[1. Call Meeting to order]
[00:00:09]
MEETING TO ORDER. IT'S A SPECIAL MEETING FOR THE ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONS
[Additional Item]
COMMITTEE. DECEMBER 10TH, 2025. OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS WE'RE GOING TO ADD A COMMISSIONER TODAY, RANDY AKIL, AND HE'S GOING TO BE SWORN IN BY THE JUDGE FIRST. FIRST OFF HERE. THANK YOU. IF YOU'LL RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND REPEAT AFTER ME. I DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR. SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS, AND WILL FAITHFULLY DISCHARGE THESE. DALLAS. AND SHERWOOD AFB COMMISSION. I'M SURE. COMMISSION UPON WHICH I'M TED. THAT'S IT. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. ALL RIGHT. COME ON UP, RANDY. WE'RE.HAVE YOU RIGHT HERE. DO I NEED. OKAY? DE LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL. CHRIS. HERE, JEFF.
HERE. MARINA HERE. JOSH HERE. KIM HERE. AND RANDY HERE. OKAY. THE PURPOSE OF THE MEETING
[2. Economic Development Request]
TODAY WAS TO IS TO DISCUSS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND YOU'VE GOT PACKETS IN FRONT OF YOU, AND THEN I'LL. I'LL LET ME TAKE IT FROM HERE. SO HI. I THINK I'VE MET ALL OF YOU, BUT GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE MYSELF. I'M TAMMY TOMPKINS. I'M THE NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR FOR THE CITY. I'VE BEEN HERE ABOUT SIX MONTHS NOW AND HAD THE CHANCE TO DIG IN AND GET MY FEET WET. AND HERE WE GO. SO, ARE Y'ALL READY? SO WE USE THIS PROGRAM. IT WAS IN PLACE BEFORE I JOINED THE CITY. IT'S CALLED PLACER AI. PLACER AI BASICALLY IS A PROGRAM THAT QUANTIFIES NUMBERS. LET ME GRAB THIS BEFORE I START SWINGING. THAT TRACK THESE LITTLE GUYS.SO IF YOU THINK YOU'RE NOT KNOWN WHERE YOU GO, YOU ARE. IT GIVES US REALLY GOOD INFORMATION. I RAN A SAMPLE REPORT. IT'S THERE ARE MANY, MANY, MANY REPORTS I CAN RUN THROUGH THERE, BUT THIS ONE'S PRETTY INTERESTING. IT'S AN OVERVIEW OF WALMART HERE IN SHERWOOD. KIND OF GIVES YOU GOOD INFORMATION IN THERE. ABOUT WHAT TIME PEOPLE SPEND WHEN THEY COME TO THE STORE. IT GIVES US INFORMATION THAT TELLS US HOW OFTEN THEY COME TO THE STORE. WHAT DAY IS MOST HEAVILY TRAFFICKED. AND THIS IS A LOOKING BACK FOR 12 MONTHS. IS THAT REPORT JUST SO YOU KNOW, IT ALSO GIVES US GREAT INFORMATION OF TRAFFIC FLOW ON THE STREET. SO I PUT A MAP IN THERE FOR YOU. IT LETS US KNOW WHERE THE PERSON WAS BEFORE THEY WENT TO WALMART AND WHERE THEY WENT WHEN THEY LEFT WALMART. SO YOU GET TO SEE A LOT OF THE MOVEMENT IN THE CITY. IT IS. IT CAN DRILL DOWN EVEN MORE THAN THAN WHAT I'VE DONE.
BUT I WASN'T GOING TO WEAR Y'ALL OUT WITH DETAILS TODAY. THE COOL THING IS WE CAN DROP PINS IN THIS REPORT WHEN WE'RE TALKING WITH DEVELOPERS THAT ARE LOOKING TO COME TO THE CITY, THAT CAN ALSO WE CAN GIVE THEM AN EXACT TRAFFIC COUNT AT THAT LOCATION AND IN THE CITY. SO THAT'S REALLY COOL INFORMATION THAT HELPS THEM WANT TO BRING THEIR BUSINESS HERE. THE PIECE WE ARE MISSING IS THE PIECE THAT WE ARE ADDING IN THIS YEAR, AND THEY'VE GIVEN US A SUBSTANTIAL DISCOUNT TO DO THAT. AS YOU CAN SEE ON DID EVERYBODY WE GAVE THEM A COPY OF THIS, RIGHT? YES. SO THIS IS THE CONTRACT THAT HAS HAS BEEN SIGNED AND WE HAVE TO GET IN ORDER TO GET THIS DISCOUNT. WE HAVE TO PAY FOR IT THIS MONTH. SO IT HAS TO FALL BY THE END OF DECEMBER. OKAY. SO I KNOW I AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WE HAVE A LINE ITEM BUDGET IN AMP THAT HAS NOT BEEN USED THIS YEAR. SO I'M COMING TO YOU WITH THE REQUEST THAT WE PAY FOR PLACER.
BECAUSE EVERYBODY THAT I'M TALKING TO, I'M RUNNING REPORTS FOR THEM, GIVING THEM THE INFORMATION FOR OUR CITY TO TRY TO DRAW THEM IN. WE'VE GOT A RETAILER WE'RE TALKING TO RIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE REALLY, REALLY CLOSE. THEY'VE SUBMITTED SOME THINGS INTO ENGINEERING ALREADY, AND SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. THERE'S SEVERAL OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE THAT THIS HAS BEEN A KEY PIECE TO GET THEM TO COME. WHAT WE'RE MISSING IS THE RETAIL SALES PIECE. OUR OUR CONTRACT WAS GOING TO GO UP $1,000 ANYWAY. THAT'S JUST THE WAY THIS WORKS. IT INCREASES
[00:05:06]
EVERY YEAR. BUT IF WE ADDED ON THIS RETAIL SALES PIECE, WHICH A DEVELOPER THAT I'M TALKING WITH SAID, WELL, I NEED THAT INFORMATION AND WE DON'T HAVE IT. SO THAT'S WHY IF WE'RE REALLY GETTING THIS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DISCOUNT INVOLVED, IT WOULD BE ALMOST A $8,000 PIECE THAT WE'RE REALLY GETTING, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, FOR 4000, BECAUSE WE WERE GOING TO GO UP A THOUSAND ANYWAY. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? OKAY. SO THAT INFORMATION IS CRITICAL INFORMATION. IT'S GOING TO GIVE US TRUE QUANTIFIABLE NUMBERS THAT ARE METRICS THAT WE CAN USE AND TURN AROUND AND GIVE TO THESE OTHER BUSINESSES COMING IN TO SAY, HEY, OUR WALMART JUST BROUGHT IN IN THE LAST MONTH THIS MUCH, MANY DOLLARS IN SALES, WE CAN DRILL IT DOWN TO SHOTGUN DANCE. YOU KNOW, WE CAN DRILL IT DOWN TO SUNNYSIDE, WE CAN DRILL IT DOWN TO MAMA'S.I CAN DRILL IT DOWN TO SMALL. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET AS ACCURATE OF NUMBERS WHEN YOU DO THAT AS YOU ARE WITH THE BIG CHAIN STORE FOR SURE, BUT WE CAN STILL GET GOOD INFORMATION WITH THAT. SO THAT'S IT'S REALLY A BIG BENEFIT TO HELP BRING ADDITIONAL OUR GOAL AS MAI HAVE TALKED AT LENGTH IS TO BRING SOME HOTELS INTO TOWN. WE REALLY NEED THOSE THINGS BECAUSE AS I'M LOOKING AT THESE NUMBERS, PEOPLE ARE LEAVING AND GOING OUTSIDE OF SHERWOOD TO GET THESE SERVICES. WE NEED THEM TO STAY HERE. SO SO MY REQUEST IS THAT WE USE THE BUDGET LINE ITEM THAT'S ALREADY DESIGNATED FOR THIS YEAR TO PAY FOR THE PLACER BILL FOR THIS YEAR. OKAY. AND I AM LOOKING AT THAT NUMBER, AND WE DO HAVE 28,058. WELL, AS OF NOVEMBER 30TH WE HAD $28,058 LEFT. SO I DON'T THINK WE ANTICIPATE ANY EXPENDITURES IN DECEMBER. I WOULDN'T THINK THAT LINE. I WOULDN'T THINK SO. SO THAT WOULD COVER IT. SO MY QUESTION IS, SO THIS IS A $25,000 ASK YOU'RE ASKING FOR, WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS GOING TO FIT INTO THAT. YES, MA'AM. IS THIS A REOCCURRING 25,000 EVERY YEAR. SO WHAT IS OUR TOTAL EXPENSE WITH THIS COMPANY EVERY YEAR? LAST YEAR IT WAS 20,000. IT WAS SET TO GO UP 21. THIS YEAR WE ARE ADDING ON THIS RETAIL PIECE THAT THE DEVELOPERS ARE ASKING FOR, WHICH IS WHAT'S INCREASING IT TO 25. SO NEXT YEAR THE TOTAL AMOUNT WILL BE SOMEWHERE AROUND. YEAH, IT MIGHT BE 26 BECAUSE THERE'S STILL THEY ALWAYS HAVE THAT EXTRA THAT WE'RE GOING TO. THAT'S JUST I WHAT A GREAT BUSINESS MODEL RIGHT. IF YOU CAN JUST HAVE SOMEBODY USING AND ADD A LITTLE BIT. BUT IT IT IT IS PART OF THE DEAL TO GET IN AS LOW AS WE GOT IN. I MEAN I REMEMBER. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW BECAUSE NEXT YEAR IN OUR BUDGET, OUR BUDGET IS 40,000. I MEAN ACTUALLY OUR BUDGET IS 30,000. WE LOWERED IT DOWN TO 30,000. SO BY DOING THAT, JUST TO BE AWARE THAT WITH THE BUDGET AMOUNT OF 30,000 FOR NEXT YEAR, THIS IS BASICALLY BASICALLY GOING TO TAKE YOUR ENTIRE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR. SO THIS IS FROM AMP. ANYWAY, I UNDERSTAND AND THIS IS SUCH A CRITICAL PIECE. I'M ALREADY TRAINED ON IT, BUT THEY ARE DRILLING ME DOWN. THEY ARE WILLING WITHIN THIS TO DO EVERY OTHER WEEK TRAINING SESSION JUST WITH ME. WELL I MEAN IF THAT'S IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH, WITH EXPANDING YOUR ENTIRE BASIC BUDGET, I HAVE NO PROBLEM. OKAY? I HAVE NO PROBLEM. OKAY. WILL THERE BE SOMEONE TO MAKE A MOTION OR ANYTHING? I'LL BE HAPPY TO MAKE THAT MOTION. OKAY, THAT WE I'LL BE HAPPY TO MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE USE THE REMAINDER OF OUR MONEY FOR THIS YEAR.
WHATEVER IT TAKES TO DO THIS FOR THIS YEAR AND THAT WE CONTINUE ON NEXT YEAR FOR THE SAME. WHATEVER'S NEEDED TO CONTINUE ON WITH THIS PROGRAM FOR NEXT YEAR WITHOUT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND FOR LINE ITEM FOR NEXT YEAR AS WELL. SECOND, OKAY. SECOND BY JEFF.
OKAY. CALL THE VOTE, CHRIS I JEFF I MARINA I JOSH HI KIM I RANDY I OKAY ANY OTHER TOPICS TO DISCUSS. YES I THINK YOU WANT RANDY TO OH YES. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY OTHER ITEMS. I'M GOOD IF Y'ALL ARE GOOD. NOTHING FROM THE CITY AS WELL. OKAY. YEAH, WE HAD IT. I MEAN, WE'RE REALLY PLEASED WITH WINTERFEST. WE'VE HAD LOTS OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK, SO GREAT. WE'RE ALL STILL EXHAUSTED. AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, AS SHE'S TALKING, WE WILL HAVE WINTERFEST NUMBERS. USUALLY TAKES ABOUT 30 DAYS FOR IT ALL TO CYCLE THROUGH AND US
[00:10:02]
GET THOSE NUMBERS. BUT LIKE AFTER THE JULY 3RD, WE WERE ABLE TO GET FOOT TRAFFIC NUMBERS AND SEE WHAT ALL THAT REALLY BROUGHT IN TO THE CITY. SO REALLY GOOD INFORMATION. AND IF Y'ALL WOULD LIKE, YOU KNOW, AFTER THESE EVENTS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO REPORT THAT BACK TO YOU. OKAY. EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT. OKAY. SO RANDY, I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU. WE STARTED THIS SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, JUST AT THE END OF THE MEETING. WE WANTED THE COMMISSIONERS TO KIND OF TELL A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEMSELVES AND THEIR BUSINESS. THESE ARE THESE ARE ALWAYS VIDEO RECORDED AND PUT OUT FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE. SO IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO WAIT TO THE NEXT MONTH WHEN IT'S REALLY A REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING. WE GOT THE WHOLE WE'LL DO BOTH, WE'LL DO BOTH. WE'LL ALLOW YOU TO HAVE BOTH. SO JUST ANNOUNCE WHO YOU ARE AND YOUR BUSINESS. AND JUST A QUICK YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU OFFER AND OKAY, QUICK, SURE. WE'LL RUN DOWN I'M RANDY AND I'M THE OWNER OF MAMA'S GYROS GRILL IN SHERWOOD HERE ON EAST KEELE. I'VE BEEN THERE SINCE 1980. WELL, THE RESTAURANT'S BEEN THERE SINCE 1982. I'VE HAD IT 17 YEARS.BOUGHT IT FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. IT'S A NICE FAMILY TYPE RUN RESTAURANT. WE'VE SERVED ALL KINDS OF, YOU KNOW, FROM GREEK FARE TO TO BURGERS TO SALADS AND SO FORTH. BUT IT'S KIND OF A FIXTURE IN THE COMMUNITY. BEEN HERE SO LONG MYSELF. BORN AND RAISED IN NORTH LITTLE ROCK, MOVED TO SHERWOOD IN 79. GRADUATED FROM SYLVAN HILLS IN 84. WENT TO UALR, GRADUATED AND. RAISED MY FAMILY HERE AND BEEN HERE EVER SINCE AND CONTINUE TO BE HERE.
SO THAT'S AWESOME. THANK YOU. WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT YOU JOINING THE COMMISSION. SURE.
THANK YOU. GOOD DEAL.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.