Full Transcript for Jay Patterson - Abilene City Councilman

Creek Trail. 00:02:23.439 --> 00:02:26.400 And then finally, and you're probably gonna get this wrong. 00:02:26.639 --> 00:02:28.800 What is the best NFL team? 00:02:30.719 --> 00:02:32.319 There is a right answer. 00:02:32.639 --> 00:02:34.000 I know what you want me to say. 00:02:34.159 --> 00:02:35.120 Go birds. 00:02:35.520 --> 00:02:36.400 Wrong. 00:02:37.280 --> 00:02:38.159 You were so close. 00:02:38.400 --> 00:02:39.280 I was so close. 00:02:39.520 --> 00:02:39.840 Okay. 00:02:40.400 --> 00:02:41.280 Well, all right. 00:02:41.360 --> 00:02:42.960 Now we're done with the rapid fire questions. 00:02:43.039 --> 00:02:43.840 You did well. 00:02:44.080 --> 00:02:47.759 Um we'll see what the judges say on the scoring later. 00:02:47.919 --> 00:02:49.199 But uh that was good. 00:02:49.360 --> 00:02:49.759 How was it? 00:02:49.840 --> 00:02:50.400 Was it stressful? 00:02:50.560 --> 00:02:51.120 Wasn't too bad. 00:02:51.199 --> 00:02:52.080 It was uh yeah. 00:02:52.560 --> 00:02:56.479 I I would say the hardest part is keeping my answers so brief. 00:02:56.719 --> 00:02:57.439 Yeah, yeah. 00:02:57.680 --> 00:03:07.360 Well, and you you don't realize it, but it still goes, even when I was doing 20 questions, it would go four or five minutes, uh, especially with those that were answered really long. 00:03:07.520 --> 00:03:15.120 And so those that keep their answers short, just I can we can get it down to a minute and a half, and that that's a nice little uh little snippet little video. 00:03:15.199 --> 00:03:24.319 Um, but I do like it because it it allows people to see a little insight into who that person is um without just talking about the issues. 00:03:24.479 --> 00:03:26.400 So uh I think that went well. 00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:28.479 Let's uh let's get to you. 00:03:28.719 --> 00:03:34.960 So um you're now on city council, you've been on for two and a half months. 00:03:35.120 --> 00:03:40.000 You came on mid-May, and we're in mid-August now, so actually almost three months. 00:03:40.159 --> 00:03:41.520 Um how's it been? 00:03:41.840 --> 00:03:46.000 It's been it's been an exciting adventure. 00:03:46.319 --> 00:03:50.000 Uh there's something new every time. 00:03:50.639 --> 00:03:58.159 And um one thing that surprised me the most is the camaraderie. 00:03:58.879 --> 00:03:59.520 Yeah. 00:04:00.639 --> 00:04:05.280 So um you have the meetings every other Thursday. 00:04:05.439 --> 00:04:10.080 Um how long are those meetings typically going now that I'm no longer on the council? 00:04:10.479 --> 00:04:12.719 Now there's less questions. 00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:15.360 Um roughly an hour and a half. 00:04:15.759 --> 00:04:16.000 Okay. 00:04:16.160 --> 00:04:16.319 Yeah. 00:04:16.639 --> 00:04:18.399 Including executive session. 00:04:18.639 --> 00:04:18.959 Yeah. 00:04:19.120 --> 00:04:19.360 Yeah. 00:04:19.680 --> 00:04:20.000 Okay. 00:04:20.480 --> 00:04:27.279 Um, so we've had uh Emily Crawford on the city manager, we had Weldon on a month or

so ago. 00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:39.120 Um obviously a lot of issues that are uh affecting the city from the data centers to everything, everything else that still, you know, just a regular city needs to address. 00:04:39.360 --> 00:05:00.720 Um what um, but before we get into the all those issues, um why don't we talk just a like a paragraph or two on tell the people um what you do and how you kind of got to where you are on city council, like what was the the process of cigar shop to city council? 00:05:00.959 --> 00:05:01.279 Okay. 00:05:02.319 --> 00:05:07.680 Well, owning the cigar shop, I have the regular people that come in. 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:17.040 Um from time to time the conversations are mostly the same, but when things come up, I hear about it a lot. 00:05:17.759 --> 00:05:28.720 Um the idea to run for city council uh was never on my bingo card, I'd say. 00:05:28.959 --> 00:05:38.480 Uh, but some some very influential friends and encouragers uh kind of pushed me in that direction. 00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:50.560 And uh thankful that they were very patient because I I said from the get-go I wasn't gonna do this unless my wife was on board, and it's not something I want to drag her through. 00:05:50.639 --> 00:06:12.639 I need her walking with me side by side, and so it took a lot of prayer uh together and then separate, and then we got back together, talked about it, and um September 14th is when she said, if we keep saying no to these big moments, we could be forfeiting a lot of blessing. 00:06:13.279 --> 00:06:21.279 So that was the first endorsement I got, the most important one, and uh from that point forward it it was just like a bowling ball. 00:06:21.360 --> 00:06:23.439 You just throw me in the direction, I'll go. 00:06:25.279 --> 00:06:40.879 So you uh you ran for uh city council unopposed, uh, got sworn in mid-May, and uh every city councilman comes in, and there's always fires in the city on issues, whatever it is, right? 00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:42.399 There's always problems. 00:06:42.560 --> 00:06:45.920 That's why city council or government exists to solve those problems. 00:06:46.079 --> 00:06:59.120 Uh this was certainly you're in a unique time in the in the city, uh, challenge-wise, a lot of great things happening, but a lot of big, heavy decisions um that are now or on the horizon. 00:06:59.199 --> 00:07:04.720 Uh, and a lot of that deals with the data centers, uh, both the negatives but also the positives. 00:07:04.800 --> 00:07:11.759 The positives being, hey, city's now getting 21 to 25 million uh in sales tax this year, possibly next year. 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:16.160 How does the city deploy that money? 00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:21.839 Um so those are some pretty big decisions that will have generational impacts on that. 00:07:22.079 --> 00:07:29.600 How do you how has it been kind of jumping into the deep end, coming into the city council as this unfolds? 00:07:29.759 --> 00:07:35.519 It's the data centers are already here, things are already happening, and you're jumping kind of right in the middle of it. 00:07:35.600 --> 00:07:38.800 Um, how has it been catching up and keeping your head above water? 00:07:39.199 --> 00:07:56.480 It's been a challenge, but um the camaraderie that we have on council, these guys always encourage and they'll they'll give me some information, some advice on um on what's been transpiring. 00:07:56.720 --> 00:08:02.560 Um I've been attending city council meetings, but I don't see you know the day-to-day. 00:08:02.639 --> 00:08:12.319 Uh, but now that I'm in it, just to stay above water, I honestly I I don't I don't recall at least so far a moment where I felt like I was drowning. 00:08:12.720 --> 00:08:26.959 It was it was just you know, we have new issues that come up, but they're always kind of underlying the you know the same things, like the data center, uh roads, housing. 00:08:27.279 --> 00:08:29.839 These things are all interrelated. 00:08:30.079 --> 00:08:35.120 But I like that you brought up, you know, there's the negative, but then there's also the positive. 00:08:35.600 --> 00:08:41.759 Like we got new restaurants, we have new amenities, new attractions, but nobody wants to take ownership of why those are here. 00:08:42.960 --> 00:08:53.279 And so for those that may go, oh, I've thought about being on city council, but I've never really investigated or pursued it. 00:08:53.519 --> 00:08:56.080 Um that's not my world. 00:08:56.399 --> 00:09:00.399 What's been some pulling back of the curtain? 00:09:00.480 --> 00:09:27.360 And now that you're on council going, oh man, I didn't know uh about this, or not that it was a surprise, or this was something I didn't account for, of maybe, oh, it's it's a lot more time spent on emails than reading the packets, or I had mentally budgeted time for the packets, but not the emails, or it's or it's fewer emails than I expected, or it's harder to learn the procedures of how to put you know uh things on the agenda or to vote on things or discussions. 00:09:27.519 --> 00:09:48.639 What's been kind of a not necessarily a surprise, but something that you've learned over the last two, three months that you maybe wish, oh, I wish I had known about this, or that you wish others would know ahead of time that this is actually a good thing or bad thing, or or budget more for this time-wise, or this takes more out of me. 00:09:49.279 --> 00:09:50.639 Anything come to mind? 00:09:51.120 --> 00:10:05.919 Uh the first thing that comes to mind is if anyone's considering running for city council or any type of political position, uh familiarize yourself with the Open Meetings Act. 00:10:06.159 --> 00:10:11.200 And um there are things that council can and cannot do. 00:10:11.600 --> 00:10:17.039 Um this reminds me of when I first bought the cigar shop with Corey. 00:10:17.279 --> 00:10:19.679 It was, you know, fear was a great motivator. 00:10:19.759 --> 00:10:21.279 I didn't want to screw it up.

00:10:21.440 --> 00:10:36.080 Uh very similar being on council, uh, reading through what you can and cannot do and have that looming fear of, oh, I I really don't want a misdemeanor or go to jail for a bit. 00:10:36.559 --> 00:10:41.519 But uh, I would say those uh do make adequate time for the packet. 00:10:41.840 --> 00:10:44.639 The um these packets are hundreds of pages. 00:10:44.720 --> 00:10:48.639 I think you clocked in the biggest one at 1280 or something like that. 00:10:49.039 --> 00:10:53.440 And so you don't want to just willy-nilly like fly through it. 00:10:53.519 --> 00:10:58.480 Yeah, really invest some time going through it. 00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:32.720 Uh, something that uh Shane had kind of impressed upon me, even watching the meetings, is how thorough he is and meticulous, even um piece of advice he gave me that no one else did is uh when there's an item that has opposition and it has to do with development or you know housing, go ahead and uh make some time to go out to the site, put some eyes on it, you know, walk it, take a look, talk to people around there. 00:11:32.960 --> 00:11:33.279 Yeah. 00:11:33.440 --> 00:11:38.240 So it's these little little things that do take time that I never accounted for. 00:11:38.320 --> 00:11:41.039 I I I knew hey, I need time for the packet. 00:11:41.440 --> 00:11:46.159 Uh emails was always a thing, but I'm pretty good at checking email. 00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:46.960 Yeah. 00:11:47.200 --> 00:11:50.960 Um, I'm not the best at knowing where I have to forward them. 00:11:51.120 --> 00:11:52.639 So I usually just send them to Emily. 00:11:53.279 --> 00:11:55.440 Yeah, that's always a good good point. 00:11:56.080 --> 00:12:22.159 Uh well, let's jump into then the well, we can start with the data centers, but let's start with uh let's say the big positive of all right, the big good challenge is um from the Lancium deal, now that it's coming online, both property tax-wise and um sales tax-wise, the city is starting to see the benefits come into the to the revenue. 00:12:22.399 --> 00:12:32.080 What and this year I think it's between what 21 and 25 million, and and I believe Emily said uh next year is projected to be, but with sales tax, you never know. 00:12:32.159 --> 00:12:36.080 And she was calling it a surplus, so an extra kind of 21, 25 million. 00:12:36.799 --> 00:12:43.919 What um and budget is what end of July, August time uh time frame. 00:12:44.159 --> 00:12:46.080 What are you wanting to see? 00:12:46.159 --> 00:12:48.159 Uh or I guess you guys we're in mid-August. 00:12:48.240 --> 00:12:49.279 I forget where mid-August is. 00:12:49.519 --> 00:12:52.080 Uh budget meeting is the 24th. 00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:58.320 Uh, what are you wanting to see, just in general broad strokes, that money, what do you think it should be used for? 00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:05.200 I'd like to see it allocated, do a little ramp up on road repair. 00:13:05.679 --> 00:13:07.039 That would be a nice thing. 00:13:07.200 --> 00:13:10.960 Um roads are always gonna be an issue because we use them all the time. 00:13:11.759 --> 00:13:31.039 And um what I feel some people don't realize is we need to focus on these major thoroughfares constantly, and so smaller roads and um streets, they might go years, decades without being touched. 00:13:31.519 --> 00:13:37.440 But um the new C click fix has been very positive. 00:13:38.080 --> 00:13:48.480 Um instead of having you know seven sets of eyes on the city, now we have the option or capability of having everybody. 00:13:48.639 --> 00:13:48.879 Right. 00:13:49.039 --> 00:13:52.879 Now that also brings in, hey, this has not gotten touched in a long time. 00:13:53.120 --> 00:13:53.440 Right. 00:13:53.679 --> 00:13:56.320 Well, did did you say anything to anybody? 00:13:57.039 --> 00:14:08.240 So uh so out of the let's say 21 million, some increase towards roads, what else would you like to see, or what do you expect a lot of that money to go towards? 00:14:09.120 --> 00:14:13.519 Um I'm not sure exactly how much. 00:14:13.600 --> 00:14:17.919 I know uh I don't even know if I'm allowed to say this. 00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:23.279 In broad strokes, you can what what would be your preference of this is where money would go? 00:14:23.600 --> 00:14:26.799 Um I would say public safety. 00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:30.159 I yeah, I'll leave it at that. 00:14:30.399 --> 00:14:46.480 So public safety and roads is what uh I guess those out there are going, man, I'm going through a lot of challenges and cities getting 21, 25 million, but I'm not hearing seeing any improvement or benefit to the to us as a as a resident, right? 00:14:46.559 --> 00:14:49.600 I'm going through these challenges as council. 00:14:50.000 --> 00:15:00.799 What um what insider hope can you give those residents going, hey, we are going to use this additional surplus to balance out the negatives. 00:15:00.960 --> 00:15:03.919 It's worth the negatives because we're going to be doing this. 00:15:04.080 --> 00:15:07.679 You know, what what hope can you give to residents out there? 00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:23.039 I'd say the hope that I that I can share is that this first influx, I guess Emily called it a surplus, there are things that need to be taken care of for a very long time. 00:15:23.440 --> 00:15:35.039 And so there may not be an immediate perceivable change, you know, whether it's tax rate, whether it's how much you're paying, any additional charges on the water bill. 00:15:35.200 --> 00:15:35.519 Yeah. 00:15:35.759 --> 00:16:14.720 But as time goes on, and we keep sorry, and we keep accruing uh more of these funds, we'll start I think we'll start to see at that point a lot of relief coming through, whether it's putting more money aside for um attaining new water sources in that peace of mind long term, or it could be um even more tangible that roads are being repaired so that the wear and tear on our vehicles doesn't cost as much. 00:16:14.879 -->

00:16:22.720 I don't, you know, it could it could translate into a lot of things, but I would urge the public to be patient. 00:16:23.039 --> 00:16:30.240 Um we're in a position as a city that we've never been in before, I don't think, at least since I moved here in 04. 00:16:31.200 --> 00:16:35.519 And um things will get better, and it is getting better. 00:16:35.759 --> 00:16:43.519 But if we're looking for that overnight magic wand, I think that's where we're just gonna be disappointed. 00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:59.440 Well, and uh uh when the mayor was on, he talked about uh the same question was posed to him and and it roads, yes, but uh he talked about infrastructure, water, um water pipes, um a lot of the infrastructure that's needed, but that we don't see. 00:16:59.600 --> 00:16:59.840 Right. 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:08.079 Um he thought a lot of it would go towards, or a good chunk of it would go towards uh water pipes and and that kind of type of infrastructure anyway. 00:17:08.240 --> 00:17:13.680 Um there's a lot of behind the scenes um need for the money. 00:17:13.839 --> 00:17:22.960 Uh we'll see what ends up, a lot of that is staff recommendations and uh tweaks, and we'll see how it all how it all plays out. 00:17:23.119 --> 00:17:31.200 So shifting a little bit to the um uh the data center on the negative side. 00:17:31.440 --> 00:17:36.799 So housing and rental prices obviously are are always on people's minds. 00:17:36.960 --> 00:17:48.720 Um over the last three months, what are you what are you feeling that uh council and and the city at large is doing to address the housing and the rental price increase? 00:17:49.279 --> 00:17:57.279 Uh working with our home builders association, uh development ready zones where existing infrastructures are already there. 00:17:57.920 --> 00:18:06.799 Um we see a lot of condemned buildings being torn down to make way for new construction. 00:18:07.119 --> 00:18:20.799 I think streamlining a lot of the permitting um has sort of did its part and still doing its part to mitigate some of the supply issues that we have regarding housing. 00:18:21.759 --> 00:18:32.640 But um I think maintaining great relationships with our our builders, because the council's not gonna build a house. 00:18:33.039 --> 00:18:40.640 I mean, I could, but what would you say to a renter out there who's saying, hey, my my rent has doubled or tripled? 00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:44.160 Uh council, what are you doing to to help me with that? 00:18:44.240 --> 00:18:45.440 Or or what's the solution? 00:18:45.599 --> 00:18:51.200 Give me hope that I should why I should stay in Abilene for the next 12 to 18 months. 00:18:57.119 --> 00:19:06.640 That's a tricky that's a tricky uh topic because council cannot dictate the free market. 00:19:07.119 --> 00:19:10.400 You know, people are gonna charge rent, however, they're gonna charge rent. 00:19:11.359 --> 00:19:24.000 What council could maybe do is um work with other organizations to to have

some third party relief. 00:19:24.160 --> 00:19:30.720 Um I don't know if that's really what what we can do, you know. 00:19:31.359 --> 00:19:40.079 But three and a half or so months in, I'm thinking there's gotta be organizations out there that can do some kind of financial relief. 00:19:40.720 --> 00:19:49.440 Uh, not just talking about HUT or anything along those lines, but you know, there's there's gotta be something. 00:19:50.400 --> 00:20:13.359 Besides housing, what's uh an issue that you think Abilene is facing that you have some answers to that you are are going, this is what I'm passionate about, this is what I really want to fight, or or see if we can address anything besides housing that that you're going, this is what I w I need to fight for. 00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:20.720 Could be could be project, could be a program, could be we need to do this type of ordinance. 00:20:21.039 --> 00:20:29.119 You can tackle it any way you want, but what's something that's like, oh, this is what Abilene's facing, and this is what I'd like to to do about it. 00:20:29.839 --> 00:20:38.640 A lot of it is um we want we want our citizens to feel safe. 00:20:38.960 --> 00:20:39.519 Right. 00:20:40.480 --> 00:20:45.039 Now, I of course you know I I do a lot of bicycling. 00:20:45.839 --> 00:20:59.920 Um going through the city in that vulnerable state, you know, I I notice there's you know some areas where there's good bike lanes and some that have sidewalks and some that don't. 00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:04.319 Some places that are overgrown and blocking the sidewalks. 00:21:04.640 --> 00:21:21.359 I think on the north side specifically, uh, to make it a little bit more pedestrian friendly, uh, where you know, if we're gonna complain, I mean, we all experience traffic, an increase in traffic. 00:21:21.599 --> 00:21:27.680 Uh with the data center here now, it's even more so with school being back in session, right? 00:21:28.240 --> 00:21:30.640 So we have all that extra traffic. 00:21:30.960 --> 00:21:43.359 Now, if we if we made a way that we can be more pedestrian, it might you know, it's obviously if you're walking, you're not gonna be driving. 00:21:43.440 --> 00:21:48.720 So that could cut down on on wear and tear of roads and surface infrastructure. 00:21:48.960 --> 00:21:59.599 But something that I'd be most passionate about is making Abilene feel safe, whether you're walking, biking. 00:22:00.799 --> 00:22:08.000 Um we do have good parks, we have good amenities, fun places to go and and to experience. 00:22:09.200 --> 00:22:13.200 But there's so much that I'd like to fight for. 00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:20.240 If I were to choose one, it'd be along the lines of safety. 00:22:21.920 --> 00:22:23.200 And and how is that done? 00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:27.599 Is that done by um in practical terms, I guess? 00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:32.720 What uh what does that look like for you in in fighting for that? 00:22:32.880 --> 00:22:35.119 Is that increasing budgets? 00:22:35.279 --> 00:22:37.920 Is that um getting additional officers? 00:22:38.079 --> 00:22:40.319 Is that getting additional certain type of equipment? 00:22:40.480 --> 00:22:45.279 Is it um working on them to patrol different parts of Abilene? 00:22:45.440 --> 00:22:50.000 Or what when you say fighting and it's and it's actionable, what what does that look like for you? 00:22:50.319 --> 00:22:51.599 This is where we need to improve. 00:22:51.759 --> 00:22:52.799 Anything come to mind? 00:22:53.519 --> 00:23:01.839 Um I think increasing our police force before it's absolutely necessary. 00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:11.359 You don't want to get to an emergent situation, then we have to really scramble to get more folks on the force because something's gotta give. 00:23:11.519 --> 00:23:17.519 There's certain time frames for training, and you know, you don't want to be lax about that. 00:23:17.599 --> 00:23:20.319 And so you want to start investing now. 00:23:20.559 --> 00:23:27.119 Uh something Chief said was, you know, our crime rate is decent, right? 00:23:27.200 --> 00:23:44.160 It's it's a it's a good below average crime rate, but as the city grows, you don't want to be reactive, you want to be more intentional about increasing public safety before it becomes something that's a dire need. 00:23:44.559 --> 00:23:50.640 And that makes sense insofar as that we need to have you know our our officers trained up really well. 00:23:50.799 --> 00:23:54.640 Uh we got great police officers, uh great training. 00:23:54.960 --> 00:24:03.680 But um if we're looking specifically at public safety, that also includes you know making sure our fire department is is well equipped. 00:24:03.839 --> 00:24:10.400 We got the new station nine, we got new equipment, uh, we got that extra reach now into the south side of town. 00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:16.799 But you know, it could also look like um like little, what are they called? 00:24:16.960 --> 00:24:19.359 Like depots, little depot stations. 00:24:20.160 --> 00:24:21.440 Little annexes, yeah. 00:24:21.759 --> 00:24:31.680 Just kind of sparsely now the the numbers, I believe last year, um, despite the social media narrative, the numbers were actually lower on crime rates. 00:24:31.759 --> 00:24:36.880 They had decreased by 14% and 20%, violent crimes and and property crimes. 00:24:37.039 --> 00:24:46.960 And you wouldn't know that based on people talking on social media, because I think people assume oh, if there's an increase in people their crime rate must go up. 00:24:47.039 --> 00:24:49.119 And so that just people assumed that. 00:24:49.440 --> 00:24:56.079 But the actual rate when they came out, the crime rate had decreased by 14% and 20%. 00:24:56.640 --> 00:24:59.680 And that really didn't get a lot of traction, which surprised me. 00:24:59.920 --> 00:25:01.680 Uh, and so I was always trying to tout that. 00:25:01.759 --> 00:25:02.559 If I no, no, no. 00:25:02.640 --> 00:25:04.319 Actually, crime rates gone down.

00:25:04.559 --> 00:25:07.119 Um, have the new crime rate numbers come out yet? 00:25:07.440 --> 00:25:08.240 Not that I've seen. 00:25:08.480 --> 00:25:08.799 Okay. 00:25:09.200 --> 00:25:23.839 Um, that was always something that I thought was, oh man, we need to be shouting this from the rooftops because there's a social media narrative that can take off, and if it's not actually corrected with with the facts, it will be assumed as fact. 00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:26.640 And so that's something that um I always try to point out. 00:25:26.720 --> 00:25:36.000 If no, actually, crime has decreased 14% and 20%, and I forget which one, property crime and and and on-person crime has actually decreased. 00:25:36.160 --> 00:25:38.720 And so um that was always something that I was very proud of. 00:25:38.799 --> 00:25:42.400 And and I think the the chief and the officers are doing a really good job. 00:25:42.480 --> 00:25:47.680 Uh I'll pay attention and see when the the new numbers come out and see which which way that trends. 00:25:47.920 --> 00:26:16.720 Um, so on um temporary workers, um have you guys gotten um a sense of when residents, business owners can get a sense of when people are going to transition out from the data center that's here in town, Lanceum, when can they when's the horizon of when to expect a bit of a um exodus of some of those some of those temporary workers? 00:26:17.279 --> 00:26:26.319 I was under the impression, just based on conversations that I that I found myself in like three and a half, four years. 00:26:26.559 --> 00:26:32.400 Um now something that we have to also consider is the B-21 beddowns coming. 00:26:32.799 --> 00:26:45.119 And so with everything entailed there, uh we're probably not gonna see a decrease in the overall population for a while after. 00:26:45.759 --> 00:27:07.119 I do like that there was a proactive approach to make sure that whoever's coming in, these say 600 uh contractors that are going to be working on the B-21 bed down, that there was a proactive approach to secure and re and build their housing already. 00:27:07.519 --> 00:27:29.200 And so they uh they do have a facility, uh I believe it's oh it's down there by the base, but uh it was a conditional use permit that allows the structure to be built, at the end of which uh all surface structure has to be removed. 00:27:29.599 --> 00:27:35.440 And that was that's not on the city, that's on the uh the company or the developer. 00:27:38.799 --> 00:27:43.440 Uh so what that was a housing project, or what was that was a construction company? 00:27:43.680 --> 00:27:44.000 What was it? 00:27:44.319 --> 00:27:48.720 It was a housing project, uh RV or not R V. 00:27:48.880 --> 00:27:49.759 These are like pods. 00:27:50.000 --> 00:27:50.400 Oh, okay. 00:27:50.640 --> 00:28:00.559 And so it's it was to to get in front of uh um an influx of of temporary workers building out the base. 00:28:00.799 --> 00:28:01.920 And that would house how many? 00:28:02.079 --> 00:28:02.480 600. 00:28:02.799 --> 00:28:03.359 600. 00:28:03.599 --> 00:28:10.240 And their what's their total um temporary projection, temporary worker projection on that, do we know? 00:28:10.720 --> 00:28:12.000 Uh that I don't know. 00:28:12.160 --> 00:28:12.960 The total number. 00:28:13.119 --> 00:28:13.200 Yeah. 00:28:13.440 --> 00:28:14.880 I'm sure it's gonna max out though. 00:28:15.200 --> 00:28:15.759 Right. 00:28:16.079 --> 00:28:34.240 Um what um so with the other data centers around, not in city, but in around, um what what are you telling residents as far as growth of Abilene over the next let's say five to ten years? 00:28:34.400 --> 00:28:35.039 What do you think? 00:28:35.440 --> 00:28:36.480 Population wise? 00:28:36.720 --> 00:28:37.279 Yeah. 00:28:37.599 --> 00:28:44.640 Um I wouldn't be surprised if we crested 150,000. 00:28:44.880 --> 00:28:50.240 So we can already assume we're gonna get 6,500 on base. 00:28:51.279 --> 00:29:00.160 Uh owning the cigar shop, I have a lot of the data center workers that have become members at the lounge. 00:29:00.880 --> 00:29:05.680 And some of the conversations are they're interesting, I'll say that. 00:29:06.640 --> 00:29:13.519 But what we have to also anticipate is the charming nature of Abilene. 00:29:14.000 --> 00:29:18.240 Some of these some of these folks won't leave, they want to move here. 00:29:18.400 --> 00:29:21.599 Um, there was a conversation happening. 00:29:22.000 --> 00:29:26.319 Uh, one of the workers have no intention on leaving Abilene. 00:29:26.480 --> 00:29:29.839 He wanted to stay here, live here, retire here. 00:29:30.400 --> 00:29:39.039 But um it was more centered around his uh per diem and renting versus buying. 00:29:39.200 --> 00:29:44.400 And I didn't realize this, but uh if you bought a house, you lose your per diem. 00:29:45.039 --> 00:29:57.039 And so I don't know if that's uh a rule inherent to that company, but um the downside is they're kind of stuck having to rent, right? 00:29:57.279 --> 00:30:02.160 They because you don't want to lose that, especially if you're you're still working. 00:30:03.200 --> 00:30:12.000 Now, over the last um uh three, four years, we've had some big wins as far as uh quality of life improvements. 00:30:12.079 --> 00:30:22.480 We've had the um AYSA flat fields, we've had the uh Heritage Square library, um, we've had the two new rec centers uh finished. 00:30:22.559 --> 00:30:30.880 Um we've had a lot of good um quality of life, big multi-million dollar projects finished and and come online. 00:30:31.359 --> 00:30:33.519 Uh the animal shelter as well. 00:30:33.839 --> 00:30:43.839 Anything on the horizon that people can look forward to that um you try to get the word out on that's going to improve the quality of life that's already in the pipeline? 00:30:44.319 --> 00:30:45.839 That's already in the pipeline? 00:30:46.480 --> 00:30:46.720 No. 00:30:47.039 --> 00:30:47.200 Okay. 00:30:48.400 --> 00:30:48.720 Okay.

00:30:49.839 --> 00:30:52.400 I teed you up for that one and you did not take it. 00:30:52.480 --> 00:30:52.640 Okay. 00:30:55.440 --> 00:30:57.039 Well, the Abilene Airport, right? 00:30:57.279 --> 00:30:58.079 Well, the yes. 00:30:58.160 --> 00:30:58.240 Yeah. 00:30:58.400 --> 00:31:04.640 That's gonna be a long, long road, a couple of years, but uh eventually it'll I heard it was 18 months. 00:31:04.960 --> 00:31:06.079 When the when do they start? 00:31:06.240 --> 00:31:07.839 Have they done a uh start date? 00:31:08.160 --> 00:31:09.519 It'll be later this year. 00:31:09.759 --> 00:31:10.079 Okay. 00:31:10.240 --> 00:31:13.920 They're going to begin when you're looking at the the terminal. 00:31:14.240 --> 00:31:18.640 Uh I believe they're beginning on the right hand side. 00:31:18.799 --> 00:31:20.400 They're gonna extend it out. 00:31:20.640 --> 00:31:24.720 I didn't I didn't realize this, but that whole jet bridge, like they just move it. 00:31:24.880 --> 00:31:25.039 Yeah. 00:31:25.279 --> 00:31:27.359 Like I'd like to be there when they do that. 00:31:27.599 --> 00:31:28.079 Yeah. 00:31:28.720 --> 00:31:30.960 But uh the mock-up uh looks pretty good. 00:31:31.039 --> 00:31:37.599 It's sad that we're losing the fireplace, but it was uh it's for budget reasons and probably safety. 00:31:37.920 --> 00:31:47.759 Is anything um that you've seen substantially changing from the mock-ups that that the public saw to okay, this is what's you know, fireplace, okay, gonna be cut. 00:31:47.920 --> 00:31:55.519 Anything else that all the the wood, the wood beams up top are no longer gonna be there, or anything major changing that you've seen? 00:31:55.920 --> 00:32:02.559 At the moment, now uh everything that that's in the presentation appears to be on pace. 00:32:02.640 --> 00:32:06.640 Now, something that I'd like to I'd be very curious. 00:32:06.799 --> 00:32:10.960 I wish I could look into the future, but it's a lot of wood, right? 00:32:11.279 --> 00:32:14.079 Uh the escalator's gonna go away. 00:32:14.799 --> 00:32:22.079 But uh I think the talk was that there's gonna be a glass elevator. 00:32:22.640 --> 00:32:27.279 Just just the aesthetics of it was supposed to be should be fantastic. 00:32:27.680 --> 00:32:48.319 But you know, what's in the presentation doesn't always translate into reality, and so yeah, uh very interested to see how uh how it ultimately turns out with regard to cost of materials, and you know, if there's another influx on price, then uh we're gonna have to cut more things. 00:32:48.480 --> 00:32:49.119 But yeah. 00:32:50.240 --> 00:32:59.839 But it's it's providing a way where different areas of the airport can be more modular in the meat, you know, in the the duration of the construction. 00:33:00.559 --> 00:33:08.160 Um leave Don was saying that they're going to one of the biggest things is where are we gonna put the people, right? 00:33:08.480 --> 00:33:11.519 You don't it's already tight and it's gonna get tighter. 00:33:11.759 --> 00:33:17.680 And so there's different areas and different floor plans that they're working with now just to keep comfort levels up. 00:33:18.400 --> 00:33:27.599 I think I uh it may have been Don, it may have been a news article, I can't remember, but I saw somewhere recently where they're talking about expanding again the passenger waiting area. 00:33:27.759 --> 00:33:28.880 Is that have you heard that? 00:33:29.039 --> 00:33:29.279 Okay. 00:33:29.359 --> 00:33:29.599 Yeah. 00:33:29.759 --> 00:33:42.240 Um I remember having the objection when they presented a year, year and a half ago, the initial plans and asking for the bond to uh to go to the public vote. 00:33:42.319 --> 00:33:54.079 Uh and the proposal, it had enough seating area in the waiting area to just cover, I think it was a hundred, I'm gonna make up a number, something like 180 or 190. 00:33:54.240 --> 00:34:03.200 And if you factor in two flights, one United, one one American, it was that alone was like 160 people. 00:34:03.519 --> 00:34:11.519 And so if you had any late flight, someone getting there early for their flight, there was no room, day one. 00:34:11.599 --> 00:34:17.599 And so I do remember having the objection, hey, it's I don't have an objection to the cost of this. 00:34:17.760 --> 00:34:19.920 This needs to go to the voters for the cost. 00:34:20.079 --> 00:34:28.800 I have a problem with us under under-engineering this for our capacity because we're gonna be maxed out the first day that this is finished and built. 00:34:28.960 --> 00:34:35.760 And you want people to be happy and you want people to grow into the facility, not be maxed out day one. 00:34:36.000 --> 00:34:47.840 So I'm not surprised that they're going back in and and expanding it and reevaluating it, um, especially now that we have the United flight and you know we're seeing the effects of that. 00:34:47.920 --> 00:34:49.440 Um, so I'm glad to hear it. 00:34:49.519 --> 00:35:03.920 I I wish we had done it day one, um, but I know we're we're tied to um uh certain government regulations on what we can ask for has to be based on current um passenger capacity and usage, but still that was a little frustrating. 00:35:04.079 --> 00:35:17.199 One of those things where you um you see the writing on the wall, but uh uh other factors come into play and prevent prevent from actually going uh the necessary kind of modifications in size. 00:35:17.280 --> 00:35:37.920 So that was frustrating, but good to hear that they're actually expanding it so that the passengers that are going through it now at least have light at the end of the tunnel to go, hey, in two years, this is gonna be very nice, huge waiting area, and we're gonna be able to still service both uh United and F uh and American Airlines. 00:35:38.000 --> 00:35:41.039 So that'll be that'll be nice, something to look forward to. 00:35:41.280 --> 00:35:45.840 Um on the manufacturing side of things. 00:35:46.079 --> 00:35:55.199 So over the

last several years, um we've had um uh like I tell Misty she's she's batting home runs. 00:35:55.280 --> 00:36:17.039 Um, you know, we've got the Great Lakes Cheese, the Abbey Windows, um, we've had uh you know there's a been an Amazon distribution warehouse, we've had several big uh expansions at like um uh Petrosmith and Bandeg, I believe, and several others um that are all bringing great manufacturing jobs and good trades jobs, and obviously the data center as well. 00:36:17.280 --> 00:36:30.880 Uh anything else that uh has recently been approved or that you'd like to to tout to the residents, hey, this is also something that's that's coming here besides the Bass Pro Shop, that's more on the retail side. 00:36:30.960 --> 00:36:32.559 But uh anything else? 00:36:32.960 --> 00:36:39.519 I will say there are I think what I saw, memory serves. 00:36:39.679 --> 00:36:43.840 There's they're very creative with their project names. 00:36:44.079 --> 00:36:49.760 And there's probably six or seven projects down the pipeline. 00:36:50.559 --> 00:37:05.360 And I know we recently uh approved their um to change their budget, I think it was like seven and a half million uh to purchase acquire more land out at five points. 00:37:05.840 --> 00:37:15.280 I'm not sure what's gonna go out there, but um they have a slate of of projects, and they're all very uniquely named. 00:37:15.440 --> 00:37:23.119 And so I it's it's sort of a game, at least for me, to try to read into it and see if I can figure out what it is. 00:37:23.280 --> 00:37:30.800 Um of course Sam does a better job of diving in and doing deep dives, but there are projects coming down the pipeline. 00:37:31.119 --> 00:37:44.159 Uh but anything, not not anything still pending, but anything that's been approved over the last three months that um that's already out in the public, but the public may just not, you know, have seen it in the news or anything, anything that you're trying to get the word out on. 00:37:44.559 --> 00:37:51.920 No, uh the the biggest thing uh that I was on council for so far was was approval of their additional funding. 00:37:52.079 --> 00:37:54.320 And uh it was for land acquisition. 00:37:54.880 --> 00:37:56.079 Okay, on DCOA. 00:37:56.480 --> 00:37:57.679 Yeah, okay. 00:37:58.079 --> 00:38:10.719 Um any other um uh let's just say again, kind of looking towards um addressing problems. 00:38:10.800 --> 00:38:13.199 Uh government is always reactive, never proactive. 00:38:13.280 --> 00:38:14.639 That's just the nature of government. 00:38:14.800 --> 00:38:25.119 And so with housing, obviously that's being addressed both by council, local uh uh business um builders. 00:38:25.360 --> 00:38:34.320 Um besides housing, though, what are some other challenges that council is aware of to give those residents out their hope? 00:38:34.400 --> 00:38:37.519 Hey, council knows, council's working on them. 00:38:37.679 --> 00:38:46.320 We may not have a solution yet, but we know that this is a problem or an issue or a challenge, uh, and it's something we've got to work through besides housing. 00:38:46.480 --> 00:38:47.039 What do you think? 00:38:47.119 --> 00:38:52.800 Or is there one or two other issues out there that you think are kind of a challenge that council needs to address over the next year? 00:38:53.199 --> 00:38:53.840 Yes. 00:38:54.400 --> 00:39:02.639 The the most prevalent one right now, uh, I think we're all getting emails about it, seeing it on social media, uh flock cameras. 00:39:03.519 --> 00:39:13.440 Um and just being under that 24-hour surveillance, you know, it can go it can go sideways real fast with the rumor mill. 00:39:13.920 --> 00:39:23.360 And um to be honest with you, evidently it's been around for a long time, but now it's so prevalent that now it's on my radar. 00:39:23.519 --> 00:39:26.639 I'm probably the last one to ever find out about anything. 00:39:26.880 --> 00:39:30.559 And so I have an idea of what they are, right? 00:39:30.960 --> 00:39:47.599 But I gotta I gotta leave it to the professionals and you know, trust but verify what whatever we're getting from APD and uh trying to parse out, okay, what's what's fantasy versus reality with regard to these? 00:39:47.760 --> 00:39:48.400 What do they do? 00:39:48.480 --> 00:39:49.199 How do they work? 00:39:49.360 --> 00:39:52.400 You know, how what what role do they serve? 00:39:52.639 --> 00:40:06.159 And yeah, there's bad actors, you know, across the country, and that's what we unfortunately see the most of, and that really riles up our citizenry because nobody wants to commiserate about good things, it's always got to be something negative. 00:40:07.039 --> 00:40:12.239 So it's I'd say we're aware of it. 00:40:13.039 --> 00:40:23.519 Um there's a bill uh like 9800 right now in the house to put restrictions on it. 00:40:23.679 --> 00:40:29.360 Um but honestly, I what can we do? 00:40:30.239 --> 00:40:37.360 Um and hopefully a solution is on the other side of the horizon and we'll get there. 00:40:37.920 --> 00:40:50.400 Is there something pending before Abilene City Council on this, or these are just residents reading about it on statewide or national issues, and so they're emailing their council members about it? 00:40:50.800 --> 00:40:51.440 It's the latter. 00:40:51.519 --> 00:41:08.159 Yeah, it's it's information being uh independently sought through social media, and then you know, that brings rise to questions and the positive though, the amount of engagement we're getting has gone up, which is fantastic. 00:41:08.400 --> 00:41:12.639 You want that engagement, but you want it to be you know factual. 00:41:12.880 --> 00:41:13.280 Right. 00:41:13.599 --> 00:41:20.480 I assume that the vast majority of people taking the time to email you are opposed to it and wanting them prohibited. 00:41:20.800 --> 00:41:21.280 Oh, 100%. 00:41:21.519 --> 00:41:21.760 Yeah. 00:41:22.079 --> 00:41:22.239 Yeah. 00:41:22.480 --> 00:41:25.760 Almost every day we

got about four or five new emails. 00:41:26.159 --> 00:41:26.480 Yeah. 00:41:26.719 --> 00:41:29.920 And since it's not pending in front of you guys, you can talk about it. 00:41:30.000 --> 00:41:36.960 What's what's your approach to determining whether this is a good or bad thing? 00:41:37.119 --> 00:41:38.159 What do you think? 00:41:39.199 --> 00:41:53.280 My personal approach to determine if it's good or bad is I have to balance you know our individual rights and liberties living in this country versus how useful is it? 00:41:53.440 --> 00:41:59.119 Uh is it is it solving uh percentage of crimes that couldn't be solved any other way? 00:41:59.679 --> 00:42:03.119 Again, our RPD is fantastic. 00:42:03.199 --> 00:42:04.559 We got great detectives. 00:42:04.719 --> 00:42:06.880 You know, is this helping? 00:42:07.119 --> 00:42:08.880 How much is it helping? 00:42:09.280 --> 00:42:18.880 Um again, the more the more I hear about them, and it's like again, it's mostly the negatives, uh, and that's valid. 00:42:18.960 --> 00:42:24.480 Uh these are these are cases of people stalking other people, you know, causing harm. 00:42:24.880 --> 00:42:28.480 Um so that is a valid uh concern. 00:42:29.760 --> 00:42:32.000 But then we have them here. 00:42:34.559 --> 00:42:42.559 I don't know of any bad actor here that would have uh abused this tool. 00:42:43.039 --> 00:42:50.000 So again, um I think they were here for like a decade, right? 00:42:50.159 --> 00:42:59.599 I if I if I read that right, it's been here for a long time, but now it's like forefront, it's very prevalent, and nobody wants to be watched all the time. 00:42:59.920 --> 00:43:00.480 Right. 00:43:00.880 --> 00:43:09.119 So do you find yourself in general in favor of them or opposed to them, or you haven't you haven't determined kind of which way you you feel about it? 00:43:10.400 --> 00:43:11.519 I'm gonna be honest. 00:43:11.599 --> 00:43:13.679 I I I shift back and forth. 00:43:13.760 --> 00:43:16.239 I'm like, well, if you're not breaking the law, what do you have to worry about? 00:43:16.320 --> 00:43:19.440 But then I'm like, no, but I don't want people watching me like all the time. 00:43:19.519 --> 00:43:21.119 I don't even know where most of them are. 00:43:21.280 --> 00:43:25.840 And then I must be on record somewhere, right? 00:43:26.000 --> 00:43:26.239 Yeah. 00:43:26.400 --> 00:43:30.480 And so I'm like, no, you know, it it goes back to is it is it useful? 00:43:30.639 --> 00:43:34.320 Is it what level of use are we actually getting out of it? 00:43:35.039 --> 00:43:36.159 Do we really need them? 00:43:36.320 --> 00:43:36.719 Right. 00:43:36.960 --> 00:43:40.079 Because, you know, 20 years ago we didn't have them. 00:43:40.719 --> 00:43:44.079 But then again, statistics show crime's going down. 00:43:44.960 --> 00:43:49.920 So what role do these play in that new statistic? 00:43:50.079 --> 00:43:50.400 Mm-hmm. 00:43:50.559 --> 00:43:54.320 It's hard to tell because you know this

is sensitive information. 00:43:54.639 --> 00:43:54.960 Yeah. 00:43:55.119 --> 00:44:22.880 It would be interesting to see if there's research out there showing, hey, uh Uh this case was relied 60% or 30% on you know flock camera data to solve the crime, you know, take on any any range of case to get a conviction in this case versus uh cases with similar cases but with no flock camera access, what the uh conviction rate was on those. 00:44:22.960 --> 00:44:33.760 And if they're similar, then you go, okay, well, it may not have played a part, or it may have may have just made the solving of the crime a little faster, but it ultimately the police would have been able to do it without it. 00:44:33.840 --> 00:44:44.000 Or if it's a huge disparity in going, man, we've got a 90% conviction rate on these with flock cameras and without them in cities that don't, it drops to you know 20% conviction. 00:44:44.239 --> 00:44:45.679 Okay, that's a pretty big disparity. 00:44:45.840 --> 00:44:46.639 That would be interesting. 00:44:46.719 --> 00:44:48.719 I'm sure someone out there has done that research. 00:44:48.880 --> 00:45:14.880 That would be interesting and and very insightful, I think, for elected officials, not just here, but across the state, with legislation in the next uh uh set uh legislative session, if the governor doesn't call a special session, having having that ready in the next session, I guess next summer of uh or or next spring of how to address the the flock camera usage and going, all right, here's the data. 00:45:15.119 --> 00:45:18.800 This is good, it is bad, it is useful to this level. 00:45:18.960 --> 00:45:21.039 I think that would help inform both the police departments. 00:45:21.119 --> 00:45:26.880 Obviously, police departments want them because they want to solve crime, because when they can't solve crime, they're blamed by the by the people. 00:45:27.199 --> 00:45:30.960 And so uh they're wanting all the tools available, fair enough. 00:45:31.119 --> 00:45:37.679 And I think there's always a push to go, hey, we need the best and and most available tools, right? 00:45:37.760 --> 00:45:58.320 Um, but then that butts up against uh not just the Fourth Amendment, um, because we're talking public public right away, uh public roads, which Fourth Amendment doesn't um doesn't govern, but it it butts up against your right to privacy and uh us as Americans not wanting Big Brother. 00:45:58.480 --> 00:46:08.719 And so I think there's there's legal arguments, but there's also just, hey, this may not be forbidden by the by the Fourth Amendment, but we don't want it, and we as a population have chosen no. 00:46:08.880 --> 00:46:22.159 So that's gonna be an interesting um discussion, public discussion, I think that not just Abilene, but I think across the across the state, maybe the nation will have we want protection versus we want privacy and public. 00:46:22.400 --> 00:46:33.119 Uh where that line gets drawn, I think, is public officials

and public debate of residents going, no, here's the line, that's too far, or no, we value safety over it. 00:46:33.280 --> 00:46:34.239 Let's allow it. 00:46:34.400 --> 00:46:38.960 It's an interesting discussion um playing out here, but I think across the state as well. 00:46:39.119 --> 00:46:48.880 We'll see if the state legislature actually takes up the task, or as a lot of elected uh legislators like to do, is punt it down to you know local officials. 00:46:48.960 --> 00:46:52.960 You guys handle it, so we'll see if they if they handle it or punt it down. 00:46:53.199 --> 00:46:57.840 Um but yeah, that is hot topic um the flock camera usage. 00:46:58.000 --> 00:47:00.079 Um we'll see how that plays out. 00:47:00.320 --> 00:47:00.800 All right. 00:47:01.039 --> 00:47:03.440 Anything else that you would like to touch on? 00:47:03.599 --> 00:47:05.360 I have one last question before we wrap it up. 00:47:05.440 --> 00:47:14.800 So, but uh before that, any other information topics or just in general things that you're trying to get out to people, wish that they knew more about. 00:47:20.719 --> 00:47:46.159 I wish uh, and I'm sure a lot of folks already know, but uh stay engaged, uh come to the meetings, bring up questions, also do some preliminary research on how to get things on the agenda because it's it's really not difficult, but it it becomes onerous if you don't follow the right protocol. 00:47:46.400 --> 00:47:46.559 Right. 00:47:46.960 --> 00:47:49.119 And I feel like I would get that question a lot. 00:47:49.280 --> 00:47:54.960 So what would you say to someone out there going, man, I I want something on the agenda and it's a good item? 00:47:55.119 --> 00:47:56.719 What would you what would you tell them to do? 00:47:57.039 --> 00:47:58.719 Uh contact the city. 00:47:59.199 --> 00:48:00.159 Who at the city? 00:48:00.400 --> 00:48:06.480 I would uh have them uh is it uh Emily? 00:48:06.719 --> 00:48:10.159 No, Emily and um Shauna. 00:48:11.440 --> 00:48:17.039 Or their councilman who then can speak on their behalf to city manager or city secretary, yes. 00:48:17.280 --> 00:48:20.159 Um last question then. 00:48:20.400 --> 00:48:23.199 Um you own a cigar shop. 00:48:24.159 --> 00:48:26.639 What uh what a couple of questions. 00:48:26.800 --> 00:48:28.639 What is your favorite cigar right now? 00:48:28.719 --> 00:48:30.000 What are you what's your go-to? 00:48:30.719 --> 00:48:41.760 My go-to right now, I don't really want to say because it's limited, but it's the oliva 135th anniversary edition. 00:48:41.920 --> 00:48:47.519 It's uh it's a unique shape, it's not really uh perfecto, but but it tastes good. 00:48:47.760 --> 00:48:48.719 It burns well. 00:48:49.039 --> 00:48:55.039 And uh I think we've gotten them three times, it's the third time we have them. 00:48:55.360 --> 00:48:59.760 So that's uh limited allocation, but it's a it's a good stick. 00:49:00.800 --> 00:49:03.679 And I've I've got a couple of questions about this. 00:49:03.840 --> 00:49:10.400 Um I think it'd be interesting for listeners that are um early on in in smoking cigars. 00:49:10.559 --> 00:49:13.440 I wish maybe I had known these or been able to ask these questions. 00:49:13.679 --> 00:49:25.280 One, what is the main difference between a V cut and a punch and a what is it, a straight, straight cut? 00:49:25.360 --> 00:49:33.599 Um, if you were to tell you know someone, first year smoking cigars, hey, always go V cut or always go punch, or what are the pros and cons of each? 00:49:33.679 --> 00:49:36.159 When to use uh which cut. 00:49:38.239 --> 00:49:39.280 Good question. 00:49:39.599 --> 00:49:49.360 So the combustion of the cigar as you're drawing the smoke through it, uh there's gonna be transition points. 00:49:49.519 --> 00:49:53.679 So you break the cigar into thirds, you got the first third, second third, last third. 00:49:54.400 --> 00:50:00.880 Um, what typically happens with a straight caotine cut is you're pulling everything straight through. 00:50:01.039 --> 00:50:05.360 So you're gonna have these different flavor changes and profile changes. 00:50:06.079 --> 00:50:23.119 Once you start restricting that the the draw hole, right, you start to find that last half or the last third of the cigar starts to transform into something completely different because now things are getting trapped. 00:50:23.760 --> 00:50:30.320 Uh flavors, the oils, uh even uh the flavor of the smoke is is now being contained. 00:50:30.480 --> 00:50:37.920 So if you go completely open, which is the guillotine cut, um, you're still gonna get some some different flavors. 00:50:38.400 --> 00:50:52.320 If you go a little bit a little bit more restrictive with a V cut, uh you know, things start to pile up on that back third where it can get stronger, or the flavors could just transform into something delicious. 00:50:52.960 --> 00:51:01.760 Um and then the punch, uh there's there's another one, um, but I'll I'll mention that here in a second. 00:51:01.840 --> 00:51:07.119 I don't I don't like this last last one, but the punch is uh my favorite because I salivate a lot. 00:51:07.760 --> 00:51:12.079 And so what the other two cuts do is you're you're cutting the cap. 00:51:12.480 --> 00:51:16.000 And if you cut too deep, then it could start to unravel. 00:51:16.239 --> 00:51:21.280 You get the tobaccos stuck on your teeth, and nobody tells you, they just kind of grin at you. 00:51:21.519 --> 00:51:29.440 Uh but punches uh typically hold the the majority of the cap in place, and that's what holds the back end of the cigar together. 00:51:30.079 --> 00:51:32.079 And also things don't end up in your teeth. 00:51:32.719 --> 00:51:48.880 The other one, uh, and we had we had these for a little bit, it was called the bulldog punch, and it was a series uh of five skewers that were retracted, and you hold it on the end, and you essentially just poke five holes in the back. 00:51:49.440 --> 00:51:49.760 Okay. 00:51:50.159 -->

00:52:05.360 Uh the reason I don't like that is for the for the reasons you want to restrict your your draw, um, everything starts to pile up on the back with those little tiny holes, the tar and stuff starts to ooze out. 00:52:05.440 --> 00:52:09.920 And if you've ever had that touch your lip or your tongue, it's terrible. 00:52:10.159 --> 00:52:12.239 It's bitter, it's nasty. 00:52:12.800 --> 00:52:16.800 Uh, I don't know anybody that likes it, and then you have to wipe it off, it looks like poo. 00:52:17.280 --> 00:52:20.480 Um but I didn't I had never heard of that. 00:52:20.559 --> 00:52:21.760 That's brand new, huh? 00:52:21.840 --> 00:52:22.800 That doesn't sound great at all. 00:52:23.039 --> 00:52:25.679 Yeah, we didn't we didn't have those products for very long. 00:52:25.840 --> 00:52:26.960 Yeah, nobody bought them. 00:52:27.119 --> 00:52:29.599 Was that a new invention or that's been around for 200 years? 00:52:29.920 --> 00:52:30.559 It's been around. 00:52:30.639 --> 00:52:33.599 Oh and again, some people like them. 00:52:33.840 --> 00:52:35.280 I don't, it's not my preference. 00:52:35.440 --> 00:52:38.239 I don't like that extra surprise flavor. 00:52:39.119 --> 00:52:44.480 What um on on the wrapper do you as soon as you light up, do you take it off? 00:52:44.639 --> 00:52:45.280 Do you leave it on? 00:52:45.440 --> 00:52:48.320 Do you burn it down to the wrapper and then take it off right before it burns? 00:52:48.400 --> 00:52:49.360 What do you do? 00:52:49.760 --> 00:52:52.880 I personally just uh smoke down toward it. 00:52:53.199 --> 00:53:01.039 And the reason my rationale behind that is everything that's holding that cigar together is done with pectin. 00:53:01.519 --> 00:53:04.559 It's a food-based glue, essentially. 00:53:04.880 --> 00:53:08.960 And it goes even for the uh the band on it. 00:53:09.199 --> 00:53:13.519 Uh, some some companies make it more arduous to get off. 00:53:14.320 --> 00:53:19.199 Um I made a joke that one company used Bondo to get it on there. 00:53:19.760 --> 00:53:31.840 But uh because pectin's used, uh, if it gets smeared on the cigar wrapper, if you take that off prematurely, you could crack your wrapper or you could have it unravel a little bit. 00:53:32.559 --> 00:53:37.039 But as you smoke down toward it, the heat will start to loosen up that pectin. 00:53:37.199 --> 00:53:42.480 And you get a you run less of a risk ripping your cigar open. 00:53:43.360 --> 00:53:44.480 That makes sense. 00:53:44.880 --> 00:53:47.840 What are some faux paws? 00:53:48.320 --> 00:53:58.000 Some uh let's say, oh, you're gonna be judged quietly, maybe secretly, maybe loudly, by other professional, experienced cigar smokers if you do this. 00:53:58.159 --> 00:54:06.000 Newbie, first year in, what's a mistake that's typically made by a new cigar smoker? 00:54:06.400 --> 00:54:09.039 I would say mashing your cigar when you're done. 00:54:09.280 --> 00:54:09.440 Okay. 00:54:09.679 --> 00:54:15.119 Um the cigar will naturally extinguish itself because it's the humidity level. 00:54:15.280 --> 00:54:17.760 Uh your puff rate is what keeps it lit. 00:54:17.920 --> 00:54:24.239 So if you've had it down for a while, or if you're just holding it for a long time, you have to relight it because it it naturally kills itself. 00:54:25.440 --> 00:54:48.079 But when when you see people go up to the asher and like mash it like a cigarette cigarette, yeah, uh, what that does is it releases a lot of the like the acidity and and just the it's just an odor that should stay in the cigar, but it like it just mashes through and it just smells off. 00:54:48.559 --> 00:54:48.800 Yeah. 00:54:48.960 --> 00:54:51.360 And and so don't don't mash your cigars. 00:54:51.440 --> 00:54:53.360 Just put it down, it'll die. 00:54:53.679 --> 00:55:04.239 When do you what's the um proper timing etiquette wise for ashing your cigar of like, hey, do I smoke it down where there's a half inch, a full inch? 00:55:04.400 --> 00:55:09.119 When do I knock it on the uh cigar tray to let that tip drop off? 00:55:09.519 --> 00:55:10.880 That's a personal preference. 00:55:11.119 --> 00:55:18.000 Um the ash does help protect your flame, um, which does two things. 00:55:18.159 --> 00:55:21.760 One, it'll it'll keep it sort of stoked. 00:55:22.079 --> 00:55:25.599 Um so you don't want to knock it off too early. 00:55:25.760 --> 00:55:29.280 Um, but also it also depends on the cigar you have. 00:55:29.519 --> 00:55:33.360 So there's you've heard of long filler, mixed filler, short filler. 00:55:33.840 --> 00:55:38.000 These are the lengths of tobacco that's rolled into the cigar. 00:55:38.400 --> 00:55:42.960 If you have a mixed filler, you have well, naturally long fillers, like the whole strip, right? 00:55:43.119 --> 00:55:43.280 Right. 00:55:43.760 --> 00:55:50.320 Mixed is you got some long ones, and then like it was too long, so they broke off the ends and like just sprinkled it in the middle. 00:55:50.719 --> 00:55:54.079 And then you have short filler where it's just all like just scrap. 00:55:54.320 --> 00:55:54.880 Right. 00:55:55.679 --> 00:56:01.519 Now the um the more short filler you have in there, the ash doesn't hold on. 00:56:01.760 --> 00:56:09.280 And so if you're not aware that you have a mix or a short filler cigar and you're not paying attention, uh, you'll just ash on your clothes. 00:56:09.599 --> 00:56:16.400 And so a lot of us at the shop, uh, if you look, our work shirts have these little holes in them because we weren't paying attention. 00:56:16.480 --> 00:56:18.159 It fell and burned a little hole in it. 00:56:18.480 --> 00:56:19.360 How do you know? 00:56:19.599 --> 00:56:25.840 How would a customer know, hey, this is a long filler and I'm good with letting it ash out longer, or no, this is a short. 00:56:26.000 --> 00:56:27.360 Where's where would they know? 00:56:27.679 --> 00:56:30.000 Uh usually you can you can pull it up online. 00:56:30.079 --> 00:56:30.960 There's a lot of reviews. 00:56:31.280 --> 00:56:33.280 But it's not written on the label of the cigar. 00:56:33.440 --> 00:56:34.719 Oh, this is a okay. 00:56:34.880 --> 00:56:39.280 And it's not Connecticut, a Maduro, all of those could be short or long, doesn't matter. 00:56:39.440 --> 00:56:39.760 Correct. 00:56:39.840 --> 00:56:40.079 Yeah. 00:56:40.239 --> 00:56:40.559 Okay. 00:56:40.800 --> 00:56:44.159 So you really got to do a little extra step of research online to find out. 00:56:44.480 --> 00:56:45.440 You you could. 00:56:45.599 --> 00:56:46.480 You don't have to. 00:56:46.639 --> 00:56:46.800 Yeah. 00:56:46.960 --> 00:56:54.960 But all then again, uh, most people that I see around the shop, they as soon as it gets to like half inch, they're like, Yeah, shit off. 00:56:55.119 --> 00:56:55.599 Yeah. 00:56:55.760 --> 00:56:58.320 Uh, but it's it's more beneficial if you're outdoors. 00:56:58.480 --> 00:57:03.199 You want to keep a little bit of that ash on there to keep keep that uh fire going. 00:57:03.519 --> 00:57:04.480 Protection from the wind. 00:57:04.639 --> 00:57:04.800 Yeah. 00:57:04.960 --> 00:57:06.400 Yeah, that makes sense. 00:57:06.639 --> 00:57:07.280 Very good. 00:57:07.440 --> 00:57:07.920 All right. 00:57:08.079 --> 00:57:11.760 Well, I think that uh brings us to the to the close. 00:57:11.920 --> 00:57:14.480 I appreciate you being on and uh good luck. 00:57:14.639 --> 00:57:16.320 Keep up the good work on city council. 00:57:16.480 --> 00:57:20.079 And um, I'm always optimistic about where Abline is headed. 00:57:20.320 --> 00:57:23.760 I think we've always got challenges that will never stop. 00:57:23.920 --> 00:57:39.199 Um, but I like it now because we've got a war chest and we've got the revenue to potentially fix and help solve some of those challenges rather than where we were three, four years ago with just challenges and not an increase in revenue. 00:57:39.280 --> 00:57:50.559 So I think for those that are um concerned about the challenges on housing or childcare, we we do we are we are moving in the right direction. 00:57:50.800 --> 00:57:56.719 We are um now in a position where we have financial resources to put towards those problems. 00:57:56.800 --> 00:57:59.679 So we are in a better position than we were four years ago. 00:57:59.840 --> 00:58:07.760 And so I'm very optimistic in all the other things happening, the Bass Pro Shops, all these things, uh quality of life things that have come online and that will come online. 00:58:07.840 --> 00:58:08.960 I think I'm very excited about. 00:58:09.119 --> 00:58:14.159 So uh good things are happening in Abilene, and uh we've got a good council on the at the at the till. 00:58:14.480 --> 00:58:15.360 So I'm excited. 00:58:15.519 --> 00:58:17.760 Uh Jay, thanks so much for being on the show. 00:58:18.000 --> 00:58:19.440 Thanks for having me, Blaze.