City of Palm Springs Board / Commission / Committee, 11 Oct 2022

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From YouTube: VillageFest Meeting | October 11, 2022

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Regular meeting of the Palm Springs VillageFest Board, held October 11th, 2022

A

City Council, oh okay uh got it! Thank you. So where do we go from here? I'm, just tired of the lack of response.

B

So I think our best suggestion may be because I'm sure you all are very tired of me saying the same thing over and I don't have anything new to say other than I check back in with the city clerk's office and or the Parks and Recreation director every week, so that I can have information for you and I do pretty much have the same information which is they're still not allowing commissions and boards to me in person.

B

So what I can do is I can make a request to either the city clerk's office or the city manager's office to see if someone could attend our board meeting and maybe speak a little bit on the issue so that it's not just coming from me, but maybe coming directly from the source that gets to make these decisions, which obviously is not at my level of responsibility.

B

um If that's something you would like me to do and more than happy to reach out to them and see if someone would be willing to attend our board meeting to speak to the board and also so that they can hear a little bit more from you all about the important of it being held in person versus um online.

C

Like Teresa, Gallivan or or the acting assistant city manager, I mean it would need to be somebody that's in a decision-making capacity. I don't want them to just send the city clerk, no disrespect to the city, clerk I, think they're doing a great job, but I. Don't think that that that would would do anything.

C

I I think that that would just be a warm body on here just to hear us moan at them, so they could bring it back, but I think I think you know to Celia's point that if we're going to have a discussion, I think it should be directly with and, as you said, with decision makers.

A

Okay, Jasmine I understand I'm, not certainly not. um You know directing this toward you because I know you're doing everything that you can it's just that I'm just really frustrated by the lack of response. The board is getting, and you know most of my term I'm in my second term already and I only had six months of in-person meeting and the rest has been via zoom and I. I understand when covet was.

A

You know a part of the landscape that that was necessary, but it's no longer necessary, and this is this needs to be a juried show and Village. Fest is an important part of the city. People come here for Village Fest and if we can't properly do our job as board members, then I'd like to understand what the what the block is and I'm not understanding it at this point. Absolutely so may.

D

I say something you're, probably not going to get any City people considering we have an interim city manager right now and I, don't think, and elections are next month, so I have a feeling that you're really not going to get any kind of um worthwhile conversation until after all, that.

C

So you have you thought.

E

C

I'm signing up to make public comment at the um at the city council meeting, because I've heard other people from other boards come to make their case for their board. I'd.

A

Be happy to do that. I've spoken to Grace, Garner I thought you know, she's my council person now um I sent her an email like four months ago, and she said she was going to look into it and bring it up to the city council and, at this point, I just feel like we're. Getting this sort of you know consistent running story. That goes nowhere. So, whether or not we get a response I'd like to see if we can step this up and go a little bit further, I'm certainly willing to do that. I.

B

Will do the reach out on on staff behalf, okay,.

C

David has his hand raised.

F

Yeah I have to agree 100. This is ridiculous. I have been on this board for over a year and a half, not one meeting in person.

F

um It's difficult: if we can't even see the person, let alone hear them or touch it or taste it or smell it see the product here, it's it's I mean what do we do. I've talked to the former um city manager. I've talked to my district rep.

F

um Three I've talked to the mayor and Grace, and um and what's his name in my area, um Dennis yeah, they all said we're going to follow up. We understand, especially you guys, because you have to see it and all that kind of stuff. But what do we do? I mean.

C

And I would say that if I could just add to that, I I would um listen. I was all for doing them on Zoom when we, when it was necessary right but I'm with you guys on this now.

C

um I would also make make the plea that I actually have been um I have received criticism from Village Fest goers, one in particular, who used to run this board a long time ago that I walked Village, Fest and all the stuff I'm. Seeing it's not villagecraft stuff. It's not it's not handmade. It's not handcrafted blah, blah blah and I. Try to explain to them.

C

Well, some of what you're seeing is there's a farmer's market and there are a lot of films on Merchants, but I also think that it it's it's possible that there's some things that are slipping by because we're not in person and we can't touch and feel and see directly and that it may be actually compromising the quality of the experience at Village Fest, because it could be compromised in the quality of the good technology.

A

That's exactly right and Village. Fest is a major pull for the city of Palm Springs and the board members are not being allowed to do their jobs, yeah, I, agree and I.

C

Just said, if we can make that argument, I think that that's a solid argument, aside from the fact of saying it's too difficult for us, because we need to look and feel and see and jury, but that there's actually been real criticism. To be honest,.

E

Yeah I would love to just um support all your decisions and I think um one option could be. You know we could just get signatures. If that's possible and present and say hey, um you know many other groups obviously can do Zoom. But for us it's tangible right, like you said um and I think you know if there is an exception or not we're dealing with vendors face to face it's a village, Fest physical activity versus you know, dealing business over Skype and you know Zoom like this. So yeah.

C

When the airport commission gets together, they're just getting together for a meeting, it doesn't matter if it's on Zoom or if they're in the same room right.

E

C

Not entertaining external parties, the same as we are. We have three vendors sitting here right now. Listening to us.

E

C

E

So perhaps, as long as um you know, in-person meetings right because I think we shouldn't get intimidated by those as far as time right as long as we can be efficient and have the process down. In-Person meetings yeah, like that interaction is going to be beautiful again, but as long as we stay efficient through it all like. Let's do it right like let's make that push, and uh you know we can all sign something and um if we wanted to present it at the next city council meeting yeah.

A

I think it would be I think it would be very effective if a group of us I'd certainly be willing to do it, get on the docket to speak to city council, and maybe several of us from the board go and speak at the same time so that we can present all these different ideas, and you know one of my other issues is that it's not fair to the vendors. You know, they've we've had them sitting in cars, we've had them. You know it's just not fair that they have to present something in this format.

A

So right if we can get on the on the agenda and several of us will come to a meet, go to a meeting, I certainly will um I think that's another way to proceed.

C

Well, that's an interesting thing. You said go to a meeting. Jasmine um are: are they allowing people to come for public comment into the chamber, or is that only by phone still.

B

Yeah they're, offering both options, so you can attend a council meeting and uh it's the same process when you're uh they're at a meeting. You just need to get a card. They'll call you up and you get your uh it might be two minutes um of time and or if you wanted to do it over the phone. You have the ability to do that as well, where they will call you directly from the council meeting and give you your two minutes to speak um at the council meeting.

A

I think it'd be good for us to come as a as a committee. You know a more than just one person um to represent the board, because this is something I think that uh we can just let continue to roll along or we can try to be a little bit more of a action.

C

Now the way to do that is that they only allow one person up at a time for public comment. So what you'd have to do is there would have to be three of us or four of us that go there and register to make public comment. We each make our own comment and we should make sure they're not redundant, but instead complementary. So we write a little point exactly exactly well.

B

I'll just I watch.

C

Every city council meeting so I'll explain how they work. Sorry go ahead. That's.

B

Okay, so Dan, then you will. You will know that you're only allowed to make comments at the beginning of the meeting based on things that are on the agenda and since this item would not be an agendized item, there's a second public comments. That's later in the meeting around eight or nine o'clock, yeah.

G

C

B

To consider the call-in, if you don't want to sit at a council meeting live for a while, or um you know, we can kind of look at the agenda and decide like this is going to be two hours before they get to open public comment section where you can speak on anything, but it is, it can be time consuming if you're speaking on something that is not on the agenda. How do we.

A

Get on the agenda.

B

You have a staff report done, so it has to be like an actionable item that kind of similar to your your your um agenda. That's if it's something that you're making a decision on then it you get listed on the agenda for you, for you all to make a decision, but if you're not on the agenda, then you have to wait to the second part to there. Wouldn't there wouldn't be any decision for them to make I.

C

See and I recommend that we still go the first, um the first strategy, which is to try to get someone to attend this meeting and speak with us. Yes, before we do that, I think it I think we need to do it in a progression. Okay, I.

A

Think I think there also needs to I. Don't intend to serve out the rest of my term on Zoom I would resign from the board before I? Would I would agree to do that? So there's a time for me where I'm I'm sort of done with you know, I've got Zoom fatigue and this is not what I signed up for when I signed up to be a board member and most of my term is being taken up by looking at a screen.

A

So for me, if, if it doesn't happen in some kind of timely fashion, I might withdraw.

F

From the board, they've been dragging this on for more than six months now and they've come up with the same excuse every time we're building a new room. Who cares? I mean what if we all just decided to abstain.

F

Unless we got to see it, tasted smell it touch it or whatever, or if we couldn't see it or we didn't agree, we haven't even come together yet as a board I'm embarrassed to say to do the stuff that we should be doing from day one and that's agree upon why we why we ask the questions we do why we maybe don't follow the protocol. The meetings take an hour or two or three it's and then we have to go down and visit the office before I.

F

Don't have time for that anymore, I I, you know I'm, maybe in the same boat as Celia. This is I'm doing this in my office right now, just because I didn't want to be on the road. I don't want to be on an iPhone I want to give as much attention as I can. But this is It's, we're not a regular board or a commission here. We'd meet and do a lot more and then we're there as often I. Think all of us are there at least once a month, if not more, on Thursdays, okay,.

B

I I don't want to discontinue anybody's thoughts on this. uh However, this is not the actual approach or the conversation, so I don't.

E

Know I should have stopped it a long time.

B

Ago, Celia Celia had a comment for under board comments and our our minutes will reflect that. But the conversation portion actually is not part of the board uh comments. So if we could move forward and if you want to have further discussion later in the meeting we could do so. uh But at this point we do need to move on. We do.

C

That, in the free-for-all, all right so um I do have a comment.

C

That's unrelated to that, which is that for the next meeting on the 25th, I will not be able to make the meeting also Greg is um on vacation he's in Portugal, and he won't be back until after that meeting, so um understanding that we, if any one of you, doesn't make the meeting, we would not make Forum, which means we'd be at this stage with vendors sitting hearing us start the meeting and have to say we have to dismiss the meeting because there's not a quorum, so I just wanted to make that point.

C

If anyone else thinks they cannot make it, please let Jasmine and Faith know at this point we only have two vendors signed up for the next meeting anyway, although that is likely to increase between now and then, but there's only two vendors, it's probably not terrible. To put it off, however, the first winning enough. The first meeting in November um would normally be scheduled on um election day, which means that we won't be having a meeting that day.

C

So if we don't make Quorum have the meeting on the 25th and two weeks from now it means there won't be a meeting for four weeks. Okay, actually longer right, yeah, okay, so um so it's important that we all either commit to it or let people know in advance and also coming to the meeting means staying through the meeting. Because again, if we, if we lose Quorum at any point in the meeting, the meeting has to be dismissed at that moment.

C

So just just want to make everyone aware of that, and um if you can just let them know and we'll you know we'll work around it. I understand. You know everyone has their own schedules and that's not a problem just that um I can see where, for the next meeting, we may be at risk to make Quorum if there is a blip at all, because having only six people when two of us are already.

C

That means that there's no room for anyone else right. We got it. Okay, cool all right, carry on um moving on to the consent calendar um has everyone had a chance to look at the agenda for today? Yes, all right: let's get a motion to approve the agenda.

D

I mean: how can we approve the agenda for two five? Second.

C

Seconded by Celia motion from Julie, all in favor, aye aye any opposed any abstained, Julian say Julie. Yes, no.

D

Hi she did you vote I, don't I'm good, okay, good! All right! Yeah I made a motion.

C

Okay and then uh yeah, we still have to vote on the motion you make I.

D

Did I went like that? Okay,.

C

D

Like this next time, all.

C

Right um approval of the minutes from the last meeting of September 27th I did have a chance to read them. They looked right to me. Anyone else said any comment on that or all right I make a motion that we approve the minutes from the from the September 27th meeting.

E

I'll, second, that okay.

C

All in favor, aye, aye, okay, all right, moving right along! Thank you to the vendors for your patience yep and for listening to us, moan um Alan Phillips been dying to meet you and oh.

A

My gosh right and.

C

See these mid-century modern bird houses I look at the pictures and I'm drooling so talk to us.

H

What would you like to know.

C

um Tell us a little bit about about the product, how how and Who crafts it how much property who's crafted and what your intention is with the village Fest you get three minutes and then we'll um ask questions and then deliberate. Okay,.

H

I am an architect um from New York I moved to Palm Springs uh in time to start the covid lockdown, so I have um just been here for two years: I love, mid-century, modern and thought about this as a project during covet, I started an Etsy store and I craft them by hand um you've seen them I'll try to. Can you show us here yeah, so that gives you a size, a scale. So basically all of the plants I make myself. These are clippings from other sources.

H

The blocks I fashion into planters, I, make the doors there's several different styles of doors, I've kept the pallet to about five colors. Okay. um This is sort of a new style for me, because I used cabinet quality, birch, plywood and I've stained the ground and the roofs just to give it a little bit more handmade feeling.

H

I have three or four other designs which I've been hesitant to make because, as a soul Craftsman it's hard for me to even keep up with orders, making one and so I'm I'm. Thinking at this point that I'm just going forward with one- and this is the most iconic- you know- shape everybody likes yeah. The.

C

I

H

A

So am: are you saying that you would only bring one birdhouse to the to the to the Village Fest one of a.

H

Kind, one style: five dollars: all the doors are unique. The plants are unique, so it still gives people a chance to say. Oh I, really love that one I have probably 20 different plants, that I've quote potted and five different colors that I use um a friend of mine suggested that I might consider custom colors. If somebody has a house that they want their color to be painted. I could certainly do that, but not knowing how successful it's going to be I want to start simple, yeah and not overwhelm myself.

C

I had two questions. One is so some of the houses have a butterfly roof line. That's a lot less prevalent here. I know because I shopped for one when I was looking for my home, it's very hard to find one um and many have the shed style roof or the gable roof. So you're not doing those other roof lines. I.

H

Haven't yet I've made half size models because I would like to do that yeah.

C

H

As I say, my my coved plan was to sell on Etsy and they've sold out as quickly as I can make them. So so.

C

Are you entertaining commissions for that? If somebody wants to commission one like their house.

H

I would entertain it okay, given how much time and energy I put into it I'm, not sure that they would pay for it. I've seen people condition, doll, houses and they're a thousand dollars for dollhouses wow yeah, so um these are marketed at 250.. My expenses are between 50 and 100, depending on how many I make um I made I had 23 last year and my house in Palm Springs burned down with 23 of them.

H

Oh I'm, so sorry to hear that wow that's awful, it was. It was a challenge and so um yeah. Those are all, and this this really is a hobby. For me, it's an opportunity for me to get into the community for me to hopefully meet and greet people at the Village Fest and have something to keep myself occupied, I'm, retired and so I'm not interested. In being you know, the preeminent bird house manufacturing company I.

C

Hear you so yeah, it's not about volume yeah, but.

A

We've seen these we've been waiting for you to come for about three weeks and they're, just beautiful I.

H

Know so the beautiful one, one tidbit from the other side for your previous discussion.

H

It also seems like I'm, being supported in a way because I'm presenting uh to Skype or or online, which is exactly what I could have done by sending a video. So when you go to the council, I think it's important to say that you know yes, we're shorting our vendors yep.

A

Absolutely yeah absolutely.

C

And my other question was I did read in your material that said that the that the breeze block is real, concrete block. Yes,.

H

C

Is how do you make them I.

H

Get it well so I cheat there I get it from a company called many materials.

C

H

A company that makes architectural materials or Architects it's 1 12th scale, and it is um yeah. They are solid, concrete.

C

And I've been blown away when I read that I.

H

Put them together, um mortar.

H

The mortar gets put on with a little spatula wow. Oh.

A

H

So I sit here watching Golden Girls, putting together putting together blocks.

C

Yeah, it's too beautiful to put outside absolutely well I love them all right. um Any of the board members have any other questions for Alan are.

D

They quite weatherproof.

H

They are um I mean the oldest one. I have is about two years old and it's actually in the RV park where I live. I have a client that sent me photos last year because she left she bought it here and then went to Denver and it survived the winter and snowstorms and I. Think in fact, on my Village Fest application, there was a photo of it in Denver, which I think is really cool. That same client had birds in her house this past year.

H

Oh nice, she was very excited, I mean because I'm, an architect I did the research, and these bird houses should be mounted on a tree. Rims and fences will not nest if they're moving. So you can't hang it from Limbs and the hole size is specific for rims and finches.

H

So I'm kind of excited and I would love to see them spread across the country and have people tell me that they had a nest with three or four babies, whatever I think it's very cool, high-class.

A

D

And can you tell me how long it takes to make one.

H

Probably about four hours, because what I'm doing now is sort of an assembly line, I build the structure, I have about five structures now built and then what I'll do is spend a morning. Painting and I'll spend I spend time making plants I probably have a hundred sets of plants and a uh 25 sets of doors and uh purchase. I make all the perches ahead of time, because it's also fun for me to just mix and match and as I put them together, I will choose plants from my selection plants.

C

Or are they? Are they clippings from artificial plants.

H

They're clippings from artificial plants. Sorry.

E

um No you're, okay, Dan yeah I just wanted to say um I think you have a really iconic product here, Ellen um I, think locals and tourists are going to enjoy the uniqueness of it. It's handmade, it's really interesting um and uh yeah. If there's not any other comments, I'd like to make a motion to accept Alan Phillips into the village, this family.

C

F

Your hand raised David I'm going to see the back of it. Would you mind showing it.

H

The only thing on the back is an access panel for annual maintenance, oh okay, and again, that's because for these nesters they need to be against the tree trunk or on a fence. Yeah, okay, um they're supposed to be a hundred feet away from others, because apparently the male Wren is very aggressive.

F

Okay, cool thanks.

C

I will second the motion: okay, all in favor, aye.

E

C

Opposed congratulations. Alan welcome to the Village Fest family. Thank you on the street I look forward to buying my birdhouse they're. It's just amazing. That's all I'll say is amazing the quality of it, the fact that you're building it like a real house and that you're an architect that just I mean this is beyond you.

H

Know that feels very nice. Thank you.

C

Okay, all right next up, we have Daisy Daisy's on, but not is muted and not showing her camera. uh It's a food service with Munchies bars pops fruit I saw a lot of fruit plates and fruit cups on the pictures.

J

Hi, can you guys hear me we.

A

G

We can't see you yeah. Unfortunately, my camera is not working and again I agree with you, Celia of being in person, you know and having that feel of vendors of actually having that one-on-one. So I do apologize for not having a camera.

D

So can I make a comment right there I don't know if we can continue with this, due to the fact that we can't see anything I.

C

E

Have a great day as well.

C

K

C

Have you come back when you can get in front of a camera so.

K

Quickly uh so her brother was on the last meeting and he was not able to get on the camera and you guys did approve him. He had the time.

E

K

I was gonna, say that too yeah and then um and the packages here with all the pictures and the the you know. I did see.

C

K

A

C

A

K

Yeah so I mean we do have the the completed package, um so everyone can kind of see that unfortunately,.

C

David has not seen you I, don't know, Chris, have you seen the packages? Yes.

E

Last last week,.

C

Last week, yeah Julie did you get a chance to see them no.

K

I did not oh, not Julie, but Celia has come in okay, I.

A

C

D

I agree: I'll I'll go along with all of you that have seen it. Okay, all.

B

D

Well, and if we.

B

Want to make a a collective decision that if the camera doesn't work or they're unable to display a product across the board, whatever it is, do let us know. That is something we can. Maybe just talk a little bit during during our board comments, and we will make sure we communicate that uh to any prospective vendors that are coming through. You know we could really highlight that if, for some reason, you're unable to display your product, the board will not review it, but we do need to make a collective decision on that.

C

Approve the other one, although I don't want to make that a precedent that now we approve them without seeing, because that's even beyond the challenge of being on Zoom, um so I'm, okay to vote on this one but I would say this is going to be an exception as with her brother last week and going forward no more, not for me, I'm I'll, just reject them all myself. So um anyone else have any comment on that or you.

A

Want no but I make a motion that we accept. This I saw the pictures and it looks like an interesting product and um yeah.

C

And also since I saw the pictures and I felt the same: okay, okay, uh all in favor, aye aye any opposed any abstain. Oh sting, okay, who.

K

Was the second on it.

G

A

C

Think I was yeah, no no I. uh um That's.

K

Right. Okay. Thank you, however,.

C

We have one two three voting and oh no. We have four voting in favor one two, three, that's right all right, so congratulations, Daisy and I. Guess we'll have to come and see your stuff in person.

G

Yes, definitely.

C

G

C

G

C

Out your orientation and your start date and everything with um faith. Okay,.

D

G

Will just to give you guys a heads up, I will be I, don't know if you guys are familiar with the Yum Fest this Saturday. If you guys want to stop by and actually see the product in person, um I will be there and again. I do I said I will be at the Yum Festival in Palm, Desert I, don't know if you guys are familiar with that. If you guys want to go ahead and stop by and see the product there in person.

E

J

E

You Daisy yes,.

A

E

A

J

G

Again and I do apologize about the camera. Unfortunately, it's out of my reach yeah.

A

G

Okay, shouldn't.

A

J

Okay, thank you guys. Okay,.

C

So next we have the sparkling Pebble, which is Jessica bazad yeah.

J

Hi hi Jessica hi, Jessica, hi Jessica.

C

No um take a couple minutes and tell us a little bit about your product, how you make it or how it's made and yes, you're, proposing to uh show with split trust.

J

So um I make mostly and a little animal jewelry and nature inspired jewelry I'm, not sure if you can see some pieces here, they're totally 3D, sculpted I, don't know if you got like the videos that I've sent you about how I make the pieces.

C

um I could not connect the dots between that simulated, animated thing and then you making something. So if you can explain that.

J

Sure so my background is actually I'm. A gemologist and jewelry designer for Fine Jewelry I have worked in stores and freelance to doing. um Engagement rings things like that for a long time. So when we do that instead of hand carving a piece of wax to do the Lost wax casting method. Most pieces now are done in a CAD program and then I have taken it a step further and learned. Another program called zbrush and it's like I wish I was on my phone and I could show you the video.

J

It's like a digital piece of clay and I have like a little pen that I can use on a tablet and I can move it and pull it and basically turn it into these highly detailed pieces which I do hand wax serving as well. But this is a lot more detailed than I can get doing it. You know with a piece of wax so.

C

How this way so so I get that part, but how do you get to actually having it in silver? Is there a 3D printer, then that.

J

Actually, yes, so then my original design is 3 is printed prototypes and brown.

J

So I have like one of one of that I'll do like this piece here. It's just cast in bronze, it's all hand finished um and then I do have molds made for them so that they are cast in pewter and silver plated. So we use all recycled Nettles and then all of the pieces I do hand antiquing on the pieces. I put it in and I buff it off. I have a little homework shop here.

J

um So each piece is completely finished by hand. um I have some I, don't know, I, don't have any out right now. I have some pieces that I do hand enamel paint, which is really time consuming too, but it um they turn out really pretty so um that's kind of the the process that I do so. It really is, you know, I feel like it's mixing old technology and new technology in a really cool way, creating incredibly unique and different pieces. That are, you know, really highly detailed.

C

Now, who actually does the casting and manufactures the metal pieces? Are you doing that or are you.

J

Doing I'm not doing the casting I do know how to cast, but it's a lot of expensive, big equipment. You know- and you know, molted metal, but I've got little kids in my house, so I don't really want to. You know some of that in there. um So I have a company that they're in Rhode Island, actually there's a huge casting Hub in Rhode Island. So I have a small, family-owned business that does the casting for me.

J

So they do the rough casting and then they send it all back to me and then I do all of the finish work. I do the buffing and the polishing and the filing and the antiquing and then for like I, have I do some pieces. You know where I've got bracelet links, I, don't know how. Well you can see that there's little letters in there to spell out different messages or names so I do all of the assembling with you know, chains and jump rings and everything like that as well. So, okay, yeah.

A

It was fascinating to see the process on your video. It really was thank.

J

You yeah it's it's a lot of fun to do. I really love it.

E

Yeah I was just gonna say it's almost like the new form of like sculpting and carving you're doing that, just in a digital form,.

J

E

3D, printing and.

J

E

Very neat Jesse thank.

J

F

The prices are super reasonable, too.

J

Yeah, they really are yeah.

C

Any questions for well.

J

I started off making them in solid Sterling and I. Do some pieces too? I've got a fun kind of like cat um cat piece here. This one is in solids, but I found a lot of people with. You know a possum that they want to wear, which is actually one that people really like. You know they don't want to spend dollars on it, they're more happy to spend uh forty dollars on it, so um so I started making them in pewter and having them silver plated, rather than solid silver.

A

Well, I think this is a quality product. I mean I again, I. Think it's not like anything else. We have in Village, Fest and I would like to make a motion to accept this vendor into Village Fest.

D

I'll second, that motion.

C

Okay, so moved by Celia Garten, the second hit by Julie montance, all in favor aye aye any opposed. Okay, congratulations Jessica! Welcome to thank you family and we look forward to seeing your beautiful jewelry on on the street. You'll uh I'll work out all the details with um Faith subsequent to the name. Okay,.

J

Great. Thank you so much thank.

C

You for your patience as well. Okay, so now we have the International Brotherhood of Electrical worker.

I

How you guys doing this evening, Jonathan.

C

I

C

I

C

Yeah I can hear you, okay,.

I

So um I'm with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, we're out of Riverside California we're a union electrical organization, um I'm. Actually a sixth generation kid from Palm Springs a desert. You know my mom still owns the same house in Palm Springs that I grew up in so um when I'm coming to you I'm coming to you as a citizen of this area right not from Riverside, uh my stuff's out of Riverside, but I'm uh I I really have a passion for the desert anyway.

I

The reason we're trying to come get a booth here is um I would love to give the children of the desert an alternative to college I, think um trade, schools and I think a trade, especially any trade in the desert. You know uh we're always hurting for people uh having a a trade in in the electrical industry is is totally transformed. My life I was a non-union electrician in Palm Springs. For a long time we built Eisenhower hospital the brand new tower a long time ago.

I

um We had we got a lot of, we get to do a lot of cool stuff and I didn't even know about the union. Until an organizer came on the job in Palm, Springs and told us, hey man, let me show you guys a different way to do some stuff. So anyway, long story short I made the jump. 10 years ago, I've been in the union. 10 years, I went through a five-year apprenticeship program that doesn't cost anything.

I

We work we go to school as we work and it's kind of a really good alternative to college. Without the student debt, um the career is an amazing industry, it's always evolving. um It's it's just a great career.

I

um The reason I'm coming to the Village Fest is because I also um I also want to have an opportunity for community outreach and because I'm from this area, I think a lot of the Outreach in Riverside and stuff. They do a lot of stuff out there, but I'm a local guy here. This is where I'm from this is my passion.

I

I want to be able to bring have the opportunity to have the door open for people to come to the booth talk to us and if we could be of assistance in the community, that would be awesome. That'd be a plus, um so I think the booth would be a really good informational purpose for for electricians that don't really know about the union or for kids coming out of high school. That don't really know which way they want to go. I think we'd be able to offer quite a service to the to the area.

C

I highly commend this.

I

And yeah I was impressed yeah. Thank you. I.

D

Think it's fabulous trades are fabulous.

C

And when the city council is reviewing vendors, who want to do development projects and things they usually do ask if they're, if they're hiring a percentage of their staff, local- and you know some of the vendors have said well, there's not a lot of local trades trades people here, and so this is this Falls. In line with that, it's it's it's! It's great I mean you know well,.

I

Not only like I said, not only is the industry amazing, it's ever evolving, we're always doing continued education. um It's never we're. Always. You know trying to get better and I think that the thought that kids could be eligible for this out of high school I think kids. If they knew they had the opportunity to do something like this yeah, they would probably have a different outlook on their on their future. Like I said, there's no student debt. When we're finished, I I went to school debt, free I got five-year apprenticeship, program and I.

I

You know we we do very well. We uh we have a lot of work. We build all the solar plants and blight I mean we're building hospitals like you know, you know, like I. Do the Coachella Valley's getting ready to boom and it'd be great to have local people putting money back into their Community instead of having everybody come from outside it'd be nice to have the money dumped back in where it belongs. You know where we're from I.

D

Commend you for that trade I, commend you to teach youngsters, you keep them out of trouble. I'd like to make a motion. If anybody has anything else to say, to move this forward.

C

Anybody have any questions before we put emotions for Donovan.

F

Just a quick: do you have a pathway or or um I, don't know, organizations or companies, perhaps yeah.

I

F

I

Is we we have a uh like I said, a five-year apprenticeship program, but we also have like almost it's almost like a program for people that don't really have a lot of experience.

I

It's kind of the pathway to the apprenticeship program, they're allowed to work they're allowed to go to school while they work and we're able to make uh reviews on their progress if they show up on time, if they're learning, if they're teachable, if they're you know, if they're worth pursuing, because the the electrical contractors is a big group, they all pay for the school, so they're going to want to make sure that the people that they then get in the program are going to show up 40 hours a week and they're going to want to work.

I

You know if they're having a hard time finding good help, and it's it's not just with us. It's everywhere, everyone's having a hard time.

F

Are the students paid.

I

No, we well, we work, we, it doesn't interrupt our work, so we don't have to take time off to go to work. To go to school. I mean we work as we go to school. So it's like a school I work 40 hours a week, but I go two nights a week to a school and do it as as you work, but.

F

I

Essence, yes, we're being paid because I'm getting paid by the company to do the work during the day, but the schooling itself isn't. Actually we don't get paid for the hours we're at school. Okay,.

A

They don't charge for it either. No.

I

They don't charge for it either. No, it's free.

A

Education, it's.

I

A free education.

C

Go ahead with your emotion.

D

Al motion that we approve uh him for a booth and the street fair.

F

And I second, it.

C

Second, it by David Anderson motion by Julie, all in favor, aye aye any opposed any abstain. No okay, very good. Thank.

I

C

F

C

For what you're doing Donovan.

A

C

I

You I wanted to tell the guy too, but I think he left about the birdhouses. That house looks like my mom across the street from my mom's house. It's amazing, it looks like he's lived here. His whole life and I I looked at that house, my entire shelf wow.

G

Wow, that's wild.

C

I

Thank you guys, I appreciate it.

C

Thank you, so thank you, Donovan, okay, so um we only have one other vendor on and.

K

Yeah yeah and I would say to let people the vendors know that they don't have to stay on the call they can after they're done. They can go ahead and.

C

Yeah so Daisy thank you. Have.

I

A good night, thank you good night. Thank you.

C

um Can I ask who is logged in as iPad.

G

That's me: that's Kilted, Craftsman, Robert, okay,.

C

Robert, um can you start your video, perfect? Okay, welcome Robert, tell us a little bit about your woodworking.

G

All right, um my name, is Robert and I build a lot of hardwood cutting boards about furniture.

D

G

um But mostly when I do events I bring my cutting boards as a way to showcase my work, um You're Beautiful by the way they're amazing, yeah I, couldn't bring them up. They're all Hardwoods they're, all the natural colors of the wood that you're looking at this one here is black walnut and Hickory I. Don't know how well the lighting is in here, but yeah this this cutting board. Here they range from something like this one, nice big board and the thinner cutting boards. You know and we're ranging from about fifty dollars.

E

G

Like this to almost 300 for something like this here but yeah, they're, uh they're, all Hardwoods, all the natural colored Woods you're, looking at they're all sealed with foot grade mineral Oil and Beeswax, they all come with a jar of liquid mineral Oil and Beeswax wow.

A

G

Nice and uh fridge magnet with cutting board care instructions and my QR code on it, so that you can put that right in your fridge. You'll, never forget who I am and how to maintain your board.

C

About about how many work hours does it take to make one.

G

uh For example, something like this because pretty simple three pieces of wood here and when I make this I'll glue up six foot long and then I cut it into.

H

E

Four cuttings.

G

E

C

G

Got something like this, maybe not attached about half an hour of work in it.

C

How about the complicated ones, the one that had the black walnut in the middle and yeah.

G

Something like that um I'm in the five hour four to five hour range is.

D

That one in the back does that an inlay or is that a solid piece, not that one, the other one, the.

C

One next to it.

D

Yeah is that an inlay, or is that a a solid piece? This.

G

Is these are all individual pieces of wood.

D

Can you just flip it to the side, so I can see the others, the top.

G

Well, that's absolutely beautiful.

E

Very beautiful these.

G

Are beautiful gifts? This is purple heart this deep Redwood here and that's the natural color of the wood, but from South America.

D

And where do you get all your wood from.

G

About 75 to 80 percent of my material I purchased from Real Lumber in Riverside, it's a hardwood supplier right. There um sometimes.

E

G

Do have to head out to um you know, Anaheim or somewhere, there's a lot of bigger stores. Once you get out into you, know, La Orange, County area, but for the most part I can find the material I need in Riverside.

C

So you mentioned art wood. Does that mean that it's? It differs a little bit from furniture grade wood or I'm? Sorry, what was that you had mentioned art wood? Does that give oh hardwood? Yes,.

G

C

Mind I thought you said art wood I was wondering how that hardwood that we use for a furniture, absolutely beautiful stuff.

A

Well, thank you very much beautiful gifts too I thought about that. When I was watching your video, how wait beautiful cutting boards are wonderful to receive, so my.

C

Birthday's already passed but I'm available.

A

C

I'm available for the Christmas album.

G

Craving as well so you know, I can put your name or they make great housewarming gifts as well. So a lot of them welcome. Welcome home the you know, Gomez family or whatever we engrave on the board, so they're definitely customizable as well.

C

They're beautiful for a serving now, if you cut on them, do they actually get cut marks in them, so.

G

All of them, like I, said, are Hardwoods, so they do stand up to the knives um like something with the big one in the corner. The Walnut and Hickory one, that's going to be generations of cutting on those boards are designed to last 100 plus years. Okay, they'll.

D

Make really really beautiful charcuterie boards yeah.

G

That's what I was thinking too yeah, but it sure could be boards they're a little bit thinner, so they're easier to handle. So you know you'll get some ears out of them, but you know it depends on on how how you know heavy you work on your boards and and whatnot, um but I definitely recommend someday. That wants aboard that's going to last a long time. It's gonna take.

E

G

Beating you know we're gonna have to step up from the you know the center boards, but they do well. They stand up to the nose real well. All my boards are two-sided as well, so a lot of people they like to maybe just cut on one side and serve on the other side.

C

Yeah Chris appreciate a question.

E

um Just a quick comment um and also question I think uh yeah. These are going to be great gifts around the holidays, um absolutely.

D

E

You said: there's a lot of personalization, which is cool, um I, really love your footage too. Would you be okay if the village Fest uses it on our social media to kind of tell a little bit more of a narrative back story for this as we approach the holiday season, I.

G

Would I would absolutely be fine with that and um if there's something more specific you're looking for, if we can make it better, definitely be willing to work with you guys on that too. It.

E

Looks great, it looks great awesome, yeah great product.

C

Robert one other question: um I see that you listed aside from the wood products, cheese, slicer and Alaskan knife are those just products that you source and sell or or include along with it, or is something that you actually craft.

G

So this here is my cheese slicers, and this is a solid piece of black wine. I want one: that's nice.

C

Now, uh what's an Alaskan knife, okay,.

G

I I'm gonna have to run and grab one. It's an ULU it's so it's a a round blade on the bottom wooden handle on the top I purchased the metal blades from a blade manufacturer and I make the wooden handles myself.

G

Version of that, so you would more like this. Okay.

F

Don't they tell those off of um Alaskan cruise ships, yeah.

G

F

I I have one in my kitchen yep.

C

We're gonna have two soon David you'll have to buy one.

C

Wow, very nice all right any questions, any other questions for uh Robert, okay, uh Robert! You will be at the booth, correct.

G

Correct um myself and my wife, when she can make it, we got a a 16 month old, baby at home. So as long as we can find a babysitter she's like there that'll.

C

Be the challenge? Okay, all right, um so without further Ado. Can we get emotion on the floor.

A

I make a motion that we accept uh that we accept this vendor into Village Fest I'm.

C

Sorry seconded by Chris, uh all in favor aye aye opposed beautiful, beautiful stuff. Robert see this is like the kind of quality stuff as a you know, because there's also a lot of fun, stuff and catchy stuff, and you know and and tasty stuff. But this is a really beautiful product and I think this raises the level at Village Fest for those kind of fun and.

F

The fact you're local too, is great yeah.

G

F

G

Appreciate that guys.

E

And I definitely.

B

G

Forward to it and um I'm super excited we're.

C

Excited family and we'll see you on the street awesome.

E

C

A

G

C

So Faith um we have blue Brian and he didn't show up last time either. Actually.

K

um Yeah he um yeah um I thought that I and he gave me a different email address, but um I had not heard from him and then I had not heard from uh the distinguished Decor so um and I checked my emails and all that stuff. So um I think we'll pass on those and um we'll schedule if I hear from them. Okay,.

C

Perfect, okay, so moving right along to unfinished business. Anything.

C

Okay, um any new business.

E

I'd say just to follow up um about the conversation earlier. Is that something that you know we want to commit to a certain date in the near future? Or is it a document we'd all like to sign and have one representative I'm open to anything that you guys want to do, but I support you guys.

A

Jasmine, what do you think would be the most effective.

C

Get on city council and prove it.

A

Or would you have any faith that any any of our attempts would be um productive.

B

I think that often the loudest voice, that is heard is from board members directly, so I I would because we've done this a little bit. You know it's been going on for a while and I follow up after every meeting and say send the same kind of general.

B

You know our board really needs to get in person and, if I'm kind of getting the same information that um I'm gonna when I get off of this meeting, I'll send an email and request that we have either the city man acting city manager or um the one of the Deputy city managers attend our next board meeting.

B

um So I will do that, no matter what and I don't think that there's any harm in this board really speaking up about the importance of the job that you do and why it's so important to have the ability to actually hold and see um and that it's not. This particular method of during is not um kind of befitting to the actual event and that it is become a bit of a hindrance in approving, really high quality products. So.

A

I think he was all I'm, not I'm, sorry to interrupt, but I think it was also interesting that we had did. We have two or one vendors speak.

G

A

This evening to say they agree that you know they don't like just having to phone in a video that they that I I always felt it was sort of disrespectful to them that you know yeah that they would. You know, go to all the trouble to try and meet our requirements, and then you know we would ask them to to speak to us on a screen. So I think it's important for the city council to also hear that from Bender I mean here that message that comes from vendors, yeah.

C

Robert um Robert from Kilted Craftsman, you can drop. You don't need to say it on the call at this point.

D

Jasmine, do you feel we should invite the mayor.

B

um You can I am trying to think of who our representative is I want to say it's um councilmember, Gardner and she's.

A

District one she's in our district, our Dan and I, live in the same room.

B

I was thinking a village Fest representative I feel like it's Gardner and I, don't think it's Coors I'll have to.

C

B

C

But you know I, don't think that there's any point of meeting with one council member I think more. It has to be the city manager or the assistant city manager, because that's where the decision came from originally and that's where it's emanating from steel now and I think without doing that, all we're doing is paying lip service and having discussions.

D

So Dan, let me just tell you that the city, the the uh city manager, that's right now temporary, is so overwhelmed with stuff I. Don't think she could even think clearly enough to visit this conversation. She's only got another another month to be where she's at so well.

C

Have they selected a new city manager.

D

No they're waiting to make that determination when the new city council meets again with the new new members, so they're not going to vote in I, feel they're not going to vote in the city manager until the new Council comes on board, so you're in a really Catch-22 position. The only one that isn't going anywhere is Lisa Middleton right now, so we might want to invite them there and let her bring let her make a decision.

E

I think, if it's of any conversation and worthwhile this particular uh meeting tonight, those testimonials were powerful from both two different vendors um I. Think you know if we did want to kind of pre-face something and set it up quickly, it could just be an email with a sort of unanimous conversation that we had in the beginning of all of us board members and then those little clips of here's.

E

Two testimonials from vendors were in a particular use case where we do need to you, know, taste, a product or see or feel um you know a particular Chris.

D

We've already done.

E

That um perhaps it could just be a little clip, we send it off and then.

A

I think that's a great idea. Chris I think it's a great idea, because I think that video.

E

The visuals Julie absolutely.

D

Cool I don't know I'm, so tired of it I have to agree with see there that it's we've gone. This route we've talked to them individually. You know, you've got an election month coming up I, just it's I'm, just really frustrated myself with it, but.

A

I think we have to keep plotting away at this and I think as Jasmine said, I think if you're, if you're just acquiesced, so we don't, we just go along. Then there's no motivation for City Board city, the city, to do anything, but we have to make them understand that it's worth their while Village Fest is huge in Palm Springs and the vendors who who make up Village Fest are a strong voice and I think we.

A

We owe it to the board and to the vendors to try and make a case even if it doesn't go anywhere.

E

I think in closing this might just be um you know, a conversation about like the squeaky wheel gets the grease right if we keep just being squeaky, we're gonna get it like. You mentioned Jasmine, so yeah, let's just keep at it. Emails.

D

E

Clips, whatever Jasmine.

D

You do a great job for us and we really thank you and appreciate you and faith.

A

So how can we put this together before I mean I? Don't want to drag this on ad nauseam, but how do we put this together? What do we do from here as board? Does.

C

Somebody want to take a shot at drafting a short explanation and plea for this and then send it to Faith, who can then distribute it out to us uh and everybody take a look and comment back, and so we can actually get get a draft going and um and then it could be something that we all sign and submit. But who would we submit that to Jasmine? That's the question.

B

I I would cover my bases. I would send it to ever all the council people or maybe directly to to the city manager, all the council, people um just to make sure it gets across the board. That seems to be an effective way of. If it does miss one person, someone else sees it um and I could tell you that Teresa has been very good about getting back to on a staff level very quickly with information. So um I, don't imagine that it would go unnoticed in any way and.

A

I think I think Chris's point is: is the strong one that there we should have some video to go along with this I think if we were able to take clips of you, know parts of this meeting and add it to an email that would be important and.

E

I'm happy to do that if you want to send over a file, I can just super quick, just do a little link or take that clip and send it to be an attachment, I guess on an email that we send out. um If that's any any extra like ambient nation of sorts to. You know kind of bombard this topic because um yeah at this point you know, let's just do everything and what's the most impactful, so visuals, unanimous whatever it takes right and.

C

I would add in that that they there were two food vendors on two subsequent meetings that we had to jury without video because they don't have, because not everybody can do this. You know I have no few. If Dottie was still the chair, you you wouldn't be able to have meetings, but there's no way she can do this. She doesn't even have a facility to do it, so there are still people who don't, who.

F

Could be perceived as a discriminatory action as well, because it implies that you know you have the well the uh you know the means to have your computer and internet and all that kind of stuff, just a long shot. But not everybody has this.

C

But let's keep it succinct and brief. In other words, you know when you make a presentation like this and you want a decision from somebody for the most part. You say current situation.

C

um What is the issue with it? What are we proposing and then you make your make your request at the end and then that's it. That's that's how we go. That's how they do it in business. So I don't know, but um does anyone want to take a stab at drafting that.

A

I I will try to draft something I'm, not the world's best writer but um I. You know I want to take responsibility since it's an issue. I brought up I like what you just said, current situation, we'll see what were the other two.

C

um Parent situation, um any any issue that it creates or benefit that we're missing, and in this case it's an issue that it creates right. And then it's.

D

um Yeah and said the tour in an email, okay, I- think it's better like that. She'll have a copy of it.

C

Okay, it's it's basically, what's the situation, what do we want? Why do we want it and what do we get for it if we.

F

Do it it's not the same as the SWOT analysis? Is it Dan.

C

Similar similar, it's it's just a model that we always use the uh method at the last few places. I worked honestly, but it wasn't wasn't um categorized as a.

A

Okay, yeah just send me that outline again and I'll try to put something together and uh maybe just forward it to all all of you on the board and I appreciate your comments or rewriting, whatever you think, but I think we should get something in front of as many people as we can um as soon as possible, because yeah I'm, repeating myself but I'm, pretty done with this format, all right all right.

E

There's a little just.

A

Because I have something else, wait. Chris has something.

C

E

Say just real real fast um there's a little chat, section, I, just kind of put some bullet points. um If anyone before the close of this, they can just.

C

Can you see it still here, so you can yeah and.

E

Again, these are just off the top of my head, but if anyone has ideas, right feel free to put those bullet points in and we can kind of create some sort of narrative or paragraph that includes all of these issues in our thoughts, cool all.

C

Right sorry, Dan can I move on to the next thing. Yes, okay, so on a whole other note, um I've received a couple of commentaries. One of them was someone who was going to Village Fest and was trying to figure out what food options were there for them, or should they make a reservation at a restaurant and literally called me and said I'm?

C

Looking at your village, you said your village wrestling with my website at your village Fest website right now, and the food vendors are definitely out of date because I was there a couple weeks ago and certain things I saw are not on there. So I said well, I'll, look into it and see why so I did speak to uh Faith about it today when I was at the office and what we found out is that vendors need to either request or approve and provide the information for them to be on the website.

C

Personally, I. Don't think we need that level of detail that has to have information about them personally and everything I would rather it be an actual listing of what's available at Village Fest for people to preview. Before they go so I'm, so one is I'm making a case for I. Don't think that how we do the website listings for vendors now is necessary because I saw the application like that whole form they have to fill out.

C

It doesn't have to have their personal name and their email and their contact and everything it should more be Luigi's hand tossed neapolitan pizza and just what the product is right and if they're there all year in the season or whatever, but that's more than enough information.

C

um What are the thoughts on that? Because I would like us to go out to all of the vendors um with a request to say um we, you know we need to Showcase everything that is going to be shown at Village Fest. We need to Showcase it on the website as a draw, and it's good for you. It's a draw for you as well. uh What are your thoughts about that.

E

I think we can visually do it via the Instagram. So on the website you can put a little line of code. Don't.

C

Use Instagram Christopher, who are not so.

E

When they go to the website, or are you saying when they go to the website directly yeah.

G

E

There's a little piece of code that you can put in where it would just bring the feed of the Instagram. So it'd just be this visual kind of collection that could be on a link there. It could be on the page when you arrive so that could visually. You know if that's going to be constantly updated weekly, which um it usually is right. It could kind of be highlighting continuing more vendors and things like that.

E

um So again, if it's just quick updates to the website, they can do that. That would be a quick fix, a quick win that doesn't really take any work to do um it's more of a album style kind of just tiles that you can just scroll and see I.

C

Like adding that in, but it doesn't answer to what I think to to the issue that I'm raising right now, but I do like adding that in and I think it's great. But overall, it's like you know if you're, if you're going to go to a store. Sometimes you don't look at the website to see if they have what you want before you bother to go there right well,.

A

How many people I've seen how many people here.

C

I, don't know how to answer that.

E

What is the issue one more time.

C

That that there are people that before they go to Village Fest or bother to go, they want to see. What's they want to understand what they're going to see right, so some sort.

E

Of directory, yes, some sort of Live directory, um perhaps it could be a little sign like in front at the entrance. That's just a QR code and it could say scan here that could go straight to the Instagram. They can view the stories. If they don't have Instagram, they can go to the website.

E

um It could be a little QR code post. um You.

C

Know because yeah social media that I'm talking about at all I get what you're saying but I think I think because you're such a social media person that that you're that you're missing what the deficit is for. People who are not a lot of people do not use social media right right.

E

C

Lot of people- and we don't want older adults in this town again.

D

Can I can I jump in here, because Chris is really good at what he does absolutely, but I wanted to ask you that the whole reason to go to Village Fest is to walk around and find the things uh unique things that you want to eat when you want to listen to music, when you want I, don't think we should have to give a blow by blow because, like going to a department store, oh well, I, don't want that! I! Don't want that!

D

I may not want to see that I think a little um a little. uh What do you call it? A.

E

Little Discovery events.

D

And surprise when they get, there is what they should have we're. Not a department store, it's a village Fest. So why why go to that extra I? Don't feel it's a it's a night to get out if they want to go to a restaurant, go to a restaurant, you want to eat on the street on the street. You know it's I, I, think you're right.

A

I agree: Julie I think it's an experience. I think people.

I

A

Just to walk around and be in the crowd and explore and see what's new and you know, taste taste things on the in the from the food court, so I agree, Dan I, don't think we need to okay get crazy with this. Okay and.

D

Dad another thing with that is some of the vendors may not be there that week. So if somebody went for something um something specific and they're, not there, they're gonna get pissed off and not come back because they didn't get what they wanted. So I think it needs to be left to open as an open air. You know Fair, basically.

C

Then perhaps we should do what Chris is recommending and have more of the social media information on our website and not bother to have a vendor listing if it's not going to be complete.

D

I think that it should be very lightly scanned I, don't think it needs to go through the whole detail.

D

E

D

It the way Cod does it and they take a vast video of a lot of the merchants and it intrigues people like that. Oh well, maybe I want to go down and see there because I haven't seen that before. So it's a quick, it's a quick visual. You know what I mean.

E

Yeah, it's a fair point, then I think the only Alternatives would be a brochure. But again that leaves the issue. If what if a vendor is not there, the cost of printing, it would be a directory like you'd, see in a mall and that have to be some sort of digital screen which I don't know. If that's a cost that we would have um that's kind of live and active of who's there that night and if not yeah, it could just be the discovery of walking and having the experience like Julie mentioned.

C

I, don't think there needs to be a directory there on site, because if you're there you're there, it's.

G

Right right about.

C

More attracting people, that's what I.

F

Was thinking Christmas Point.

C

Some people don't want.

F

The whole walking around experience, especially if it's super, odd or inclement weather I, may know, I want to go particularly to see three or four booths and that's all I want for the night. I I think I see both ways, but um I wouldn't discount uh more, but.

D

I think I I think if somebody went for a specific things, they already know they're there.

E

I like what you brought up, though Dan because I think it raises the question of you know like what is this like what am I gonna find right if it's the issue of people just walking and exploring then I guess, that's it, but you're right, I'm hungry what options do I have I, don't know unless they walk it right um yeah. It's an interesting point, though, for sure of like how much do we tell people or how? How much can we actually uh yeah display versus discover.

C

That's perfectly fine because it is but but also I am not a person, that's addicted to social media as a matter of fact, I avoid it to be honest, um same.

E

A

I am not I'm here. To be honest, yeah at all I am I've. Taken myself off, oh I'm, you know, I, don't even have technically opposed to social media. Yeah.

E

And for one who does it, I actually try to stay away from it, just because life is so busy right, as as long as we can use social media as a tool as a utility, you know get in, get out, be done and then live life. That's that's what it should be used for versus just people consuming these days. So that's how we use it for here on this Council, but well.

C

I'll close my issue by just saying, or the issue that I raised by just saying that I think everybody needs to take a look at the website and see what your thoughts are on the website. Should we even have it then, or should we just go social media, because a website is a researchable thing.

E

Yeah yeah leave the website yeah.

C

I mean there's a lot of people who Gene, for instance, my husband, said.

C

Researchers right so there there are people who do that. But if you ask him he doesn't even have any social media on his phone and he's not that unique. So there are people like that right, but if we're, if the website is not going to be complete or accurate, then it's better to almost not have that and turn it into a connection to the social media.

C

But everybody take a look, let's think about it and in the subsequent meeting we could. We could have a discussion after all, looking at it. How about that can.

A

I just say: make one I'm: sorry Chris! You go ahead.

E

uh Just real fast, Dan I agree with you um I think that perhaps the website does need a lot of love. It doesn't take long to do this. I, don't know who we contract out to build the website. I'm. Just saying out of my experience, it could be done by midnight type of thing right.

E

How do we make it clean simple, because it there needs to be the website 100, um but if this is a project or something I'd be happy to kind of, um you know help guide with all of us as we make that page better, that landed page, better, 100 and I agree. So.

A

Again, you would like to know I would like to know what kind of data do we have data that says that this x number of people have tracked that have been on the website. I mean do we have we have tracking.

C

Information I have no idea. Who even does the website is that part of the City website.

B

No it's its own independent website, so we have a company that we've hired, who um uh we pay annually to maintain the website and then, as we have updates. So when we have some special events or something we send them the information and then they update it um every once in a while, we try and go in and do like a clean out of vendors who haven't participated with us for a period of time who we know, aren't going to come back within like the next six to nine months.

B

So some of it is a little bit of management on our end and then a majority of it is managed through an outside company. So, yes, we have the ability to obtain data, I just have to contact the company and- and they can send reports- it's not something that we do very often mostly because it's just a Time issue. It's not uh you know.

B

If we had more time to like dig into the data, then we probably would it's just you know it's a very tiny Department of faithful time and then me probably about a quarter time. So it's just not something. We've really had the opportunity to do, but, yes, it is available on the back end. We just have to contact the company and then they run the reports for us.

A

I think that's the first starting point: let's see how many people even go to the website, you know, is anybody using it how many people are using it.

D

Jasmine can I ask you a question: do we have a budget at any time for like TV commercials or anything like that.

B

Unfortunately, not we have a very, very small amount of money that is given to us for advertising and most of it uh kind of gets utilized for brochure distribution.

B

We did a giant order, I, don't know, maybe about three years ago of brochures, so we haven't had to have them reissued, but it is something that we need to look into as we head into the next fiscal year uh to see if we could request some extra dollars from city council so that we can do a revamp of our brochure. It actually is a very popular brochure.

B

um We just the distribution cost for the brochure is about thirty five hundred dollars and we get five thousand dollars annually for for marketing.

D

Wow, does anybody object to maybe like college at the desert they get on our local stations? Is there anything about getting on TV and talking about Palm, Springs uh street fair.

A

Well, I know that it, you know one PS regularly. Reports on it and I know that this independent. What's the independent Palm Springs Post they post every. You know when Village Fest is happening. They post it and I've even heard our local news say tonight. It's Village Fest, remember that so.

C

Amy Blasdell actually coordinates that part yes and that's why that they interviewed uh Daryl at one point and all that there's you know.

E

Well, if we need a liaison on this project, because um even just speaking with other councils, I know that they, you know, pay these social media companies or they have these contracts for their console um and a lot of the work doesn't change, and you know it doesn't really get done. So it would be something interesting to look into I. Don't know if there's budget that we could save there on that end because it wouldn't take long to manage you know period um yeah, that's all I have on that.

E

Like I know, that's an issue that's been going around as far as getting all of that up to speed so.

C

So does that make you our resident influencer.

E

I am just I am just a facilitator here.

C

Okay, all right.

E

C

And I'm, fine with all that, you know, um I'm happy to be corrected and I'm I'm happy also to understand what everyone else's views are on. It's fine. So we could, if we could just start with that phone, where you have to get some data and just see if you want to do anything about.

K

It and I will say that um the the vendor list is ever evolving. As you know, so it's it's um vendors. Come vendors, go sometimes they stay they're, not there on. You know weekend that you know they may take off for the summer or they you know, may take a week off here and there. So um the vendor list is ever evolving. So it is uh a challenge to keep up with it yeah.

K

You know, because I'm not sure if they're coming back, you know they may be gone for a few months, and then you know if they're, not a vendor, that I know that's been around for a while, I'm, not sure so it is ever evolving. So I do try and stay on top of it as best.

C

So you and I discussed today the possibility of, when you hand out um you, know more information about the rules and all of that to also solicit them to complete the form. Do you think we should do that or we shouldn't do that now, since we may be looking at making a change to.

K

Happen I mean I, think I, don't see an issue with I mean if the thing is is I. We can hand it out if they turn it in. They want to be on the website and if they don't, then they don't. um But there is so like you said they don't need phone numbers and things like that, but on when you input the vendor there are, there is information that has to be in there, so you can't upload it without like a phone number or without an email, and things like that. So.

C

And the other thing I wanted to raise was um was it last week, I I think it was last week when we had that haboob we had that big storm I was surprised that Village Fest was open for that I was embarrassed and, and someone I know, went and said it was kind of pathetic that there was so many empty spaces that there wasn't a lot of vendors.

C

Did the vendors leave once they came or they didn't come because they saw that I mean I knew it was coming because I was watching it on the news earlier. So I didn't really even plan to do anything for that evening. But um would we be closing for something like that? Rather than have a compromised event.

B

So I'll Faith I'll, let you answer the second one I'll answer the first part.

K

Got it okay, so.

B

Village Fest Village Fest. We we have a bit of a protocol unless we receive word from the city manager's office that we need to close the event before the event.

B

So in the past and my my experience with Village Fest, there's been a tendency to think that we need to close the event and then the event can take place. So I'll tell you that on a staff level that is very challenging to make the decision or to have the conversation about closing Village rest, because there's often times where Village fast, because it's bumped up right against that mountain. It does not get the same severe weather as something that is down the street and it's a very odd phenomenon.

B

But I will tell you that it could be windy at my office and we will drive downtown and there's just a slight breeze. I.

C

B

In the past, when we have closed the event in my 17 years with Village Fest, when we have closed the event before there has been I think one time where it was worth it and it was a massive flood in the downtown where the water was in the gutters and we would not have been able to hold it, but the other times that we have closed it beforehand. It ended up being a beautiful night and then we get a bit of the negative input about. Why do you cancel the event so soon?

B

You need to make sure it's going forward. It really upsets the downtown Merchants. So we've made a bit of a a protocol to wait as close to Village Fest to make that call, and then once we are out on the street, it becomes a safety precaution so that we leave the decision-making process of safety up to our police department and our fire department. That is on site.

B

So we working in in coordination with them to close if necessary, but it has to really come from a safety personnel to make a decision, whether to call it and we stood by probably for about 45 minutes determining whether it needs to be closed. Whether it shouldn't be closed, we went up and down the street, we had people remove their tenting so that it didn't blow after we had one tent that did blow over. So most vendors complied.

B

You know in order to try and stay open, because it's best for them to stay open and it's best for the merchants to stay open and then, honestly, probably it was about 45 minutes it kind of passed and we dealt with a bit of a breeze. Now there was an issue with the the air quality, which was pretty terrible.

B

um However, that decision by our safety personnel was made based on people can make that decisions for themselves. If they don't want to be out there, then they don't have to be out there and we allowed any vendor who did not want to be out there to exit the event safely without bringing vehicles on the street.

B

So we do have protocol in place for those type of weather situations, um and it is very challenging to try and close Village fast once we have opened mostly because no matter what we're going to get some negative feedback if the weather is beautiful and it clears up, people are angry that we had them come out. If we shut down too soon and the weather is beautiful, I mean it's just a it's.

B

A really really challenging situation and we did stand by uh Faith, walked up and down the street with the police sergeant in charge that night trying to see what what what what was the best method to try and prevent closing down, and if we could bypass the the storm that was coming through and and it did, it ended up actually being a decent evening. Weather-Wise, not so decent at air quality. Wise.

C

I totally get it and I was asking for informational purposes only because I wasn't sure why um or you know how that worked. I totally agree with the approach and the philosophy behind how you do it um I'm in full support of that. So so I wasn't I wasn't challenging it. I was really asking yeah.

B

No I I get it it's I I've I've run into a couple situations where it's not been pretty we're we've closed down and it makes people very angry and we deal with a lot of really upset. Merchants upset vendors.

B

um So we do our best to move forward with the event and our we have a protocol in place for closing down. If we should have to close down and.

C

We don't want to take the hit for being unreliable and inconsistent right, uh both with our vendors and and with our village festival for sure, because if we do we'll we'll start moving that so yeah I get it.

D

Yeah, do you remember that one year where it poured rain and everybody were under tents- and you know, and the village and the the people didn't want to leave, they wanted to keep going. They.

K

Don't so we we did have two tents that went down. There was um the wind because of the mountain, um maybe lasted 10 minutes 15 minutes at the most yeah, um so the there were um I would say. Maybe the two vendors that the tents that went down there was maybe I think two or three other vendors that did pull onto the side street and pack their items up. So at the most there was probably five vendors that did leave.

K

um We did ask the vendors, as Jasmine said, to take the top of their tent off, so we didn't have that unless they had their weights on. There was something heavy, um but it wasn't as bad as everywhere else, like Little, Treasures kind of came and went like.

C

Do we have a number of vendors who just didn't come that night because of it, though, well.

K

We're not full we're not at full capacity, so you know it is the beginning of October and- and you know, as we know, we are trying to get more vendors um at Village Fest. So it's it's not at full capacity blocks are not full yeah. We do try to spread them out. We do encourage events to spread out, um but I was down there.

K

I mean the air quality in that 10 minutes was pretty bad, um but then it just kind of cleared up and it was packed down there and when the wind was blowing like crazy and there's dirt everywhere. Those people did not care, they were just down there enjoying themselves, so um I mean- and it's like. If, if it's an issue for them, then they would leave you know so.

K

um uh Merchants get upset vendors get upset. You know uh the the customers that come down there get upset if we close Village fast I hear so much about. If we do so, that's um it's not a decision that we make and we try to rely on the police or the city manager to make that call, because um it doesn't happen very often and uh when we in when we do close like if we were to close then, but once you start closing the event, you can't open it back up.

K

You can't be like oh well, it's better now, so we can open it back up once the process goes, it's it, and if we've done that, like five minutes later, it was beautiful night. So yeah.

C

No I totally get it and I and I agree. I agree can.

A

I uh can I move. Are we done with that, because I have one more unfinished business: okay,.

G

A

Talked a couple of weeks ago about getting together um outside of a regular Zoom call to address, certainly to look at the data that um Greg and his team did David about retention, and um we didn't really get a chance to talk a whole lot about that. We were going to talk about. You know Criterion, for um you know how we accept vendors in what are the criteria for that, and maybe look at some of the categories we had and so I'm wondering have we. Where are we with having an in-service sort of meeting? We.

C

Were going to do a study session and I believe we're waiting for Greg to get back, since he has the presentation, and that was really the you know. That was the main reason for it, aside from us, also getting together and agreeing on standards, and things like that um and Greg is not back until early in November, so Jasmine. Where do we leave that so.

B

um I did a reach out to the convention center to see if they had some space in their conference. Room for us to hold a meeting. I also did a reach out to someone um who we have worked with in the past, who kind of helps navigate the these types of conversations, so that when we walk out, we have a full um a plan, not just like. Oh, we threw a bunch of ideas out, but we don't really know how to enact those plans um and she's helped us in the past.

B

She's done a village Fest study session before she's done some work with the parks and rec department, so I reached out to her to see if she had some time so right now, I'm trying to match up her schedule and the possible available dates at the convention center and if I could get three or four of them, then I'll send them out to you all. So you could tell me what days work for you, but I.

A

Was referring to yes, yeah.

B

So I'm going to try and do it at the in early December and mostly I'm. Sorry, mostly that has to do with my scheduling my scheduling's a little backed up. We just have a really heavy fall event season and then right after Festival Lights it lights up a bit for me. So then I would be able to um kind of focus in as well and try and provide as much to um this. This board, as as I normally do um so I'm looking towards the beginning of December for some dates.

B

I should ideally have something by early next week, where I could try and match them up.

D

And how many people are you um looking forward for this uh this meeting? How many people do you think here that will be there? Oh.

B

Ideally it'll be our board and faith in myself on the um director of Parks and Recreation will probably attend if even just part of it, she does kind of want to get a little bit more involved in this board um so and yeah background. So I think that's probably kind of her desire as well to provide some insight um to this board. So.

D

Just to let you know, I have come conference rooms upstairs you're. More than welcome to use you can close the doors they're open to you at any time that you need it.

A

um Tonight, o'clock.

D

At night, so you're welcome to we'll go upstairs and have it there. Thank you now.

C

Are we able to have this without uh public View yeah.

D

C

Conference rooms we'd have to have it where.

D

We have cameras, we have things that you could use, not a problem. Awesome like.

C

A computer with a camera in there perfect.

D

Yes, I can have that all set up for you.

C

Information at uh barista.

D

296 South Palm Canyon.

C

At the corner, oh I mean not Barista.

D

Yes, 420 Bank, upstairs okay, perfect.

C

All right, that'll.

B

Be great, that's great! Thank you. Julie you're.

D

A

Yes, thank you. Julie.

D

C

Okay, so moving along to reports and requests. Are there any public or board reports?

C

The only board stuff was the Recruitment and the retention subcommit. Anything from um from staff.

B

um I was just going to comment on the um study session, so we already went through that. We're good um I just would also briefly I'm hopeful that we'll be able to hold our second meeting in October. uh But should we not be able to um faith is currently working on our annual Halloween event, which is going to be the 27th of October? It's going to take place on Tahquitz, Canyon and it'll run it'll start at six o'clock and run until well.

B

We say until the candy runs out, but I buy a lot of candy, so we try and go yeah. You.

G

B

So, if anyone's interested in coming out and helping hand out candy bags- or um you know, help judge the costume contest, please let us know it's one of our favorite favorite events at Village, Fest, Ben,.

A

And I did it what in 2019 before coven, and it was really fun- it was the it was great, enjoying.

C

D

C

Were on the um on the on the judge committee for the yeah, exactly that was adorable I.

D

A

It's great it's a fun occasion and you really get into the Halloween Spirit. If there is such a thing.

C

So anybody who thinks that they can help with that um email um faith and let her know because she schedules us: okay,.

G

C

All right, um so any other staff reports. That's all we have well. You know what the next item is on the yes Chris. Sorry.

E

Last thing, um I know one of the vendors mentioned something about yum Fest in Palm. Desert could be a good recruitment play if you guys are craving some sort of interesting food. This I think he said Saturday, which is Saturday so.

D

um All in the parking lot upstairs so.

E

If there's any favorites.

J

E

Be good for the village Fest. It might not be a bad idea if, if anyone is free that nights to go peruse, but just.

C

Three hours for that, do you have any idea.

E

I will look it up right now: yum Fest on desert.

D

It's the last one, they're gonna have.

E

Looks uh 11 A.M to 7 P.M, so it looks all day at the shops at Palm, Desert, cool.

C

And that's: uh what's the date.

E

This Saturday I will drop it in the chat. If anyone wants to there, it is yumfoodfest.com.

C

So that's that's! The 15th is an oh I. Can't do it because.

K

I took a I, took a picture.

C

Tell you we can't, because we have our event. Sorry I.

K

Took a picture at the mall and it says uh Saturday October 15th from 2 to 10., so the.

E

Oh you're, right it is okay, it is two to ten yeah I think the website was cool. That's.

C

The summer annual meeting and dinner reception, though I, feel you so yeah.

A

I know we you and I can't can't go.

C

I can't yeah: let's go for lunch.

E

All right: well, that's it Dan.

C

Anybody planning to do it here.

C

Okay, well, do some good recruiting for us.

D

I will all.

E

Right, Julie, okay,.

C

uh Anything else before we adjourn I make a motion. We adjourn.

E

C

E

C

Okay, thank you all.

D

E

Have a great week bye all right, bye.