIS ADVANTAGE ALREADY.
I DON'T THINK WE DRIVE ON IT ENOUGH TO MAKE THAT.
HAVE THEY EVER BEEN? AND IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE BUTTED UP USING IT ANYWAY. I'M ASSUMING THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE REQUESTING FOR THE VACATION. BUT YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE'S NOWHERE TO GET BACK THERE. BUT KIND OF ALREADY LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE USING IT TO THEIR ADVANTAGE.
THOUGH THEY'VE NEVER HINDERED ACCESS EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE USING THAT TODAY.
BUT YOU'RE GOING TO IF YOU GO THE OTHER ROUTE, YOU'RE GOING TO SELL IT TO THEM. YEAH. YEAH. I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO SELL IT TO THEM. I UNDERSTAND KEEPING ACCESS, BUT I DON'T THINK THEY'RE GOING TO CHANGE.
OKAY. THAT WAS MY QUESTION ON THAT. OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I GOT, YEAH, I GOT YOU DOWN. ANY QUESTIONS ON THE PUBLIC HEARINGS? AND BECAUSE STEVE DOES HAVE AN ABSTENTION, COULD SOMEBODY PULL 3.C OUT WHEN WE.
YEAH. NO. YEP. QUESTIONS ON THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
I'M GOING TO TAKE THE ORDINANCES AND THE RESOLUTIONS ALL AS ONE, BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY FOUR OF THEM.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE? ON THE ONE FROM MID-AMERICA.
I KNOW YOU'RE HERE. WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
AND THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING ALL THE INFORMATION YOU DID TO GRAHAM.
AND THE MAYOR. WHEN I LOOK AT IT, I GUESS WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT EMINENT DOMAIN, YOU'RE THE PROPERTY. THE POLLS THAT ARE ALREADY THERE.
SOME OF IT'S GOING TO BE EXTENDED, RIGHT? IF YOU HAVE THIS TODAY.
AND WHEN WE APPROVE, THIS IS GOING TO BE BIGGER, RIGHT.
THE BACKSIDE IS BIGGER. THE FOOTPRINT, IS THAT RIGHT? THE WAY I UNDERSTOOD IT, SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, 7 TO 10 FOOT INSTEAD OF IN A FIVE FOOT POLE VERSUS A THREE FOOT POLE, RIGHT? THE ONLY EXCEPTION BEING ON SOME OF THOSE DIRECT EMBEDDED STEEL POLES.
[01:15:03]
IT'LL BE A LARGER DIAMETER POLE AT THE BASE, BUT IT WON'T HAVE THOSE GUY WIRES THAT ARE CURRENTLY THERE ON A ON A SINGLE WOOD POLE.SO WHEN YOU SAY FOOTPRINT, YES AND NO. BECAUSE THE GUY WIRES, OF COURSE TAKE UP ROOM.
DID I READ CORRECTLY? THERE'S 100 FOOT EASEMENT AND THIS HAS TAKEN UP SEVEN BY SEVEN.
APPROXIMATELY, YES. THE 100 FOOT EASEMENT. APPROXIMATELY ON THE SEVEN BY SEVEN.
MY NEXT QUESTION IS, DO YOU KNOW WHEN THE LAST TIME YOU DID THIS.
AND THEN NOW DO YOU ANTICIPATE DOING IT AGAIN SOON, AT ANY POINT IN TIME? I MEAN, OR WHEN DOES IT STOP, I GUESS, IS THAT? I KNOW THE CITY GROWS AND WE HAVE TO HAVE MORE POWER, I UNDERSTAND.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE THAT'S THE GOAL, RIGHT? WE WANT TO GROW THE TAX BASE AND HAVE POWER FOR EVERYBODY. BUT I JUST TELL YOU FROM THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE? I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY MORE POTENTIAL TO GROW OUT THAT WAY.
AND THIS WILL. RIGHT. I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. YOU START GETTING OUT WHERE WESTFAIR IS, YOU GOT LOTS OF ROLLING HILLS, WHICH MEANS THAT YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE LIFT STATIONS TO MOVE SEWAGE UP AND DOWN THOSE HILLS.
AND SO THE POTENTIAL OUR MAIN GROWTH AREA IS IN THAT PONY CREEK ON 92.
YES. I MEAN OBVIOUSLY THERE'S NO PLAN IN THE IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO REBUILD THE LINE.
AND THEN, I MEAN, I DON'T WANT TO UNDERSTAND YOUR BUSINESS.
DON'T UNDERSTAND IT. A LOT OF STUFF'S GOING UNDERGROUND.
THAT'S NOT AN OPTION AT ALL FOR ANY OF THIS STUFF.
NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE. KNOWLEDGE. TOO MUCH POWER.
IT'S A LOT. RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT. I UNDERSTAND, I'M JUST ASKING THE QUESTION, SO I UNDERSTAND.
NOT AS COMMON ANYMORE. USED TO BE FOR THE GENERAL GOOD.
I ASKED DICK IF HE COULD EXPLAIN HOW THE EMINENT DOMAIN PROCESS WORKS.
NEEDS TO GET APPRAISALS. THEY NEED TO SUBMIT THOSE APPRAISALS TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
THERE'S GENERALLY A BACK AND FORTH THAT TAKES PLACE AT THAT POINT.
BUT IF THEY'RE UNABLE TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT AS TO WHAT THE VALUE OF THAT TAKING IS THERE'S A PANEL THAT'S PUT TOGETHER BY THE LOCAL DISTRICT COURT. GENERALLY, THE MAJORITY OF THAT PANEL IS MADE UP OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE WITH PROPERTY VALUES AND PROPERTY IN GENERAL. BOTH SIDES ARE THEN GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THEIR, THEIR ESTIMATES OR APPRAISALS AS TO WHAT THEY FEEL THE, THE, THE TAKING IS ACTUALLY WORTH.
IT DOES GET A LITTLE COMPLICATED WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH AREAS WHERE THERE'S ALREADY EASEMENTS.
BUT THE FROM THE CITY'S EXPERIENCE. THE PROPERTY OWNER IS GENERALLY PAID.
IN SOME CASES, CONSIDERABLY MORE THAN WHAT THE CITY THOUGHT THE EASEMENT SHOULD BE WORTH.
BASED UPON OUR APPRAISALS, AND THE PANEL AWARDS A HIGHER AMOUNT.
THEY TRY TO KIND OF, IF YOU WILL, CUT THE BABY IN HALF OR TRY TO MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY.
BUT WITH THIS DIG, JUST SO I MAKE SURE THIS IS ALREADY THE EASEMENTS ALREADY THERE.
SO THERE WOULDN'T BE THE, THE 100 FOOT EASEMENT FOR ONE LINE.
YES. SO THAT'S THE ISSUE. ARE THERE OLD EASEMENTS AND THEY JUST REFER TO AN ELECTRIC LINE NOT LINES.
SO THAT'S WHY THEY'RE ACQUIRING A NEW EASEMENT.
COMPENSATION. HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPLAIN.
THERE'S A COMMITTEE THAT'S BEEN ESTABLISHED FOR A LONG TIME, AND THEN THEY SET UP A HEARING, AND THE JUDGE WOULD TRY AND PULL SOME OF THESE PEOPLE OUT OF THE GROUP.
SOME MAY HAVE CONFLICTS. AND SO THEY SAY, I CAN'T DO IT.
[01:20:04]
I'M OR I'M OUT OF TOWN OR I KNOW THE OWNERS AND SO THEN THEY GET AND THEY'RE LIKE REALTORS OR REAL ESTATE ATTORNEYS.THEY'RE PEOPLE THAT HAVE AN EXPERIENCE WITH REAL ESTATE AND REAL ESTATE VALUATION.
AND WHAT IS THE CHANGE IN VOLTAGE. THE ORIGINAL EASEMENT HAD WHAT VOLTAGE ON THAT LINE.
AND NOW WHAT ARE WE GOING TO HAVE ON THAT LINE IF WE GO FORWARD WITH THIS? I BELIEVE THE ORIGINAL WAS A 69 KILOVOLT. THIS WILL BE 161 THE NEXT SIZE UP, ESSENTIALLY.
ON ANOTHER NOTE, THERE'S BEEN SOME TIME BETWEEN THE LAST MEETING.
WERE YOU IS COMMUNICATION BROKEN DOWN? I KNOW YOU, I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE AT, WHAT, 68 OR 72 EASEMENTS? LAST TIME WE WENT SOMETHING LIKE THAT. YES. IS THERE WAS THERE ANY COMMUNICATION BETWEEN NOW AND THEN? I'M JUST ASKING BECAUSE DO YOU HAVE ON SOME OF THESE EASEMENTS, LIKE SPECIAL CONDITIONS TO THE LAND ARE NOT SAYING DON'T PUT IT ON MY PROPERTY, BUT CERTAIN GIVE AND TAKE OR IS IT JUST YOURS IS CONCRETE.
THIS IS HOW IT IS IN FULL. LIKE WITHIN REASON.
YOU MEAN ON THE ONES THAT HAVE SIGNED? NO, ON THE ONES THAT YOU'RE.
YEAH. ALL AT ONCE, THE APPRAISAL IS PROVIDED.
THERE'S MORE NEGOTIATIONS. I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS HAD GUYS HAD HAD MORE COMMUNICATION SINCE WE LAST SPOKE. AND I KNOW I HAVEN'T TALKED TO MR. MATTSON, THE ATTORNEY FOR MR. POLIS. AND WE'VE LEFT, I THINK, AT LAST COUNT, 14 MESSAGES FROM MR. BECKER THAT HAVEN'T BEEN RETURNED. OKAY. SO I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY MORE, BUT ARE THERE? DO YOU GUYS DO CERTAIN SPECIAL CONDITIONS? I MEAN, CLEARLY YOU WANT WHAT YOU WANT, BUT LIKE.
OH, YES. I MEAN, THESE NEGOTIATIONS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING WITH THE OTHER 68 FOR A TWO YEAR PERIOD.
SO WITHIN I MEAN WITHIN REASON. SO IT COULD BE HOW THEY WANT TO ACCESS THE PROPERTY.
YEAH. THAT OKAY? THAT'S WHAT I WAS THOSE TYPE THINGS.
MINOR THINGS. AVOID THESE TREES. OR IF YOU HAVE TO CUT DOWN THIS TREE.
CAN I HAVE. OKAY. THAT MAKES SENSE. AND THEN I SPOKE WITH MR. POLIS' SON EARLIER TODAY. THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE TIMES WHERE YOU GUYS HAVE COME ON THE PROPERTY AND CUT THE FENCE BECAUSE YOU NEED TO GET IN, WHETHER THEY WERE HOME OR NOT. HOME. IS THAT SOMETHING YOU REPAIR FOR THEM? I'M NOT AWARE OF THOSE TIMES, BUT OF COURSE WE'RE TO REPAIR THE FENCE, AS IT SAYS IN THE EASEMENT, THAT RIGHT THERE IN THE EASEMENT THAT DOES, I UNDERSTAND, TO HAVE ACCESS.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, GOING THROUGH WITH THIS OBVIOUSLY, LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH YOU. AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE.
BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT GOING FORWARD IT'S HANDLED APPROPRIATELY, I GUESS.
I'M JUST BEING HONEST, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WASN'T THERE.
SO I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST TELLING YOU. SURE.
AND I PERSONALLY, OF COURSE, I DON'T UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY. YEAH. NOT YOU. I'M NOT. YEAH.
WE'RE UNDER A LOT OF REGULATIONS THAT REQUIRE US.
YEAH. AND I UNDERSTAND IF YOU HAVE TO GET IN THERE, YOU HAVE TO GET IN THERE. OTHER QUESTIONS.
MR. POLIS HERE. I'D INVITE HIM TO TALK TO YOU.
YEAH, YEAH. SINCE. SINCE YOU'RE HERE. I APPRECIATE YOU COMING.
MY NAME IS DAN PAULOS. I LIVE ON 2020 WASHBOARD ROAD.
I'VE BEEN LIVING THERE FOR ABOUT CLOSE TO 50 YEARS NOW.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THE CITY OF COUNCIL BLUFFS WAS NOT THERE YET.
I DON'T BELIEVE THERE WAS A COLLEGE THERE YET.
I THINK HIGHWAY SIX JUST OPENED AND THE INTERSTATE 80 JUST OPENED.
SO I STARTED ACQUIRING PROPERTY OUT THERE. WHEN I MOVED OUT THERE.
THERE WAS ONE POLE WITH ABOUT 30 WOOD POLE, ONE LINE OF WIRE ON.
AND I USED TO BE FRIENDS WITH THE PRESIDENT OF IOWA POWER.
HE USED TO DINE AT MY RESTAURANT A LOT. AND HE TOLD ME THAT THAT LINE WITH JUST THE LOCAL LINE LEADING TO PROVIDE ELECTRICITY JUST DOWN THE ROAD. THINGS HADN'T BEEN VERY GOOD FOR ME IN POWER SINCE MID-AMERICA. I DON'T KNOW. AM I PERMITTED TO ASK THE QUESTION?
[01:25:03]
NO. YES. NO. NO. OKAY. I THINK THIS IS THE GUY THAT WAS THERE LAST YEAR.MY WIFE HAD A LITTLE ACCIDENT. FIRE, ACCIDENT AND GRASS FIRE.
AND THE GRASS FIRE WAS UP AROUND THAT WOOD POLE OF HIS.
MID-AMERICA. AFTER EVERYBODY CLEARED OUT. I SEE.
I THINK IT WAS THIS GUY. HE WAS OUT THERE AND I APPROACHED HIM AND I SAID, WHAT SEEMS TO BE THE PROBLEM? HE SAYS, YOU BURNED MY POLE. I WANT $25,000 TO REPLACE THE POLE.
I SAID, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT POLE, I SAID.
SO, I TOLD THEM, EITHER GET OUT OR I'M CALLING THE POLICE.
ANYWAY, THAT'S THREAT NUMBER ONE. THREAT NUMBER TWO.
THERE WERE THESE PEOPLE COME UP FROM KANSAS CITY.
THEY DIDN'T CALL ME THERE OR NOT. THEY JUST SHOWED UP AT THE GATE.
THERE WAS ONE BURLY LOOKING GUY. AND A COUPLE OF GUYS.
SO, I WENT. I WENT UP TO THE GATE TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
WELL, THEY SAID THEY WAS GOING TO REPLACE THE POLES FOR ME.
THEY WAS GOING TO GIVE ME NEW POLES. I SAID, I DON'T WANT NEW POLES.
HE SAID, YOU GOT YOU GOT THE KEY TO THAT GATE.
I SAID, NO, I DO NOT. HE HAD WIRE CLIPPERS, AND HE SAID, MOVE OVER, LITTLE MAN, BEFORE I HURT YOU.
HE WENT IN. I'VE BEEN THREATENED BEFORE. THAT'S FINE.
OKAY. BUT BEFORE THEY LEFT, THEY LEFT THE PLACE IN A MESS.
THEY NEVER. THEY NEVER RAN A BULLDOZER OR ANYTHING.
AND IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE, THEY RUN BOBCATS. AND I HAD TO READ MY WHOLE FRONT YARD OUTSIDE THE GATE.
I HAD. IT TOOK ME ABOUT 3 OR 4 WEEKS TO RESEED THE GROUND FOR GRASS TO COME BACK UP.
NOW? ABOUT JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS, THESE PEOPLE TRYING TO SLIDE IN THROUGH THE BACK DOOR. I DIDN'T GET THIS LETTER. I DID NOT GET THIS LETTER.
FIVE DAYS. THREE DAYS BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL, THEY WAS TRYING TO SNEAK IN THE BACK DOOR.
TO TRY FOR YOU GUYS TO PASS AN EMINENT DOMAIN.
NO, NO, THIS IS NOT RIGHT. THIS IS STEALING. THIS IS STEALING.
I AGREE. I FEEL HERE AND THERE MAKE MY GROUND LOOK GOOD.
I PAID TAXES, IT'S A REGULAR PRACTICE. MY TAX IS UP 26,000 A YEAR.
AND IT KEPT GOING UP. I HAVE NEVER COMPLAINED ABOUT THAT.
I JUST PAID THE TAXES. I UNDERSTAND. I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE KEY IS TRYING TO STEAL MY PROPERTY FROM RIGHT UNDER ME. AFTER ME WORKING SO HARD. THAT'S NOT RIGHT.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. I DON'T I GOT I GOT A FOLDER HERE, AND I'M NOT THE GUY. I'M NOT BACKING OUT. IF YOU GO AND TAKE MY PROPERTY, YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT OVER MY DEAD BODY.
WELL, I WILL TELL YOU ON WHETHER, ON THE, W HATEVER HAPPENS TONIGHT.
BUT ON YOUR OLD EASEMENT, WHATEVER IT WAS WITH THOSE POWER POLES.
AND I DEAL IN EASEMENTS. I MEAN, THEY'RE ON THE HOOK TO FIX WHATEVER YOU TELL THEM TO HOOK.
THEY NEVER DID. I'M JUST SAYING FOR THE FUTURE, LIKE, WHETHER ON THIS OLD EASEMENT OR WHATEVER HAPPENS TONIGHT, THAT SECTION IS ONE THAT I TELL MY LANDOWNERS TO PRINT OUT AND PUT ON THE REFRIGERATOR.
THERE'S THE PHONE NUMBER BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX IT.
THEY COME ON YOUR PROPERTY, EXISTING POLES OR NOT.
[01:30:04]
TOO, BECAUSE THEY WILL FIX IT TO YOUR LIKING.AND IF THEY DON'T THEN YOU HAVE OTHER RECOURSE ON IT.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHERE THAT EASEMENT, WHO GAVE THEM THAT EASEMENT, AND HOW DID THEY GET THAT EASEMENT? YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. WELL, LAND COMES WITH THE EASEMENT, DAN.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT'S A 100 FOOT EASEMENT.
AND SO, IF THEY NEED TO GET. AND THE AND THE REASON THEY DO THAT WHEN THE POLLS ARE TWO FOOT IN DIAMETER, THE REASON THEY DO THE 100 FOOT IN CASE THEY HAVE TO DO MAINTENANCE ON IT, THEY WANT TO GET IN THERE.
WELL, WHY SHOULD I PAY TAXES ON IF THEY IF THEY'RE TAKING MY GROUND, WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY TAXES ON IT? I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT. BUT I GOT PLANS FOR THAT PIECE OF GROUND.
AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE EAST SIDE. I WAS PLANNING FOR A BUSINESS PARK, NINE ACRES OF BUSINESS PARK.
AND ON THE WEST SIDE OF WASHBOARD ROAD, 60 HOMES.
NOW, AM I GOING TO STOP MY PLANS SO THEY CAN RUN ELECTRICITY? LET ME PUT IT ANOTHER WAY. WHAT IF I SAY, I WONDER EVERY DOMAIN OF YOUR HOUSE, BECAUSE I GOT A COUPLE IMMIGRANTS COMING UP HERE AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO LIVE IN YOUR HOUSE.
WELL, YOU CAN'T DO THAT, BUT. WELL, JUST THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE THAT WHEN IT'S FOR THE BETTERMENT OF MANY IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE. IT'S 14,000 PEOPLE.
THEY SAY THAT IT WILL PROVIDE ELECTRICITY FOR.
NO, THEY GOT A DIFFERENT WAY TO GO. THEY GOT A DIFFERENT WAY.
THIS IS A GRUDGE BETWEEN THEM AND US. THEY GOT FOUR DIFFERENT WAYS TO GO GET BY THE ELECTRICITY.
THEY TAKE A LEFT, GO DOWN TO THE TO THE RAILROAD, CUT ACROSS.
NOBODY'S GOING TO GOING TO BOTHER HIM. NO, THEY CANNOT TAKE MY LAND.
MATTER OF FACT, THEY SHOULD REMOVE THE. THEY SHOULD REMOVE FIVE LINES AND LEAVE ONE LINE.
THAT'S WHAT WAS THERE WHEN I BOUGHT THE PROPERTY.
THEY GOT OTHER WAYS TO GO. BUT THIS IS JUST A SPECIAL GRUDGE, AND I'M NOT BACKING OUT.
JUST SO I'M, AND I DON'T KNOW, THE DATES ON THE EASEMENT.
SO HE SAID THERE WAS ONE POLE THERE WHEN HE BOUGHT THE PROPERTY. SO, THE ONE LINE.
ONE LINE. YEAH. SO DO WE THINK THE EASEMENT WAS THERE WHEN HE BOUGHT IT? I THINK IT'S BEEN ADDED TO SINCE HE GOT, I LOOKED INTO IT ONE TIME, ASKED ME TO LOOK INTO IT.
HE WAS THE PRESIDENT OF OUR POWER. HIS NAME WAS LLOYD HORNBECK.
MATTER OF FACT, MATTER OF FACT. I HAVE A PICTURE.
WHERE? WHERE THE OLD LINES USED TO BE. AND THESE PEOPLE CAME UP WITH BRAND NEW LINE.
THEY FORGOT TO TAKE THE OLD LINE, OLD POLES OUT, AND THEY WENT DOWN AND CUT ACROSS WITH NEW LINE.
BUT THERE WAS, THERE WAS TOO STUPID TO TAKE THE OLD LINES DOWN BECAUSE THE LINES ARE STILL THERE.
NOW THESE PEOPLE, THEY'RE NOT ONE OF US. THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT COME FROM OUT OF TOWN.
THEY COME FROM HERE AND. THEY TAKE WHATEVER THEY CAN FROM US.
AND WHEN THEY LEAVE, THEY MAKE WHAT'S A DUMMY.
IT WAS THOSE PEOPLE IN COUNCIL BLUFFS ARE. SO, DAN, IF YOU WANT TO WRAP UP THAT TIME YOU GET TEN MINUTES, AND YOU'VE GOT 40S TO GO.
I APPRECIATE THAT. ANY QUESTIONS FOR DAN? BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY ONE MORE THING ABOUT THIS WOMAN. THIS WOMAN THAT CALLED ME.
[01:35:08]
SHE KEPT CALLING ME UP, AND I FINALLY HAD TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY TO WRITE A LETTER BECAUSE SHE KEEPS SAYING, WE ARE GOING TO TAKE YOUR LAND WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, YOUR WAY IS THE CHEAPEST WAY FOR US TO GO ACROSS. YOU VISUALIZE THIS. THE SECOND RICHEST GUY IN THE COUNTRY IS TOO CHEAP TO RUN SOME LINES ANOTHER WAY. I MEAN, I GOT I GOT A FOLDER HERE FOR A BIT.THANK YOU I APPRECIATE. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? ANY OF YOU WANT TO ASK ME TO DEFEND IN MY SITUATION? NO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANKS. THANK YOU.
YEAH. THANKS, KELLY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YOU ARE A LIAR.
STOP! YOU ARE. ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT? NO MATTER WHAT, HOWEVER THIS GOES, YOU WILL CONTINUE TO NEGOTIATE IN GOOD FAITH TO GET THE DEAL DONE.
YES, THAT'S CORRECT. YEAH. HOW FAR ALONG. YOU'RE TWO YEARS TO GET YOUR 68 EASEMENTS, RIGHT.
WAS THAT CORRECT? OVER TWO YEARS. APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS A LITTLE OVER.
AND WHAT'S YOUR WHAT'S YOUR TIMETABLE ON BRINGING THAT POWER LINE IN? SOONER THE SOONER THE BETTER, OBVIOUSLY. BUT LIKE IF EVERYBODY COMES UP IN A PERFECT SCENARIO WHEN LIKE THIS YEAR, THIS YEAR, BUT YOU'RE PREPARED TO FIGHT IT UNTIL YOU CAN GET IT RIGHT.
OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR COMING.
OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTIONS? APPLICATIONS FOR PERMITS AND CANCELLATIONS. WHAT THE HELL IS THE DEVICE RETAILER PERMIT? IT'S A NEW. IT'S REQUIRED BY THE VAPE DEVICE.
STATE LAW. YEAH, IT'S A NEW STATE LAW. THE STATE, IN THEIR INFINITE WISDOM, HAS DECIDED TO NEVER MIND $1,500 FOR EACH ONE WE GET, THOUGH, FOR WE GET. THEY WANT TO SELL VAPES. IF THEY WANT TO SELL VAPES, THEY HAVE TO HAVE A SPECIAL PERMIT.
YEAH. JUST REGULAR. LIKE THEY HAVE TO HAVE A SEPARATE TOBACCO.
NOT THE WACKY TOBACKY. DEVICE ITSELF. JUST REGULAR.
JUST REGULAR. IT'S JUST A JUST A REGULAR VAPE.
HIGH SCHOOL VAPE. INHALING CAN COMBUSTION TOBACCO, HEMP PLANT MATERIALS OR A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE. DID THE STATE? MEDICAL. DID THE STATE SET THE 1500? THAT'S RIGHT. YEAH. YEAH. CORRECT. THEY COLLECT IT AND THEN SEND IT TO US.
YEAH. ALL RIGHT. MOTION TO GO TO EXECUTIVE. SECOND.
[EXECUTIVE SESSION]
THANK YOU. MARK. TECHNICALLY, THIS IS NOT AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.STRATEGY SESSIONS ON UNION CONTRACTS ARE EXEMPT FROM THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW.
AND SO, THE STRATEGY SESSION. YEAH. SECOND STRATEGY SESSION.
YEAH.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.