After a mad dash (and stuffing my face with a great blue cheese and mushroom burger at Tierney's) I'm live blogging the council minutes now.

Recording work session meetings- current equipment is 20 years old and it's all analog.  Cost comes down to quality of recording.  Cable level would be expensive.  We could take our existing mobile camera and do it.

We currently have 3 cameras- 2 don't move, the 4th input is the projector.  We have 22 mics that feed into the broadcast stream.  All of this goes to VHS, gets encoded, then out to cable.

Low cost would be to use the mobile camera which has a very narrow mic stream instead of boom.  Staff thinks it would be viable for web but not cable.  Camcorder at best buy would have a really bad resolution for the cable encoder. (not too sure how that works).

2 cameras sound board, mics, and new encoder would be around 26K, video production quality is 50K.   Another 12K to upgrade existing cameras and 5-6K for tying the systems in.  Staff would like to do basic tripod recording first and deliver to web for council to review and discuss at a follow up meeting.  Sound and doesn't mean an additional 26K.  Gorena now explaining  differences between analog and digital and looking at man hours saved to convert meetings. 

Gorena likes incremental, as does staff.  Garland and Farmers branch have recently upgraded to the high end systems, as does Dallas.  Might want to check their city sites to review.  Watts doesn't want to see money spent but does like the idea of incrementally updating the council chambers because that's where the official business takes place. 

Mr King makes the point of this taking away from other budget items and that it should be looked at as a budget expense.  Gorena suggests dipping into the reserve fund if we wanted to and thanks staff.

Review of the new hotel ordinance-  pick 4 of the  5 mandated items (kind of like pick your own variance- Mr. King).  Gorena suggest upgrading to a new version of Acrobat Reader. 

King and Watts discuss we can be flexible with any refurbishments to existing facilities.  We're basically looking at a bunch of 1 and 2 star hotels and that we have limited space available for hotels left in the city.  This is to create incentive for something higher end.  We're shooting for Hilton Garden and up.  Gorena points out that the computer isn't plugged in well (the screen is tinted blue). 

Nika Reinecke, our Planning Director is describing the ordinance and reviewing our 24 hotels.  Budget Suites is the biggest with 424 rooms.  Most of our recent hotels are 85-125 rooms.  There are 4 other hotels not on the CVB list. Reviewing the Star Rating system now.  Restaurant, full service, bumps you from 4 stars to 3 stars.

Durham mentions that the regional transportation commission is looking at a reduction in state spending in north Texas because we're driving toll roads.  N. Tx governments are going to have to lobby the state for more money.  Would like a letter or resolution from the City.

AND NOW THE MEETING!

Proclamation for Salvation Army Week (Red Kettle Kickoff) the week of Nov. 16th.  Mayor puts somee cash in the kettle and now all the room is adding to the bucket including yours truly...

Citiizens Forum-  No requests to speak tonight.

Consent agenda- pulling item 8 from the list.  Approved unanimous.

Item 8 1.55M remodel of the Police station (which really needs it).  Mr. King reviews that this is a final phase of the remodel after moving the jail.  I've been in there and it's horrible space, grafitti and all.  This would add considerable office and storage space to the facility.  This goes back 6-7 years.  Thornhill Moves second by Watts- carries.

Item 10 Durham asked for a refund of a fee for a residence that is pulling failing brick off thier house (to match the neighborhood of 70% brick).  Moved by Duram, 2nd Gorena- carries.

Item 11 variance for 1926 E. HWY Biz 121.  Gorean move, 2nd Durham.  Carries.

Item 12 Hotel Ordinance Modification-  Tierney likes the change to 4 of 5 (he didn't like the full service kitchen mandatory item).  Thornhill concurs, Wats thirds and points out that this isn't comment about the current product but is to attract a different product.  Gorena "ditto".  Durham is opposed, the convention center doesn't even meet these criteria and that the city put 3.75M into this facility.  Durham is now trying to define 'full service restaurant'.  Would like it in an Overlay district (focused on one area).  He sees this as a disincentive for existing facilities to expand and remodel.  (editors opinion GOOD!).  He's worried about this creating 'fleabag' motels and would like this to be 3 of 5.  Existing hoteliers are supportive (according to the Mayor).  There probably won't be new hotels for 5-10 years- economy.  Durham mentions that not one would meet our minimum requirements.  (ed. op.:  Well of course not, our current ordinance has a very low bar).  Move by Thornhill, second by Watts.  Durham against.  Carries.  (yay!  ed. op.)

Item 13 differentiating Senior Apartments from regular apartments especially in parking ratio.  Sr. Apts will move to 1.2 parking spaces vs. 2 parking spaces per unit.  These would be in medical districts and would be deed restricted to keep from moving back to standard apartments at a later date.  Watts approves and moves.  2nd by Thornhill.  Carries.

Item 14-  Get your vacation dates ready!  Feb 4-6 will be the dates.  Free rooms at the convention center was part of our agreement when the city was built.  Gorena points out that it's not costing more and is local.  Moved and approved.

Department Reports-  Lake is full.  Mayor mentions he renewed his vows this weekend.  Mr. King mentions he went to Lowes.

And on that drumroll we're out, thanks for reading!