Fortunately, it's already nine oh two, so I'm doubly delinquent, apparently.

All right.

Uh interrupt me if there's something that I need to know, but we'll go ahead and get the meeting started.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is nine oh two, and we will call to order this meeting of the Nevada Commission for the Reconstruction of the VT Railway.

I appreciate uh everyone being there.

I apologize for my absence.

I'm in Washington, DC, pretending to do important things.

Uh, we'll go ahead and get started with a roll call and determination of quorum.

Brianna, do you want to take us through that?

Yeah, no problem.

Chair Mitchell.

I'm here.

Vice Chair Peterson.

Present.

Treasurer Cruz.

Present.

Secretary Hicks, here.

A quorum is present.

Very good.

Thank you so much.

Uh, with that, we'll move on to the Pledge of Allegiance.

Um, since since I'm on this weird, I will join you, but Dave, do you mind believing us in that?

Certainly.

Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

Thank you kindly.

Uh, we'll move on to item number four, which is public comment.

Uh, the public is invited at this time to comment on and discuss any topic that is relevant to or within the authority of this public body.

I will note that no action may be taken on a matter raised under public comment unless the item has been specifically included in the agenda as an item maybe taken action on comment may be limited to three minutes per person or topic at uh at this the discretion of the chair in order to facilitate the meeting.

Do we have any public comment at the beginning of the meeting today?

There's none in the room, Chair.

Very good.

Seeing and hearing none, we will go ahead and move on to item number five, which is the approval of the minutes of our January twenty-eighth, twenty twenty-sixth meeting.

Commission, any comments or questions about the minutes.

It says Secretary Hicks noted email in PR campaigns that reinforce social media efforts to purchase tickets.

And while that makes me sound really smart, I believe that it was Treasurer Cruz who actually said that.

Thank you.

Any other uh corrections, comments, questions?

All right, hearing none from the commission.

Is there any public comment on this item?

There's no public comment, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you kindly.

Hearing none, uh, we'll go ahead and entertain a motion for approval with the noted change.

I move to approve the minutes of January 28th, 2026 with the changes noted on the record.

Thank you kindly.

Do we have a second?

I second.

Fantastic.

Any final uh conversation on this item?

All right, hearing none, we'll call for a vote.

All those in favor, please indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

And uh opposed if any.

Hearing none is unanimous.

We have approved the minutes.

Thank you very much.

We will move on to item number.

Oh, sorry, I'm looking at the minutes again.

Just about took us off the rails.

Uh pun totally intended.

Item six, uh, for possible action, discussion and possible action regarding the VNT commission statement of accounts payable checks totaling 427,230 and 55 cents.

Paid December 1st through 31st, 2025.

Treasurer Cruz, do you have any uh further enlightenment to offer on this item?

Uh pretty average spend.

I mean, it looks like a lot, but it was during PEX, so makes sense.

Very good.

Questions or comments from the commission?

Chair, may I just ask uh two-part question related to PEX?

So the 157 and the 91k for Tom, is that covering all the PEX runs, or will there still be some expenditures in January?

And then I'm assuming the second part is everything that we owe to rail events, probably is the is gonna come out in the January.

Checks payable for the royalties and everything.

Okay.

Oh, um, Sherry, you'll have to very sorry.

Um the rail events was paid in January.

Um the Virginia and Truckee, I'm 99% sure that's complete, including East Got Eastgate um staff.

Perfect.

Thank you.

I appreciate that.

Very good.

Further questions or comments?

Any any public comment on this item?

Hearing none, I'll entertain no public comment, uh Chair.

Thank you.

Thank you kindly.

Uh hearing none, I'll go ahead and entertain a motion for approval.

I move to approve the payable checks totaling 427,230 and 55 cents paid December 1st through 31st, 2025 as presented.

Very good.

We have a motion.

Do we have a second?

I second.

Fantastic.

Any last minute comment or discussion?

Hearing none, all those in favor, please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Motion passes unanimously.

Uh with that, we'll move on to item number seven, which is discussion of possible action regarding the VNT Commission's adjusted fiscal year 2526 budget reports for the period of December 2025.

Treasurer Cruz, anything you'd like to add to this?

Um, no, once again, it seems fairly routine.

Um, I did have one question for Sherry, but it's uh it's not really a question, it's more of a statement.

So that the bank reconciliation credit card fee that was put into the wrong account doesn't affect the totals, it's just affecting the accounting, correct?

Correct.

Yeah.

Very good.

Any other uh question or comment from the commission?

Hearing none, any public comment on this item.

There's no public comment, Chair.

Thank you very much.

Uh hearing none, I will go ahead and entertain a motion for approval.

I move to approve the budget report as presented.

Very good.

We have a motion.

Do we have a second?

I second.

Motion and a second.

Last any last comments.

Great.

With all uh hearing none, all those in favor, please indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Uh chair, we also just so you know, uh if you could just hold hold tight for a second so you can get the last vote.

Okay, I'm good.

Aye.

Oh, very good.

We're complete.

Yeah, three ay.

I was gonna vote aye.

I I was gonna vote aye.

It wouldn't have mattered anyway, but it's nice to have a complaint.

I didn't want to do that too to the treasurer, you know, to not vote on her budget for her to not vote.

Yeah, I appreciate that.

Thank you.

I'm having to on I I didn't get a chance to print out my agenda, so I'm having to switch back and forth on the screen.

So sometimes I'm seeing what's happening in the room, sometimes I'm not.

Uh that vote is unanimous.

The motion is approved.

Thank you kindly.

Um let's go ahead and move on to item number eight, which is discussion of possible action regarding the proposed calendar year 2026 train schedule.

Um Sherry, do you want to uh take us through this one?

I'll be happy to provide some additional comment if needs be, but um do you want to start us out?

Certainly, I'm gonna pass out that email we discussed from Tom.

Can you hear me, Clay?

Can you hear can you hear Sherry?

She okay.

So this is um email from this morning regarding the schedule.

So we may have to do some update.

Thank you.

There's um uh as as Sherry's getting back to her stuff.

I there's there's quite a bit in this email.

I think I've narrowed it down to a few things of very specifically relate.

Um, certainly some of these things will relate to our budgeting process.

I don't think those are in the scope of this item, and we don't necessarily need to discuss them, but certainly those that directly relate to to calendar scheduling do.

And the ones that I've isolated out of this have to do with potentially making some adjustments on the weekend of August 1st and 2nd, the weekend of September 12th and 13th, and then potentially changing the method of propulsion for Mother's Day.

Um Sherry, I don't know if you noted any other uh specific dates for us to discuss potentially making changes on.

I have not been able to note that.

Um apparently this email came on my way here, so I have not been able to figure out the additional eight steam trains that Tom pointed out.

Um but having said that, I do see some um, especially for the August 1st and 2nd being able to switch that to diesel easily.

That's the hot August nights weekend, and then the camel race weekend on the 12th and 13th.

Um I don't know that we have to necessarily change our schedule per se, but maybe switch some of the steam to diesel.

But it's gonna take me a little bit of a deeper dive to understand these changes.

Chair, could I just ask a question?

So on the August 1st or 2nd, it it has uh Tom says we hang on, we can add half of them back this season, but not on August 1st or 2nd weekend or so.

Does that Easel?

I believe he's saying he can do diesel as well I'm that's how I'm interpreting it.

Yeah, me too.

For the four or for the six, is it uh uh is it half of the 12 steam days that were added, or just half of the eight operating days?

So Vice Chair, I I I think that I wouldn't get hung up on the 12 and eight days.

I I think what's most important is to acknowledge the specific dates that he calls out because those are days that he needs time within the schedule to uh to do some required maintenance or work on the the locomotive, and so the option that he gave us as I read it was to either not run on those weekends or to switch to diesel on those weekends.

Um, and that's kind of the bare the bare minimum changes that need to happen.

Um and then kind of in addition to that, he was noting that it seemed that we had added quite a few days, those account for some of them.

He had also called out Mother's Day and and just said that you know he he didn't feel it was an absolute necessity to run Steam on that day.

Certainly uh a little a little easier to market or more attractive to market, but since it's sold sold out already, it may be more profitable to run diesel.

So as I read it, those are the specific days that he's saying it does not work to run to run Steam.

Uh the others, it sounds like there may be a way to accommodate, but but he sees them as additional.

And I and I haven't identified as Sherry, I haven't identified what days those might be.

Um can I give my opinion on this, please?

Um I don't care what what train runs on Camel and uh Hot August Nights Weekend.

I just think it's imperative that a train run.

Um we can really build that into marketing for both V E T V E T V and T and VCTC and Carson and all that to avoid the parking or whatever.

So like I said, if as long as there's a train, I'm happy with diesel.

Is that it's not gonna be what people are truly writing for on that weekend as much as other weekends.

They're just writing a lot of people are just gonna be writing to get to Virginia City and back.

So that's just my opinion.

And then I do have another question, and it's really just somebody refresh my brain for me why we don't run on Fourth of July weekend.

I can never remember every year.

I'm always I need chat GPT.

Well, I'm only asking this here because the um 4th of July is on a weekend.

Um we're kind of working on doing some stuff our Friday night too.

That's I can't announce yet, but and then possibly, you know, Saturday is gonna be a big deal, and it's the 250, America 250.

Um, I just don't know why we're not running.

So I'm fine with it.

I just need would like to know.

Right.

And I believe um what from what Tom has told me in the past, it's because he uh feels that the the town can't handle the the capacity, that the town is already at capacity, so he feels that it's not as good an experience for the the long line passengers because they there's too much going on and they can't they wait too long to eat and shop and whatever.

That's what he's told me before.

I don't know that I agree with that, but that's what right.

Is that the same reason for Labor Day?

I think it's the same thing.

Because Labor Day has not been very busy up there, so um, just curious.

Okay.

I mean, it's and the at the end of the day, we're at Tom's mercy with that.

So if he doesn't want to run it on 4th of July, then we really can't.

But um I think it's definitely something we could have a conversation about with him because I feel I personally feel it would be beneficial, but I agree.

That's just put me putting my thoughts on the record.

So yeah, thank you.

Leah, I think my you know, my inclination was not to run because of the capacity of the town, but I think if we can shift it more into a replacement or substitution, so people are coming up using the train instead of coming up and parking.

I kind of feel different about it, but um, but I don't know how we make sure that we're not just adding to the mayhem and we're actually making a better uh a swap, if you will.

Well, and to go a little deeper into that too, it all people are really coming up in the evening, not during the day.

So that is another thing to think about too.

Like, yeah, they can come up during the day and hang out and do whatever we have a parade at noon, um, but then they have to go back and then would they still come up for the fireworks, or are they gonna stay in Carson?

Do we build it as a day where you come up and do the parade in Virginia City, go down to Carson, watch what you know what there's things to think about that way too.

So it's like I said, just a bigger conversation that maybe is not for this year, but maybe for next, since we're trying to get this all hammered out now.

So thank you.

Great.

Thank you.

And uh yeah, I I I share your uh desire to check those assumptions and see if they hold out.

Um and same with Labor Day.

I um yeah, I don't think it would hurt to bring more up, although there is I think some complication with battle trains that day potentially.

Oh, yeah, there is.

You're correct.

But does that happen?

We have a parade at noon on Labor Day, so maybe there's potential to work something.

We can talk to him some more, but labor the Labor Day Parade has been sad.

So anytime we can get more people up, that would be great.

All right, that's it.

Yeah, absolutely.

Other thoughts are uh discussion around uh around the schedule.

I um I agree that I think for hot August nights and camel races, the diesel train would be fine.

So I'm okay with that swap.

I guess I I would just be concerned about changing the Mother's Day, even though that is sold out.

Um if it has always been steam, I feel like that's what people expect.

So I would hate to affect that um that event by making making a change.

So if we can keep that one steam, that would be my preference.

Great.

Thank you for that input.

Any other thoughts or discussion?

On Saturday, July 25th.

Is that two steam?

I'm no, one is excuse me.

I can clarify one is the toast of the canyon that evening.

Okay.

And so then there's a the other line for the steam, the steam train during the day, the scalar.

Yeah, got it.

That's the way it is through all of the Toast of the Canyon.

That's I thought two lines needed to wrap my brain around it.

Thank you.

Chair, I have a couple of questions and need some direction, just oh, or can confirmation.

Um is the 10% discount on Sundays.

If we want to follow through with that, and then I also on some of the bigger weekends, like Memorial Day, Father's Day, hot August nights, those bigger weekends.

If we would want to offer the 10% discount on Sundays, I have thoughts on that if anybody wants to hear them.

Please go ahead.

Yeah, I'd be curious about ridership numbers and it all does it all's gonna go back to that to ridership numbers, but uh my that's just my personal thought.

If if we are offering a 10% discount on Sundays, it needs to be across all the way across.

And it would be even more of a marketing push for holidays if we say, and if you come up on a Sunday and a holiday, there's 10% off.

But that's just my opinion.

Um I under it like like a hotel has blackout dates, maybe we do for you know, that kind of stuff.

So other other thoughts on this particular item.

Uh this is Dave Clay, uh Chair.

I I'm fine too with um keeping the 10% for all the Sundays to not create such a weird situation with cherry picking weekends and having to properly put the code in, out take, put it on, put it to you know, all that stuff.

Um, I think that will save Candy some heartache and Sherry, right?

As far as building out the ticketing.

Um so I just wanted to ask two questions.

Are is the 250th we had talked about at the retreat doing like a 250th celebration train?

Is that in here?

Or is that are we just going to use one of the weekends so we we don't have to add another train?

Would would one of the weekends be that special?

That that was my thought.

Okay.

Yeah.

Which weekend?

Do you have a preference?

Or I 4th of July.

Okay.

Yeah.

Silly.

That was Aliah Cruz that made the comment.

Um so okay, if we could hold that.

I just wanted to then ask one follow-up question, then we can come back to that.

So we're right now we're doing this a little bit differently, and that it looks like we're actually going to approve the schedule all the way through the fiscal year, not just through the end of the calendar year.

Is that the hope?

Because I I see the schedule goes through June 27, 2027.

So I just wanted to make sure that's a little bit different than we've done in the past uh where we've just done basically the calendar year.

So is that is that the expectation for today?

And Tom is aware that so he's okay with these dates all the way through next fiscal year.

I just want to make sure he's because if we're approving the schedule, it's gonna go through June of next year, not just Polar Express like we've normally done in the past.

So I just want to make sure we're all on the same page here.

Candy Duncan.

Um I I'm confused too by his email that he sent this morning.

So I'm not um I I think that with those changes that he mentioned in the email, it sounds like he's good with all of it.

And I remember last year, um, as far as getting the calendar done, I think that's what we did at this meeting, because then I was able to get it all loaded in for the season.

So yeah, the only difference being uh when we did it last year, we just went through PEX.

Now we're technically going through the start of next we did last season.

So I just I just want to make sure I'm tracking and understanding that we're going to I like this because I I appreciate that we're trying to actually get us through the whole fiscal year so we can establish costs.

So I'm all for it.

I just want to make sure everybody we're on the same page, you know, because we have Mother's Day that loops again and then Father's Day and everything and Memorial Day weekend.

So I just want to make sure we're whatever we're setting up for this year, then technically speaking, we're also agreeing to do the same thing then for next next calendar year, but but next train season, if that makes sense.

So we're kind of like one and a half seasons, yeah, sort of.

So okay, good.

Just I want to make sure I'm on the same page with everybody.

Well, and uh Vice Chairman, I I think my comment there would be that you know we will have another opportunity to finalize that portion of the operating schedule, but from a budgeting perspective, we have we have to have some sort of a notion of what that's going to look like.

And so uh a year from now we can confirm or modify, but we don't have the luxury of having it blank as we head into the budget for 27.

Well, yeah, I love it.

I think this is a great change.

And I I personally support us trying to do this.

So I do have a couple other questions, comments.

Um the short one um would be the Father's Day week, and we've decided to make that a little bit more of an event equal to Mother's Day.

Would that be Saturday and Sunday or just Sunday?

I don't know how the Mother's Day started.

Did it get so big that they added Monday?

Yeah.

Is that what happened?

I don't know if we should be conservative and only do the Sunday of Father's Day, or if you want to dive right in and charge $75 for Saturday and Sunday tickets.

Would there be something extra on both days then?

Yeah, yes.

I I mean, I would love to do that myself, treat the weekends equally, but I'm just speaking for myself.

I think that's a great idea, personally.

Yeah, because we do sell out uh right for the Father's Day for the Sunday, yeah for the Sunday.

Yeah, and maybe this would give us an opportunity to see what we can do with Saturday as well.

Yeah, worth a shot.

It's it's worth a yeah, if we're if we're trying to experiment.

I I'm just speaking for myself, but I like the idea of I think that's a great suggestion.

I agree, it's worth a try.

All right, and then my sorry, Sherry.

I ask um with our previous conversation around 10% discounts, would that apply on Mother's Day and Father's Day, Sunday weekend, Sundays.

Aren't those did does that apply to special trains?

I didn't think it applied to the special trains, just uh because you get something extra with those, it's not just writing, right?

Yeah, that's how I recall the conversation at the retreat when we were elevating the price.

We weren't gonna discount that back down because it was a sort of a like a special event train.

So that was my that's my recollection as well.

Okay.

I think the only one that would have to be changed is just the one that says no 10% discount for Memorial Day weekend because you don't have it on the other Sundays for the special events.

I think the 10 the 10% discount is just on a regular train, not an actual train that get you get something extra.

Okay, that's how I remember that's how I understand it.

Okay.

Is that jive for you, Clay, too, from the retreat?

Absolutely.

Okay, I j I just wanted to confirm it because we had just had conversation about making it the same across the board, including holidays, and that's why I wanted to get clarity on it.

Uh got it, understood.

That's like okay.

Great, thank you, Sherry.

Sure.

Then I still have two more things.

I remembered my the next one was at the retreat.

It was mentioned for Toast of the Canyon to raise the price to 75.

And in thinking about this and how it's structured, I have a hard time thinking that we are going to provide 15 or 20 dollars more value on the toast of the canyon.

We're limited on the amount of time.

Um, and then as I have had it set up after after the train ride, they can have a tasting of red wine at the depot.

We still are very limited.

Um, and we don't have the staff to keep the date depot open right then.

Um we do on the you know, the plus side, we are adding one extra toast this year, and Candy and I do have a plan to increase ridership for the uh wine train by about 25 or 30 more people.

So I'm wondering if we can't raise the price to 65 or 70 dollars, and maybe look next year how we can um expand a little bit more, but I just I'm kind of racking my brain on how say, okay, well, this is gonna be 20 more.

Yeah, I think and the prospect of serving the finest boxed white wine doesn't do it for you or our guests.

I try.

I'm it's Franzi, it's a 91 rated box wine.

I think it's time for you ladies to take out your tap shoes and this is candy.

Oh that um my opinion on this in all seriousness is you know better than we do what people are looking for and what they want to pay.

And if you're recommending something different than what we discussed, I think it's it behooves us to really pay attention to that.

Um I'm not there to test to say whatever.

So if you feel that that's you know that we were a little overzealous at the retreat because we were, you know, high on coffee and sugar and sugar, Coca-Cola.

Um then maybe that we do take a step back and and re-evaluate next year and make it a little better with tap dancing.

Yeah.

We'd have all year to practice.

That's right.

Could you talk about the plan that you have?

Like if we kept the if we keep the price at 65, uh the plan for the 25 or you know, 30 different guests, just uh what your thoughts are around that to offset, you know, help with the revenue with the weekend.

You want me to go ahead.

Okay, Candy Duncan.

Um, well, the full train, if we have three cars holds 210 passengers, and we've only been selling 140 tickets, and so we can add that many more and still have plenty of room for the servers and the food and everything else.

So that's how we would do it.

And over the two seasons, I think we've gotten the serving down so that it's not quite so intimidating to try to serve that many people.

Yeah.

Yeah, we backed it down to 140 because the year before we didn't take that into consideration.

And we filled it, but it was it didn't work out very well because there were too many people in some people never got their glass of boxes.

I don't think they did.

Yeah.

Okay.

Stop saying boxed wine.

How about wine?

Wine.

And wine.

Wine in a can.

That's actually good.

Can I heard that?

All right.

My last question is about the Mark Twain train.

I'm happy to do with your blessing and Tom's to do more of a toast of the canyon as we discussed at the at the retreat and canceling that Friday.

I I wasn't sure how I should build that into the schedule.

Or do we can we put it on hold for a month or two?

Or I am I have talked to um Todd with my person up in Virginia City.

Um, and we are on board, haha, uh, to definitely just do a toast and not bring him, bring it to Virginia City.

However, obviously the board it's it's not just me.

Um I'm not gonna get into it again like I did at the retreat, but based on all the conversation that I had with everyone about it, I think it makes sense to do a toast.

And I think it could be really cool.

Um, and it gets people back into Carson in time for some of the other things that are happening there that are Twain related, um, as opposed to coming up to Virginia City and us being in the midst of Haunt Oper.

And and it's kind of a it's a weird thing to go up to and switch it all up and then come back for more Mark Twain stuff.

So that's just my personal opinion.

So I'm good with it.

I spoke with Eric on my team about the fact that this would have to change.

I know there hasn't been direct conversation with the Bree Arts Center at this point, but I did talk to okay.

So there will be today, it sounds like I did mention to Eric about the fact that we probably wouldn't be coming up into Virginia City.

And I actually think based on the schedule, because there will be a pretty cool literary event on Friday night.

The idea of having a toast maybe in the afternoon that could work out uh in such a way that people could get back to Carson City, they could actually do both events on Friday, which helps us because the idea uh would be to hopefully get some folks to come in on Thursday so to generate that additional room night because they would want to be uh able to take in all of the activities on Friday versus coming in and only maybe doing the literary event at night.

And so I Eric seemed to like that idea, you know, to give folks the ability to do both of the kind of signature events on Friday, you know, leading into the weekend.

So that's that's that's what I I have discussed with my team internally.

I have go ahead.

You first um so do a toast train Friday evening or Saturday evening, or do it early Friday.

I mean, is that still a question or are you telling me that's a good one?

Well doing it.

Okay, so well, no, I'm not well, okay.

I I'm not trying to tell anybody what to do.

Uh Saturday will conflict with the ball.

So that presents a problem for us from an event.

Well, for us, say visit Carson City slash the Bray Art Center.

So take away from the attendance at the ball on Saturday, which is potentially shifting as I understand it, uh, to the railroad museum.

So now we'd be sort of splitting the baby there.

Okay.

And they do have the literary events on Friday night.

This is something new as this sort of morphs more into a literary type festival, just given Mark Twain, uh being a writer.

And so and I apologize because I I was thinking when we talked about the Canyon or American Flats or whatever, I was thinking of that uh in my head as being the afternoon on Friday, so as to not force people to have to now pick between the literary event and riding on the train, they could actually do both.

So uh when when we left the retreat, that that was sort of how I positioned this with my team.

Okay.

So I apologize if I misunderstood.

So that Friday then would be a full day train ride.

No.

No.

So you want Tom to bring the train down and back just for a toast.

So he would probably charge you more.

I thought he was going to leave the train because we're running Saturday and Sunday.

So he brings it down Saturday morning.

Okay.

So you could, I mean, you could ask him.

I mean, we would have to talk to him and see how that works in his schedule.

Because I'm if he brought it down for the toast and left it, maybe he would do that.

I mean, I mean, that just has that's it to Tom.

In my head, that's what I was envisioning would be the case without having to go all the way back up only to come back down.

But I thought that would be easier on everybody too.

Because I because I sense there was an issue about the hours, I guess that that the crew can work, you know, in one day or 24 hour period and everything.

So anyway, in my head, that's how I that's how I ran with this.

So I I apologize, but yeah, I was trying to figure out how to thread the needle here to allow people the ability to basically take in the three signature, I guess.

Well, four if we uh three, you know, signature events, two on Friday and then the one on Saturday, and they're working on potentially another one, um, which has nothing to do with the I don't think us, but I also was thinking for people that maybe could not get in in time to take the train on Friday, you know, we still want to market and promote the Saturday and Sunday trains because they're here for the Mark Twain days too.

We can't rearrange the entire schedule, of course, around when folks would get back to the depot, but I think Saturday is going to be okay with the timing of the evening event, so that if people weren't able to ride Friday, shorter train, yes, but if they wanted to go to Virginia City all day, it would work out perfectly, you know, for them.

So anyway, I just I just figure that's a way to still because I I want to keep Virginia City in the mix, right?

Uh where possible, and if we we have everything open on Saturday and Sunday, I think that would be awesome for people and just helps us, you know, with the regional nature of the event itself.

So I think it turns into Friday becomes more of the Mark Twain thing.

Um and then Saturday and Sunday is still the Hauntober stuff.

And you could make it you could make it a longer train on Friday since there isn't another one, it would be the only one.

So you could make it a little bit longer.

And correct me if I'm wrong, but this train has so far been a very big draw, right?

It's sold out every time.

So if you do something cool and different, I and I think people will really appreciate it, especially anybody that's written it before.

If we're sending out the email to them and saying, hey, we're doing the twain train again, but here's the new spin on it.

You may and but they may repurchase or whatever.

So yeah.

So we could work, we can think about that.

We don't have to put it on the schedule yet.

Okay, yeah, on the ticket schedule.

Yeah, yeah.

We can because that's what I did last year.

I put it in.

You added it later.

Yeah.

Well, number one, it sounds like we need to talk to Tom.

Yeah.

And make sure that this is even feasible.

So further uh further discussion about the schedule.

I think we do need to have a longer conversation about uh the America 250 train.

Uh Tom, uh Tom, Dave brought it up, but we never we kind of glossed over that.

Yeah.

How do what does that look like?

I personally, and I'm just a purist about stuff like this.

I think it having it on a weekend that's not the 4th of July weekend seems odd to me.

Um, but I'm willing to do whatever anybody else wants to do.

And what are well, I mean, obviously we have parameters in regards to how many times Tom can help us and what he's willing to help us with.

So once again, this may be a conversation that needs we need Tom in the room to discuss, but I'm just looking what the rest of the board thinks for a 250 train if we even do anything like that.

I think if we're not gonna do it on 4th of July, I mean maybe there's an opportunity to do it the weekend that's right before.

Um, but then that puts a Father's Day weekend, you know, event, and then the next weekend would be the America 250, which would be, I mean, those are back to back big weekends, so true.

Yeah, those ticket sales, one could cannibalize the other one big time.

So how you know I as I was thinking about thinking about it, I kind of came away.

And I know that technically the 250 is the year leading up to this 4th of July.

Um, but I kind of was thinking it as some of as potentially something interesting to boost our dismal August ridership numbers.

It's not a bad idea.

We could call it the 250 point two because we're two more months in, so there's a marketing spin on that that Leah can work with, I think quite nicely.

Thanks.

But I do like that idea too.

I was going to suggest the same thing, Clay, uh, potentially looking at August, where we have that really sub 31% or whatever.

Uh not occupancy, but um rider ship, you know, percentage, right?

And so maybe that would be a cool weekend in August to pick from.

I guess another question I have is what does a America 250 train look like?

How is it different than a wine train or like just more flags?

Like what are we what are we doing to make it a big thing?

And it is it in our capacity to even do that.

Do we have funding to decorate crazy and you know, like, or is it just okay, come ride the train and sing happy birthday to America and get off.

Like I want it to be special because we're you know, all of our regions are doing some pretty cool stuff, and I don't want it to, I don't want people to get off of it and be like, well, I could have just done a taste train or uh, you know, like how are we making it cool?

And is it in our wheelhouse to even do so?

Yeah, so yeah.

That's that's a great question, Leah.

I think if we're making it a really American train, guns for everybody, whiskey, barbecue, train robbers.

I think that's what we need.

Well, um just uh so you know some things we used to do in the past, and I don't know if it would work for us, but we used to do um a barbecue at the Eastgate, and so maybe we could make that you know the 250th celebration, so you get a train ride and a barbecue.

That's a cool idea.

Yeah, BBQ, yeah, get a band in there or something.

Oh, that would be pretty good.

Yeah, and you can it it's you know, we would set up the tables, and we had I think it was um Dwight Millard's Plaza Hotel catered it and brought in all the goodies and yeah, we do have a couple options for like a food truck that does barbecue and stuff like that that we could look into, and maybe even a band, like just a nothing crazy, just a couple, you know, even if it's acoustic or whatever, something at the depot leading into it, and then everybody gets a course light when they board in a can or blood light.

Oh, whatever Budweiser, yeah.

And box-wise, and it's about well now we now we're talking about box line.

Did you hear that?

Suggested by Candy.

And if Garth Brooks is playing at the oh my goodness, great.

I really think that that makes sense.

Something like that's something that we can do, and we don't have to change what happens on the train, right?

But you add in yes celebration, maybe too hot in August after the return.

Well, yeah, the return.

So when they come back, they have the barbecue at four.

We open the windows, get a little air.

No, and not the train, like the actual barbecue.

Will it be too warm?

Like, will the window it'll be really warm, yes.

But would would we do easy ups or something?

Open all the doors to East Gate.

We've got the new electrical coming in.

We could connect a fan.

We did, yeah, we but we brought big fans in.

You can rent them at United rentals, they have those giant fans.

We did that.

I mean, could we do like a pin?

Uh uh, you know, like a VNT pin that everybody that rides that train they can have a takeaway or a keepsake or something.

Not a pen, a pin.

With an eye, yeah, with an eye or just something.

Say 250th VNT railway.

Yeah, or something like that.

I mean, train, you know, yeah, 250th VNT train, or I don't you know, it might be something swag would be great.

Which was what we've talked about anyway.

We really want to build more of that.

So this is a good.

I think if we have the capacity, if we have the staffing, if we have the time, August probably could work for that.

And it would, it could be pretty cool.

So and then that way I can tell all the people who whine at me that they can't ride the fourth of July that we're gonna have a special celebration.

Because I'm sure you do.

I was thinking about that when I was talking about, I'm sure you get a lot of calls.

Why is there no train?

Yeah, so yeah, you can give them give it to them as a option.

Yeah.

Okay, but when in August, like the first weekend.

Not the first weekend.

That's hot August nights.

Just kidding.

I knew that.

That's up in our place.

Oh, and hot August nights in um Virginia City this year is actually gonna span two days, so that is good that we're doing Saturday and Sunday.

So they're changing it up this year.

So maybe the weekend after or in the middle.

I think it should definitely be if I could just make a suggestion or recommendation.

I think it should be a weekend that we have a steam train.

Yeah, nothing you know, speaks to Americana Westward expansion.

So the 15th, 16th.

That's yeah, right in the middle.

That's my birthday.

Um then we can't do it then.

Candy's 250th birthday celebration.

Yeah, first.

We're gonna celebrate candy on the train.

Well, I don't want to make her do all that on her birthday.

Oh, but she's getting free coolers light all weekend.

I'll be able to ignore the inevitability of another birthday.

And are we we're just thinking one day, right?

Like this the Saturday.

I would do 50.

Yeah, too.

Yeah.

The 15th.

Yeah.

Do you think I like that?

Do we think we can make this happen?

I think so.

Now, would we want to have the have it be this $75?

And that includes dinner.

That would be weird.

Does it is it?

Charge $75 for a couple glasses of wine.

Versus an entire five dollars for the colour.

That might have to be a hundred dollar ticket.

I hope everybody realizes I'm joking about the quarterbite and the butt line.

That was not a legitimate.

Well, you definitely have to turn it on.

So we're gonna have natural ice?

Yes, fatty ice all the way.

Um well, yeah.

How does that look?

And another question now that I we're really going into this, and I don't want to belabor this and make this a whole big thing just about this, but um, do we have the budget even to do this?

Do to to book catering and and uh maybe potentially a band or music of some sort or whatever.

Some rentals for our job next week.

Yeah, we'll we'll figure out.

Yeah, that's not for us to figure out.

Yeah, we can just tell them what to do.

Yeah, do you guys have the budget?

Well, so I I will point out, Leah, that it's in the next budget year.

And so depending on how the next agenda item goes, that might provide budget that we're looking for.

There we go.

Two shea chair, two shape.

Got it.

Okay.

I mean, if we think we can do it, I think it would be great.

I think people will really appreciate it.

It's not something that we'll do every year, so it's not like we're gonna task the team with an a whole other train to worry about.

It's just a one off special thing.

Um, that the VNT can really get behind.

So I'm good with it.

I like it too.

Me too.

It'd be 50 years before we do the 300th anyway.

So then it won't be my problem.

If we are, heaven help us.

Yeah.

Okay.

So uh so if I'm I'm gonna try to summarize the changes uh that we have talked about as far as our schedule goes.

And the first one is changing both uh camel races and hot August nights weekends from steam to diesel.

The second one is doing our uh 250th event on August 15th.

The third is a clarification that the 10% discount applies to all normal train Sundays, including holidays, uh, which means it would not apply on Mother's Day and Father's Day, and then we had talked about reducing the price along with making some other logistical changes to boost our revenue for our toast trains to, and I apologize I did not uh get the amount.

What do you think, Sherry?

I think it was recommended $65 by Sherry and Candy.

Yeah, right.

Yeah, they're shaking their.

I don't know if you could say yes or not, but yes.

Okay, very good.

And any other changes or decisions that we made in that conversation.

I think the only other one, uh Mr.

Chair was for Father's Day in 2027.

We would have the Father's Day on Saturday too.

Yeah, could you be here too?

Because we're trying the new, so maybe we just make a notation to add a note there, you know, pending the outcome of Father's Day 26 for Saturday.

Okay.

That's on the last page lay before the green, like the green above the green box.

Yeah, so so just to be clear, we are making the change to make Father Day Father's Day more special this year just on Sunday, both days.

What do we both days?

Well both days.

And one other change we discussed was uh we need to get Tom's approval to change up potentially the Mark Twain train.

Yes.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

For the yeah, for Friday.

Alternate plan.

Great.

Uh any any other adjustments we should have in here for the schedule.

All right.

Uh hearing none, we'll go to public comment.

Any public comment on this item?

All right.

Seeing none, uh, I'll be happy to entertain a motion.

And I imagine since we just summarize the changes, we probably can just incorporate those by reference.

So an approval of the schedule uh with uh with the changes or adjustments made as discussed on the record.

So someone want to make a motion.

Um I'm happy to make a motion, Chair.

So I move to approve the 2026 2027 train schedule as presented with the changes noted as a part of our discussion on the record.

Very good.

We have a motion.

Do we have a second?

I second.

Excellent.

Any uh any final conversation on this item?

Hearing none.

Oh, call for the question.

Any uh all those in favor, please indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Uh motion passes unanimously.

Thank you so much.

That was some good some good adjustments that we made.

And um, and I guess there will likely be some fine-tuning that happens, and we can either bring that back for future item or we can just authorize staff to handle that.

So our non-staff staff that we all right with that we will move on to um item number nine, which is discussion of possible action regarding opening an interest-bearing account with Moreton Asset Management LLC for excess funds with an initial transfer uh not to exceed uh not to exceed amount of $800,000, authorization for the Nevada Commission for the reconstruction of the VNT Railway Commission, chair and treasurer, along with the Story County Comptroller and Treasurer to serve as signatories on the Moreton account for administration and oversight.

Uh three direction to Moritan regarding an investment strategy tailored to the commission's needs, and four establishing an annual review process for investment performance allocation and committed funds as part of the committee's budget process.

So I I think the staff summary gives us a good start on this one.

I guess maybe I'll I will first just open it up for any questions or comments that the commission has, and then I'll I'm happy to delve into uh more detail if that's helpful.

Is there any uh comment from the commission?

Clay, will you chat through the fixed flat fees and and what that looks like?

And because I know that there's you know the the mix with the earnings and management fees.

Will you be able to just address what that would look like?

Sure.

Okay, I I don't I don't have exact numbers, and that's something we would have to actually you know to engage with Moriton on.

My understanding is that there's somewhere in the range of uh 0.3% annually.

Um, and the story county treasurer was quite certain that the additional return would more than offset those fees for management of the portfolio.

And that's great, kind of leads into my question.

Do we have an expected yield range?

Uh yeah, so um to typically typically with a managed portfolio like this, it's it's falling in the realizing as well that it's one of the primary goals is capital preservation and liquidity, and both of those things limit the amount of return that you can get.

But typically between four and four and a half percent is somewhere where they're falling, they might be able to get it up a little higher than that.

But again, I think a lot of that will depend on the amount of money that we're asking them to manage, and then what guidance we give them as far as a strategy on how liquid it needs to be, and and uh if if we want to be more aggressive or more conservative in how we allocate that.

Great.

And then my last question you just kind of touched on it too, is um making sure we know exactly what the liquidity timeline is, like once it's requested when it can be in our hot little hands.

So absolutely.

And that's certainly something that they would have to uh confirm for us.

But typically the type of instruments that they're going to be using uh don't have lockup periods.

And and so kind of the two different avenues that I researched was more of a do-it-yourself approach, where maybe we are um either using uh you know money market funds, high-yield checking accounts, maybe uh some sort of a cascade or or uh staggered CDs.

Um and that's one of the downsides is you can lock in a return with a CD, but then you have less liquidity uh flexibility there.

Um but my understanding is that's part of the strategy is how much of it we keep fully liquid to where it could be available next day or in very short order, and is there some portion that's going into long-term commitments or longer term?

Nothing's gonna be really long term, but longer term where it's not quite as liquid.

Chair, may I ask follow-up question?

Would we still retain Wells Fargo?

So Wells Fargo is still our account like our I don't know, master account or whatever, and then money can flow back and forth to the Morton account or accounts that we set up.

Is that the Yes?

I'm yes, I believe that's the way that it works.

The county does also employ, they have, I believe, three different investment advisors, and Wells Fargo is one of those, and they could they could play that role.

It just didn't seem like uh either as good a fit for what we're looking for or that the returns were comparable, that Morrison had a bit of an advantage there, and that's why that was the recommendation.

Yeah, so I mean, I appreciate you taking this on, and I think that this is really good for us.

You know, if you I mean, let's just say we have 804%, 32,000 a year potentially in interest, you know, we have the point 0.3% come off, but that's extra money for the commission that right now we are not making any money on our money, you know, that and I'm not faulting Wells Fargo, which is by virtue of the way that we're set up.

So I appreciate you taking this on and uh for the commission to think a little bit differently, you know, about our money and about a way to make some money on the money that's in the account and and sitting there.

So I'm a hundred percent, you know, behind us doing this.

I agree.

Um is the 800 the amount that we're pretty certain is going to be played with, or is that just a number that's stuck to the wall when it was that's a great question.

And um and actually I do, you know, if if I'm being fully honest, you know, I'm kind of rethinking that because of the cash flow cycle and kind of where where we're landing after all of the polar expenses.

Um now we we do typically get our subsidy from Story County, um, which is another you know quarter million dollars.

And once tickets go on sale, you know, it's gonna it's going to be a fairly even uh, you know, we we won't we won't be reducing a lot, but um as you know, uh as the balance in the account doesn't sit that that much high above 800,000 right now.

Um I guess we have a couple of options.

One would be that if we felt we needed a larger margin, we could either commit a smaller amount or we could request the subsidy from Story County to come in a little bit earlier so we have more working capital in the accounts, typically it gets transferred over at fiscal year's end.

So those are two thoughts that I had around if if we felt like that was cutting a little bit close on our operating budget.

I like the idea of making the request at the beginning of the year personally, if if if everybody's a you know would be open to that.

And then the other thing too, I you know, thinking play along those lines of polar, because we do have large amounts that we have to pay in December and January.

So it, but in theory, we because of the way that the ticket sales work, you know, what in two weeks we sell 90% of the tickets, we might have a million and a half in that account.

So I would be completely okay with some discretion with the chair and the treasurer uh to look at our cash flow, you know, in terms of when those large dollar amount that's what I was asking about the December, you know, was that everything for Tom?

But there was just the partial payment for rail events, and then the big one comes to settle us up and everything in in January.

But I think if we give some discretion to the chair and treasurer to work together um to ensure that we have those monies transferred back to Wells Fargo to actually make the payments in December and January, why not earn the interest on it for September and October, November, and however much of probably all of December, some some three quarters of December.

Um, I think that's pretty reasonable.

And I think we know when our bills hit.

So I don't see why we couldn't, you know, have the transfer come in the week before, excuse me, have a transfer of monies to come back out of the Morton account into El Spargo before we know we have to make large payments to Tom and rail events.

You know, I I don't want to speak for the two of you, but I I think that that's not gonna be super difficult, and we could really maximize our returns.

So that's my thought, you know.

On I I think at some point we might have a million and a half, you know, after we do the sales for uh PES in September, you know, and by October, yeah, you get 90% of the revenue in.

And that's a what a million four, million five.

Plus we have a balance.

So I don't know, maybe we're over two million, you know, potentially for some period of time during the year in the fall and early winter.

So anyway, that's my my two cents worth.

And I agree as well that I think this is a great opportunity for us.

Um, I think that investment strategy is what you know we'll all have to look into uh next, which obviously would come back at a later meeting.

So I'm comfortable with that.

I I think the more that we can put in as long as it's liquid and we can get it out, I would be comfortable with that as well.

Great, thank you.

All right.

Um yeah, I would I I will just note that I I believe that the balance in our account was up in the 1719 range as we saw that revenue from uh from Polar with you know, with the delay on the expense of going back out for it.

And so um, but that is quite a bit of fluctuation as well.

And so uh I think a little deep deeper digging into what is the the most we've ever had to draw down in a one month period as one of our metrics, and um, and then secondly, really understanding those uh liquidity time frames.

And then as you mentioned, Dave, if we can get that disbursement early on, we basically get to take advantage of it through most of the year and have it sit in sit in our interest bearing accounts as we go.

Good.

Um public comment on this item.

There's none in the room, Chair.

Very good.

Thank you.

So um I I know this is a multi-part item, and we still have some unknowns.

And so I I think that uh I I think uh a lot of those we can't really get answered until we engage directly with Morton and figure out um you know what what they would recommend as a strategy once we've kind of shown them our books, and um, and then secondly, as far as kind of a uh some sort of review process um and coming up with that.

And so I'm wondering if it's it's appropriate to have those items brought back with an authorization to open an account.

I don't I don't I don't know, Lucas help bail me out here.

What what's appropriate to do at this point, knowing that we don't really know everything that's within this, uh and then I'd be happy to hear from the commission what comfort level on each of the four different items moving ahead today versus bringing something back.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

So the way that the uh item is drafted on the agenda uh is pretty broad uh with with all of these things out there.

Um obviously the commission can take action on all of the things listed, but it is not a requirement for the commission to take any action on those today.

So if there are provisions uh that were noticed in the agenda that the commission does need more answers on uh pending results of approval of other portions of this item, that is absolutely acceptable.

Um, so more specifically, the the first thing noticed would be the opening and interest bearing account uh with Morton.

That that is something that can be included in a motion, and then um other items can be brought back based off of results with that, as long as the motion is clear what is going to be coming back pending results with that account.

Thank you.

That's helpful.

So what I might suggest is one of two paths, and uh and I'd love to hear uh what the rest of the commission thinks about this.

One would be uh a motion to authorize opening the account, which is a fairly straightforward process of providing names and contact information and uh numbers, whatever, whatever's needed there for a typical account opening, and then going one of two ways, and one would be to consult with Moreton, get kind of a strategy and a recommendation on amount.

The other would be to authorize up to a not to exceed could be the amount that's included 800 could be less based on those conversations and bring back for either additional uh committing of additional funds if we felt like a smaller amount made sense to start with.

So we actually start capturing interest or um or to delay that completely, say yes, go ahead and set up an account, get a specific plan based on our financials, and then bring it back for approval.

Does one or the other of those appeal to the commission?

Uh chair, Mr.

Chair.

I actually like the way that you propose the motion myself, because it allows the creation of the account.

We can put the initial 800,000 in, we're authorizing the chair and the treasurer, comp troller slash story county treasurer as the signatories on the account, and then we're directing Moritan to provide the investment strategy at a later meeting for approval, and I think, and then to establish the annual review.

So personally, I think this works great.

I would just like to see us move a little bit faster.

Like I don't want to wait, you know, three or four months to come back with this investment strategy if there was a way to come back to the uh March meeting.

No, yes, the March meeting, perhaps uh April at the latest with the investment strategy and then how we would review the performance and everything.

Like I I think this reads very nicely.

Because otherwise I feel like it's going to take us three or four months, like if we're fumbling around in the in the weeds with it, why not get some money and get this 800k in there?

Uh, you know, that could just start earning some interest on a standard uh high interest, you know, like a Hermes federated type fund before we at least we're getting something, right?

Maybe it's 3.8 or 3.9, depending on where we're at.

But and and that then that allows us to work on an overarching strategy.

Um, I'm not exactly sure though how to I'd like to give the two of you, Clay, you and Leah, the ability to move more money in and out.

Because if we're having to do that every month, I oh now we're okay with you guys taking 300 that I just think that's ridiculous, to be honest with you.

And Lucas, I don't know if we can give that authorization to the chair and the treasurer to uh based on our cash flow and everything, but can we give them the authorization to move additional funds in and out?

Thank you, Mr.

Vice Chair.

So on that point specifically, the way that this item is drafted, that authority can't be granted today.

Uh that authority could be granted at a later meeting, should it come up and be noticed as such.

But since that authority wasn't noticed in today's meeting, that shouldn't be uh part of the motion today.

Okay, so perhaps then at the March meeting, if we have Moreton come back with an investment strategy, the how we're going to review the performance, all the details as a part of that action item, we could include the authorization for the chair and the treasurer to move those funds in accordance with said investment strategy in alignment with our expectations for the investment performance, then at that time.

That's correct.

Okay.

Well, that works for me.

Yeah, thank you.

And and I I would support that as well.

And then that could be part of the strategy, if you will, and an authorization included in that where we're, you know, this is the minimum that we want to keep in the checking account, so to speak, um, either all year round or based on the time of year, and then we can go ahead and implement that as a as a second step.

That's not a bad idea, Clay, at all.

You could almost have that tabled out or scheduled out.

You know, I mean, things might change moving forward, but as long as we're able to establish some sort of expectation by month or whatever the case may be, and maybe there's a plus or minus 10%, you know, variance or something like that.

That that would be a good yeah idea.

I just want to give you guys you know the ability to do this without us having to wait 30 days for the next meeting, and you know, I just think that that's overly bureaucratic and plus it potentially hinders our ability to earn some additional money, you know, on our existing dollars in the account.

So yeah, so I may have to do that.

Thank you.

Yeah, yeah.

I I agree with you, and and I also think that if we're able to at least get started, then it allows us for from a budgeting perspective to get a realistic expectation of return levels so that we can as we go in into our budgeting more specifically to know what to expect.

Well, the one thing that I would ask is that we make sure that whatever motion is worded as a not to exceed amount, so that if as we start doing this, we realize that 800 is cutting it too close, and you know that we can put in less.

Um that would give us the I think the flexibility to play it safe if we didn't feel like committing the full amount was was the right move.

That's super, yeah.

I like it.

Great.

Any uh any further conversation on this item?

I think I already I maybe I did, maybe I didn't, but I'll go ahead and ask for public comment.

Is there any public comment on this item?

Nobody's stepping up.

Hey.

I know they're they're probably tripping over each other trying to get to the microphone.

A massive, massive crowd.

Um very good.

Well, with that, uh, then if if we feel like we have a good direction, I'll be happy to entertain a motion on this item.

I'm happy to make a motion.

Okay.

So I move to authorize the creation or the opening of an investment account on behalf of the VNT Railway Commission with Moritan asset management to the allocation, or I should say maybe with an allocation of an initial amount not to exceed $800,000 to the account, and to authorize the commission chair and commission treasurer, along with the Story County Comp Troller and Treasurer to serve as signatories on the account and to direct Moritan to provide an investment strategy at a later meeting for approval by the commission and to establish an annual review of the investment performance at that same meeting.

Very good.

We have a motion.

Do we have a second?

I second.

Excellent.

Any final con uh conversation or discussion about this item?

Hearing none, all those in favor, please indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Hearing none, motion passes unanimously.

Thank you very much.

I feel like that's a great step forward for us.

And I'm wondering why we didn't do it sooner, but that's all right.

We'll move on to item number 10, uh 10A, which is our executive, these are our monthly non-action items, executive assistant update from Sherry Bailey.

Good morning.

Um past couple of months between schedule retreats and now budget.

And wrapping up Polar Express bills.

Um that's it for my past.

I'm looking forward to this year.

I have a list of uh assisted living centers I'm gonna reach out to in hopes of selling some groups.

Um that's about it.

I'm excited about our Toast of the Canyons and Mother's Day and events like that.

That's very good.

Thank you.

And thank you, Sherry.

Any uh any questions or comments for Sherry?

All right.

Hearing none, we'll move on to an operations and train report.

Um, Ms.

Candy Duncan.

Yes, thank you.

Um, after uh our retreat, I had talked to Fair Harbor asking them if um we could make our booking procedure better so that the very first step would be to pick a date, and then all the trains on all the dates would show so people won't think that there's not a train running because it's a diesel, et cetera.

And so I did speak with um Kevin Schmidt, and he provided me a link that I could give to our web people to change that book now box so that it goes directly to a calendar that shows exactly what trains are running on what dates, so that the very first thing they do is pick a date.

So we'll be implementing that in the new schedule or the yeah, this new year.

And then um there was a suggestion from I think it was Regina about sending out or having a contest that we would invite all the Polar Express families to enter to win tickets for a family of four to ride a summer train.

And um then the suggestion was made.

Maybe we could if they don't win the contest, we could give them a some kind of a code for a discount so that they could also ride at a discount.

And so my question for you is would you want it to be separate from the Sunday 10?

Do you want it?

How long would you want it to last?

Um, I checked with Fair Harbor, and we can do it.

They can do it so it can be a limited amount of time, or maybe the marketing could just mention remember that any Sunday you can ride with a 10% discount.

Um, so that was just one of my questions.

I wasn't sure to where to proceed with that.

I've spoken with Fair Harbor as soon as I have the artwork for Mother's Day and Father's Day.

Um, now that I know all these other details, I can start building the the schedule.

And I'm hoping that we could go live March 15th.

Seems like a reasonable time to do that.

Um, as long as everything falls into place before then.

Very good.

Thank you so much.

Um, since since these are non-action items, if you have ideas around the structure on the uh on the the potential promo that Regina was talking about, um feel free to reach out to Candy directly, or if you want, feel free to reach out to me and I can aggregate any ideas and move that on.

Candy, if you don't hear from anyone, I'm happy to discuss with you.

We can come up with a structure on it.

Okay.

Very good.

Any uh comments, questions?

Not hearing any.

Thank you so much.

Uh let's move on to 10 C, which is our upcoming meeting that is scheduled for Wednesday, March 25th, 2026 at 9 a.m.

Lots of exciting stuff brewing as we heard at this meeting.

So we will be uh excited to get into that and uh get into some budget things.

It sounds like we're getting to that time of year.

Move on to item number 11, which is commissioner comments or announcements and requests for information.

No action will be taken, and no discussion among the members or with staff will take place during this item of the agenda.

Do any of our commissioners have comments or announcements or requests for information?

I I just had you Stephanie, just one comment um or question, I guess that we need to think about.

Leah and I are at rural roundup for the April meeting because we're all roundup shifted to later in the month than it normally is.

So I don't know.

I'm actually not going to roll roundup this year.

Todd is going.

Oh so you three can still roll.

Okay, perfect.

Okay, never mind.

Then we'll my announcement was I'm not available for the April meeting.

So actually, still is a problem.

So Stephanie's a problem.

Um wow.

All right then.

Well, okay.

So I guess we have to figure out what we're doing at some point then.

That's all I wanted to comment on.

Thank you.

I and I could be wrong, but I believe that I don't remember if it was at the retreat.

We had did we have some discussion about this?

Maybe I'm misremembering.

Anyway, uh, that's fine.

We will not discuss because we're not allowed to, but we will certainly take a look because I may be a oral roundup as well.

So all right.

Any other announcements?

Announcements or items.

Very good.

Uh then with that, we will move on to uh item number 12, which is our final opportunity for public comment.

The public is invited this time to comment on any matter that is not specifically included in the agenda as an action item.

No action may be taken on a matter raised under this item of the agenda.

Is there any public comment?

No, Clay, unfortunately, there's not.

Oh, we tried our best.

With that, we will move on to item number thirteen, which is uh to adjourn the meeting.

It is I'm sorry, your time.

It's twelve twenty AM, and I believe I said it uh East Coast time when I started the meeting.

That should have excuse me, it's one twenty PM.

We are adjourning the meeting.

And just a correction for the minutes, we started the meeting at twelve oh two Pacific Standard Time.

No, no, no, we didn't.

Oh, no.

We started at nine oh two Pacific.

Nine You're absolutely right.

It's ten twenty.

So I read it correctly.

Yes, you did.

Yes.

Yes.

This was a legitimate meeting after all then.

Have fun and easy.

All right.

Thanks.