Sep 05, 2024 City Council Budget Workshop

GO AHEAD. ALL RIGHT. AT 9:01 A.M..

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:06]

THIS MEETING HAS BEEN CALLED TO ORDER.

FIRST ITEM IS GOING TO BE RECEIVE A PUBLIC COMMENT.

BEFORE WE GO TO THAT I WANT TO MAKE A STATEMENT OF APOLOGY.

BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION AT OUR MEETING TONIGHT DURING THE SESSION FOR OUR ADDRESSING OUR BUDGET AS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR OUR BUDGET. I WAS REMISS IN NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THERE WERE PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE WHILE WE OPENED THE MEETING, AND WE CONTINUED IT.

THE QUESTION WAS ASKED OF ME IF THERE WAS ANYBODY THAT WAS THERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF OR SIGNED UP.

I SAID NO.

I WAS CORRECTED IMMEDIATELY THAT AFTER THE MEETING I NOTICED THAT I HAD NOT.

THE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO SPEAK AT A PUBLIC HEARING DON'T HAVE TO SIGN UP.

SO WHEN THE QUESTION WAS ASKED TO ME AND I SAID NO, I IGNORED THE FACT THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO SIGN UP.

THEREFORE, I SHOULD HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THOSE PEOPLE OR ASKED THE QUESTION.

SO THOSE PEOPLE WERE NOT ABLE TO BE A PART OF THE PUBLIC HEARING AS A RESULT OF THAT.

ALTHOUGH THE MEETING IS BEING CONTINUED, IT DID TAKE AWAY FROM THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TIMING OF THEIR INPUT THAT THEY WANTED TO PUT IN.

SO I HAVE TO APOLOGIZE TO EACH OF THOSE.

I DON'T KNOW WHO WHO THEY ALL WERE, BUT THERE WERE A NUMBER OF THEM.

I HAVE TO APOLOGIZE TO THEM FOR THAT MISSTEP AND THE MISSED OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AT THAT PUBLIC HEARING.

I APOLOGIZE AND CONTINUE TO TALK TO THE ATTORNEY ABOUT THE MECHANICS OF THAT.

SO THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

[2. RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS]

AND FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT IS MAC BROWNING.

MAC BROWNING, 442 EAST CHERRY STREET, DUNCANVILLE.

I JUST WANTED TO ENCOURAGE YOU.

ARE DOING A BIG JOB ON THIS BUDGET.

IT'S WHAT THEY HAVE ELECTED YOU TO DO.

THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TRUSTING YOU WITH.

WE'RE JUST THE NORMAL PEOPLE ON THE STREET AND WE TRUST YOU TO MAKE THESE BIG DECISIONS.

SO I JUST WANTED TO ENCOURAGE YOU AND REMIND YOU THAT YOU'RE REPRESENTING US AND THAT YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB BECAUSE YOU'RE WORKING ON THIS, AND I'LL BE PRAYING FOR YOU ALL DAY.

THANK YOU. ERIKA BROWN FAMILY AFFAIR ERIKA BROWNING, 442 EAST CHERRY STREET.

I, TOO, WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE TAKING OUT AN ENTIRE DAY JUST TO WORK ON A BUDGET, AND IT'S NOT PART OF YOUR NORMAL WORK.

AND I, I DID WRITE TO EACH OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS REGARDING THE FAUX PAS THE OTHER NIGHT AND RECEIVED EXPLANATION FROM A COUPLE OF PEOPLE, AND I DO UNDERSTAND WHY THE HEARING WAS CONTINUED AND IT WAS A GOOD REASON, AND SO I COMMEND THE FORESIGHT OF THAT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DIDN'T GET TO SPEAK.

SO MY MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE SINCE THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CURRENTLY OPEN, THAT AT PERIODIC TIMES DURING THIS WORKSHOP, YOU SEE IF THERE'S ANYBODY HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE COMMENT ON WHAT YOU HAD JUST BEEN DISCUSSING OVER THE PAST HOUR OR TWO HOURS.

HOWEVER OFTEN YOU WANT TO DO SINCE THE PUBLIC HEARING IS STILL OPEN.

THANK YOU. YOU CAN DO THAT.

OKAY. PLEASE.

BREAK IT OPEN.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION.

OKAY. SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION QUESTIONS.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

CITY MANAGER JUST MADE A GOOD POINT.

WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A PRESENTATION RIGHT NOW, AND THEN WE'LL GET A CONSENSUS FROM THE COUNCIL ON ALLOWING THE PUBLIC TO GO AHEAD AND ASK QUESTIONS. WOULD THAT BE OKAY WITH YOU? OKAY. ANYBODY HAVE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THAT? WE TAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS AFTER THE PRESENTATION.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

I GOT THREE NODS. I GOT FOUR.

ALL RIGHT. LET'S GO.

THANK YOU, MISS JENNIFER.

OKAY. WELL GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.

[3.A. Present, discuss, and deliberate all revenues, expenditures, and projects for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-2025 Proposed Annual Budget and the FY 2025 Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). The City Council may direct staff to make additions, deletions, or corrections to the proposed budget and CIP projects per current and future goals.]

KIND OF WHAT OUR AGENDA AND THE FLOW WILL LOOK LIKE.

SO WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF GO BACK THROUGH AS A FOLLOW UP TO THE BUDGET WORKSHOP FROM AUGUST 15TH.

[00:05:06]

WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SPECIAL EVENTS.

I KNOW THAT WAS A PAIN POINT.

WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ARTS FUNDING.

AND THEN WE'LL GO INTO THE PROPOSAL THAT WE'RE GOING TO BRING TO YOU WITH ADDING IN THE TMS, THE 50%, 30% OPTION.

AND WE'LL ALSO TALK A LITTLE BIT THROUGH TAX RATE SCENARIOS.

AND THEN WE'LL TALK THROUGH SOME IDEAS FOR THE REMAINING FUNDS FOR THE ARPA.

AND THEN AT THE END OF THIS AFTER WE'VE GOT ALL YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED, HOPEFULLY WE'RE GOING TO ASK FOR CONSENSUS IF YOU WILL ALLOW THAT.

WHATEVER YOU KNOW, WE PRESENT TODAY AND YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PUT INTO THE PROPOSAL BEFORE THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING FOR ADOPTION.

IT'S REALLY A CONSENSUS.

IT'S NOT A VOTE ON THE BUDGET OR MAKING ANYTHING OFFICIAL.

JUST THAT YOU'RE ALLOWING THE CHANGES.

SO THAT'S I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT.

OKAY. AND THIS WILL BE A TAG TEAM EVENT BETWEEN THE CITY MANAGER AND MR. JACKSON AND I. SO AND AS WE GO ALONG, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE ASK.

SO FROM THE BUDGET WORKSHOP, THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT THE DALLAS COUNTY POLLING LOCATIONS.

AND I THINK THE CITY MANAGER CAN SPEAK TO THAT.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ADDRESSED SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU ASKED.

WELL, ACTUALLY I'M GOING TO DEFER.

SO I ASKED MISS TAYLOR TO REACH OUT TO DALLAS COUNTY.

AND I KNOW YOU DID.

SO YES. AND DALLAS COUNTY, THEY FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.

IT'S ALREADY SET. THOSE ARE THE SAME.

THE ONLY POLLING LOCATION IS EARLY VOTING AT THE LIBRARY FOR THE THE MAY 2025 ELECTION.

THEY WILL NOT CONSIDER POLLING PLACES UNTIL JANUARY OR FEBRUARY WHEN THEY'RE DUE, THE ENTITY MEETING WHEN ALL THE MEETINGS MEET TOGETHER AND THEN DECIDE WHAT POLLING PLACES WE WANT TO KEEP AND WHICH ONES WE WANT TO ELIMINATE FOR THE MAY 2025 ELECTION.

SO I BELIEVE, RIGHT, I THINK WE CAN MAKE A REQUEST TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF LOCATIONS, BUT THEY WOULD CONSIDER THAT IN JANUARY, SO WE WOULDN'T IN JANUARY.

YES. SO ARE YOU THE CONTACT WITH THAT? CORRECT. AND WE WOULD BE WE COULD ALSO MAKE OUR SUGGESTIONS TO YOU.

YES. AND MR. MAYOR, YOU HAD ASKED ABOUT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS TRAINING.

SO THERE'S A $2,500 THAT CAN BE USED TOWARDS HAVING AN INTERNAL TYPE TRAINING.

BUT YOU HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY WITHIN THE, YOU KNOW, THE TRAINING BUDGET FOR THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL TO GO TO THAT.

THAT NUMBER CAN BE FLEXIBLE.

BUT WOULD THAT BE TRAINING FOR A CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE OR DO WE FIND OTHER SOURCES OF TRAINING? IT WOULD BE. I GUESS IT'S REALLY UP TO YOU.

COLLECTIVELY, WHAT WE DECIDE IS THE BEST TRAINING MECHANISM FOR THE BOARDS AND COMMISSION THAT COULD BE BRINGING IN THE CITY ATTORNEY.

IT COULD BE MORE OF A, I DON'T KNOW, A CONFERENCE OR SOMETHING.

BUT AGAIN, THE INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS THAT ACTUALLY ARE LIAISONS TO BOARDS.

THEY TYPICALLY DO FUND TRAINING FOR THEIR PARTICULAR COMMISSIONS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO THE COMMISSION PURPOSE.

SO THIS IS REALLY JUST MORE OF A GENERAL OKAY.

TRADITIONALLY, THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE DID AN ORIENTATION NOT SO MUCH A TRAINING, BUT AN ORIENTATION IS WOULD THAT BE CONSIDERED PART OF THIS COST? YES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

GETTING INTO SPECIAL EVENTS.

WE HAD THE PRESENTATION AT THE AT TUESDAY'S COUNCIL MEETING ABOUT THE PLAN WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WITH PARKS AND REC.

SO THIS IS NOT A CHANGE IN THE BUDGET PER SE AND THE NUMBERS THAT WERE SUBMITTED.

BUT I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM WHAT THE INTENTION IS IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

SO AS WE DISCUSSED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WILL OVERSEE JULY 4TH, WILL OVERSEE CHRISTMAS, JUNETEENTH THIS YEAR IT WILL JUST BE A SPONSORSHIP BUT OR A CONTRIBUTION.

BUT YOU KNOW THEY WILL OVERSEE THE EVENT WHEN IT'S BACK IN OUR CITY.

AND THEN ALSO THE HISPANIC HERITAGE WHICH WILL BE IN OUR CITY AND FOYE 25 SO THOSE ARE THE SPECIFIC EVENTS THEY WILL FOCUS ON, AND THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUNDS WILL BE USED FOR. PARKS AND REC PRETTY MUCH HAS EVERYTHING ELSE.

SO THEY WILL CONTINUE TO DO THE PRINCESS TEA AND FIRESIDE CHATS AND ALL THOSE OTHER SMALLER COMMUNITY TYPE EVENTS.

AGAIN, IT DOESN'T AFFECT THE BUDGETS, THE NUMBERS THAT WERE SUBMITTED, BUT JUST WHO REALLY HAS THE OVERSIGHT? NOW PARKS AND REC WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY IF THEY NEEDED TO FOR LIKE A SPONSORSHIP FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

BUT NEVERTHELESS ALL THOSE THINGS WILL COME OUT OF THEIR BUDGET.

ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? SPECIAL EVENTS. MR. GOODMAN? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND.

IT'S JUST AS IT'S STATED UP THERE, SPONSORSHIP FOR SMALLER EVENTS.

SO THAT COMES, OF COURSE, FROM DCDC.

BUT PARKS AND REC, THEY STILL ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PRINCESS TEA.

AND I KNOW YOU JUST SAID I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M CONFIRMING WHAT I HEARD.

OKAY. AND SO THIS WAS THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL, HOW IT WAS LABELED IN THE BOOK.

SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THIS WAS THE ORIGINAL AND THIS IS KIND OF THE AMENDED.

SO IT'S NOT REALLY SHOWING UP IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS A SPONSORSHIP UNLESS THEY APPLY OR GO THROUGH THE FORMAL PROCESS LIKE ANY OTHER ENTITY WOULD.

SO OKAY, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WHO'S CAUGHT, YOU KNOW.

SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SO MOVING ON TO ARTS FUNDING.

[00:10:02]

THAT'S THE KIND OF THE IDEA OF OUT THERE.

SO WE WANT TO PROPOSE A POLICY.

AND THEN ONCE A POLICY IS PROPOSED AND YOU AGREE TO IT AND YOU PASS A POLICY, THEN WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH A BUDGET AMENDMENT, YOU KNOW, TO IMPLEMENT SAID POLICY.

BUT WE STILL HAVE TO DRAFT WHAT THAT POLICY MIGHT LOOK LIKE.

YEAH. SO IF I CAN JUST SO I ACTUALLY TOOK THE TIME AND ACTUALLY DRAFTED THE POLICY YESTERDAY.

SO WE HAVE A DRAFT POLICY AND IT AUTHORIZES AND DIRECTS THE CITY MANAGER TO ALLOCATE 15% OF THE ANNUAL HOT TAX OVER INTO CREATION OF AN ARTS FUND TO PUT THE WHOLE POLICY TOGETHER.

AND ACTUALLY, RIGHT BEFORE THIS MEETING, I SENT IT OFF TO THE HOTEL LOBBY ASSOCIATION AND ASK JOSH SCOTT, JOSH LOVE AND JUSTIN BRILL, WHO ARE THE LEAD ATTORNEYS FOR THE HOTEL LOBBY ASSOCIATION, FOR THEIR INPUT ON THE POLICY.

OBVIOUSLY, I HAVE TO SHARE IT WITH HOEGER, SO THE PLAN WILL BE TO BRING THAT TO YOU.

THERE'S NO REASON, REALLY WHY WE CAN'T HAVE THAT ON THE 17TH.

BUT AS JENNIFER WAS SAYING, SINCE WE HAVE TO ADOPT THE BUDGET ON THE 17TH, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TIME TO CREATE THE ACTUAL FUND BEFORE THE START OF THE NEW FISCAL YEAR.

SO THAT'S WHY PROBABLY AT THE OCTOBER MEETING, WE'LL ASK YOU FOR A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO ACTUALLY MOVE THE 15% OVER TO THAT NEW ARTS FUND AND DO ALL THAT.

SO YES.

SO IF THE ARTS COMMISSION SHOULD HAVE ANY.

ANY ITEM THAT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE HOT FUNDS.

HOW WOULD THAT THEN BE COVERED? YES. SO THE THE 15% FOR ARTS FUNDING ACTUALLY WOULD BE EARMARKED AND DEDICATED TO SPECIFICALLY THE ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT BY THE ARTS COMMISSION.

AND AS COUNCIL MEMBER KOONTZ SAID THE OTHER NIGHT, THE APPROVAL PROCESS EXPENDITURE'S LESS THAN $10,000 MUST BE APPROVED BY THE ARTS COMMISSION, THE DUNCANVILLE COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.

EXPENDITURES OF $10,000 OR MORE REQUIRE APPROVAL FROM THE ARTS COMMISSION, THE EDC AND CITY COUNCIL PRIOR TO COMMITTING THE FUNDS, SO THAT 15% WOULD JUST AUTOMATICALLY MOVE OVER INTO THAT ARTS FUND, AND THEN ANY EXPENDITURES WOULD BE DONE BY, LIKE WE JUST SAID THERE, 10,000 BY THE ARTS COMMISSION AND THE EDC.

MORE THAN 10,000 WOULD ALSO INVOLVE CITY COUNCIL AND THEN THE PERIODIC QUARTERLY REPORTING POLICY REVIEW.

ALL THE TYPICAL STUFF YOU WOULD SEE IN A POLICY IS IS ALL IN THERE IN TERMS OF THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK.

SO THE ARTS COMMISSION ITSELF WOULD BE THE ENTITY RESPONSIBLE.

SO ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO APPLY FOR FUNDS THROUGH THAT 15% ARTS FUND, THEY COULD GO TO THE ARTS COMMISSION, ASK FOR THAT, OR ALTERNATIVELY, THEY COULD GO DIRECTLY TO THE DC EDC AND REQUEST FUNDING OUTSIDE OF THE 15% OVER AND ABOVE THE 15%.

SO THE 15% WOULD GO TO THE ARTS COMMISSION THAT THAT'S BASE MINIMUM.

SO THAT WORKS OUT TO ABOUT 138,000, I THINK.

SO THAT WOULD BE BUT THEN IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO THEY'RE DOING AN EVENT AND, AND MAYBE THEY WANTED TO APPLY FOR A GRANT LIKE ANY OTHER ENTITY. THEY ARE NOT FOR PROFIT.

THEY WOULD STILL HAVE THAT MECHANISM WHERE IN AN OUTSIDE OF THE 15%, NOTHING TO DO WITH THE 15%.

OKAY. THEY COULD STILL GO TO THE DC, EDC FOR THE OTHER PORTION OF THE FUNDS THAT REMAIN THAT IS OUTSIDE OF THE CORRECT.

OKAY. THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO CLARIFY AS A FOLLOW UP.

ANY ANY PURCHASE MADE UNDER THIS POLICY BY THE ARTS COMMISSION IF IT EXCEEDS.

IS THERE A LIMITATION BEFORE THEY NEED TO COME TO US, OR ARE WE OUT IN TERMS OF HAVING AUTHORITY OVER EXPENDITURES OF $10,000 OR MORE WOULD NEED TO COME TO CITY COUNCIL? ANYTHING LESS THAN THAT, THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD 10,000.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

AND FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR DRAFTING THAT UP.

AND SO ANY USE FOR THE ARTS WOULD REQUIRE, FIRST OF ALL, A RECOMMENDATION OF REVIEW BY THE ARTS COUNCIL, BUT ALSO WOULD HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THE EDC AS WELL.

YES. THANK YOU.

MORE DETAILS TO COME ON THAT.

NOTHING SET IN STONE AT THIS POINT, BUT WE JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT.

WE'RE WORKING ON THAT. THANK YOU.

YES. OKAY.

SO GETTING INTO OUR FIRST SCENARIO OF CHANGES.

SO AT THE LAST AT THE WORKSHOP WE TALKED ABOUT TMS AND A CONSENSUS WAS WE WANT TO SEE WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE IF WE CAN ADD, YOU KNOW, A TEAM INTO THE BUDGET.

SO THE LOWEST BENEFIT LEVEL IS 50% UPDATED SERVICE CREDITS, WHICH AFFECTS THE EMPLOYEE POPULATION, AND 30% COLA, WHICH AFFECTS THE RETIREE POPULATION.

SO I PROVIDED AT THE WORKSHOP, IT WAS A PRETTY HEFTY LIST OF LOOKING OUT IN THE NEXT TEN YEARS OF PROJECTIONS, SO I JUST CUT OFF THE REST OF

[00:15:05]

SO ADOPTING THIS BENEFIT LEVEL OBVIOUSLY WOULD INCREASE OUR RATE BY 5%.

THE ANNUAL IMPACT WAS 1.2 MILLION WHEN I CALCULATED IT AGAINST OUR CURRENT PAYROLL, WE'RE GIVING 2% ADJUSTMENT, NOT A 2.75% PER TMZ'S PROJECTION.

THE ACTUAL BUDGET IMPACT TO THIS FISCAL YEAR TO 25 IS 930,000 CITYWIDE.

SO ALL FUNDS. SO TMS OPERATES ON A CALENDAR YEAR.

FISCAL YEAR STARTING OCTOBER.

SO THERE'S THREE MONTHS THAT ARE NOT IMPACTED IN THE.

BUDGET PROJECTION, IF THAT MAKES SENSE, BECAUSE THE RATE WOULDN'T CHANGE UNTIL JANUARY.

SO THAT'S. A REASON WHY THE ACTUAL BUDGET IMPACT IS A LITTLE LESS THAN THEIR ORIGINAL PROJECTION.

SO HOW DO WE ACCOMPLISH THAT 930,000 ADDING THAT INTO THE BUDGET.

SO MR. JACKSON IS GOING TO SPEAK TO SOME REVENUE ASSUMPTIONS THAT WE HAVE.

IDENTIFIED IN ORDER TO INCREASE OUR REVENUE.

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.

GOOD MORNING. SO SPECIFICALLY WITH THESE FOUR ITEMS. SO FIRST OF ALL WITH COURT FINES.

SO IN THE BUDGET WE HAVE REVENUE FOR COLLECTION TOTALS FOR THE WARRANTS THAT ARE ISSUED OUT ON BEHALF OF THE COURTS.

SO THERE IS A BACKLOG, IF YOU WILL, IN TERMS OF OUTSTANDING DOLLARS TO BE COLLECTED.

SO WHEN WE WENT BACK, WE HAD MORE DISCUSSION WITH THE PRESIDING JUDGE AND THE COURT ADMINISTRATOR TO HAVE MORE CONVERSATION IN TERMS OF WHAT COULD WE DO TO RAMP UP COLLECTION IN 25 SO THAT NOT ONLY COULD WE ACTIVELY PURSUE WHAT IS BEING LEVIED OUT ON A CURRENT BASIS, BUT OUR PURSUIT OF MORE OF THE PAST DUE AMOUNTS IN TERMS OF THE OUTSTANDING WARRANTS AND THE FINES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, THAT HAS GONE OUT.

SO BASED ON WHAT THE CONVERSATION THAT WE'VE HAD WITH THE PRESIDING JUDGE, WITH THE COURT ADMINISTRATOR, WE FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH INCREASING THAT NUMBER BY $500,000.

AGAIN, WE KNOW PROCESS WISE IS DEFINITELY RAMPING UP OUR COLLECTION, BOTH ON THIRD PARTY AS WELL AS INTERNAL. BUT WE FEEL THAT FROM A REVENUE TARGET THAT THIS IS ACHIEVABLE FOR THE CITY.

INTEREST INCOME.

WE'VE LOOKED AT.

OH I'M SORRY. I'VE GOT A QUICK QUESTION.

YOU SAID IN ADDITION TO $500,000.

IN ADDITION TO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? SO ON ON TOP OF WHAT? WHAT'S ALREADY INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET, WE'RE ACTUALLY INCREASING WHAT OUR REVENUE ESTIMATE WILL BE BY $500,000.

AND AGAIN, WHAT THAT SPECIFICALLY RELATES TO IS OUR BEING MORE AGGRESSIVE ON OUR PAST DUE SO AMOUNTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN WARRANTED, FINES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN ASSESSED TO VARIOUS PEOPLE BUT ARE STILL OUTSTANDING IN TERMS OF NEEDING TO BE COLLECTED.

OKAY. THANK YOU. YES, SIR.

SO. OH. YES, SIR.

SO THE A PERCENTAGE INCREASE.

WE LOOK I'M HONESTLY MR. MACK BURNETT. WELL, WE LOOKED AT WAS BASED ON WHAT THE OUTSTANDING AMOUNT WAS, AS TOLD TO US BY THE COURTS.

AND SO THAT 500,000 REPRESENTS AGAIN, IT'S A WE WERE TRYING TO HONE IN ON THE SPECIFIC NUMBER, BUT WHAT WE WERE TOLD WAS THAT THAT RANGE COULD BE THREE AND A HALF TO AS MUCH AS $5 MILLION.

THAT'S OUTSTANDING FOR COLLECTION.

SO WE SAW THAT NUMBER AS BEING ON THE LOW END, 10% OF THE OUTSTANDING NUMBER, WHICH WE THINK IS IS ACHIEVABLE.

MAYOR. I'M SORRY. NO, NO.

MAYOR COUNCIL, JUST SO YOU KNOW.

SO WE HAVE SINCE YOUR LAST BUDGET WORKSHOP MEETING, RICHARD AND MYSELF MET WITH THE COURT AS WELL AS CODE ENFORCEMENT AND A WHOLE SERIES OF FOLKS, THE MARSHAL, TO REALLY UNDERSTAND.

WHERE ARE THE PINCH POINTS AND WHY ARE WE NOT COLLECTING THAT TO THIS POINT, OR WHY HASN'T THAT BEEN COLLECTED? WE IDENTIFIED WE HAD HOEGER WAS INVOLVED IN THAT CONVERSATION.

WE IDENTIFIED SOME PAIN POINTS RELATIVE TO WHAT THEY CALL THE CODES.

NOT THE NOT THE ORDINANCES, BUT THE ACTUAL CODING IN THE WAY THAT WHEN TICKETS ARE ISSUED AND THEN THE CODING THAT THAT COMES INTO COURT AND HOW THAT GETS PROCESSED TO EQUATE TO THE WARRANT.

SO WE THINK WE'VE GOT A GOOD PROCESS TO MOVE FORWARD TO HELP WITH THAT, WHICH WILL THEN START COLLECTING THESE FINES THAT ARE OUTSTANDING.

AS RICHARD WAS JUST SAYING, THERE'S POTENTIALLY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT'S OUTSTANDING CURRENTLY.

[00:20:02]

YES, MA'AM. SO JUST TO SAY YOU'RE CONFIDENT ABOUT THE 500,000, BUT IT POTENTIALLY COULD BE MORE BECAUSE OF THE NEW UPDATES THAT YOU MADE AND THAT 500,000 AND ALL OF THAT IS IN ADDITION TO THE REVENUE THAT WAS PROPOSED.

CORRECT. OKAY. SO THIS IS THIS IS ALL.

THIS IS ALL IN ADDITION TO WHAT WAS PROPOSED AND WHAT YOU HAD IN YOUR PROPOSAL.

YES, MA'AM. OKAY.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE COURT FINDS? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE. OKAY. SO WE'LL MOVE ALONG.

SO INTEREST INCOME SPECIFICALLY FROM OUR INVESTMENTS.

OUR NUMBER WE STILL FEEL IS A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE, WHICH IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE AS IT WAS PRESENTED TO YOU ALL BY TIM PENNY IN TUESDAY'S MEETING THE THE THE INTEREST RATES ARE FORECASTED TO COME DOWN.

SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IN TERMS OF OUR REVENUE ESTIMATE THAT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE STILL FELT COMFORTABLE WITH.

SO AGAIN WHILE WE'RE RAISING OUR NUMBER BY $100,000, IT'S STILL SOMETHING THAT WE FEEL IS A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE OVERALL IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE PROJECTING FOR 2025 AND SOMETHING THAT WE FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH.

THE LAST TWO ITEMS THESE ARE DOLLARS THAT COME IN TO THE GENERAL FUND AS ADMINISTRATIVE FEES THAT ARE LEVIED TO DC, DC, AND HOTEL MOTEL, RESPECTIVELY.

WHEN WE WERE DOING OUR OVERALL LOOK AT THE BUDGET AGAIN, WE WERE LOOKING AT WHAT THE TREND WAS AND WHAT THE METHODOLOGY WAS FOR HOW THOSE FEES, HOW HOW THOSE FEES COME TO BE IN TERMS OF THE SPECIFIC NUMBER.

WE FEEL THAT, AGAIN, AS WE'RE INTRODUCING NEW, NEW AND UPDATED POLICIES INTO THIS COUNCIL, THAT THIS IS ONE THAT WE DEFINITELY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SOME MORE SPECIFICS BEHIND AND BASED ON THE TRENDS OF WHAT HAS BEEN CHARGED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE FEES OVER THE PREVIOUS SEVERAL YEARS, THAT WE FEEL COMFORTABLE AND FEEL THAT IT CAN BE JUSTIFIED IN TERMS OF THE INCREASE TO THE ADMIN FEES FOR 2025 IN THOSE PARTICULAR AREAS.

AND SO THE NUMBERS THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU, THE 12,000 AND THE 75,000 REPRESENT AGAIN, WHAT WE FEEL IS A JUSTIFIABLE NUMBER IN TERMS OF INCREASE FOR THE ADMIN FEES FOR THOSE TWO FUNDS, SPECIFICALLY IN 2025.

YES, MA'AM. ADMIN FEES.

SO WHEN I TRY TO MAKE IT MAKE SENSE IN MY HEAD, THE WORLD I COME FROM, STORMWATER MANAGEMENT, ANY DEPARTMENT THAT DOES ANY PARTICULAR PROGRAM FOR STORMWATER MANAGEMENT, WE REIMBURSE THEM FOR THEIR SERVICES.

IS THIS SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT WHERE HOTEL MOTEL FUNDING IS BEING REIMBURSED FOR THEIR SERVICES AS FAR AS THE ADMIN PORTION.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YES.

SO SO ESSENTIALLY OUT OF THOSE TWO FUNDS, SPECIFICALLY, THERE ARE STAFF EMPLOYEES IN TERMS OF DIFFERENT THINGS THEY'RE DOING FROM COUNTY FUNCTIONS, FROM JUST ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS THAT OPERATE OUTSIDE OF THOSE TWO FUNDS, PRIMARILY IN THE GENERAL FUND.

AND SO FOR THOSE SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THERE'S BEEN AN ADMIN FEE THAT'S BEEN ASSESSED.

AND SO THAT'S CONSISTENTLY BEEN IN THE BUDGET.

THE QUESTION IS IS FROM A JUSTIFIABLE STANDPOINT, THE AMOUNT AND DO WE FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THAT NUMBER.

AND SO AGAIN LOOKING AT IT AND WHAT THE TRENDS HAVE BEEN, WE FEEL JUSTIFIED IN SAYING THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A SLIGHT UPTICK TO THAT NUMBER FOR 2020.

YES, SIR. SO THAT'S TRUE TO SAY ADDING 600,000 WITH THE COURT FUND ON THE INCOME, BECAUSE I THINK WE WERE LOOKING AT A $500,000 SHORTFALL.

NOW WE'RE ACTUALLY GOT THAT IN THERE IN OUR POCKETS.

WE'RE MEETING OUR POLICY AS WELL.

SO YES. AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE I GUESS WE'RE WE'RE HALFWAY TO ADDRESSING THAT QUESTION, MR. MACK BURNETT BECAUSE CERTAINLY ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, AS WE JUST TALKED ABOUT WITH OUR PROPOSAL FOR THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT, THERE'S AN INCREASE TO EXPENDITURE.

AND SO OVERALL, THERE WAS THE $900,000 INCREASE OVERALL TO THE CITY.

BUT AS WE KNOW, MOST OF THAT COST IS GOING TO REST IN THE GENERAL FUND.

AND SO WE WILL ADDRESS THAT ON ON THE NEXT SLIDE.

YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY ANSWERED THIS, BUT I'M GOING TO ASK FOR CLARITY FOR MYSELF.

[00:25:02]

TELL ME AGAIN WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN OPERATIONALLY TO TO ACHIEVE THAT.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? SO WE'RE IDENTIFYING THREE POINTS.

NUMBER ONE, INTERNALLY IN TERMS OF WHAT REVISITING OUR STRATEGY TO OPTIMIZE OUR STRATEGY INTERNALLY IN TERMS OF THE COLLECTION. SO THE PHONE CALLS, THE VISITS FROM THE MARSHAL THAT GO OUT THAT WE REASSESS THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE OPTIMIZING THAT.

NUMBER TWO IS IS CONVERSATION WITH THE COLLECTION AGENCY.

SO WE DO THE CITY EMPLOYEES A THIRD PARTY TO DO COLLECTIONS ON OUR BEHALF.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE A MEETING SET UP FOR NEXT WEEK.

WHO IS THAT THIRD PARTY? IT WAS MVBA.

OKAY. AND SO WE HAVE A MEETING WITH THEM NEXT WEEK TO ADDRESS THIS AS WELL AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY HAVE.

WHAT, AGAIN, TO TRY TO REVISIT, CROWDSOURCE TO COME UP AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS COMFORTABLE WITH HAVING A MORE AGGRESSIVE STRATEGY.

AGAIN, WITH THE EYE TO SAY, OKAY, HEY, IT'S A WIN WIN FOR THEM BECAUSE OF THE FEES THAT THEY WOULD COLLECT AS A RESULT OF ASSISTING US IN COLLECTING OUR OUTSTANDING MONIES.

THANK YOU. YES, SIR.

YOU HAVE A QUESTION? JUST A COMMENT.

I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT EFFORT AND FINDING A WAY TO DO THIS.

I THINK IT'LL IT'LL HELP US IN THE LONG RUN.

AND BRINGING IN EMPLOYEES AND BROADENING THE POOL OF NEW HIRES AND RETAINING PEOPLE.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE EXPENDITURE SIDE.

WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO THERE, BECAUSE IT'S NOT ALL ON THE REVENUE.

THERE IS ANOTHER THERE'S ANOTHER PIECE TO THAT MAKING SURE WE'RE AT HALFTIME YET.

SO. OKAY.

SO AGAIN WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT GENERAL FUNDS.

SO GENERAL FUND DOES NOT INCUR THE ENTIRE EXPENSE OF THE REST BUT AS WE'VE CALCULATED IT, SO THAT INCREASED EXPENSE IS 804,000 TO THE BUDGET.

SO THE DIFFERENT THINGS WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY TO REDUCE IN ORDER TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

SO WE WENT BACK THROUGH OVERTIME BUDGETS.

WE'RE PROPOSING BETWEEN POLICE AND FIRE $150,000 DECREASE IN AN OVERTIME BUDGET.

THEY STILL HAVE PLENTY OUT THERE.

SO WE'RE NOT COMPLETELY TAKING ALL OF THEIR BUDGETS AWAY.

AS YOU KNOW, FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN IN AT 90.

THEY HAVE A NEW SCHEDULE NOW, THE 48 ON AND 96 OFF.

SO WE HAVE SEEN A DOWNTICK OF OVERTIME BECAUSE OF THAT SCHEDULING.

HOPE THAT TREND WILL CONTINUE.

SO SOME OF THE THINGS WE WERE ABLE TO CUT SINCE WE ARE OUTSOURCING GIS AT THIS POINT.

THERE'S A BUNCH OF SUBSCRIPTIONS THAT WE DIDN'T REALLY NEED, SO I WAS REDUCING THAT.

AS YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DISPATCH AND THAT THERE'S SOFTWARE COMING ONLINE IN THE VERY FUTURE.

WE'VE ALREADY BEEN TO COUNCIL WITH IT.

I HAD PLANNED THIS TO HAPPEN IN 25 BECAUSE THAT WAS MY ORIGINAL ASSUMPTION, PUTTING THE BUDGET TOGETHER.

BUT THAT ACTUAL PAYMENT THAT WE'RE OBLIGATED WILL NOT HAPPEN ACTUALLY UNTIL 26.

SO I WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THAT OUT.

ANOTHER ONE. SO COUNCIL RETREAT, WE HAD 21,000 IN THE BUDGET FOR A FACILITATOR, AND WE THINK WE CAN GET BY WITH HAVING A FACILITATOR AT A LESS COST.

SO 21 WAS BUDGETED.

SO WE STILL HAVE 6000 FOR THAT.

WE REMOVED SOME IT RELATED TRAINING AND MEMBERSHIP THINGS THAT WE WERE JUST NOT UTILIZING AS WELL AS SOME MAINTENANCE THINGS.

COUNCIL RETREATS ON THE MAINTENANCE.

THAT 100,000, A BIG PORTION OF THAT, THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THAT AFTER YOUR ACTION ON TUESDAY NIGHT.

THAT WILL REPLACE THAT.

SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE ABLE TO PULL THAT 100,000 OUT THAT THAT WAS BUDGETED STUFF THAT'S NOW BEING DONE WITH THE NEW AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH TODO VERDE THAT YOU APPROVED ON TUESDAY NIGHT. AND THEN I'M NOT PICKING ON THE COUNCIL, I PROMISE.

BUT COUNCIL RETREATS, WE HAVE 40,000 BUDGETED.

WE HAVE NOT EVEN USED THAT SINCE WE PUT THAT IN THERE.

SO WE'RE JUST REDUCING THAT DOWN.

SO IT GIVES STILL AN ABILITY TO HAVE OFFSITE RETREATS.

YOU KNOW IT'LL BE 20,000 AVAILABLE FOR ANY RETREAT EXPENSES.

THIS IS NOT YOUR TRAINING OR CONFERENCES OR ANYTHING.

AND THEN ALSO HAVING ROOM FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSION THINGS AS WELL.

THE NEXT ONE, WE HAVE SOME TRAINING AND GIS TRAINING RELATED THINGS IN THE IT BUDGET SINCE WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, PURSUING WITH THE GIS, REDUCE THAT DOWN.

AND THEN THE LAST ONE REALLY I'LL LET PROBABLY MR. FINCH SPEAK TO THAT OR.

YEAH, I'LL ADDRESS THAT. SO MAYOR AND COUNCIL, WHEN WE LOOKED AGAIN FROM REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES, AS YOU'VE PREVIOUSLY SEEN WITH THE REVENUE SLIDE, WHEN WE HAD ALL OF THESE THINGS ADDED UP, IT LEFT A SHORTFALL OF ABOUT, AS YOU CAN SEE, ABOUT 195,000,

[00:30:02]

IT'S OUR BELIEF, BASED ON WHERE THE CITY HAS FINISHED IN ACTUAL EXPENDITURES VERSUS THE BUDGET OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THIS THROUGH VARIOUS SAVINGS THROUGHOUT THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR.

IT'S OUR INTENTION THAT WE WILL BE MEETING, AS WE HAVE BEEN ALREADY WITH DIRECTORS ON A MONTHLY BASIS, TO ADDRESS WHERE THEY ARE BUDGET TO ACTUAL AND BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WHERE WE CAN ACHIEVE THOSE SAVINGS.

AND SO CERTAIN AREAS, AS JENNIFER HAS ALREADY ARTICULATED, ARE IN SPECIFIC EXPENDITURE CATEGORIES.

WE FEEL THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE THE REMAINING 195,000 THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IN VARIOUS CATEGORIES.

AND SO IT WOULD READ ON THE BUDGET LINE AS A SAVINGS TARGET, BUT IT WILL COVER OVER VARYING EXPENDITURE LINES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

SO AGAIN, WHEN COMBINING THE REVENUE THAT WAS PRESENTED, THE SLIDE BEFORE WITH THIS INFORMATION THAT WE'RE PRESENTING ON THIS SLIDE, THIS WOULD ALL TOTAL OUT TO A BALANCED BUDGET OF NOT TAKING ANY DOLLARS OR NOT PLANNING TO TAKE ANY DOLLARS FROM FUND BALANCE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2025.

SO, CITY MANAGER TOLD YOU, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT EXPENDITURES AND AIMING TOWARD THAT GOAL.

YOU'LL GIVE US SOME REGULAR UPDATES ON WHETHER OR NOT.

ABSOLUTELY. YEAH, WE CAN CERTAINLY INCLUDE THOSE WITH THE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A QUARTERLY REPORT ON THAT.

THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM.

THIS KIND OF IS ALONG THE SAME LINES.

REMEMBER WE TALKED ABOUT OUR LAST BUDGET WORKSHOP ABOUT AMENDING OUR POLICY, WHICH WE'RE STILL GOING TO BRING YOU.

I THINK WE NEED TO DO THAT.

MANY MUNICIPALITIES DO THIS ADJUSTMENT AT THE END OF THE YEAR, AFTER YOU SEE HOW MUCH IS, HOW MUCH YOU'VE SAVED, HOW MUCH YOU REALLY NEED TO TAKE OUT OF FUND BALANCE TO APPROPRIATE FOR THE BUDGET. THAT'S THAT'S A PRETTY COMMON PRACTICE.

WE'LL STILL BRING THAT TO YOU, BUT THIS ESSENTIALLY HELPS US GET TO THAT SAME POINT.

AND THEN WE'LL WE'LL OBVIOUSLY UPDATE YOU.

BUT IT'S VERY, VERY RARE THAT EVERY SINGLE LINE IS USED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO ITS FULL POTENTIAL.

AND SO OR WHAT IT WAS BUDGETED SO THAT SAVINGS OF 194,000 IS VERY, VERY REALISTIC.

SO AND KEEP IN MIND IN THIS BUDGET WE'RE STILL BUDGETING FOR STAFFORD POLICE.

WE'RE STILL BUDGETING FULL STAFF FOR FIRE EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE VACANCIES WITHIN POLICE AND FIRE AS WELL.

SO I MEAN WE'RE NOT CUTTING BACK ON ANY OF THAT.

MAKE IT HAPPEN. YES, MA'AM.

SORRY. OKAY. SORRY.

SORRY. I'M SORRY. NO, I KIND OF NEED A POINT FROM THE.

NO, I REALLY DO WANT TO COMPLIMENT YOU.

THE TEAM ON GOING BACK REALLY THOROUGHLY REVIEWING WHAT WAS PROPOSED AND HAVING THAT $507,000 DEFICIT AND FINDING A SOLUTION, AND ALSO PROVING THAT IT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAVE TO IMPACT THE LEVEL OF OPERATIONS, MEANING THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CUT OF STAFF, YOU'RE ABLE TO GO BACK AND REVIEW AND LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS WITHIN THE BUDGET, AND YOU'VE DONE THAT.

SO I THINK THAT'S TO BE COMMENDED AND I APPRECIATE THAT.

MAYOR, IF I COULD. SO WHAT.

AND WE'RE GOING TO SHOW YOU HERE IN A LITTLE BIT.

YOU KNOW, YOU ALSO CHARGED US WITH IF THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN THE TAX RATE, YOU KNOW, IF WE TAKE IT DOWN A PENNY OR TWO PENNIES, WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO ALL THAT.

BUT WE WENT BACK AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, WE SQUEEZED THE ORANGE JUST ABOUT AS TIGHT AS WE COULD SQUEEZE IT TO GET EVERY DROP OF JUICE OUT OF IT.

AND THERE'S OPERATIONS HERE, BUT THERE'S NO FLUFF THERE.

WE CUT THIS THING AND WE WENT LINE BY LINE.

WE SPENT HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS LITERALLY GOING THROUGH EVERY SINGLE DETAILED LINE IN THE BUDGET.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT AS IT SHOULD BE.

YEAH. BECAUSE AS I WAS REVIEWING WITH OTHER CITIES BEING THE CEDAR HILL, DESOTO AND LANCASTER THEY HAVE IN THEIR POLICY THAT PRETTY MUCH IT'S NOT TOLERATED TO USE FUND BALANCE UNLESS IT'S APPROVED BY COUNCIL.

AND I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO SEE US TAKING THAT PATH WHERE WE JUST KNOW THAT WE HAVE IT, AND WE JUST AUTOMATICALLY ASSUME THAT IT'S THERE TO JUST USE TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE.

HOW ABOUT WE PUT OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD FIRST ON DOING EXACTLY WHAT YOU'VE DONE, AND IF YOU NEED TO USE IT, OF COURSE BRING IT TO COUNCIL.

BUT I'M PRETTY SURE I CAN'T SPEAK FOR EVERYBODY.

BUT ANYWAY, I JUST APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU. IF I COULD BEGIN THERE.

SO I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.

WE HAD A LITTLE DISCUSSION ON THIS THE OTHER NIGHT, AND OBVIOUSLY WE'LL BE BRINGING THE FUND BALANCE POLICY TO YOU.

THE REASON RICHARD AND I SAT DOWN, RICHARD AND I BOTH HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES WHERE OUR PRIOR MUNICIPALITIES, WHERE THERE WAS A RANGE, THERE WAS A MINIMUM AND A MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF

[00:35:06]

THE REASON FOR THAT IS BASICALLY YOU'RE TAXING THE RESIDENTS FOR THE OPERATIONS OF THAT PARTICULAR YEAR.

IF YOU'RE BUILDING UP THESE EXTREME AMOUNTS OF FUND BALANCE, BASICALLY, YOU COULD ALMOST MAKE AN ARGUMENT THAT YOU'RE OVER TAXING THE RESIDENTS BECAUSE THEN YOU'RE BUILDING CONTINUOUSLY BUILDING UP THAT FUND BALANCE, AND YOU SHOULD ONLY BE COLLECTING WHAT YOU NEED FOR OPERATIONS OF THAT PARTICULAR YEAR.

SO THE MAXIMUM SIDE, FOR INSTANCE, WOULD WE SAY IT WAS 150 DAYS, 150 DAYS.

SO ONCE WE BRING THAT POLICY TO YOU AND IF YOU ADOPT IT, THEN IMMEDIATELY THE NEXT MEETING WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COME BACK AND SAY, HEY GUYS, WE HAVE TOO MUCH FUND BALANCE HERE. SO NOW WE NEED TO START TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO USE IT FOR, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, I THINK THAT THERE'S MORE THAN THE 150 DAYS IN THAT RIGHT? SO THAT'S A DOWN THE ROAD CONVERSATION, BUT A NOT TOO FAR DOWN THE ROAD CONVERSATION.

SO REMIND ME AGAIN IN THAT SAME VEIN, WHAT WAS THE 90,000? THE 90 DAY REFERENCE TO THAT.

RIGHT. SO THROWING IN THE 90 DAYS WITH THE NEW PROPOSAL AND WHERE WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO END.

FOR THE ACTUAL AND THE REVISED 90 DAYS WOULD BE ABOUT 10 MILLION, 10.4 MILLION OF FUND BALANCE.

THE MAXIMUM 150 DAYS IS 17.

SO EXCESS OVER THE MAXIMUM ABOUT 3.5 MILLION.

AND IN THE FUTURE, WHAT'S YOUR TARGET AGAIN? WHAT WOULD BE YOUR PREFERENCE IN TERMS OF DAYS.

IS IT 150 DAYS.

IS IT. YES. OKAY. YES.

SO PART OF WHAT WE PROPOSE IS THAT WE WOULD HAVE A MINIMUM OF THE 90 DAYS SO THAT WE'RE KEEPING WITH BEST PRACTICE.

AND WE WOULD HAVE A MAXIMUM OF 150 DAYS AS MR. FINCH HAD ALREADY ARTICULATED.

IF I COULD PIGGYBACK ON THAT.

CERTAINLY. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT ON TUESDAY AS WELL, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT CAPITAL PROJECTS OR FUNDING FOR SAID PROJECTS, WE KNOW ONE OF THE FIRST AREAS THAT IS GENERALLY LOOKED AT IS GENERAL FUND IN TERMS OF FUNDING THAT IN ADDITION TO GRANTS, IN ADDITION TO OTHER FINANCING OPPORTUNITIES.

SO, YOU KNOW, THIS THIS HELPS US TO HAVE AN EYE ON THE VARIOUS PROJECTS THAT ARE BEING DISCUSSED WITH WITH YOU AND THE COUNCIL.

OKAY. AND I THINK IN DIFFERENT WAYS, YOU'VE EXPLAINED THIS, BUT AS A ONE TIME EXPLANATION, THE EFFORTS TO BE WATCHING THE REVENUES AND THE EXPENDITURES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO GET TO A POINT WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE THOSE 507,000.

WHAT'S BEING DONE TO TRY TO GET THAT CLOSER AT THE END OF THE YEAR? AND I KNOW A LOT OF IT'S ESTIMATES, BUT WHAT WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET IT CLOSER TO THAT NUMBER.

SO WE DON'T COME UP WITH BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST.

I THINK THERE WAS AN 800,000 BEFORE THIS ADMINISTRATION, AND THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE THAT HAD MAYBE 400,000.

SO WE JUST, YOU KNOW, SPEAK TO THAT.

SO THE ADOPTED BUDGET LAST YEAR, THIS GROUP HAD ALLOWED US TO USE FUND BALANCE FOR ONE TIME EXPENSES.

WE GAVE A ONE TIME LUMP SUM TO EMPLOYEES BECAUSE WE DELAYED THE COMPENSATION STUDY INCREASES TILL JANUARY.

WE ALSO DID AN AD HOC MRS, SO THAT WAS COMMUNICATED LAST YEAR.

BUT AS THE YEAR HAS PROGRESSED AND WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT MORE INTEREST INCOME, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT NUMBER WAS BROUGHT DOWN.

SO THE ADOPTED BUDGET WAS ACTUALLY AN 808.

SORRY, I CAN'T TALK 800,000.

SO THE REVISED ESTIMATE AT THIS POINT, WHICH IS AT 478.

SO WE ACTUALLY WERE ABLE TO KNOCK THAT DOWN IN HALF, YOU KNOW, AND JUST TO ADD ON TO THAT, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE BUDGET, THE BUDGET EVEN IN PASSAGE, WHICH WE'RE HOPING TO GET HERE IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

BUT EVEN IN PASSAGE, IT'S A LIVING, BREATHING DOCUMENT.

SO AS EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM KNOWS, THINGS CAN HAPPEN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT ARE UNANTICIPATED.

AND SO OUR FIRST STEP IS ALWAYS TO SEE WHERE WE CAN IDENTIFY THINGS IN THE BUDGET SO THAT WE CAN MAKE IT BUDGET NEUTRAL, MEANING WE'RE NOT COMING BACK ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL DOLLARS.

BUT AS AS YOU'VE SEEN, THERE ARE SOME SOME INSTANCES WHERE WE DO HAVE TO COME BACK AND EXPLAIN WHAT'S HAPPENED AND ASK FOR IT.

SO IT'S ALWAYS OUR INTENTION TO TRY TO KEEP THOSE TYPE OF INSTANCES BUDGET NEUTRAL.

BUT WE KNOW THEY HAPPEN, RIGHT? AND SO WE TRY TO START WITH OUR CURRENT BUDGET FIRST, AND THEN MOVE OUT AND BRING IT TO THIS BODY TO ASK FOR AUTHORIZATION FROM THERE.

THANK YOU. YES, SIR.

MR. PENNEBAKER HAS A THINKING AROUND BEST PRACTICES CHANGED IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

I DON'T REMEMBER US BEING AT 150 DAYS AS PART OF THAT? NO. SO NO, IT'S A GREAT IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

SO THE THE BEST PRACTICE IS, IS 90 DAYS.

WHERE WHERE WE'RE HAVING THE MAXIMUM IS TO SAY THAT FOR OUR DISCUSSIONS, WHETHER IT'S WITH RATINGS AGENCIES DIFFERENT AREAS FROM LIKE A,

[00:40:05]

SO IF THE FUND BALANCE WERE TO GO DOWN BECAUSE WE TRANSFERRED, FOR EXAMPLE, DOLLARS TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, WE WOULD HAVE A POLICY TO SAY, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT JUSTIFIES THE FACT THAT WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SPEND SOME OF THESE GENERAL FUND DOLLARS ON PROJECTS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE TRYING TO BE GOOD STEWARDS SO THAT WE CAN STILL CONTINUE TO DO THE PROJECTS ON TOP OF MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THINGS FROM AN OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT IF WE NEED IT.

OKAY. I'M SORRY.

IF I CAN JUST CLARIFY, JUST BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS.

SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS WE WOULD HAVE NOT LESS THAN 90 DAYS IN FUND BALANCE.

BUT IF IT GETS TO WHERE WE HAVE MORE THAN 150 DAYS, WE'RE GOING TO COME TO COUNCIL AND SAY, HEY, WE PROBABLY HAVE TOO MUCH FUND BALANCE HERE.

WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT HOW WHAT'S BEST PRACTICE AND WHAT YOU WANT TO DO TO SPEND THIS.

I REMEMBER A DECADE AGO WE WERE PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS A LITTLE MORE CLOSELY THAN I HAVE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, AT LEAST, THAT WE WERE AT 60 OR 75.

AND I REMEMBER THE THE PUBLIC GETTING A LITTLE UPSET WHEN YOU GOT 75 AND 90.

AND SO WHY DO YOU HAVE SO MUCH EXTRA MONEY? SO THIS IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN IT USED TO BE AS FAR AS THE FEELING THAT THE PUBLIC MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THE FUND BALANCE.

SO UNDERSTANDING THAT IS IMPORTANT AS TO WHY WE ARE THERE AND APPRECIATE THAT.

BUT WHAT I WOULD SAY IS I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, IS WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING THAT WE'RE SAYING, OKAY, SO GATSBY AND ALL THE ACCOUNTING BEST PRACTICES IS REALLY 90 DAYS. SO WE WOULD HAVE THE MINIMUM OF THE 90 DAYS, BUT THIS WOULD ACTUALLY THE NEW POLICY, IF ADOPTED, WOULD SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE MORE FUND BALANCE THAN 150 DAYS, WE REALLY NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH IT.

AND THEN IT REALLY DRAWS TO THAT ATTENTION.

THEN THERE'S A POLICY IN PLACE THAT CURRENTLY JUST DOESN'T EXIST.

I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S WELL, MORE THAN AND HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.

IT LOOKS LIKE, WELL, MORE THAN 150 DAYS OF FUND BALANCE.

YOU'RE RIGHT.

AND WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THAT.

I RECALL THAT A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, THAT 60 DAYS WAS THE AVERAGE FOR THE CITY OF DUNCANVILLE TO HAVE.

SO TIMES HAVE CHANGED.

SO WHAT? WHY 150 AND NOT 120? YEAH. GREAT QUESTION.

I MEAN SO AND RICHARD FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN HERE.

BUT WE WANT TO GIVE SOME FLEXIBILITY.

BUT AGAIN 120 THAT'S THAT'S 30 DAYS.

YOU SHOULD HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A WIGGLE ROOM.

I'VE SEEN IT LIKE 30% AND 60% OR 30% AND 50%.

THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE.

BUT THE BIG THING THAT WE'RE DRAWING ATTENTION TO IS, OKAY, IF FUND BALANCE REALLY STARTS TO GET OUT OF CONTROL.

AND THAT'S A LOT OF TIMES MUNICIPALITIES GET DINGED BY THE COMPTROLLER AUDITS ON HAVING TOO MUCH FUND BALANCE.

AND MY GUESS IS IF THE COMPTROLLER CAME IN HERE AND DID AN AUDIT OF DUNCANVILLE, THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE FINDINGS IS, HEY, DUNCANVILLE, YOU HAVE TOO MUCH FUND BALANCE.

THAT'S NOT THE UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE THAT'S NOT CURRENTLY BEING UTILIZED.

SO THIS REALLY DRAWS ATTENTION TO THAT.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU GO OVER THE 150, THEN WE'VE GOT TO REALLY START TO IDENTIFY SOME SOME EXPENSES FOR THAT MONEY.

AND THEN IT GIVES US A LITTLE BIT OF A CUSHION IF THERE IS SOMETHING COMING UP.

THE OTHER THING THAT HAPPENS IS SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A BIG EXPENSE COMING UP AND YOU MIGHT NEED TO UTILIZE IT.

SO IT GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT OF FLEXIBILITY.

YOU'RE GOING TO NEED A LITTLE BIT OF FLEXIBILITY.

BUT AGAIN DRAWING ATTENTION TO HEY, WE GOT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.

AND I'M SURE THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT YOU'RE.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. SO AGAIN, AS AS WE'RE LOOKING OUT INTO POTENTIAL PROJECTS THAT MAY BE COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE AND THE FUNDING FOR IT.

SO WE GET INTO THE CONTINUATION OF THOSE PROJECTS IF THERE'S DEBT INVOLVED, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE FUNDS SET ASIDE TO BE ABLE TO SERVICE THE DEBT WHILE ADDING ADDITIONAL PROJECTS ON TOP OF IT.

SO IT'S REALLY TRYING TO FORECAST, NOT NECESSARILY INTO THE NEXT YEAR, BUT INTO THE NEXT 5 TO 10 YEARS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STILL ACTIVELY HAVING AVAILABLE FUND BALANCE, WHILE STILL BEING ABLE TO HAVE THAT MINIMUM OF 90 DAYS TO MAKE.

SURE, WE'RE WITHIN THAT THAT THAT BEST PRACTICE TARGET.

SO YEAH.

SO KIND OF.

HAVING AN EYE FOR AGAIN 5 TO 10 YEARS DOWN THE LINE AS MUCH AS WE'RE HAVING.

AN EYE OUT FOR 2025 SPECIFICALLY MR. MACK BURNETT AND THANK YOU.

AND SPEAKING OF THIS AND THIS IS ACTUALLY THIS IS REALLY JUST KIND OF PUT IT ALL IN WRITING BECAUSE THE THE PAST PRACTICE.

[00:45:03]

AND THEN. THEN THEY CAME IN.

BUT WHEN THE OTHER RICHARD WAS HERE, THAT'S THAT'S HOW THEY WORE IT 75 DAYS.

BUT WE ALSO HAD OTHER THINGS THAT WE COULD DO, AND THEY WOULD ADDRESS THAT AT SOME POINT AND SAY, HEY, WE GOT THIS.

SO WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS, BUT THIS IS ACTUALLY.

A POLICY IN PLACE THAT THAT WAS THE ACTIONS THAT WERE BEING TAKEN WITHOUT IT BEING IN WRITING.

AND SO WE KIND OF TOUCHED ON THIS.

BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FUND BALANCE, RIGHT? SO COULD YOU SPEAK TO THERE'S A REASON WHY WE TALKED ABOUT WHY THAT BEST PRACTICE IS THERE.

WHY NOW. WHY IT WOULD BE 90 DAYS NOW MAYBE AS OPPOSED TO 70 DAYS.

SO THERE'S A REASON WHY YOU WANT THAT THAT FUND THERE.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT SOME BIG PROJECTS RIGHT DOWN THE LINE AND SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS WE SAID, WELL, WE DON'T WANT TO TOUCH FUND BALANCE WITH THAT.

SO WHAT WHAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, LIKE A SCENARIO IN WHICH WE WOULD NEED THAT TO, TO, TO ACCESS THAT.

SO, SO IN TERMS OF FUND BALANCE LIKE THE 90 DAY.

SO I GUESS THE FIRST PART OF THAT QUESTION GOOD EXAMPLE COULD BE THE FACT THAT, LIKE, OUR REVENUE STREAM IS POCKETED IN TERMS OF WHEN WE SEE LIKE THE LARGER COLLECTION.

AND SO OUR EXPENDITURES, WE BUDGET FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR.

BUT THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT IT'S LIKE ON A PER MONTH BASIS FOR ALL THE EXPENDITURES, ALL THE PROJECTS COULD COME IN AT A SIMILAR TIME.

AND SO THOSE, THOSE INVOICES OR THOSE BILLS COULD COME BACK AT A SIMILAR TIME.

SO IT'S MAKING SURE THAT FROM AN OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT THAT THE CITY CAN STILL CONDUCT ON A DAY TO DAY WITHOUT HAVING ANY ISSUES WITH BEING ABLE TO PAY ITS BILLS.

AND SO MOVING OUT FOR, FOR PROJECTS AGAIN YOU KNOW, CAN'T, CAN'T REALLY SPEAK TOO MUCH FOR, FOR, FOR PRIOR ADMINISTRATION OR PRIOR EXECUTIVE TEAMS. BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS, IS THAT AGAIN, FROM THE REVENUE, THE FACT THAT WE KNOW THAT THE, THE REVENUE GROWTH IS NOT GOING TO BE I GUESS, IN THE RANGE OF WHAT THE EXPENDITURES THAT ARE ASKED FROM DEPARTMENTS WOULD REQUIRE FOR YOU TO BE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT'S TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S AVAILABILITY SO THAT WHETHER IT'S SO A SCENARIO COULD BE THAT A GRANT COMES IN, BUT IT HAS TO BE A CERTAIN MATCH FROM THE CITY THAT WE HAVE BALANCE AVAILABLE FOR THAT.

IF IT'S VARIOUS PROJECTS THAT COME UP AND IT'S JUST AN EMERGENCY NEED BASED ON WHAT THAT PROJECT IS, AND IT'S BEEN VOTED ON TO THE COUNCIL THAT WE HAVE BUDGET OR FUND BALANCE TO BE ABLE TO COVER THAT AGAIN, WHERE IT'S NOT COMING TO WHERE YOU HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION OPERATIONALLY OR PROJECT PROJECT WISE.

SO IT'S REALLY JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE START AS FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE BECAUSE THAT REVENUE GROWTH IS NOT AT A, AT A POINT WHERE IT COULD SUSTAIN THAT.

WE'RE SPENDING SEVEN ADDITIONAL $7 MILLION IN A YEAR AND WATCH THAT FUND BALANCE GO DOWN AND NOT KNOWING BECAUSE, AGAIN, IF WE'RE SUBMITTING BALANCED BUDGETS THAT IT'S NOT ADDING TO THAT FUND BALANCE.

SO THERE COULD BE SOME OTHER PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING IN THAT WE'RE NOT IN POSITION TO BE ABLE TO FUND.

AND, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATING TO THE PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT JUST HOARDING UP A BUNCH OF MONEY AND PUTTING IT UNDER THE MATTRESS.

I MEAN, IT DOES SERVE A PURPOSE.

AND I MEAN, IF YOU'RE A CORPORATE ENTITY OR IF YOU GOT A HOUSEHOLD BUDGET OR WHATEVER IT IS, YOU ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING SET ASIDE FOR EMERGENCY USE OR WHATEVER IT IS. SO THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. SO WE'VE BEEN TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE GENERAL FUND HERE.

BUT KEEP IN MIND, IF YOU ADOPT THIS FUND BALANCE POLICY, THIS WOULD PERTAIN TO EACH OF THE FUNDS.

SO THE UTILITY FUNDS.

SO THERE'D BE A WHOLE SEPARATE NUMBER AND A RANGE FOR THE UTILITY FUND.

AND SO THEN WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT PROJECTS AND WE HAVE THAT MEETING IN OCTOBER WHERE WE TALK ABOUT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, WE MIGHT START TO IDENTIFY, HEY, WE HAVE SOME REAL DRAINAGE NEEDS, OR WE MAY HAVE SOME OTHER NEEDS THAT MAY BE ABLE TO BE FUNDED OUT OF THE UTILITY FUND, FOR INSTANCE.

AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE'LL HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS ALSO.

AND WE'LL IDENTIFY OKAY.

WE SHOULD HAVE NOT LESS THAN THIS AND NOT MORE THAN THAT.

AND ALSO SHARE. I THINK COUNCIL KNOWS THIS.

I PUT IT IN A COUPLE OF R'S.

BUT RICHARD AND I HAVE HAD MEETINGS RECENTLY WITH S&P AND WITH FITCH, AND MOST MUNICIPALITIES ACTUALLY HAVE WRITTEN FUND BALANCE POLICIES.

I REMEMBER SAYING EARLIER THIS YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO BRING YOU SOMETHING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEST PRACTICE TO HAVE SOMETHING IN WRITING THAT'S SPELLED OUT THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING. AND RICHARD AND I HAVE PROMISED BOTH S&P AND FITCH THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE BRINGING THIS TO YOU GUYS.

[00:50:03]

YOU KNOW, IN THE FUTURE, IF THE CITY OF DUNCANVILLE EVER DOES ADDITIONAL BONDING WORK, WE'LL PROBABLY WANT SOMETHING FOR MOODY'S.

AND I CAN GUARANTEE YOU, FROM MY PAST EXPERIENCE AND RICHARD'S EXPERIENCE WITH MOODY'S, THEY'RE VERY STRICT, AND THEY WANT TO SEE THESE POLICIES AND EVERYTHING IN PLACE BEFORE THEY GIVE US A DECENT CREDIT RATING.

SO. AND.

A COUNCIL MEMBER PENNEBAKER, TO YOUR QUESTION ON THE CAP.

I THINK THAT BETTER POSITIONS THE CITY FOR DISCUSSION WITH THE RATINGS AGENCIES IF WE WERE TO HAVE A REDUCTION IN FUND BALANCE.

SO WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING AT YEAR OVER YEAR AND THEY SEE A REDUCTION, IT MAY INITIALLY WAVE A FLAG FOR THEM WHERE THEY WANT TO ASK FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS.

AND SO WE HAVE THAT FUND BALANCE POLICY AND CAN SPEAK TO THAT AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL PROJECTS THAT THAT BALANCE WOULD USE FOR THAT I THINK BETTER PUTS US OR PUTS US IN A BETTER POSITION IN TERMS OF DISCUSSIONS THAT WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE WITH THE RATINGS AGENCY.

THANK YOU. I CAN'T SAY I CAN'T COMPLIMENT YOU ENOUGH ON EVEN CONSIDERING, LIKE I SAID, REVIEWING AND GOING BACK AND SCRUBBING AND THE POLICY.

AS A COMPLIANCE PERSON, I JUST THINK IT'S GOOD TO, AS WE SAID IN A PREVIOUS MEETING, SAY WHAT WE DO, DO WHAT WE SAY, BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT IT.

ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO KNOW.

THEN EXPLAIN WHY WE'RE DOING THE 150 DAY CAP, AND THEN THE DIFFERENCE IN BETWEEN JUST GOOD JOB, GOOD JOB.

I'LL JUST QUICKLY GO THROUGH SOME OF THE OTHER FUNDS THAT WERE ALSO IMPACTED, BUT JUST KNOW THAT THEY WERE IMPACTED MAINLY BECAUSE OF TAXES.

SO WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE UTILITY FUND REAL QUICK.

SO THE IMPACT FOR MRS CAME TO ABOUT $70,000.

ALSO, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT THE WORKSHOP, BUT I WANT TO GO AHEAD AND ADD IT IN HERE PROPOSING CHANGES.

WE'RE GOING TO NEED MORE FOR THE TRINITY RIVER AUTHORITY.

YOU KNOW, SO I'M PROPOSING 500,000 MORE TO THE BUDGET.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, LOOKING AT THE PROPOSED WE'RE STILL OVER REVENUES, OVER EXPENSES.

AND TALKING ABOUT THE 90 DAYS, JUST, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

THE TARGET RESERVE WOULD BE 5 MILLION.

OUR PROJECTED BALANCE AT 11 MILLION.

SO YOU HAVE THAT KIND OF EXCESS THERE TO WORK WITH IF WE NEEDED TO.

ON THE SIDE. YES, SIR.

IN REGARDS TO THE $500,000 INCREASE.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY AND EXPLAIN WHAT THAT MEANS TO THE CITIZENS? OKAY. SO WE USE TRINITY RIVER AUTHORITY.

THEY DO OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT.

WE DON'T HAVE A PLANT HERE TO TREAT WASTEWATER.

SO WE HAVE A THE BEST SOUTHWEST CITIES, INCLUDING FERRIS AND WILMER.

I BELIEVE WE ARE THE PRIMARY ENTITIES THAT FUND THE TRINITY.

I'M SORRY, THE TEN MILE CREEK PLANT.

SO WHENEVER THEY SAY, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING OUT FOR DEBT, WE HAVE INCREASED CAPITAL NEEDS.

THEY HAVE INCREASED BUDGETING NEEDS.

WE ALL SHARE A COST TO THAT.

SO THEIR PROJECTIONS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED WHAT THEIR BUDGET IS GOING INTO THEIR NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

IT'S QUITE A LOT MORE THAN WHAT WE WERE PROJECTING.

THEIR FISCAL YEAR DIDN'T ACTUALLY START TILL DECEMBER, SO WE WON'T REALLY KNOW ULTIMATELY UNTIL NEXT YEAR AROUND AUGUST OR SO.

WHAT THAT IMPACT TRULY WILL BE IF THEY GO OUT FOR DEBT AND STUFF.

SO IT'S REALLY JUST INSTEAD OF COMING TO YOU LATER WITH AN AMENDMENT DOWN THE ROAD, GO AHEAD AND ADDRESS IT NOW KNOWING THAT, YOU KNOW, MOST LIKELY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY MORE. IN THE END, WE PAY MORE.

HOW DOES THAT IMPACT THE CITIZENS? WELL, THIS IS BUILT INTO THE RATES.

AS YOU KNOW, THE REVENUE IS BASED ON INCREASING THE RATES FOR THAT FIVE YEAR, YOU KNOW, RATE ORDINANCE INCREASE.

THIS WOULD BE THE THIRD YEAR OF THAT.

SO IT'S BUILT INTO THEIR WATER AND SEWER RATES.

SO IT DOESN'T LIKE IMPACT THEM IN WAYS THAT THEY'RE HAVING TO PAY MORE.

OTHER THAN WHAT WE ASSESS ON THE ON THE RATES IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

SO IT'S BUILT INTO THE BUDGET TO MEET THE OPERATIONAL DEMANDS OF PROVIDING WATER, BUT YOU DON'T SEE AN INCREASE TO THE PUBLIC AS A RESULT OF THIS. NO.

SO BEFORE WITHOUT BUILDING IT IN, I MEAN, THE REVENUE THAT WE WERE ESTIMATING AND THE EXPENSES WE WERE ESTIMATING, WE WERE ABOUT 600 OVER REVENUE WISE.

SO THIS IT JUST BRINGS THAT DOWN.

BUT WE'RE STILL ABOUT WHERE WE NEED TO BE.

ON THE SANITATION FUND, WE HAVE FIVE PEOPLE HERE, SO SAME STORY.

I MEAN, IT'S JUST THE MRS CHANGES HERE, BUT WE'RE STILL ENDING, PROJECTING, ENDING THE YEAR WITH A LITTLE BIT OF REVENUE OVER EXPENSES.

HOTEL, MOTEL. WE HAVE ONE PERSON IN THERE, SO IT'S JUST A SMALL CHANGE THERE, BUT ALSO THE ADMINISTRATIVE FEE WE TALKED ABOUT ADDING THAT, AS YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE ONE TIME PROJECT COMING OUT OF THE HOTEL MOTEL.

SO I KNOW WE'RE DIPPING INTO THE FUND BALANCE, BUT WE HAVE QUITE A BIT IN EXCESS FUND BALANCE THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO USE FOR HOTEL MOTEL RELATED EXPENSES.

SO WE ARE STILL WORKING ON HVAC REPLACEMENT AND ROOF REPLACEMENT FOR THE FIELDHOUSE.

[00:55:01]

AND THEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WE HAVE FOUR AND A HALF FULL TIME EMPLOYEES THERE AS WELL AS ONE FOR BEAUTIFICATION.

SO THE CHANGES IN T MRS. AND AGAIN THAT ADMINISTRATIVE FEE.

AND AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE PRETTY AGGRESSIVE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITH INCENTIVES AND SUCH.

SO WE'RE UTILIZING THE FUND BALANCE THAT WE'VE BUILT UP OVER TIME IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR SAID PROJECTS.

BUT LOOKING HISTORICALLY WE'VE NOT SPENT WHAT WE'VE BUDGETED.

SO SEE IF THAT TREND CONTINUES TO HAPPEN AND THEN FIELDHOUSE, SAME THING.

YOU HAVE THREE, THREE FULL TIME EMPLOYEES THERE.

SO BUT THEY'RE PROJECTED TO COME IN REVENUES OVER EXPENSES.

SO THOSE ARE PRETTY MUCH ALL THE FUNDS THAT ARE IMPACTED BY THE CHANGE.

ADDING THAT INTO THEIR BUDGETS.

DO YOU ALL HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS YOU ALL WANT TO ASK AT THIS TIME WITH REGARDING THESE CHANGES OR PROPOSED CHANGES? OKAY. YES.

OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THIS UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT NOW.

SO MISS EBERT.

I WANTED TO ASK A QUICK QUESTION.

THE FIELDHOUSE. RIGHT.

MAKE IT REAL CLEAR THAT DEBT HAS GONE UP.

SO THIS WILL BE THE LAST YEAR FOR THE DEBT AND IT WILL BE PAID FOR.

THE RECEIVER? YES.

PATRICIA EBERT 115 SOUTH GREEN STONE.

AND I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.

WHENEVER YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT TMS, YOU SAID 2%.

AND YET COME JANUARY 1ST, THERE'S A POTENTIAL 1% INCREASE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES.

AND THE WAY I UNDERSTOOD IT WHENEVER I DID A PUBLIC COMMENT IS THAT IF THE EMPLOYEE PASSES THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW, THEY GET THE 1%.

IF THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T GET THE 1%, OR THEY COULD GET A PARTIAL 1%.

SO WHAT I SAW WAS 2%.

WHAT'S THE PROJECTION TO THE BUDGET? IF IT'S 3% COME JANUARY 1ST AND THEN THE SUBSEQUENT MONTHS BECAUSE OF THE PERFORMANCE REVIEWS, AND THEN ALSO WE SEE AGAIN THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HAS CONTINUED TO HAVE A NEGATIVE BALANCE FUND.

IT STARTED OUT AT 212.

1 MILLION. I THINK IT'S DOWN TO 1.5 MILLION.

NEGATIVE BALANCE.

SO SPEAKING TO THAT SO IN THE BUDGET YES 2% ACROSS THE BOARD ADJUSTMENT IS BUDGETED.

THE 1% MERIT INCREASE I BUDGETED.

ASSUMING YOU KNOW 1% FOR GENERAL EMPLOYEES, REGARDLESS IF THEY GET UP TO 1% OR NOT, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET IS THERE, IF THAT IS INDEED HOW IT COMES TO BE COME JANUARY.

SO I THINK THE 1% IS IN THE BUDGET.

YES, MA'AM. BUT, JENNIFER, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE TWO MRS COLA.

AND SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT JUST WAGES INCREASE.

WAGE INCREASE FOR CURRENT STAFF IS THE 2% ACROSS THE BOARD.

AND THEN THE 1% MERIT YOU KNOW AGAIN GOES TOWARDS WAGES TOWARDS TAMAREZ IS A RETIREMENT BENEFIT AND THE COLA RELATED TO THAT BENEFIT PACKAGE IS ACTUALLY A COLA TO THE CURRENT RETIREE. OKAY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WELL DO YOU WANT TO TOUCH ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND BALANCE.

SO THE PROJECTED ENDING FUND BALANCE RIGHT NOW.

I'M SORRY I DIDN'T DO THE MATH OF WHAT THE 150 DAYS WOULD LOOK LIKE, BUT I'M ASSUMING 90 DAYS OF THE CURRENT EXPENDITURES.

THAT 90 DAY RESERVE IS 1.2.

AND SO WE STILL HAVE ABOUT 3 MILLION THERE KIND OF A WIGGLE ROOM, IF YOU WILL, WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

AND THEY HAVE PLANS IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY WANT TO GET MORE REVENUE FOR WITH PROPERTIES AND SUCH LIKE THAT.

SO, BUT SO, SO, SO JUST TO TACK ON TO THAT, MISS EBERT.

SO WHAT WE'RE PROJECTING FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUNDS SPECIFICALLY IS THAT AT THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 25, THERE WILL BE $4.3 MILLION FUND BALANCE.

SO THERE IS EXPENDITURES EXCEEDING REVENUE JUST OPERATING IN THE YEAR, BUT THERE WAS EXCESS FUND BALANCE THAT HAD BEEN BUILT UP OVER THE YEARS.

SO WE STILL HAVE WE STILL HAVE AT THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 2025, $4.3 MILLION IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING BASED ON THE THE NUMBERS.

AND I'VE HEARD BEFORE, BOTH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS, D.C.

EDC MEETINGS AND FROM THE CITY MANAGER THAT WE'RE GOING TO SELL CITY PROPERTIES.

WELL, SO FAR WE JUST HAVEN'T DONE THAT.

I'M HOPING THAT'S HOPEFUL.

I'M SORRY. I KNOW YOU WANT TO GET TO ANOTHER.

CAN WE JUST SO THE $1.2 MILLION JENNIFER THAT'S OVER.

IS THAT THE FIELD HOUSE OR IS THAT JUST OPERATIONS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? THIS IS EVERYTHING.

[01:00:02]

IT'S EVERYTHING. IT'S EVERYTHING.

THAT'S SO OKAY.

I'M SORRY, MISS BROWN.

ERIKA BROWN, 442 EAST CHERRY STREET.

I JUST HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.

GOING BACK TO PAGE THREE WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE POLLING PLACES.

IS THAT IS THERE A COST INVOLVED IN HAVING POLLING PLACES? IS MY QUESTION.

BECAUSE IT CONCERNS ME THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POSSIBLY GETTING RID OF SOME OF THE POLLING PLACES.

AND THEN ON PAGE SEVEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT CLEANING UP THE OUTSTANDING WARRANT LIST.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I'M REALLY GLAD TO SEE THAT THAT'S SOMETHING YOU'RE LOOKING INTO.

BECAUSE WHEN I VOLUNTEERED WITH THE DEPARTMENT A LITTLE BIT AND WOULD CALL FOR THOSE WARRANTS, AND HALF THE PEOPLE WEREN'T THERE ANYMORE.

AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S WAYS TO FIND PEOPLE, SO I'M REALLY GLAD YOU'LL BE DOING THAT.

AND THEN I ALSO AM REALLY IMPRESSED ON PAGE EIGHT BY THE REDUCED EXPENDITURES.

AND THEN MY MY BIGGEST QUESTION WAS ON PAGE 11.

FOR THE 150 DAYS I WANT I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY.

DOES THAT MEAN THAT THERE'S 300.

$3,568,669 MORE THAN YOU EXPECTED TO HAVE.

THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR OTHER THINGS.

OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. I DON'T KNOW THAT WE ANSWERED THE QUESTION ON THE POLLING LOCATION, EXPENSES, THE POLLING PLACES, WHEN WHEN WE ALL MEET, WE SAY WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE PARTICIPATING IN IT.

THAT IS ACROSS THE BOARD.

THE COST IS BASED ON THE POPULATION, NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS, AND THEN HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST TO HAVE THE ELECTION AND YES.

SO IT IS BROKEN DOWN BASED ON THAT.

BUT ARE WE ARE WE LOOKING AT.

BECAUSE I KNOW THERE WERE SOME POLLING PLACES THAT WERE HARDLY USED AT ALL.

ARE WE LOOKING AT THAT AS A FACTOR.

SO WE'RE WEIGHING THE EXPENSE OF HAVING THAT POLLING PLACE VERSUS THE ACTUAL USE OF THAT POLLING PLACE? YES. OKAY.

YEAH. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. SO ANY OTHER FURTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO TALKING ABOUT SOME TAX RATES? OKAY. OKAY.

LET ME GO BACK TO THAT SLIDE.

SO THIS ONE CAN YOU GO BACK JUST JUST AS JUST TO RECAP.

OH OKAY. BECAUSE WE GLOSSED HERE.

YEAH WE KIND OF WENT OVER THAT.

SO YOU'LL HAVE THIS WHEN WE PROVIDE THE INFORMATION FOR THE NEXT COUNCIL AGENDA FOR ADOPTION AND GOING BACK THROUGH THE PUBLIC HEARING AND EVERYTHING. IT'LL SHOW A SIDE BY SIDE WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY SUBMITTED VERSUS IF YOU APPROVE THESE CHANGES, WHAT THAT CHANGE LOOKS LIKE, THEN YOU CAN SEE WHAT THOSE VARIANCES ARE. SO BUT THIS JUST BREAKS IT DOWN BASED ON THE CATEGORY OF REVENUE.

HIGHLIGHTED THE LINE WHERE YOU SEE THE ADJUSTMENTS WITHIN.

SO OUR PROPOSED REVENUE IS 42.4 MILLION.

WITH THOSE CHANGES ON THE EXPENSE SIDE IN THE AREAS THAT WERE IMPACTED.

AND WHAT THAT NET EFFECT IS, YOU KNOW, COMES TO 179 WAS THE VARIANCE IN EXPENDITURES.

BUT WITH THE INCREASED EXPENDITURE REVENUE AND DECREASE IN EXPENDITURES, AND THAT COMES TO A NET ZERO IN TERMS OF REVENUES OVER EXPENSES.

SO THAT'S KIND OF IN SUMMATION FROM THE GENERAL FUND SIDE.

SO FROM A REQUEST STANDPOINT ON THE 17TH IT'S OUR DESIRE THAT THERE WOULD BE A MOTION TO APPROVE WITH THE RECOMMENDED CHANGES THAT WE PRESENTED HERE TODAY.

AND IF WE JUST TALK ABOUT THAT, SO WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL PUT TOGETHER A STAFF REPORT LIKE YOU WOULD NORMALLY HAVE.

WE'LL PUT THE RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE BUDGET WITH THESE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.

AS LONG AS YOU GUYS GIVE US A THUMBS UP HERE TODAY.

AND WHATEVER ELSE COMES UP HERE TODAY AND KIND OF SPELLING THESE OUT, THESE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE ORIGINAL PROPOSED BUDGET.

SO, COUNCIL, ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION? ARE WE GOING TO GO BACK THROUGH? DO WE STILL HAVE TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT.

YES, MA'AM. YES, MA'AM.

SO YOU'RE CUT OFF. WE ARE ANTICIPATING I GOT QUESTIONS.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT TAX RATE SCENARIOS.

OKAY, SO THIS CHART WILL SHOW YOU AGAIN THE TAXABLE VALUE COMES AT 3.8 BILLION.

THAT'S COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.

SO THE PROPOSED RATE IS 614.

SO THAT LEAVES THE CITY REVENUE OF 23.8 MILLION.

[01:05:01]

SO THAT ANNUAL DIFFERENCE TO THAT AVERAGE TAXPAYER COMES TO $62, ROUGHLY FOR THAT PROPOSED RATE, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST RATE IF WE WERE TO GO $0.01 LESS YOU COULD SEE HOW THAT AFFECTS THE CITY'S REVENUE.

IT WOULD BE ABOUT 387,000 REDUCTION.

THE AVERAGE CITY PAY TAX WOULD THEN BE ABOUT 1475, WHICH IS STILL AN INCREASE TO THE AVERAGE TAXPAYER FOR ABOUT $37.

ABOUT HALF. AND THEN $0.02 LESS.

AND YOU CAN SEE IT'S JUST DOUBLES THAT REVENUE REDUCTION.

AS WELL AS THE THE AVERAGE CITY RESIDENT WOULD PAY REDUCES AND THEN AT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.

SO THAT'S THE SAME GETTING THE SAME AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT WE RECEIVE THIS YEAR.

THAT'S WHAT THAT RATE IS BASED ON.

IT WOULD BE A 1 MILLION REVENUE REDUCTION ON THE CITY SIDE AND A REDUCTION ON THE AVERAGE TAXPAYER SIDE.

SO GOING THROUGH THE EXERCISE, REALLY WHAT'S LEFT? YOU CAN 65 PLUS PERCENT OF OUR BUDGET IS PEOPLE.

SO REALLY WHAT IS LEFT IS PEOPLE.

SO ON A $0.01 LESS AGAIN IT'S ABOUT 378,000.

YOU KNOW, KIND OF BROKE DOWN BASED ON SOME POSITIONS OF WHAT WOULD COME TO THAT WITH A FULLY LOADED POSITION.

POLICE OFFICER, FIREFIGHTER CODE, PROJECT MANAGER.

THOSE POSITIONS WOULD GET YOU ABOUT $0.01 LESS.

YOU KNOW, IF WE GO $0.02 LESS.

THESE ARE THE POSITIONS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE VACANT.

TO GET TO THAT TO GET TO THAT REVENUE AND THEN NO NEW REVENUE RATE POSITIONS THAT ARE VACANT RIGHT NOW THAT WOULD COME TO THAT.

SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO OFFER IN TERMS OF, I GUESS, REALLY THE FOURTH OPTION HERE, BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, WE REALLY DID GO BACK THROUGH WITH A SCALPEL THROUGH THE BUDGET. YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANTED TO APPROPRIATE FUND BALANCE AND TRY TO DO SOMETHING, YOU ALWAYS HAVE THAT OPTION.

HOWEVER, KNOWING THE NUMBER OF PROJECTS AND INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE, I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND IT, BUT IT IS AN OPTION.

SO AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE THESE QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP BEFORE, I WOULD ASK THAT IF THERE'S ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PART OF OUR PRESENTATION.

MISS EVELYN? YES.

PATRICIA EBERT 115 SOUTH GREENSTONE.

ARE THERE OTHER PHYSICIANS THAT COULD BE CUT OTHER THAN FIRST RESPONDERS? AND I'M JUST THROWING OUT.

THERE ARE OTHER PHYSICIANS IN THE CITY THAT ARE NOT FIRST RESPONDERS.

YES. SO WE WENT THROUGH WITH A FINE TOOTH COMB.

WE TRIED TO LOOK AT VACANT POSITIONS CURRENTLY SO THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO LAY OFF STAFF.

AND WE LOOKED AT OTHER POSITIONS, BUT WE SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME THIS IS WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND THESE POSITIONS, IF THAT'S WHAT COUNCIL WANTS TO DO.

OTHERWISE OPERATIONS WOULD BE IMPACTED.

DOES BRANDON, DO I NEED TO STATE MY NAME AGAIN? OKAY. YEAH, I, I KIND OF FEEL LIKE THIS IS A FEAR TACTIC TO PUT THESE FIRST RESPONDERS UP THERE BECAUSE, LIKE, WE DON'T NEED AN EVENT COORDINATOR.

I MEAN, I JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE WE DO.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S STILL ON THERE, BUT AT SOME POINT, THERE WAS AN EXTRA ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER POSITION THAT WAS LISTED.

I DON'T THINK OUR CITY WITH OUR SIZE NEEDS TWO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS.

SO I FEEL LIKE THIS IS FEAR MONGERING AND I DON'T APPRECIATE IT.

YEAH. SO I'M HAPPY TO ADDRESS THAT.

I MEAN, AGAIN, IT'S NOT FEAR MONGERING.

IT'S IT'S A MATTER OF FACTS.

I MEAN, NUMBERS THE TWO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS ARE A BUDGET NEUTRAL SITUATION WHERE THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND THE ASSISTANT TO CITY MANAGER.

THE COST OF THAT DIVIDED BY TWO TO CREATE THE TWO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS.

SO THAT'S A BUDGET NEUTRAL EQUATION.

SO THIS IS REALLY I MEAN, THIS IS WHERE WE JUST NEED SOME DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO? THESE ARE CURRENTLY VACANT POSITIONS.

A LOT OF THESE POSITIONS ARE VACANT.

YES. AND SO IT WOULD BE A FREEZE ON THOSE POSITIONS FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.

AND THEN WE WOULD REVISIT THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR IF, IF DECIDED TO GO THIS DIRECTION.

SO, CITY MANAGER, I'D LIKE YOU TO ADDRESS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FEDERAL STATE AND HOW MORE REGULATIONS ARE BEING FORCED DOWN INTO THE CITIES.

BUT AND ALSO, I'D LIKE YOU TO ADDRESS WHAT WHAT IT DOES IN TERMS OF, OF WHEN WE'RE SETTING A TAX RATE AND WE'RE TRYING TO REDEVELOP AND GROW AND WHAT YOUR EXPECTATIONS OR YOUR VISION FOR THAT AS WELL.

[01:10:06]

SO LET'S FACE IT, AT THE END OF THE DAY, AND I'VE SAID THIS PUBLICLY MANY TIMES, THE POLICE AND FIRE, I'VE MET WITH ALL THE FIREFIGHTERS JUST RECENTLY.

WE'VE MET WITH POLICE.

THE COST OF PUBLIC SAFETY IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO GO UP INCREASE.

THERE IS NO IFS, ANDS OR BUTS.

I MEAN, A NEW LADDER TRUCK NOW IS $1.9 MILLION.

I MEAN, JUST THE COST IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO GO UP FOR POLICE AND FIRE.

SO IN ORDER TO MEET THOSE EXPENSES.

RIGHT. THAT MEANS WE NEED TO GROW AS A CITY.

OTHERWISE WE'RE PASSING THOSE EXPENSES ON TO THE PROPERTY TAXPAYERS THAT ARE CURRENTLY HERE.

SO WE HAVE TO LOOK FOR ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF REVENUE, ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF REVENUE, WHETHER THAT'S GRANTS, WHETHER THAT'S OTHER WAYS TO BUILD ADDITIONAL TO INCREASE OUR TAXABLE VALUE, OR WHETHER IT'S FEES, FINES, WHETHER IT'S OTHER WAYS OF DOING BUSINESS.

AN EXAMPLE VICTOR AND I HAVE RECENTLY BEEN TALKING ABOUT PITCHING AN IDEA, FOR INSTANCE, WHEN A DEVELOPER COMES INTO THE COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF THE TAXPAYERS OF THE COMMUNITY PAYING THE REVIEW COSTS AND ALL THAT STUFF, THAT MAYBE THAT COST IS PASSED ON TO THE DEVELOPER AS PART OF THEIR PROJECT.

AS ONE EXAMPLE OF MANY DIFFERENT EXAMPLES.

WE'VE REALLY WE'VE GOT TO LOOK UNDER EVERY ROCK BECAUSE OUR COSTS ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GO UP FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.

AND SO THAT'S WHY BUILDING OUT INCREASING THAT OVERALL TAXABLE REVENUE.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE UNFUNDED MANDATES THAT ARE PLACED ON MUNICIPALITIES ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO LEAD SERVICE, LINE INVENTORY REPLACEMENT IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THAT.

THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS ON ANYBODY'S RADAR OR ANYTHING THAT WE WERE LOOKING TO DO THIS YEAR, BUT IT WAS FORCED UPON US BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

RIGHT. AND THERE'S SIGNIFICANT EXPENSE TO THAT.

AND FORTUNATELY, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE IN PRETTY GOOD STANDING, HOPEFULLY TO GET $20 MILLION IN A COMBINATION OF GRANT MONEY AND FORGIVENESS, LOAN AND LOAN TO ACTUALLY DO THAT PROJECT THAT OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE BEEN PASSED ON TO THE PROPERTY TAX PAYERS.

AND SO THAT TAKES PEOPLE, THAT TAKES RESOURCES, THAT TAKES CONTRACTUAL, YOU KNOW, PARTNERSHIPS WITH DIFFERENT ENTITIES TO DO ALL OF THOSE THINGS SO THAT WE CAN DO THAT.

BUT WE'VE GOT TO GET CREATIVE.

WE HAVE TO CONTINUOUSLY LOOK FOR NEW SOURCES OF REVENUE AND NEW WAYS TO DO THINGS, BECAUSE IT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE TO JUST KEEP PASSING IT ON TO THE PROPERTY TAX PAYERS.

AND SO AS WE GET TO NEXT YEAR AND FUTURE YEARS, WHEN WE START TO LOOK AT MULTI-YEAR BUDGETS, YOU'RE REALLY GOING TO START TO SEE THAT.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE, OKAY, HERE'S WHAT WE EXPECT IN 26.

HERE'S WHAT WE EXPECT IN 27, HERE'S WHAT WE EXPECT IN 28.

BUT THAT'S WHY YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY THIS A HUNDRED TIMES.

I NEED THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN TO REALLY HELP YOU WITH A MULTI-YEAR BUDGET.

AND REALLY, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS IN 26.

WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT IN 27.

WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT IN 28, AND THEN WE CAN LAY THAT OUT.

OKAY. SO TO THE CITIZEN'S QUESTION, LET'S GO BACK A MINUTE.

I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANYBODY LOSE JOBS.

AND I DON'T WANT TO SEE FIRST RESPONDER POSITIONS NOT FILLED.

IT'S BEEN TOUGH ENOUGH LOSING PEOPLE IN THOSE POSITIONS.

I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO ALLOW FOR OPPORTUNITIES NOT TO TAKE AWAY OPPORTUNITIES TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS.

IT IS TRUE THAT THEY'RE HIGH ON MY PRIORITY LIST AND OTHERS, BUT LET'S GO BACK AND JUST NOT TO DEBATE THE MERITS OF THE TWO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS.

WHAT ARE THE TWO ROLES? BECAUSE WE WE SEE THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN TWO ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF OR POLICE CHIEFS AND WHAT THEIR ROLES ARE.

I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER HEARD WHAT SPECIFICALLY EACH ONE OF THEM WILL BE ASSIGNED.

SURE. ONE WOULD BE ASSIGNED FOR COMMUNITY RELATED OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY DEPARTMENTS WOULD REPORT TO THAT PERSON.

OTHERS WOULD BE FOCUSED MORE ON INTERNAL OPERATIONAL TYPE STUFF.

IT, HR, THAT KIND OF STUFF.

SO A SEPARATION.

OKAY. AND SO ALONG WITH THAT THERE WERE OTHER POSITIONS OBVIOUSLY THAT PROBABLY WANTED THAT SALARY RANGE, BUT THEY'RE POSITIONS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE FILLED THAT WERE DISCUSSED WHEN YOU WERE LOOKING AT THIS LIST.

OTHER POSITIONS WITHIN THE CITY WHEN WE WENT THROUGH INTERNALLY.

RIGHT. YES. RIGHT.

AND SO NONE OF THOSE MADE THE LIST UP HERE.

IS THERE AN ASSUMPTION THAT THOSE POSITIONS WERE WERE.

CRITICAL FOR OUR OPERATIONS.

WERE THOSE POSITIONS VACANT? AND HOW WAS THAT? HOW WAS IT THAT THESE ARE ALL ESSENTIAL RIGHT HERE AS FAR AS THE CITY, THE CITIZENS ARE CONCERNED.

THEY WANT POLICE OFFICERS.

THEY WANT FIREFIGHTERS, OF COURSE THEY WANT CODE ENFORCEMENT.

I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE.

YOU KNOW, WE DABBLED IN IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT THE PROJECT MANAGER DOES FOR US.

BUT WE'LL GET THOSE.

WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER POSITIONS THAT MAY BE VACANT THAT AREN'T CRITICAL? AND HOW DID YOU ASSESS THOSE OTHERS THAT DIDN'T MAKE THIS LIST? SO WE WENT THROUGH EACH OF THEM.

BUT KEEP IN MIND, WHAT WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT IS ONE IS THE GENERAL FUND TAX RATE.

[01:15:04]

SO THAT'S THAT'S REALLY DOESN'T FACTOR INTO THIS.

SO THESE ARE AND AGAIN THESE ARE VACANT POSITIONS.

AND SO INSTEAD OF LAYING PEOPLE OFF WE STARTED TO LOOK THROUGH SOME OF THE DIFFERENT VACANT POSITIONS.

NOW WHEN YOU START TO GET INTO THE FURTHER YOU GO TOWARDS THAT NO NEW TAX RATE.

THAT BECOMES MORE CHALLENGING WHEN YOU START TO ADD IN THOSE OTHER THOSE OTHER POSITIONS.

BUT WHAT WE DID IS WE WENT THROUGH IN DETAIL THE GENERAL FUND TAX RATE IMPLICATION POSITIONS.

YEAH. AND THE REASON I'M ASKING THIS IS BECAUSE AND I'M NOT I'M NOT ARGUING WITH WHAT YOU HAVE UP THERE.

BUT WHEN WE SET THE TAX RATE, THERE WAS A COMMENT MADE THAT OFTENTIMES AND NOT JUST THIS COUNCIL AND THIS ADMINISTRATION, BUT OFTENTIMES WHEN WE SET THE TAX RATE, WE NEVER HAVE AN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION TO SEE IF THERE'S A POSSIBILITY OF DROPPING DOWN A CENT OR TWO.

SO WE'VE MADE AN EFFORT TO DO THAT.

BUT I JUST WANT FOR CLARITY'S SAKE THAT WE WE ADDRESS.

BEYOND WHAT WE HAVE UP HERE THAT WE THAT WE KNOW.

YOU'VE GIVEN ME AN EXPLANATION.

I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION OVER HERE.

SO LET'S GO TO THAT ONE. YEAH, I JUST WANT TO ON THAT ON PAGE 11, ON THAT $3.5 MILLION THAT WE'RE SAVING FROM THE FUND BALANCE, WHERE WHERE'S THAT GOING? I MEAN, WHY CAN'T WE. OKAY, REPEAT THE QUESTION.

THAT $3.5 MILLION THAT WE'RE SAVING ON THE FUND BALANCE.

WHERE IS THAT GOING? SO IF SO, THAT IS $3.5 MILLION THAT COUNCIL IS GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ON WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, WHAT THEY WANT TO ALLOCATE THAT TO.

SO IF THEY WANTED TO UTILIZE THAT IN SOME WAY AND APPROPRIATE SOME MONEY FOR THE BUDGET, THEY CERTAINLY HAVE THAT.

HOWEVER, WE HAVE QUITE A FEW PROJECTS AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT NEED TO BE DONE.

THAT'S WHY I SAID I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND IT, BUT YOU COULD DO IT.

SO OKAY, SO AT SOME POINT THEN CAN WE IDENTIFY THOSE PROJECTS AND TALK ABOUT THEM AGAIN? WELL THAT'S OCTOBER 29TH.

WE HAVE. THAT'S THE WHOLE ENTIRE MEETING IS GOING TO BE ON CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.

BUT WE HAVE THAT'S A LITTLE AFTER THE FACT THOUGH.

SO. WELL, YOU HAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, I WILL TELL YOU.

YOU PROBABLY HAVE $100 MILLION IN PROJECTS THAT NEED TO BE DONE.

IT'S A HUGE NUMBER OF ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

COULD WE JUST GET A COUPLE OF THEM FOR THE PUBLIC? I KNOW WE'VE DISCUSSED THEM AND COUNCIL, SO, LIKE, AM I THE LEAD SERVICE? BUT THAT'S UNDER A GRANT.

SO WHAT ARE SOME OTHER HALF OF THE UNDER GRANT? SO WE WANT TO DO AMI THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

CORRECT. AND WHAT WAS ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAYBE IT WOULD HELP GIVE US 1 OR 2 TO THE ARPA LIST.

SO BECAUSE THEN YOU CAN SHOW AT LEAST WE'LL COME BACK AND REVISIT ARPA.

BUT THIS IS A LIST OF SOME THINGS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, SO YOU'VE GOT HARRINGTON PARK, YOU'VE GOT TRAILS, YOU'VE GOT FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENTS.

OBVIOUSLY THE SERVICE CENTER IS HUGE AMI DRAINAGE, I MEAN, THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE ON RECENT DISCUSSION LISTS.

BUT AGAIN, EVEN JUST THE OTHER TUESDAY NIGHT, RIGHT, WE HAD THE FACILITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT.

YOU HEARD THE NEEDS NOT ONLY AT THE SERVICE CENTER, BUT ELECTRICAL PANELS NEED TO BE REPLACED AT SOME FACILITIES, ROOFS AT SOME.

WE HAVE QUITE A FEW NEEDS.

OKAY. OKAY. I'LL GO AHEAD AND THEN.

SO ABOUT THE VACANT POSITIONS.

WHAT IS THE WORKLOAD BALANCE PER EMPLOYEE.

SO LET'S JUST TAKE POLICE BECAUSE I KNOW AT ONE POINT WE HAD EIGHT VACANCIES.

RIGHT. AND THAT WAS PUTTING A STRAIN ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

SO WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF HAVING ONE VACANCY COMPARED TO THE CALLS THAT THEY HAVE TO RESPOND TO? YEAH, I'M GOING TO DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THE CURRENT VACANCIES ARE AND KIND OF THE SITUATION, AND MAYBE INTRODUCE YOUR NEW ASSISTANT CHIEF WHILE YOU'RE STANDING? ABSOLUTELY. YEAH.

THANK YOU. MAYOR, COUNCIL.

I CERTAINLY WANT TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, IF I MAY, TO ACKNOWLEDGE FINANCE AND CITY MANAGER ON THEIR HARD WORK ON PROVIDING THIS BUDGET AND CREATING THIS BUDGET.

I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME OF INTRODUCING OUR NEW APPOINTED ASSISTANT CHIEF OF POLICE, RON WILCOX.

SO. SO THIS IS A PERFECT DAY FOR HIM TO BE HERE.

SO GOOD QUESTION ON THE POSITIONS.

SO MY GOAL IS TO TRY TO HIRE THESE PEOPLE AS QUICKLY AS I CAN.

AND I'M TRYING TO SPECIFY OR GET INTO THE LATERAL OFFICERS.

BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY'RE NOT CERTIFIED? IT TAKES US ABOUT 12 TO 18 MONTHS FOR THEM TO BE EFFECTIVE STAFFING ON THE STREET.

[01:20:04]

WHAT HAPPENS IN THAT 12 TO 18 MONTHS IF WE LOSE SOMEBODY? WE'RE STILL TRYING TO PLAY CATCH UP.

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE SEVEN VACANCIES.

YOU GUYS APPROVED THE LATERAL BONUS THAT WE DID.

WE JUST REJECTED ONE OF THE CERTIFIED OFFICERS.

UNFORTUNATELY FOR SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION.

THE OTHER ONE.

HOPEFULLY WE HIRE THAT PERSON BECAUSE THEN YOU REDUCE THAT 12 TO 18 MONTHS BY SIX MONTHS, FIVE MONTHS.

AND IT'S REALLY DEPENDENT ON THEIR EXPERIENCE.

SO THE BIGGEST WEIGHT THAT WE HAVE WHEN WE HIRE A LATERAL OFFICER IS THEIR BODY ARMOR, BECAUSE IT'S SPECIFIED TO THEIR PERSON, THAT PERSON'S BODY THAT NORMALLY TAKES 6 TO 8 WEEKS. WE DON'T WANT TO PUT THEM ON THE STREET WITHOUT BODY ARMOR.

SO DURING THAT TIME WE DO A LOT OF IN-SERVICE TRAINING.

HEY, HERE'S OUR POLICIES.

THIS IS HOW WE POLICE OUT HERE IN THE STREETS.

THEN THEY GO THROUGH A 17 WEEK FIELD TRAINING PROCESS THAT CAN BE CUT SHORT AGAIN DEPENDING ON THEIR EXPERIENCE.

SO WE ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON HIRING THEM TO HELP MINIMIZE OUR VACANCIES.

NOW NOW THAT'S OUR FORMAL VACANCIES WE HAVE CURRENTLY.

I BELIEVE WE'VE CUT IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT ON OUR EFFECTIVE STAFFING.

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN WE WERE DOWN 18 OFFICERS.

EFFECTIVE STAFFING BECAUSE THEY WERE ON LEAVE OR MILITARY LEAVE.

FMLA LEAVE.

SO WE STILL HAVE TO PROVIDE THAT SAME CUSTOMER SERVICE, REGARDLESS IF WE HAVE ALL 63 OFFICERS OR 40 OFFICERS, BECAUSE THAT'S THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE COMMUNITY. AND YOU ALL AND MY BOSS, THE CITY MANAGER.

AND SO IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT.

WHEN I STARTED, MENTAL HEALTH WASN'T A BIG ISSUE.

NOW IT'S A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE.

SO IMAGINE HAVING FOUR OFFICERS ON THE STREET RESPONDING.

YOU GUYS KNOW WHAT WE'VE BEEN RESPONDING TO RECENTLY.

SO WHEN YOU HAVE A SIGNIFICANT INCIDENT IT SHUTS DOWN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S ON THAT SCENE BECAUSE WE HAVE A MINIMUM STAFFING OF FOUR ON THE STREET.

THAT IS NOT ENOUGH.

IT'S NOT SAFE OUT THERE FOR THEM TO DO THAT.

SO I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL OBVIOUSLY SEEING THIS, PLEASE ALLOW US TO FILL THESE VACANCIES.

MR.. VERA CRUZ AND THEN MR. JACKSON HAS A FOLLOW UP.

SO GO AHEAD.

SO OBVIOUSLY YOU ALL KNOW I WAS A FIRST RESPONDER MYSELF AND WHAT THE CHIEF'S TALKING ABOUT.

THAT'S JUST THE VACANCIES.

THAT'S NOT TALKING FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE.

THAT'S NOT TALKING INJURY.

THAT'S NOT TALKING THE TIME IT TAKES TO TRAIN.

AND THEN WE'RE PART OF THE BEST SOUTHWEST.

SO THEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SWAT TRAINING EXECUTIVE OFFICER TRAINING, ALL THAT.

SO THAT FURTHER DIMINISHES YOU KNOW, THE VACANCIES.

AND I KNOW WHAT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE UP THERE, BUT THOSE ARE THE HARDEST TO FILL.

THOSE POSITIONS ARE THE HARDEST TO FILL.

AND IF WE TAKE ONE AWAY, I'M JUST GOING TO SAY IT.

IT'S NOT GOING TO BE PRETTY, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE REDUCTION OR REDUCING OUR FORCE.

THAT IS NOT GOOD THAT THAT SENDS A TERRIBLE MESSAGE OUT THERE TO OUR.

THAT'S YEAH, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

I APPRECIATE YOUR BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE AND YOUR STATEMENT.

AND THAT WAS WHY I PREFACED MY STATEMENT WITH, I'M NOT LOOKING TO GET RID OF IT, TO GET RID OF ANY FIELD POSITION OR ANY OPEN POSITION, ESPECIALLY IN THESE AREAS UP HERE.

I MEAN, EVEN CODE ENFORCEMENT FOR THAT MATTER.

I'M SORRY, I'M USING THE OLD TERM GOOD SERVICES.

WITH THE COMMENTS THAT WE GET, WITH THE COMMENTS WE GET ABOUT CODE ENFORCEMENT AND BEING WORKED ON AND IMPROVED.

WE CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE ONE OF THOSE POSITIONS, EVEN IF IT'S VACANT RIGHT NOW.

IT'S TOO BIG.

IT'S. IT'S A SMALL CITY, BUT IT'S TOO BIG A CITY NOT TO HAVE THE FULL COMPLEMENT OF CODE ENFORCEMENT PEOPLE IF THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE CITIZENS ARE TO BE MET.

OTHERWISE, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF HEAT.

I'M JUST SAYING THAT THERE WERE OTHER POSITIONS THAT WERE DISCUSSED AND LOOKED AT, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE MAYBE A REVISITING OF THOSE NOT NOT IN OCTOBER BECAUSE WE KIND OF MISSED THE BOAT BY OCTOBER.

BUT JUST SO THAT WE HAVE A CLEARER POSITION OR PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT WE HAVE OUT THERE, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT FULLY FAMILIAR WITH EVERY POSITION THAT WE HAVE IN CITY HALL.

AT LEAST I'M NOT. I DON'T KNOW HOW THE REST OF YOU ARE.

DON, I THINK YOU'RE PRETTY PRETTY UP ON CITY HALL POSITIONS AND WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT I'M NOT IN THAT POSITION.

SO TO SEE WHAT WE REALLY LOOKED AT, TO SEE THAT WE MADE A SINCERE EFFORT AND I THINK WE MADE A SINCERE EFFORT.

BUT THIS PRESENTATION DOES SHOW US POSITIONS THAT WE'D HAVE TO LOOK UP THERE AND SAY, OH, NO, NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET RID OF THOSE.

SO WHAT ARE THE ONES THAT WE MAY HAVE?

[01:25:01]

AND BEFORE BEFORE WE GO ON TO MISS JERRY BROWN LET ME GO AHEAD AND LET YOU.

HE'S BEEN WAITING FOR A WHILE. THANK YOU.

JUST REAL QUICK, AS A FOLLOW UP TO WHAT YOU JUST SAID, JUST AS A AT LEAST AS A MENTAL EXERCISE.

I'D LIKE TO SEE A LIST OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITH VACANCIES IF WE COULD GET SOME.

SPECIFICALLY, WHAT ARE YOU REQUESTING? A LIST OF ALL OPEN VACANCIES RIGHT NOW.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN RUN YOURSELF? THANK YOU. THIS IS OUR NEW HR DIRECTOR, ASHLEY JACOBS.

JACOBS. STAND UP.

HI, EVERYONE.

I WILL GET THAT REPORT FOR YOU.

SO, WHAT'S YOUR NAME AGAIN, MISS? ASHLEY JACOBS.

OUR NEW DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES.

WELL. THANK YOU.

SO COUNCIL AND PUBLIC AS WELL.

JUST TO ENCAPSULATE THIS SLIDE.

THIS SLIDE IS WHAT WE WOULD CALL A TRANSPARENCY SLIDE.

IT WAS REQUESTED THAT WE PRESENT FOR YOU ALL WHAT THE SCENARIOS WOULD BE IF WE DID NOT GO WITH WHAT OUR PROPOSED TAX RATE ON THE BUDGET IS? RIGHT. AND SO, AS CHIEF STEINER HAS ALREADY SPOKE TO AND WE WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT IN TERMS OF VACANCIES, HE WANTS TO FILL THEM.

WE WANT FOR THEM TO BE FILLED.

SAME IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

SAME IN ALL DEPARTMENTS.

BUT IF THERE ARE REDUCTIONS IN THE TAX RATE, THE REALITY IS, AS MR. FINCH HAD ALREADY TALKED ABOUT, WE TALK ABOUT OPERATIONS, MEANING SUPPLIES AND SERVICES OR NON PERSONNEL RELATED EXPENDITURES.

WE'VE SQUEEZED THAT ORANGE AND GOT AS MUCH JUICE OUT OF IT AS WE CAN GET.

AS YOU SAW IN THE EXPENDITURE SLIDE.

AND SO THEN WE GET INTO THE FACT THAT PERSONNEL HAS TO FEEL IT AS MUCH AS THE OPERATIONAL PART OF IT.

AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT POLICE AND FIRE, THE REALITY IS, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS, THAT'S 50% OF THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET.

SO AGAIN, WHEN MOST OF THE VACANCIES ON GENERAL FUND ARE IN POLICE AND FIRE, THEN NATURALLY THAT WOULD BE AFFECTED IF WE WERE TO HAVE REDUCTIONS IN THE RATE.

AND THEN THE LAST THING IS, IS JUST WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OPEN POSITIONS, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT, AS A CAVEAT, WE'RE POINTING OUT THAT WE'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT SPECIFICALLY GENERAL FUND.

SO THE TAX RATE IS TALKING ABOUT GENERAL FUND SPECIFIC.

SO IF THERE'S POSITIONS THAT ARE IN OPEN POSITIONS AND UTILITY FUND HAS NO EFFECT ON THIS CONVERSATION, IT'S ONLY THOSE OPEN POSITIONS THAT ARE IN THAT ARE FUNDED FROM GENERAL FUND.

SO SO THAT WOULD BE OUR LIST.

YEAH I'M SORRY.

IT'S REAL QUICK. SO CITY MANAGER I APPRECIATE WHERE YOU WANT TO, YOU KNOW TO TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS OPERATIONALLY INTERNALLY.

AS FAR AS HAVING SOMEONE LOOK OVER, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE'RE A SMALL CITY, WE ARE A HIGH MAINTENANCE CITY.

AND I'M SAD AS A CITY COUNCIL, I THINK I PUT MORE HOURS IN AS A CITY COUNCIL THAN I DO OWNING A COMPANY, AND I KNOW OWNING A COMPANY.

MY THING IS WHERE I WAS ALWAYS SAYING, CAN'T WE CUT, CAN'T, WE CAN'T CUT, WE CUT.

WHEN I WAS BROUGHT IN AS A CONSULTANT WHERE FACILITIES WERE SAYING, WE NEED YOU TO LOOK AT WHERE WE CAN CUT AND, AND SO A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE CUT AT THE TOP, WE'RE LOSING ALL OF THAT, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE DIRECTORS.

AND I KNOW THAT, LIKE I SAID, I'VE I'VE BEEN ALL OVER THE WORLD TRYING TO HELP HOSPITALS SAY, CAN WE CUT? CAN WE CUT. CAN WE CUT? AND SOMETIMES WE REALLY NEED TO LISTEN TO THE PERSON THAT'S IN THAT POSITION THAT'S SAYING, I NEED THIS BECAUSE AND THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY. THANK YOU.

AND YEAH, JUST REAL QUICK.

SO I GUESS WE DO GET THAT LIST AND MAKE SURE IT'S CLASSIFIED BY WHICH ONES DO IMPACT THE GENERAL FUND.

RIGHT. SO WHAT WE'LL HAVE TO DO IS WE'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE LIST, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE TO PROBABLY SIT DOWN WITH FINANCE AND JENNIFER SPECIFIC.

SO LIKE FOR EXAMPLE THIS QUESTION CAME UP ABOUT SPECIAL EVENTS.

THAT'S NOT IN THE GENERAL FUND OR EVEN SOME OF THE UTILITY BILLING TYPE STUFF.

IT'S NOT NECESSARILY IN THE GENERAL FUND.

SO WE'LL HAVE TO REALLY THAT'S WHY IT REALLY DOES.

AS RICHARD WAS JUST SAYING, YOU'RE REALLY STARTING TO GET INTO THE CORE POSITIONS OF THE CITY THAT ARE FUNDED THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO DO SO.

THAT'S SOMETHING. AND ALSO, IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECTLY, THE CITY MANAGER.

SO WHEN YOU FIRST RECEIVED THE PROPOSED BUDGETS FROM THE DEPARTMENTS, I REMEMBER YOU SAYING AT THAT POINT YOU WENT BACK AND TOLD THEM WHAT?

[01:30:04]

CORRECT. YOU HAD ALREADY CRACKED QUITE A BIT.

YES. SO, I MEAN, THIS WHITTLING PROCESS HAS STARTED QUITE SOME TIME AGO.

SO THANK YOU. MR. PENNYBAKER. JUST A QUESTION.

AS FAR AS THE UNAUDITED 2223.

HOW DOES THAT OR COULD THAT IMPACT WHERE WE ARE NOW? DO WE REALLY KNOW WHERE WE ARE BECAUSE OF THAT? WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF THE 2023 AUDIT RIGHT NOW.

SO, AS YOU KNOW WE FINISHED 2022 EARLIER THIS SPRING.

THE AUDITORS ARE ACTUALLY IN SO WE'RE A PART OF THAT ENGAGED PROCESS NOW.

WE ANTICIPATE HOPEFULLY THAT WE WOULD BE FINISHING WE TIME TIMELINE WISE. WE'RE LOOKING HOPEFULLY WITHIN THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, 4 OR 5 WEEKS OR SO.

BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY ACTIVE IN THAT CONVERSATION IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO GET A MORE FIRM TIMELINE IN TERMS OF WHEN THAT AUDIT IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED.

SO WE'VE BEEN MEETING ON A WEEKLY BASIS.

THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THEIR PROCESS IN TERMS OF THE VARIOUS TESTING AND REQUESTS THAT THEY'RE HAVING.

SO WE'RE MOVING VERY WELL AS IT RELATES TO THAT AUDIT ITSELF.

BUT TO YOUR POINT, OUR HOPE IS IF SOMETIME YOU KNOW, END OF THIS MONTH INTO OCTOBER THAT WE HAVE THAT FINAL AUDIT COMPLETED.

AND SO WHEN WE GET A FIRMER TIMELINE AND WE'VE BEEN MEETING WITH THEM TO TRY TO DO SO, THEN WE'LL DEFINITELY BRING THAT INFORMATION TO THE COUNCIL. MR.. MCLENNAN.

SO I'M NOT TRYING TO PUT WORDS IN MR. PENNEBAKER'S MOUTH. I THINK HE'S CONCERNED ABOUT.

ARE WE GOING TO HAVE ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES THAT ARE GOING TO AFFECT GENERAL FUND? WE KNOW SO SO FROM WHAT I CAN SEE, WE DON'T SEE ANYTHING THAT WOULD GIVE US CAUSE TO PAUSE IN TERMS OF WHAT WE PRESENTED.

SO MEANING THAT WE DON'T SEE ANY REDUCTIONS IN FUND BALANCE FOR 23.

THAT WOULD AFFECT THE NUMBERS THAT WE PRESENT HERE FOR 24.

WE WE FEEL GOOD ABOUT WHERE WE'RE AT.

IF ANYTHING, IF IT'S NOT AT THAT NUMBER, IT COULD BE POTENTIALLY A HIGHER NUMBER THAN WHAT WE'RE PRESENTING.

WE DON'T ANTICIPATE A LOWER NUMBER AT THIS POINT IN THE AUDIT PROCESS.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES.

PATRICIA EBERT, I WANT TO TELL YOU, I ADAMANTLY OPPOSE REDUCING ANY FIRST RESPONDERS.

THAT IS REALLY IT IN TERMS OF OUR PRESENTATION WITH THE PROPOSED CHANGES.

OF COURSE, FOLLOW UP WITH THE LIST OF THE POSITIONS.

BUT AT THIS TIME I'M JUST OPENING IT UP TO WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU ALL HAVE FROM THE PREVIOUS BUDGET WORKSHOP THAT YOU WOULD LIKE? CLARIFICATION. CLARITY. FOR THE INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS, WHICHEVER, WHATEVER QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

ANYTHING. OKAY.

ANYTHING? YES.

OKAY. SO FOR THE ADOPTED BUDGET, I JUST WANT TO GO OVER GOALS.

WERE THEY ACCOMPLISHED? AND IF NOT, WHAT'S THE CURRENT STATUS OF THEM FOR THIS, THIS FISCAL YEAR? SO AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SERVICES ONE WAS FOCUS ON BEAUTIFICATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF MAIN STREET DOWNTOWN AS A REGIONAL DESTINATION.

IMPLEMENT THE CONFORMING AMORTIZATION PLAN CAP TO ADDRESS NON-CONFORMING PROPERTIES.

THAT WAS ONE THAT I KNOW I WAS EAGER TO SEE.

AND WE WE DISCUSSED IT.

CAN WE HAVE A STATUS UPDATE ON THAT PARTICULAR GOAL? SURE. SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE 24 BUDGET? YES. WHAT WAS ADOPTED? YEAH, I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT ALL THE GOALS.

SO. RIGHT.

SO OBVIOUSLY I MEAN WE CAN WE'LL HAVE TO GO BACK AND PREPARE SOMETHING FROM THE 24 BUDGET.

AS YOU KNOW, HARDLY ANYBODY THAT CREATED THOSE GOALS IS HERE.

AND SO THAT BECOMES A REAL CHALLENGE.

THE AMORTIZATION PLAN.

AND WE TALK ABOUT MAIN STREET IN DOWNTOWN.

OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, A BIG PIECE OF THAT IS THE COMP PLAN.

AND IN THE FUTURE. AND SO WE'RE WELL UNDERWAY WITH GETTING THAT STARTED.

AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE DRIVER FOR THAT.

VICTOR AND I HAVE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS RECENTLY ABOUT YOU KNOW, SOME MAIN STREET INITIATIVES OBVIOUSLY DO THE OTHER NIGHT ON SOME

[01:35:06]

SO THERE'S STUFF IN THE WORKS, BUT I DON'T THINK I COULD SIT HERE POSSIBLY TODAY AND ANSWER FOR EVERY SINGLE THING IN THE 24, BECAUSE HONESTLY, THE PEOPLE THAT CAME UP WITH THOSE GOALS, I THINK MAYBE THREE OF THEM ARE HERE AND I APPRECIATE THAT.

THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT.

BUT WHEN I APPROACH THE BUDGET, THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING AT.

WHAT WORKED? WHERE DO WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO SAVE AND WHAT WAS SUCCESSFUL, WHAT WASN'T? WHY ARE WE STILL CONSIDERING THOSE TYPE OF QUESTIONS? AND WHEN I GO THROUGH AND LOOK AT A NUMBER OF THE GOALS AND AS YOU SAID, THEY'RE NOT HERE.

THAT WEIGHS INTO MY DETERMINATION OF WHAT WE SHOULD BE FUNDING, WHAT WE SHOULDN'T BE FUNDING, AND TO SEE SOME THINGS NOT ACCOMPLISHED AS THEY SAID THEY WOULD BE. THAT WOULD BE CONCERNING FOR ME.

SO THAT'S. NOT FORGET.

WE NEED TO STILL TALK ABOUT RPA UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.

I GUESS JUST FOR DIRECTION, WHICH IS KIND OF NEAT.

YOU GUYS DON'T NEED TO DECIDE THE TAX RATE HERE OR ANYTHING TODAY, BUT SO THE AMENDMENT THAT WE'RE BRINGING YOU BACK WOULD BE BASED ON EVERYTHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT 600. AND WHAT WAS THE OVERALL NUMBER.

YEAH. SO 687,000 FOR THE REVENUE FOR THE GENERAL FUND.

AND THEN 179,000 IN THE EXPENSES.

AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS.

AND SO FOR SEPTEMBER 17TH, WE'LL LIST THOSE AMENDMENTS THAT WE WOULD BE ASKING YOU TO ADOPT.

AND THAT'S ALL BASED ON THE PROPOSED TAX RATE OF 61.

WHATEVER IT IS, YOU GUYS CAN STILL HAVE CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.

WE CAN PROVIDE THE LIST.

YOU GUYS CAN MAKE THOSE DECISIONS, BUT THAT WOULD BE THE RESOLUTION THAT WOULD BE BEFORE YOU THAT YOU COULD ALWAYS AMEND ON THE FLY.

BUT THAT WOULD BE THE RESOLUTION THAT'S AMENDED IS BEFORE YOU ON THE 17TH.

OKAY. NOT TO PUT TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON YOU THIS EARLY ON.

THE SOONER THAT WE GET THE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE ASKED FOR RELATIVE TO THE.

POSITIONS THAT WE HAD ON THAT ONE SCREEN SO THAT WE CAN SEE SOME OF THE OTHER POSITIONS THAT ARE OPEN RIGHT NOW.

HOW LONG ARE WE LOOKING AT? WELL, I MEAN, WE'LL GET IT TO YOU THIS WEEK.

NOW, KEEP IN MIND, UNLESS YOU'RE GOING TO DO YOU WANT TO SCHEDULE AN ADDITIONAL MEETING FOR NEXT WEEK BEFORE THE BUDGET OR THE AGENDA HAS TO GO OUT NEXT THURSDAY? WELL, I THINK TO GET TO THE POINT THAT SEVERAL OF US HAVE MADE, I THINK WE HAVE TO IF THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH IT, TO GIVE IT ONE LOOK AT IF THERE'S OTHER AREAS THAT WE COULD THAT WE CAN DRAW BACK ON TO FACILITATE IF WE CAN.

AND LOWERING OF THE CURRENT TAX RATE.

SO WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK? I WANT TO SEE THE LIST.

I'D LIKE THE INFORMATION REGARDLESS.

OKAY. SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT HAVING TO POST FOR A MEETING, BUT I STILL WANT TO SEE THE INFORMATION.

SO WE'D HAVE TO HAVE IT BEFORE WE'D HAVE TO HAVE THE LIST AND THE FEEDBACK AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE NEED ANOTHER MEETING.

IT'D BE A QUICK ONE.

SO WHAT DO WE WANT TO GO? I MEAN, WE CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE THE LIST.

AND AGAIN, SPECIFICALLY THIS IS THE GENERAL FUND.

SO THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE A HUGE LIST, BUT THIS WOULD BE THE GENERAL FUND LIST.

OKAY. HOW ABOUT THIS. WE GET WE GET THE LIST AND THEN COUNCIL GET BACK TO THE CITY MANAGER AS A WHOLE.

WE ALL GET BACK TO SEE WHETHER WE THINK WE NEED BASED ON WHAT WE SEE IN THAT LIST, WHETHER WE NEED ANOTHER MEETING TO SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT THAT BEFORE OUR FINAL MEETING.

WOULD THAT WORK FOR EVERYONE IF THEY COULD GET IT IN A TIMELY MANNER? FOR US TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION AND STILL HAVE TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT BEFORE THE 17TH? ABSOLUTELY. I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS THAT THAT CAN BE DONE.

OKAY. SO WE CAN PROVIDE THE LIST THIS WEEK.

RIGHT. YOU EITHER GET IT TODAY TO TODAY'S THURSDAY.

RIGHT. YOU HAD TO GET TODAY OR TOMORROW.

SO YOU CAN HAVE THE WEEKEND TO LOOK AT IT.

MY CONCERN IS THURSDAY.

I HAVE TO THE AGENDA NEEDS TO GO OUT WITH THIS RESOLUTION ON IT.

SO THAT MEANS A MEETING EARLY NEXT WEEK.

WE HAVE TO POST IT.

SO IT'S JUST ALL THE REQUIREMENTS AND MAKING IT ALL WORK ON THE LOGISTICS SIDE.

THAT'S THAT'S MY ONLY CONCERN.

YES. OKAY.

I UNDERSTAND THE AGENDA FOR.

THE 17TH.

OKAY. IT GOES OUT NEXT THURSDAY.

ONE WEEK FROM TODAY, IT GOES OUT.

SO WE NEED TO HAVE ANSWERS ANSWERED BACK AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE A KID.

I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NECESSARILY NEED A CONSENSUS TO GO FORWARD WITH WITH THAT, BUT IT WOULD BE BEST IF WE DID IF WE WERE GOING TO.

[01:40:01]

YES. WOULD THERE NEED TO BE A NOTIFICATION FOR THAT MEETING AS WELL? YES. SO THEN WE REALLY NEED TO DECIDE NOW TO GIVE 72 HOURS.

OKAY. SO I ACTUALLY GOT TILL 5:00.

NO. NO.

A TIMELY MANNER I THINK IS WHAT WE HEARD.

SO WE'LL GET IT IN A TIMELY MANNER AND THEN WE'LL WE'LL SEE IF WE NEED TO HAVE THAT MEETING.

BUT WE CAN POST OR WE CAN POST IT.

RIGHT. WELL, THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.

THAT'S A GOOD IDEA. SO.

CITY MANAGER I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HEARD THAT, BUT MR. KUNTZ OFFERED THAT WE CAN POST FOR THE MEETING AND IF WE DON'T NEED IT, THEN WE CAN JUST CANCEL.

SURE. SO WE'D LIKE TO SCHEDULE A MEETING NOW.

YES. YES.

SO ON MONDAY NIGHT WE HAVE THE HEARING.

TUESDAY NIGHT WE HAVE THE EVENING OF REMEMBRANCE WEDNESDAY I THINK IS NORMALLY OUT FOR COUNCILMAN COUNCIL.

AND THEN SO SO FAR WE DON'T HAVE ANY.

I DON'T HAVE COUNCIL PLANNED FOR THE 12TH AND 13TH.

THAT'S GOOD. AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS.

I'M JUST I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE UP AGAINST AND SEE THAT'S THE CHALLENGE, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEN THE AGENDAS GOT TO GO OUT.

SO THE 12TH IS TOO LATE BECAUSE I HAVE TO HAVE TIME TO PREPARE THE RESOLUTION.

OKAY. SO WOULD IT BE ACCEPTABLE TO RECEIVE THE LIST, EACH OF US TO RECEIVE THE LIST AND THEN COMMUNICATE BY EMAIL BACK TO THE CITY MANAGER AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE WANT TO HAVE A MEETING. BUT WE HAVE TO.

WE PROBABLY HAVE TO DO THAT BY TOMORROW OR MONDAY.

LET YOU KNOW. GIVE YOU FAIR TIME, RIGHT? IS IT 6 P.M.? AND THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT A MEETING TO DISCUSS THE FUTURE.

SO, FIRST OF ALL, WAIT A MINUTE.

WE HAVE. HOW LONG ARE WE EXPECTING? AN HOUR AND A HALF. OH, JUST AN HOUR AND A HALF.

OKAY. I'LL BE OUT OF TOWN ALL NEXT WEEK, BUT I'LL RESPOND BACK.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

MY GUESS IS WE'RE TO BE QUITE HONEST.

WE'LL PROVIDE YOU THE LIST.

WE'LL PROVIDE YOU THE DETAILS AND THE NUMBERS THAT JENNIFER HAS SHOWN ON THE SCREEN HERE.

THAT INCLUDES THE BENEFITS.

SO IT'S GOING TO TAKE US A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO PUT THAT TOGETHER FOR YOU.

SO YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND THE FISCAL IMPLICATIONS.

MY GUESS IS YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO GET A LIST THAT'S GOING TO SHOW HALF A DOZEN POSITIONS OR SO.

THAT WOULD IMPACT THE GENERAL FUND.

SO YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE LIST AND PROBABLY NOT MUCH MORE THAN THAT.

THAT'S THAT'S ALL YOU'RE SAYING.

YOU ONLY HAVE A HALF A DOZEN VACANCIES THAT ARE PAID OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.

I'M ESTIMATING.

I'M ESTIMATING CURRENTLY.

OKAY. UNLESS YOU START INCLUDING ADDITIONAL POLICE OR FIRE.

BUT I KNOW THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT I'M JUST SAYING THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE.

SO I THINK REALLY WHAT IT'S GOING TO COME DOWN TO IS ON THE 17TH, THE COUNCIL DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT TO CUT ANY POSITIONS OR IF YOU WANT TO APPROPRIATE SOME FUND BALANCE TO HELP LOWER THE TAX RATE.

SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHAT YOU'RE WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO FIND.

BUT WE'LL GET YOU THE DETAILS.

OKAY. FAIR ENOUGH.

OKAY. OKAY.

WE WANT TO GO THROUGH ARPA STILL.

OKAY. LOOKING FOR DIRECTION THERE.

OKAY. SO I MEAN, THIS IS ALREADY BUDGETED IN TERMS OF USING THE REMAINING FUNDS IN THE BUDGET.

SO IT'S NOT APPROPRIATING ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS AT THIS POINT, BUT IT'S JUST DECIDING HOW BEST TO USE THE REMAINING.

THE REMAINING AMOUNT.

SO WE HAVE TO OBLIGATE THE REST OF THE FUNDS BY THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR.

OTHERWISE WE HAVE TO GIVE IT BACK TO THE GOVERNMENT.

SO APPROPRIATED 500,000 ROUGHLY AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING FOR THE NETWORK RELATED IT THING.

SO THAT BRINGS DOWN ABOUT 500,000 REMAINING.

THAT'S NOT ALREADY OBLIGATED TO SOMETHING SPECIFIC.

SO HERE'S JUST SOME IDEAS WE'RE THROWING OUT THERE THAT COULD BE A BEST USE OF THIS FUNDS.

WE TALKED ABOUT BOND PROJECTS THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME THINGS THAT ARE STILL KIND OF IN THE HOLDING PEN, IF YOU WILL, UNTIL WE IDENTIFY THE REMAINING FUNDING.

SO HARRINGTON PARK FOR ONE PHASE ONE IS LIKE THE RESTROOMS AND THE CONCESSION STANDS AND EVERYTHING.

WE STILL HAVE ABOUT 2.7 MILLION IN THE BOND FUNDS REMAINING FOR THAT.

SO IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THAT PHASE, IT'D BE ROUGHLY 300,000 OF THAT FUNDING GAP.

AND THEY CAN GET PRETTY MUCH GET STARTED.

RIGHT. ON THAT WE KNOW WE HAVE FUEL PUMPS THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THEY ARE ORIGINAL.

THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, 30 PLUS YEARS OLD.

THEY'RE IN THE GROUND. WE NEED TO MAKE THEM ABOVE GROUND.

THIS CAN BE DONE OUTSIDE OF ANY SERVICE CENTER RENOVATION.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD PURSUE.

I THINK HOPEFULLY PRETTY QUICKLY.

THE ESTIMATE WE HAD A FEW YEARS AGO WAS ABOUT 300,000.

I'M SURE COST HAS ESCALATED SINCE THEN.

SO, YOU KNOW, I'M GUESSING 500,000 THERE.

THERE'S SOME OUTDATED SCHOOL ZONE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS THAT COULD BE REPLACED.

[01:45:02]

WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE CAN CONTRIBUTE A PORTION TOWARD, BUT WE KNOW THAT'S KIND OF DOWN THE LINE A LITTLE BIT.

BUT THOSE ARE JUST SOME, YOU KNOW, IDEAS THAT COULD UTILIZE THE REST OF THOSE FUNDS.

THAT CAN BE OBLIGATED PRETTY QUICKLY.

THOSE ARE SOME OF THE IDEAS.

CAN WE GET A COPY OF THAT? SURE.

I HAVE THE I HAVE ALL THE SLIDES.

I'LL GIVE YOU A COPY OF THEM.

THANK YOU. COULD YOU ALSO GIVE US A QUICK REMINDER WHAT THEY CAN'T BE USED FOR? SO. SO LIKE WE SAID, TWO MRS. YEAH. WE CAN'T WE CAN'T PRETTY MUCH PUT IT INTO A PENSION.

YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, MAKE US WHOLE IN SOME FUN BALANCE WAY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SO IT'S REALLY THINGS THAT IT'S GOING TO BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY.

WHETHER IT'S IT OR IT'S INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED.

SO THESE THINGS ARE ALL OBVIOUSLY INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED.

SO. OH.

FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT.

IS THIS A FUEL PUMP USED BY THE CITY STAFF AND FILLING THEIR VEHICLES? IS THAT THE ONLY FUEL PUMP THAT WE HAVE? YES. WE ONLY HAVE ONE FUEL PUMP THAT'S SERVICING ALL.

WELL, THERE'S TWO.

THERE'S 2 OR 3, BUT THEY'RE ALL IN GROUND.

BUT THEY'RE ALL IN GROUND. BUT THIS WOULD THIS THERE'S THERE'S TWO THERE'S AN UNLEADED AND THERE'S ALSO THE DEHEN.

OKAY. AND THAT'S FRESH FROM THE 1950S.

THEY WERE BUILT IN 87. SO.

I'M THINKING HERE.

WE NEED OUR VEHICLES TO BE ABLE TO SERVICE THE CITY.

IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO USE OUR VEHICLES, WE NEED GAS AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED ON A DAILY BASIS.

OKAY. I MEAN, THEY'RE STILL WORKING, YOU KNOW, BUT WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY LEAKS OR ANYTHING, BUT THEY ARE WELL BEYOND THEIR LIFE.

AND SO WHAT IF THEY GO DOWN? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR THE GAS STATIONS OR SOMETHING? IT WOULD BE CREDIT CARDS PUTTING GAS IN OUR EQUIPMENT.

SO WE'RE COSTING MORE MONEY ON CREDIT CARDS TO USE IT TO GO TO SOMEWHERE ELSE.

YES, MA'AM. OKAY. THERE'S A NEED THERE WITH FUEL.

WE HAD ONE RECENTLY GO DOWN, AND JOE AND THE TEAM WORKED ON IT TO GET BACK UP.

THE ONE THING I WOULD SAY IS, YES, THEY DESPERATELY NEED TO BE DONE, EVEN FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECT.

HOWEVER, WITH THE DISCUSSION THAT WE NEED TO HAVE RELATIVE TO THE SERVICE CENTER, I WOULD HATE TO PUT A BUNCH OF MONEY IN AND NEED TO MOVE THEM.

SO WE NEED TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AS WELL.

SO. WHY IS IT THAT IF I TALK ABOUT, WELL, WE STILL NEED THE MONEY TO FUND IT? SO, SO.

SO JUST JUST TO TAKE IT BACK ON WHAT THE CITY MANAGER SAID ONE, JUST LOOKING AT FACTORS ON WHAT I SAW IT.

IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE REPLACING, WE PLAN POTENTIALLY TO REPLACE LATER ON IN THE FUTURE, MAYBE NOT SO MUCH.

I'M ALSO THINKING ABOUT SOME OF THOSE.

SO ARMY CONTRIBUTION SERVICE CENTER RENOVATION CONTRIBUTION.

SO THAT THAT MEANS WE'RE DEDICATING IT TO THAT PROJECT.

BUT YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS, I MEAN, WE WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO THEM FOR YEARS.

AND SO I'M THINKING ABOUT WHAT CAN BE DONE SOONER THAN LATER SO THAT THAT MONEY DOESN'T LOSE VALUE.

SO IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, 2 OR 3 YEARS LATER THAT MONEY IS WORTH 250,000.

AND SO I'M, I'M LOOKING AT THAT.

I'M WONDERING WHAT CAN'T BECAUSE THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE.

SO WHAT CAN WE DO SOONER THAN LATER? FOR THAT MONEY HAS RETAINS ITS VALUE.

WELL, JUST A REMINDER, SHE MENTIONED THE FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT SET A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.

IT WAS 300,000, AND NOW YOU'RE ESTIMATING 500.

THAT MAY BE NOT ENOUGH.

SO SHE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS IN THERE AND INCREASED COSTS.

YEAH. I'M JUST SAYING I WOULD LEAN TOWARD, YOU KNOW, PUTTING THOSE FUNDS INTO SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE SOONER THAN LATER.

SO AGAIN, WE HAVE TO OBLIGATE SO WE HAVE SOME KIND OF CONTRACT OR AGREEMENT, SOMETHING THAT BINDS US TO IT BY THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR.

BUT WE STILL HAVE UNTIL THE END OF 26 TO ACTUALLY EXTEND IT.

SO. YOU'RE SAYING SEPTEMBER 30TH? YEAH. SORRY. DECEMBER.

DECEMBER. CALENDAR. DECEMBER 31ST.

IS THAT DEADLINE? SO WHAT WOULD THE FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENTS.

SO YOU SAID. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IF WE'RE DOING A RENOVATION OR MAKING SOME CHANGE, THAT WOULD STILL BE THERE, RIGHT? IT WOULD. YEAH.

THEORETICALLY IT WOULD STILL BE THERE.

MY GUESS IS A NEW FUELING STATION WOULD IS PROBABLY NEEDED.

WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE TANKS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE OVER THE OVERALL PROJECT.

NOW, AS JENNIFER WAS JUST SAYING, YOU COULD ALLOCATE THE $500,000 TO GO TOWARDS A FUEL PLACEMENT OR PLAZA, AND IT JUST HAS TO BE DONE BY THE END OF 26.

[01:50:07]

THAT'S EARMARKED AND THEN THAT'S GOOD TO GO.

AND THAT TAKES CARE OF THAT.

BUT YES, I MEAN FUEL, FUEL, FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENTS IS DEFINITELY IT'S GOING TO NEED TO BE A PRIORITY LIST.

ARMY PROJECT OBVIOUSLY.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT.

THAT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT'S VERY DOABLE.

BY THE END OF 26.

SO I MEAN.

THOSE TWO ALONE GIVE THIS UP OVER 750,000.

THIS WOULDN'T BE, YOU KNOW, COLLECTIVE.

IT'S JUST WHAT WE CAN FIT WITH 492,000 REMAINING, SO.

YOU NEED US TO VOTE NOW? NOT NECESSARILY. WE'RE JUST, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO OBVIOUSLY BE ABLE TO USE THE FUNDS, AND WE WANTED TO PUT IT THE BEST USE THAT.

IF SO, SAY WE COMMIT TO DOING THE FUEL PUMPS AND FOR WHATEVER REASON IT'S ONLY 400.

DO WE LOSE THAT 100,000? DOES IT GO SOMEWHERE ELSE BECAUSE WE COMMITTED IT TO THAT? WE DIDN'T SPEND IT, OR WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY IT TO SOMETHING ELSE.

DO WE KNOW? SO WE HAVE TO SHOW THE ACTUAL WE HAVE TO DOCUMENT IN TERMS OF IF WE EVER GET AUDITED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WE HAVE TO SHOW THE FULL COST.

BUT DON'T WORRY, WE'LL COVER IT, WE'LL FIND IT.

WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE USE THE WHOLE 492, 794 AND THE $0.64, $0.64.

I GUESS THE QUESTION WOULD BE, IS IT SAFER TO SPLIT IT UP BETWEEN TWO PROJECTS? YOU SAID NO, IF SOMETHING DOESN'T GET DONE OR SOMETHING DOES NOT COST AS MUCH, BUT IT'S A VALID POINT.

YOU COULD. STILL HAVE GAS SERVICE.

I MEAN, THAT'S HOW I FEEL.

1950. ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS IS PERFECT TIMING.

I WAS JUST HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH MATT BRYANT AND SHIHAD YESTERDAY.

WE WANT TO SET UP AN OPEN HOUSE TO INVITE THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY TO REALLY COME SEE THE SERVICE CENTER.

WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.

SERIOUSLY GET DISCUSSED AND WE GOOD COMMUNITY NEEDS TO WALK THROUGH AND SEE THIS SERVICE CENTER.

I'D RECOMMEND BOOTS AND COATS AND YOU KNOW, SOMETHING TO COVER YOUR FACE AS YOU WALK THROUGH IT.

BUT SO AND I'M GOING TO MAKE A POINT THAT WHEN IT CAME TO THE BOND PROJECTS, THE SERVICE CENTER, I MEAN, FIRE STATION. WOW.

YOU KNOW, OKAY, IT'S THAT SERVICE CENTER.

THEY HAD TOURS.

THEY INVITED THE PUBLIC.

THE PUBLIC DIDN'T COME.

I DID IT DID IT DID PASS.

OKAY. BUT IT ALSO PASSED AT THE LOWEST RATE BECAUSE IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT THE FIRE STATION.

OH, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE PEOPLE RUNNING AND IT'S SOMETHING, BUT IT'S ONE OF THOSE UNSEEN THINGS THAT IS DECENT.

YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING FROM PUBLIC WORKS COMES FROM THAT AREA.

AND SO IT IS A CRITICAL AREA THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.

BUT IT'S A DONE.

DEAL. YEAH.

YEAH. I MEAN, IT HASN'T BEEN UPDATED SINCE 78.

WELL, I MEAN, YEAH, WHEN THE FUEL TANKS THERE.

BUT I MEAN, IT'S YOU TRY TO DO BUILDINGS THAT ARE GOING TO LAST 40 TO 50 YEARS AND IT'S AND IT'S JUST TIME.

SO AGAIN, WE DON'T NECESSARILY NEED DIRECTION TODAY.

THIS IS SOMETHING WE THINK ABOUT.

WE WILL NEED TO COMMIT THESE FUNDS AS JENNIFER WAS SAYING BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

SO AT SOME POINT IN TIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE FOR THIS TO SHOW UP AS A BRIEFING ON THE AGENDA SO WE CAN HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION.

AND THEN IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE, A RESOLUTION WHERE WE'RE COMMITTING THAT 492,060 $0.04.

SO THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE HAVING TO DECIDE FOR FOR THE 17TH.

NO, ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE I CONCLUDE THIS PORTION OF YOUR.

PUBLIC COMMENTS. JUST THANK YOU ALL.

I THINK IT'S A LOT OF WORK, AND I AM SO ASTONISHED AND HAPPY TO SEE THE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE, THE TWEAKS, EVEN IF IT'S SQUEEZING THE ORANGE ALL OF THE WAY.

I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT BECAUSE IT'S FOR THE BETTER.

[01:55:03]

FOR THE BETTER. GOOD.

YES. SO MY APOLOGIES.

I ARRIVED LATE, SO MAYBE I MISSED IT.

SO AS FAR AS THIS MEETING.

SO WHAT'S KIND OF THE PLAN GET KIND OF AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT I GOT HANDED TO A LUNCH MENU, SO I WAS PLANNING ON BEING HERE ALL DAY.

BUT I JUST WANT TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF WHAT THE PLAN IS AS FAR AS STRUCTURE, YOU KNOW.

SO IF IT'S YOUR CONSENSUS, I KNOW WE STILL HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ON, YOU KNOW, THE TAX RATE PIECE OF IT.

BUT IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'VE OFFERED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DO THE TMS IS CONSENSUS IS, HEY, YES, LET'S GO AHEAD AND PUT THAT IN AS THE PROPOSED BUDGET.

WE CAN MAKE THOSE CHANGES WHEN WE BRING IT BACK TO YOU ON THE 17TH FOR ADOPTION, WE'LL HAVE THE ITEMIZED AND LISTED OUT.

THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING.

IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE YOU KIND OF WANT TO TWEAK OR HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT, OR I GUESS I'M ASKING, ARE WE GOING TO LOOK AT THE REST OF THE BUDGET? WELL GO AHEAD.

NO, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS GOING ON HERE.

SO THAT'S THIS WHOLE DISCUSSION.

ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL THAT YOU HAVE RELATIVE TO ANY PAGE OF THE BUDGET? WE'D LIKE TO KNOW THAT NOW BECAUSE WE WANT TO PREPARE THE RESOLUTION FOR THE AMENDMENT.

THAT'S WHAT JENNIFER IS TALKING ABOUT FOR THE 17TH.

THE THE SECOND PART OF THAT IS WE KIND OF JUST WANT TO GET A GENERAL THUMBS UP, THUMBS DOWN IN TERMS OF THESE AMENDMENTS SO THAT WE CAN PREPARE THAT RESOLUTION.

AND THEN THERE'S AN EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR YOU AFTER THAT.

WHICH MY UNDERSTANDING MAY TAKE AN HOUR PLUS.

SO THAT'S KIND OF, I THINK THE PLAN FOR THE DAY IN TERMS OF THE MEETING.

SO IN TERMS OF LUNCH, I THINK CHIQUITA WAS BEING TRAINED TO BE PREPARED FOR CASES, BEING PREPARED IN CASE IT DID GO LONG.

SO. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO LONG JUST FOR THE FREE LUNCH.

SINCE WE DON'T KNOW. ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE BUDGET OR ANY NOTES THAT YOU HAD.

YEAH. FROM THE PROPOSAL.

YEAH. NO. ABSOLUTELY.

SO LIKE, YOU KNOW, SO HERE'S AN EXAMPLE.

SO I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT PERSONNEL AND WE HAVE WE WE FUND A A FULL TIME STAFF MEMBER AT PAGE.

ARE YOU ON. OH I'M SORRY.

PAGE 29 OF.

THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT.

SO THE PERSONNEL SCHEDULE? YES. SO WE FUND A FULL TIME POSITION WITH THE CONVENTIONS AND VISITORS BUREAU.

IS THAT? YES. SO THAT'S THE EVENT PLANNER? THAT'S THE EVENT PLANNER. AND THAT'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

IT'S OUT OF HOTEL MOTEL FUNDS.

BUT OVERSIGHT IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

SO THAT I MEAN, WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT POSITION.

SO THAT POSITION IS CURRENTLY VACANT.

THAT WOULD HAVE NO IMPACT ON THE TAX RATE.

OBVIOUSLY, BACK TO OUR CONVERSATION.

VICTOR AND I WERE JUST TALKING YESTERDAY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THAT POSITION MAY NOT NEED TO BE FULL TIME, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE MAKING THERE. BUT AGAIN, THAT HAS ZERO IMPACT ON THE TAX RATE ITSELF.

BUT THAT'S WHERE WE'RE EVEN HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT JUST YET, EVEN YESTERDAY.

SO THAT'S VERY MUCH A WORK IN PROGRESS.

SO BUT BUT IT WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

IT WOULD. YES.

SO THE POSITION THAT WOULD AFFECT THE TAX RATE ARE THE ONES ON PAGE 28.

YES, MA'AM. EVERYTHING IS GENERAL FUND.

SO JUST FOR THE PUBLIC THAT THAT MEANS ADMINISTRATION, NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES, FINANCE, PARKS AND RECREATION.

POLICE. PUBLIC WORKS AND FIRE.

MR.. SO OUT OF ALL THAT YOU SAID, THERE WAS ONLY ABOUT 5 OR 6 POSITIONS, BUT NOT INCLUDING THE POLICE AND FIRE.

THAT I WOULD SAY THAT ARE CURRENTLY VACANT.

THAT THAT WAS THE DISCUSSION.

I MEAN, THERE'S A FEW WE'LL HAVE TO GET YOU THE EXACT LIST, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A HUGE LIST.

THERE'S CURRENTLY A VACANCY IN FINANCE.

THERE'S CURRENTLY YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IF WE'RE EXCLUDING POLICE AND FIRE, THERE'S SOME VACANCIES IN PUBLIC WORKS RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE DESPERATELY TRYING TO FILL THOSE.

AS COUNCIL MEMBER MCBURNETT SAID, I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF TIMES PUBLIC WORKS IS THE ENTITY THAT DOESN'T GET A LOT OF ATTENTION, BUT YET HAS A HUGE IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY

[02:00:04]

SO. THAT'S ANOTHER QUESTION.

SURE. THE MASTERPIECE SCHEDULE PAGE ON THE BELMONT PAGE IS 198 199. AND LOOKING AT THE.

SO THE INCREASE INCREASED INCREASES TO THE SEWER RATE.

SOLID WASTE RATES AND STORMWATER CHARGES.

SO THE INCREASE TO THE WATER AND SEWER COMES WITHIN THAT ORDINANCE.

SO IT'S JUST REFLECTING THE CHANGES BASED ON THAT ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED TWO YEARS AGO.

THE GARBAGE RATES IS BASED ON THE CPI OF THE CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE FOR GARBAGE COLLECTION.

SO PASSING ALONG WHAT THEY PASS TO US.

AND THEN ON THE STORM WATER LOOKING AT THAT AND ASSESSING COMMUNITIES AROUND US AND KNOWING WHAT OUR DRAINAGE AND STORMWATER WATER NEEDS ARE TO INCREASE THAT FEE.

SO THOSE ARE THE THREE THINGS THAT YOU GET BILLED ON YOUR UTILITY BILL.

SO WITH STORM WATER, HOW DO WE COMPARE? SO WITH THE INCREASE TO $5 FOR EACH OF THE CATEGORIES, HOW DO WE COMPARE TO OTHER CITIES AROUND US? AND I WISH MR. BRANT WAS HERE BECAUSE THEY DID THAT ANALYSIS, I BELIEVE LAST YEAR LOOKING AT ACTUALLY NOT ALL CITIES HAVE A STORM WATER ASSESSMENT.

A LOT DO.

I'D HAVE TO REFER BACK TO WHAT THAT ANALYSIS WAS.

BUT A VARIETY OF CITIES DO AT A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS, TO BE HONEST.

BUT CEDAR HILL DOES NOT ASSESS ONE.

I KNOW DESOTO DOES.

LANCASTER DOES.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE ON THE LOWER END OF WHAT THEY ASSESS USUALLY I'VE SEEN ABOUT $4.50, MAYBE A LITTLE MORE.

SOMETIMES THERE ARE FEES ASSESSED ON SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE PROPERTY VERSUS JUST SOMETHING THAT'S FLAT.

THERE'S A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO ASSESS THAT FEE, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE SPECIFIC NUMBERS.

BUT COULD YOU WALK AROUND HOW MUCH DO WE COLLECT FROM THOSE FEES? SO AT THE CURRENT STRUCTURE, OUR REVENUE IS ABOUT 780,000.

WHEN YOU DIVIDE IT BETWEEN THE RESIDENTIAL AND AS WELL AS THE COMMERCIAL OR OTHER PROPERTY TYPES SO INCREASING THE FEE THE BUDGET.

SO IF YOU LOOK ON PAGE 155 IT GIVES US ABOUT ANOTHER 250 $220,000 IN REVENUE. NOT EVEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN REVENUE, RIGHT? SO HERE'S KIND OF WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS.

SO YOU MAY HAVE BEEN HEARING, DON.

YOU MAY HAVE BEEN HEARING. SO A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, I PROPOSED THE CREATION OF A CONSERVATION FUND, AND THAT WOULD BE TO HELP WITH THE WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS, CONSERVATION PROJECTS, PRESERVATION PROJECTS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT FUND COULD BE BUILT UP, YOU KNOW, OVER TIME.

SO IT WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE A WHOLE LOT RIGHT AWAY, BUT SOMETHING THAT COULD BE BUILT UP OVER TIME FOR YOU KNOW, LARGE SCALE PROJECTS AND SOME OF OUR DEDICATED GREEN SPACES AND PROJECTS MIGHT PERTAIN TO WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS, CONSERVATION, THAT KIND OF THING.

AND SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WAS, HOW COULD WE BUILD THAT FUND? AND SO I WAS LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, WE INCREASE ONE OF THOSE AREAS STORMWATER CHARGES BY $0.02, $0.05 AND THEN HAVE THAT AS A TRANSFER TO THE CONSERVATION FUND.

WOULD THAT BE A POSSIBILITY? LET ME LET ME ASK ONE MORE QUESTION BEFORE YOU ANSWER.

WE'VE ALREADY PROJECTED AN INCREASE IN STORMWATER RUNOFF.

YEAH. SO THERE'S ALREADY GOING TO BE AN INCREASE.

THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING. YEAH.

I MEAN, WHILE WE'RE INCREASING IT, THIS IS A PROPOSED INCREASE OF $1.50.

YOU'RE SUGGESTING WE ADD AN INCREASE.

SO $1.51.

OKAY. $1.52.

OKAY. WHEN YOU BROUGHT THAT UP A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, DID YOU HAVE SOME CITIES THAT YOU LOOKED AT THAT HAD SUCH A

[02:05:06]

OKAY. SO YOU WANT TO REMIND US ABOUT THAT? THERE ARE A LOT OF CITIES AND NOT REALLY NOT SO MUCH AROUND HERE, BUT BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT CITIES ARE DOING.

SO WE CAN LOOK WE CAN LOOK AT THAT.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE ESTABLISHED, I THINK WHEN I FIRST PROPOSED IT, I SAID FOR $500 IN THERE JUST TO TO ESTABLISH THE FUND AND THEN AGAIN GROW IT BASED ON, YOU KNOW, TRANSFER FROM SOME, SOME FEE.

AND SO I SAW THAT WE WERE ALREADY INCREASING.

I DIDN'T WANT TO CREATE A FEE SOMEWHERE.

BUT JUST LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, STORM WATER KIND OF PERTAINS TO.

IS, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU SEE THAT WE HAVE TIME AT THIS POINT IN TIME TO, TO DO OR IS THAT SOMETHING? WELL, I'M BRINGING IT UP AGAIN BECAUSE I BROUGHT IT UP.

I BRING IT UP EVERY YEAR AND I HAVE BROUGHT IT, AND I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS WITH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT A LITTLE BIT.

AND SO WHERE DO WE STAND ON TALKING ABOUT THAT? IF I COULD. SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT ACTUALLY.

I'VE DONE CONSERVATION FUNDS IN THE PAST.

A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE ALSO TIED INTO SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE ARTS FUND WHERE WE CREATE A POLICY, WE CREATE THE FUND.

MAYBE THERE HAS TO BE A BUDGET ADJUSTMENT FOR THE FIRST YEAR, AND THEN YOU FUND IT IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

A LOT OF TIMES IT'S ACTUALLY DONE WITH DEVELOPMENT.

SO THINK ABOUT THINK ABOUT TWO YEARS FROM NOW WE HAVE THEIR COMP PLAN, WE'RE REDEVELOPING MAIN STREET OR WE'RE REDEVELOPING AREAS.

AND MAYBE A NEW DEVELOPER HAS TO CONTRIBUTE $1000 OR $5000 PER UNIT.

THAT'S REALLY WHERE YOU START TO GAIN SOME TRACTION FOR THOSE GREEN SPACE AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

SO YOU KNOW, I'M HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU ON CREATING A POLICY JUST LIKE WE DID WITH THE ARTS.

AND THEN WE CAN PUT THAT IN FRONT OF COUNCIL IF YOU'RE INTERESTED.

SO AND I MEAN THIS LIKE I SAID, I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR THIS FOR SEVERAL YEARS, SO YOU KNOW YOU CAN'T GET IT IN BEFORE ADOPTING THIS BUDGET.

BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING WE CAN DISCUSS.

I APPRECIATE THAT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SO CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, PAGE 43 OF 225.

YOU'RE ELIMINATING YOUR ASSISTANT.

SORRY, I'M MAKING A NOTE OF THAT.

CONSERVATION FUND, 143 OF 225.

AND I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT THE POSITION.

YES, YES.

WHAT ASSISTANCE WILL YOU HAVE? BECAUSE I KNOW I ALONE SEND YOU FIVE REQUESTS AT LEAST A DAY.

SO IF THAT'S JUST COMING FROM ME, YOU HAVE THE CITY, YOU HAVE OTHER CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

YOU HAVE. HOW ARE YOU GOING? YOU HAVE STAFF TWO, SO.

RIGHT. THE ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER.

HE'S MAKING IT TWO. BUT HIS ASSISTANT, HE'S ELIMINATING.

SO WHO'S GOING TO ASSIST YOU? SURE. SO THE POSITION.

SO CURRENTLY IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, IT HAS THE ELIMINATION OF THE ASSISTANT TO CITY MANAGER.

AND I'LL TELL YOU THAT THE COMBINATION OF THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER POSITION AND THE ASSISTANT TWO CITY MANAGER POSITION, THE COMBINATION OF THE TWO OF THOSE IN TERMS OF SALARY WISE, IS ABOUT $280,000.

OKAY. THE THOUGHT HERE IS TO ELIMINATE THE ASSISTANT TWO AND EACH ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER SALARY RANGE WOULD BE ABOUT $140,000. SO THEN THERE WOULD BE THOSE TWO INDIVIDUALS.

PLUS YOU STILL HAVE THE EXECUTIVE LIAISON AND YOU STILL HAVE THE PROJECT MANAGER POSITION.

NOW, IF THAT GETS ELIMINATED, THEN THAT REDUCES THE POSITION IN THE OFFICE.

AND THEN ALSO IN HERE IS THE INTERN POSITION WORKING WITH ICMA.

SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YOU HAVE CITY MANAGER.

THE WAY THIS IS PROPOSED TO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER IS THE EXECUTIVE LIAISON AND THE PROJECT MANAGER.

SO IT'S OUT OF MY IGNORANCE.

BUT IS THAT EXECUTIVE LIAISON POSITION? WHO IS THAT? OKAY, SO THAT'S A FIELD POSITION SO FAR.

YES. NO FIRST NAME SO FAR, YES.

BUT I THOUGHT I THOUGHT SHE WAS A PROJECT MANAGER.

NO. THAT WAS JUST TEMPORARY.

OKAY. DO WE HAVE A PROJECT MANAGER? NO. THAT POSITION WAS VACANT.

THAT'S WHY IT WAS ON THE LIST.

YOU FOUND SOME MONEY? YES, SIR.

MAJOR, I'D LIKE YOU TO ADDRESS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BUDGET SLASH GRANTS.

[02:10:03]

BUT ALSO, WE KNOW HOW GRANTS PLAY A ROLE.

SO IS THAT ROLE CHANGING OR HOW WHAT ARE YOUR WHAT ARE YOU ANTICIPATING.

YEAH. SO FROM THE GRANTS ARE SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.

I CAN TELL YOU I HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH GRANTS.

GRANTS ARE SUPER TIME INTENSIVE.

I DON'T THINK WE CURRENTLY HAVE THE STAFF OR THE MANPOWER TO ACTUALLY DO THE GRANTS JUSTICE, ESPECIALLY ALL THE COMPLIANCE STUFF.

THAT'S WHY YOU'VE SEEN, LIKE, FOR INSTANCE, BROOKE THOMPSON FROM MRV HERE RECENTLY.

BECAUSE BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO IS THESE LARGE GRANTS LIKE THAT $21 MILLION GRANT, WE'RE ABLE TO GET ALL OF THAT WORK, ALL OF THAT FORCE POWER AT NO COST, BECAUSE IT COMES THROUGH THE GRANT ITSELF, AS OPPOSED TO HAVING SOMEBODY ON STAFF.

NOW, IS THAT THAT WAY ALWAYS? NO. ABSOLUTELY NOT.

IF WE'RE GOING TO IF WE'RE GOING TO ASK THEM TO WRITE A GRANT FOR PARKS OR SOME OTHER SMALLER TYPE THINGS, THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY THE EXPENSE FOR THAT.

BUT ANYTIME WE CAN ROLL IT INTO A PROJECT, WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT WITH NO COST ACTUALLY TO TO THE TAXPAYER PER SE.

BUT IT'S IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, I CAN TELL YOU.

WHEN YOU START TO LOOK AT THE FEDERAL GRANTS, THERE'S TONS OF MONEY.

YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS HAVE WE TALKED ABOUT THAT RAILROAD GRANT.

RIGHT? AND IT'S IT'S IT'S CONVENIENT.

IT'S FUN. IT'S EASY TO LOOK AT IT AND SAY, OH, LOOK, WE CAN GET A MONEY FOR MONEY FOR A RAILROAD CROSSING GRANT, BUT THEN WE HAVE TO REALLY DIG INTO THE DETAILS.

WE HAVE TO ATTEND THE WEBINARS.

WE HAVE TO REALLY SPEND TIME AND SAY, OKAY, DO WE QUALIFY FOR THIS OR NOT? AND AND THAT'S WHERE WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE STAFFING CURRENTLY TO FAILING TO DO SO IS COMING TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY.

PUBLIC SAFETY? WHO? SURE. WHO HANDLES THAT? YEAH. SO PUBLIC SAFETY IS GENERALLY DONE.

POLICE AND FIRE HAVE BEEN EXPLORING THEIR OWN, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY CURRENTLY.

DO YOU KNOW OF ANY CURRENT GRANTS THAT YOU GUYS ARE GOING AFTER CURRENTLY? I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT ONE TOGETHER.

WELL, THERE'S THERE'S QUITE A FEW GRANTS RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE WAITING ON A FEW THINGS FOR US TO THEN BEGIN TO APPLY FOR THESE GRANTS.

SO ONCE THAT'S ACCOMPLISHED, WE'LL BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR OUR NORMAL.

NORMAL GRANTS FOR THE JAG GRANT.

OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK TO OFFSET SOME OF OUR GENERAL BUDGET WITH THESE GRANTS.

BUT AGAIN, IT'S NOT GUARANTEED THAT THAT HAPPENS.

SO WE STILL HAVE TO BUDGET FOR THAT INFORMATION.

AND THERE'S THINGS LIKE SAFER GRANTS, SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOLS.

WE TALKED ABOUT THERE'S SAFER GRANTS FOR FIRE CHIEF KENNEALY KENEALLY KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THOSE.

WE'LL BE EXPLORING ALL THOSE SO MANY THINGS INTERTWINED WITH EACH OTHER.

RIGHT. A BIG PIECE, I'M JUST GOING TO SAY A BIG PIECE THAT WAS A STUMBLING BLOCK FOR POLICE AND FIRE THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IS THE DELINQUENCY OF THE AUDITS.

NOW THAT THE AUDITS ARE BEING CAUGHT UP, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SUBMIT THOSE AND THEY'LL BE ABLE TO GO AFTER SOME OF THOSE GRANTS THAT WE'VE LOST OUT THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

SO AS FAR AS GRANT ADMINISTRATORS FOR MUNICIPALITIES, I KNOW WITH NON-PROFITS, THE EDS.

A LOT OF TIMES THEY HAVE A BASE SALARY, AND THEN THEY MAKE MORE MONEY BASED ON THE GRANTS THAT GET AWARDED.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT MUNICIPALITIES CAN DO TOO? AS FAR AS SO THAT PRACTICE, IF YOU'RE ACTUALLY A PROFESSIONAL GRANT WRITER, IS ACTUALLY A VIOLATION OF THE ETHICS CODE OF THE PROFESSIONAL GRANT WRITER.

IT ABSOLUTELY IS.

YES. YEAH.

YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO GET A PERCENTAGE OF THE GRANT.

IT HAPPENS, BUT IT'S A VIOLATION OF THEIR ETHICS CODE.

YEAH. CAN WE MOVE TO LIBRARY? PAGE 52.

SO AND I'M ASKING BECAUSE CONCERNS DO COME IN ABOUT THE LIBRARY FROM CITIZENS.

AND I JUST WANT TO KNOW.

SO I'M LOOKING AT THE FISCAL YEAR TARGET FOR 2025.

AND I'M COMPARING IT TO ESTIMATE OF 2024.

AND I SEE LITTLE GROWTH ON PROGRAM ATTENDANCE.

AND THEN I SEE A LITTLE GROWTH ON CIRCULATION.

BUT PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING STAYS THE SAME.

SO FIRST QUESTION HOW ARE WE HOW ARE WE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH THOSE GOALS TARGETS. AND THEN WHY ARE WE JUST EXPECTED TO DO JUST A LITTLE INCREASE WHEN IT COMES TO JUST ASK THE LIBRARY DIRECTORS RIGHT BEHIND YOU? YEAH. SO ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WE ALWAYS GET IN PRESENTING PROGRAMS AND THINGS IS BRINGING IN THE PUBLIC TO ATTEND THAT.

AND A LOT OF THAT IS JUST RESPONSE FROM THE PUBLIC ITSELF.

[02:15:01]

WE LOOK AT TRENDS THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST.

BUT ACTUALLY THIS SUMMER WAS A BETTER SUMMER FOR US.

WE SAW AN INCREASE IN ATTENDANCE IN THE PROGRAMS. AND THE OTHER THE OTHER CHALLENGE IS WE GET REQUESTS FOR PROGRAMS. WE PUT PROGRAMS. PEOPLE DON'T ATTEND THE PROGRAMS EVEN THOUGH THEY'VE REQUESTED IT.

SO IT'S ALWAYS A CONTINUAL CHALLENGE TO TRY TO DECIDE WHAT PROGRAMS PEOPLE WANT, WHAT PROGRAMS WE'RE ABLE TO TO PRESENT TO THEM, AND THEN WHAT THINGS ARE ACTUALLY ATTENDING. SO AGAIN, THAT'S ALWAYS THE BALANCING ACT.

AS FAR AS THE OTHER NUMBERS, I MEAN, IT JUST DEPENDS ON OBVIOUSLY WHEN COVID HIT, WE TOOK A BIG HIT ON ON HOW THAT HAPPENED.

SO WE'RE STILL REBUILDING A LOT OF THAT.

ONE THING WE'VE SEEN A BIG INCREASE NOW THAT WE HAVE THE CONSORTIUM WITH THE OTHER SOUTHWEST LIBRARIES, AND WE DO THE MOVEMENT OF MATERIALS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN MORE VISITATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AS WELL.

BUT AGAIN, FOR US, IT'S REALLY A MATTER OF WHAT SERVICES WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE WITH THE STAFFING AND THE TIME THAT WE HAVE AND THEN HOW RESPONSIVE THE PUBLIC IS.

AND AT SOME POINT WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THAT.

WE PRESENT WHAT WE'RE REQUESTED TO PRESENT.

WE REQUEST WE LOOK AT TRENDS THAT WE'VE SEEN OTHER LIBRARIES DO TO SEE WHAT THINGS WE'RE ABLE TO OFFER.

AND THEN KIND OF FROM THAT POINT, WE DO OUR BEST EFFORTS TO KIND OF PROMOTE THESE THINGS OUT AND JUST SEE WHAT RESPONSES FROM THE PUBLIC.

HOW DO YOU PROMOTE? WE PROMOTE WE HAVE MULTIPLE VECTORS FOR PROMOTION.

SO SOCIAL MEDIA THROUGH THROUGH CITY NEWSLETTERS THROUGH THE WATER BILL.

SO EVERY AVENUE WE HAVE, INCLUDING OUR OWN IN-HOUSE THINGS, IT'S HOW WE DO ALL THE PROMOTIONS.

SO WHICH WOULD STANDARD WITH WHAT THE REST OF THE CITY DOES.

LIKE WE WE PIGGYBACK OFF OF ANY OF THE NEWSLETTERS THAT WE DO ON A REGULAR.

WE HAVE WE HAVE A LIBRARY NEWSLETTER, WE HAVE THE CITY NEWSLETTER.

WE DO WE DO ONLINE PROMOTIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT TOO.

SO I HEAR YOU SAY WORKLOAD.

HAVE YOU EVER REQUESTED ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR EVERY YEAR, EVERY YEAR YOU PUT IN YOUR BUDGET ADDITIONAL OR REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE? SO WE YEAH, THIS LAST YEAR, WE HAD A REQUEST FOR A POSITION THAT'S PART TIME TO FULL TIME, BUT IT WASN'T ABLE TO BE FUNDED THIS YEAR.

DUE TO SO LIBRARY BOOKS, AUDIO VISUAL MATERIALS OF 100,000 IS THAT SUBSCRIPTION THAT WE HAVE OR THAT'S MATERIALS, THAT'S PHYSICAL MATERIALS, BASIC MATERIALS AND THEN PURSUING FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES TO ACQUIRE NEW BOOKMOBILE.

IS THERE A DEADLINE TO THAT OR IS IT IT'S JUST CONTINUE.

IT'S LOOKING AT GRANTS AND AVAILABILITY.

AND THEN AND THEN DECIDING ON WHAT WHAT IS VIABLE FOR US AND THEN PURSUING THAT.

OF COURSE, THAT ALSO TAKES TIME.

WHAT ARE YOUR DETERMINATION OF DETERMINING WHAT'S VIABLE? SO WE LOOK AT OTHER LIBRARIES AND OTHER LIBRARIES AT WHAT WHAT WHAT BOOKMOBILES THEY UTILIZE, WHAT'S BEEN SUCCESSFUL FOR THEM, WHAT THINGS ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THE SIZE OF OUR POPULATION AND WHAT WE UTILIZE ARE FOR, YOU KNOW, BIGGER LIBRARIES WILL HAVE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY UTILIZE.

AND SO WE USED TO HAVE A BOOKMOBILE THAT WAS A LOANER FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT IT AGED OUT OF SERVICE.

AND IT WASN'T IT WASN'T SUFFICIENT FOR OUR NEEDS REGARDLESS.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT AN UPDATED ONE.

AND WE HAVE IDENTIFIED OTHER LIBRARIES THAT HAVE SIMILAR THINGS WE'D LIKE TO LOOK AT.

SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF VISITING THEM AND SEEING HOW THEY WILL BE VIABLE FOR OUR USES.

THANK YOU. SO SO BACK TO THE THE PROGRAMING BECAUSE SO FOR 2022 IT'S 273 PROGRAMS OFFERED.

THE ATTENDANCE WAS 6000.

THIS IS POST COVID RIGHT.

RIGHT. AND THEN 2023, IT LOOKS LIKE ATTENDANCE DROPPED OFF ALMOST 50%, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE MORE PROGRAMS ON IT. AND THEN SO AND I KNOW THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE GO TO THE LIBRARIES A LOT, WE GO TO CEDAR HILL AND GO TO DESOTO, LANCASTER AND I DON'T KNOW IS THAT ARE THE ARE THESE TRENDS THE SAME FOR THOSE LIBRARIES AS WELL? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY WE GO TO THEIR PROGRAMING.

IT DOES SEEM LIKE THE ATTENDANCE IS INCREASING.

AND SO AGAIN, KIND OF WHAT'S WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

A LOT OF IT. WELL, I'D HAVE TO LOOK INTO SPECIFICALLY ON THE OTHER LIBRARIES AND WHAT THEIR TRENDS HAVE BEEN TO GIVE YOU AN ACCURATE EXAMINATION OF WHAT THAT WOULD BE.

WE'VE WE'VE SEEN EBBS AND FLOWS.

AND AGAIN, EVERY LIBRARY EXPERIENCES THAT EVERY YEAR, REGARDLESS OF OTHER NEIGHBORING LIBRARIES OR THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO IT REALLY IS DEPENDENT DEPENDED ON.

I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS WE COULD LOOK AT, BUT I COULDN'T TELL YOU FOR SURE WHY THEY WOULD BE AN INCREASE AS OPPOSED TO A DECREASE IN OTHER CITIES, UNLESS I TALKED TO THEM DIRECTLY TO FIND OUT, LIKE WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON IN THEIR IN THEIR AREAS.

AND I KNOW YOU SAID THAT SOME OF THE PROGRAMING WE DO IS REQUEST BASED.

RIGHT. SO AND THEN SAY PEOPLE ASK FOR THIS KIND OF PROGRAMING AND THEY DON'T SHOW UP, BUT IS IT POSSIBLY SOMETHING HAS TO DO WITH THE TYPE OF PROGRAMING

[02:20:02]

SO FOR INSTANCE, YOU KNOW, WE WE PROVIDE VARIOUS TYPES OF DIFFERENT LITERACY TYPE PROGRAMS, NOT JUST NECESSARILY READING LITERACY, BUT FINANCIAL LITERACY, MEDICAL LITERACY. WE'VE DONE THAT IN THE PAST.

WE'VE BEEN REQUESTED.

SO WE'LL PROVIDE THOSE PROGRAMS. AND THEN ATTENDANCE WILL VARY DEPENDING ON THE COMMUNITY AND HOW THEY RESPOND TO THOSE PROGRAMS. SO THINGS LIKE THAT, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE LOOK AT ALL ACROSS THE BOARD AS TO WHAT COMMUNITY REQUESTS ARE, AND WE LOOK AT TRENDS.

THERE ARE OTHER LIBRARIES THAT THEY'RE DOING SO IN OTHER CITIES, WHETHER THEY'RE COMPARABLE OR NOT, AND KIND OF SEE THINGS.

AND AGAIN, THAT'S ALSO SOMETHING WE SEE ACROSS NATIONWIDE TOO, IS AGAIN, THERE'S GOING TO BE EBBS AND FLOWS DEPENDING ON WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING AS FAR AS NATIONAL AND WHATNOT.

SO ONE MORE PLEASE.

YEAH. SO I'LL JUST WRAP UP MY THOUGHTS BECAUSE THIS IS JUST A GENERAL THOUGHT, BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF TIMES SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR MORE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ANTICIPATING MORE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE EXPECTATION MIGHT BE BEING LOWERED.

AND, YOU KNOW, FOR JUST SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO BE MOVING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE, START THINKING ABOUT PUTTING MORE FUNDING INTO THE LIBRARY PROGRAMING AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THESE NUMBERS, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO JUSTIFY THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT AND POSSIBLY LOOKING AT WHY THAT MIGHT BE.

BUT CERTAINLY, AGAIN, KIND OF MOVING FORWARD, JUST LOOKING AT DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES TO MR. DIFFERENT AREAS. AND BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW.

RIGHT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. YEAH.

AND SO WHAT HOW DO YOU THINK MORE FUNDING IS GOING TO IMPROVE.

ATTENDANCE. AGAIN, A LOT OF TALK ABOUT PROGRAMING.

I MEAN, THE QUALITY, YOU KNOW, THE PROGRAM.

AND I KNOW WE'RE PARTNERS WITH THESE OTHER CITIES, BUT SOMETIMES WE LOOK AT PROGRAMS BEING OFFERED AT DIFFERENT LIBRARIES AND SAY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BETTER PROGRAMING OVER HERE.

AND SO YOU CAN'T.

AND SO THAT'S JUST ONE AREA YOU'RE LOOKING AT BETTER PROGRAMING.

TALKING ABOUT RENOVATIONS.

WE JUST GOT THE FACILITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT.

SO I SAW THAT AS FAR AS LIBRARY RENOVATIONS, THAT WAS ONE OF THE LOWER YOU KNOW, LOWER COST OPTIONS THAT WE HAD.

AND SO YOU ASKED ABOUT HOW, I GUESS, PUT MONEY INTO IS GOING TO HELP.

AND SO INCREASING PROGRAMING AND RENOVATIONS.

YEAH. AND, YOU KNOW, LIBRARIES ARE NOT JULIO CAN SPEAK TO THIS MORE, BUT, YOU KNOW, LIBRARIES ARE NOT JUST PLACES WHERE YOU GO TO CHECK OUT BOOKS.

SO NOT JUST PUTTING MONEY INTO HAVING, YOU KNOW, THE MOST RECENT BEST BOOKS, BUT LOOKING AT OTHER AREAS TO BRING PEOPLE INTO THE LIBRARIES, WHICH ARE REALLY BECOMING JUST COMMUNITY HUBS NOW.

RIGHT? SO THOSE POINT TO THERE ARE I MEAN, IT COULD BE ANOTHER ARPA.

THING TO POTENTIALLY LOOK AT.

I WAS GOING TO GO BACK TO MR. VASQUEZ. AND I MEAN, I THINK THE TRENDS WILL PROBABLY SHOW OUT, BUT I'M THINKING 2022.

COVID WAS STARTING TO END AND PEOPLE WERE FINALLY WANTING TO SWARM OUT AND STUFF, SO I THINK THAT'S HIGHER.

AND THEN THEN IT'S KIND OF LEVELED AND THEY'RE TRYING TO BRING IT.

I THINK AT THAT POINT WE DID WE HAD REOPENED TO FULL OPERATION HOURS AT THAT POINT.

WELL, MAYOR, IF I MAY 2ND AND JULIO, JULIO AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS.

NUMBER ONE, THEY'VE TAKEN A GOOD STEP WITH THE SURVEY THAT THEY WORKED WITH, WITH THE LIBRARY BOARD, BUT ALSO ABOUT UPDATING THE LIBRARY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND GETTING TO THAT POINT WHERE WE'RE REALLY GETTING THE COMMUNITY ENGAGED WITH WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE FROM THE LIBRARY, WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE THERE, AND STARTING THAT PROCESS OF TARGETING MORE TOWARD THOSE THINGS THAT WE KNOW WILL BE SUCCESSFUL, AND FIGURING OUT A WAY TO QUANTIFY IT, TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS ACTUALLY REACHING THE COMMUNITY WITH OUR LIBRARY.

AND SO YOU SEE THAT THE LIBRARY COMMUNITY.

I'VE ALWAYS LOOKED AT IT AS A COMBINATION OF INPUT FROM THE LIBRARY BOARD, THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY, THE LIBRARY USERS.

AND IS THAT THE GROUP WE'RE TAKING IN STAFF, OR ARE WE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT EVERYTHING THEY'RE SAYING? YES, BECAUSE THAT'S A VERY DIVERSE GROUP, AND THEY HAVE DIFFERENT ATTITUDES AND APPROACHES TO WHAT THEY THINK MIGHT IMPROVE THE LIBRARY.

BUT I'VE HEARD SOME, AND I HATE TO SAY IT THIS WAY, SOME THAT THEY FELT LIKE THEIR VOICES WEREN'T BEING HEARD.

[02:25:02]

IS THERE SOMEBODY ELSE WE'RE MISSING? YOU'RE TALKING TO THE PUBLIC, ESPECIALLY THE USERS OF THE LIBRARY.

THE LIBRARY BOARD? THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY AND LIBRARY STAFF.

ARE THEY ALL BEING INCLUDED? I THINK THOSE ARE ALWAYS THE IMPORTANT ONES TO INCLUDE.

BUT THEN YOU ALSO WANT TO INCLUDE THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T USE THE LIBRARY, AND YOU FIND OUT WHY THEY DON'T USE THE LIBRARY.

I MEAN, I WOULD START WITH SOMEBODY LIKE MYSELF WHO HARDLY EVER GOES TO A LIBRARY AND ASK MYSELF, WELL, WHAT? WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE? AND TO MR. KOONTZ'S POINT THAT LIBRARIES REALLY AREN'T ABOUT JUST CHECKING OUT THE BOOKS ANYMORE.

THERE ARE SO MANY ELECTRONIC THINGS THAT ALLOW YOU TO READ WITHOUT HAVING TO GO IN.

SO IF NOT THAT, WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE FROM A LIBRARY? WHAT SERVICES WOULD BE USEFUL TO SOMEBODY LIKE ME TO GET THEM IN THE DOOR? I THINK, MR. VASQUEZ, YOU TOUCHED ON THIS BEFORE, THAT AT A NATIONAL LEVEL OF LIBRARIANS TALKING ABOUT LIBRARIES OF THE FUTURE AND THAT THAT, IN FACT, THAT THEY LOOK TEN YEARS OUT TO WHERE TECHNOLOGY IS TAKING YOU, WHERE LIBRARY CHANGES ARE OCCURRING.

SO THAT'S SOME OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

SO AS LONG AS WE'RE STAYING IN THAT THOSE ADVANCED CONVERSATIONS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUT SOMETHING IN PLACE THAT'S ALREADY DOOMED TO BE OUTDATED.

WELL, THAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES, THOUGH, IS THAT WE CAN ANTICIPATE TECHNOLOGY AND CHANGES.

BUT A LOT OF TIMES SOME THINGS DON'T PLAY OUT.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S INTERESTING, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, OBVIOUSLY E-BOOKS ARE BIG, YOU KNOW, ELECTRONIC BOOKS, BUT THE CURRENT GENERATION GEN Z ARE MORE PRONE TO USE PHYSICAL BOOKS AND E-BOOKS, WHICH PEOPLE WOULD BE COUNTERINTUITIVE AND THINK THE OPPOSITE WERE TRUE.

BUT IT'S BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MUCH SCREEN TIME THAT THEY UTILIZE ON THEIR DAILY LIVES AND AT SCHOOL.

SO NOW THEY'RE REVERTING ON THEIR CASUAL AND THEIR FREE TIME TO GO LOOK AT PHYSICAL ITEMS. SO THAT'S JUST KIND OF COUNTERINTUITIVE.

WELL, IT'S GOING TO BE A QUESTION FOR THE CITY MANAGER, BUT OH, OKAY.

BECAUSE I'LL BE I'LL SPEAK FOR THE PUBLIC.

RIGHT. A LOT OF THE CONCERNS THAT I RECEIVE IS ABOUT THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT THEY NOT JUST IN WHAT IS OFFERED, BUT JUST SIMPLY GETTING UP FROM THE DESK GREETING WHEN THEY COME IN, WALKING AROUND ASKING, IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN HELP YOU WITH? THAT IS WHAT IS PUSHING SOME OF OUR CUSTOMERS TO THE OTHER LIBRARIES BASIC THINGS.

SO I THINK I SAW IN THE BUDGET CUSTOMER SERVICE TRAINING IN THERE.

SO I WOULD ASK, NOT ONLY DO WE DO THE TRAINING, BUT LET'S WORK ON OUR EXPECTATIONS.

WHAT DO WE EXPECT FROM OUR INTERNAL EMPLOYEES? WHAT DO WE EXPECT AND HOW DO WE SERVE THE PUBLIC? IF WE'RE LOSING PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THEIR NOT BEING GREETED, THEY'RE JUST WALKING IN.

NOBODY EVER ASKED FOR IT.

ALL RIGHT, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN FIX.

AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH FREE.

SO I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.

IT'S NOT A DIG ON ANYBODY.

I JUST WANT TO COMMUNICATE WHAT I'VE HEARD.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT.

COUNCILMEMBER GOODMAN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A EXECUTIVE TEAM MEETING IN THIS ROOM WITH EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR DIRECTORS AND ASSISTANT DIRECTORS EVERY SINGLE MONDAY AT 230.

AND, YOU KNOW, CUSTOMER SERVICE FOCUS ACROSS EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY MUCH TOP OF MIND, TOP OF DISCUSSION THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.

THAT'S ACTUALLY WHY THAT MONEY IS IN THE BUDGET FOR SOME ADDITIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE TRAINING, BECAUSE WE REALLY EXPECT THAT NOT ONLY IN THE LIBRARY, BUT WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO GET A PERMIT THAT WE'RE GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND, OR WHETHER IT'S PARKS AND REC OR WHETHER IT'S FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION, WHATEVER, OR JUST SOMEBODY WALKING IN THE FRONT DOOR COMING TO PAY THEIR WATER BILL.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT UP.

THAT'S A FOCUS.

THANK YOU. IT'S GOOD TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT.

SO THANK YOU. OH.

I'M SORRY. CAN YOU GO RIGHT AHEAD? YEAH. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT IT'S IT'S I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE GOALS.

AND I MEAN, EACH DEPARTMENT SHOULD HAVE GOALS.

AND SO TO HEAR THAT THE LIBRARY JUST GOES BY TRENDS AND NOT GOALS IS SOMETHING THAT WE MIGHT LOOK AT.

AND JUST THE LEVEL OF ENTHUSIASM I THINK IS, IS A BIG FACTOR.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, IN THE FUTURE BEING ABLE TO FUND THE LIBRARY MORE, YOU KNOW, ROBUSTLY.

BUT THAT'S TO ME GOALS.

AND IF THERE AREN'T ANY GOALS THEN THERE'S NO POINT.

THANK YOU. I GUESS IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE ON THE BUDGET YOU CAN GET FOR YOUR EXECUTIVE SESSION.

[02:30:02]

SURE. OKAY. SO JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE.

ANYTHING ELSE ON THE BUDGET RELATED BEFORE WE SHIFT GEARS? ANY QUESTIONS? ANY AND COUNCIL MEMBER OR SOMETHING.

ANYTHING AT ALL. SO.

THIS IS THE GOAL IN THE FUTURE TO TRY TO FUND THAT 100% RETURN.

SO AND I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP BECAUSE WE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT.

BUT I YOU KNOW, THE PLAN IS AND AGAIN, THIS IS WHERE REALLY THE MULTI YEAR BUDGETING COMES INTO PLACE, ESPECIALLY NEXT YEAR BECAUSE WE WANT TO SHOW YOU THAT.

BUT I BELIEVE IT'S FIVE YEARS.

WE WANT TO GET TO 100% WITHIN FIVE YEARS.

AND SO WE'RE GOING TO START TO SHOW YOU WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND THE IMPACT OF NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.

OR DO YOU ALREADY DID IT. YEAH.

SEE SHE'S AHEAD OF ME. SO THANK YOU.

SO WE'RE GOING WITH THE 5030 THIS YEAR, 5030 THIS YEAR AND THEN TRYING TO BUILD IT UP.

YES. SO THAT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT AT THE TOP HALF KIND OF SHOWS YOU A PROJECTION OF, YOU KNOW, IF WE WERE TO ADD 2% EVERY YEAR UNTIL WE GET TO THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF 170 KIND OF WHAT WE HAVE TO PLAN FOR IN TERMS OF MAKING ROOM FOR IN THE BUDGET.

YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO COST ABOUT 3.6 MILLION IN 5 YEARS.

THAT'S WHY WE NEED THE ALTERNATIVE REVENUE.

WE NEED TO GROW. WE NEED TO DO ALL THESE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT.

SO. YES. I'M HAPPY WITH THAT.

WHAT WAS THAT? I'M HAPPY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME TYPE OF INCREASE 5030 AND BUILDING 270. WELL, I THINK IT SAYS A LOT THAT THE MANAGER AND THE STAFF HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REALLY DIGEST THIS AND PROJECT WHAT MAY BE IN OUR FUTURE.

BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S IT'S ABOUT RETENTION AND IT'S ABOUT GETTING PEOPLE TO COME HERE.

AND WHEN YOU'RE COMPETING WITH THE CITIES UP NORTH ESPECIALLY THAT HAVE REINTRODUCED THESE BECAUSE I THINK I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE.

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN DUNCANVILLE WAS ONLY ONE OF TWO CITIES THAT WERE NOT DOING REGULAR, AND THIS GOES WAY BACK.

AND THE OTHER CITY WAS BEDFORD.

THE REASON THEY WEREN'T WAS THEY WERE BRAND NEW TO THE MRS SYSTEM, SO THEY HAD TO COALESCE AND UPDATE THE SERVICE CREDIT.

SO WE WERE THE ONLY ONES OUT.

AND I THOUGHT, WELL, THAT'S STRANGE.

A FEW YEARS LATER, I HAD REASON TO LOOK BACK AT THAT AGAIN, AND A NUMBER OF CITIES HAD DROPPED OUT AND IT WAS ABOUT MONEY, AND I WAS SURPRISED HOW MANY HAD DROPPED OUT.

AND SO NOW IT'S KIND OF A SCATTERING AROUND THE METROPLEX OF CITIES.

NOW IT SEEMS TO BE GOING BACK BECAUSE EVERYBODY SEES IT AS A NECESSITY, A NECESSARY TOOL TO BRING PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK FOR THAT.

ARE YOU A CITY THAT'S OFFERING THAT AND THEN TO RETAIN PEOPLE? BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A BENEFIT AS THEY PROMOTE UP AND THEIR SALARIES INCREASE, THAT UPDATED SERVICE CREDITS WOULD BE A BENEFIT TO THEM.

SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE FOR OUR FUTURE THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IT AND THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING IT.

AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN WE CAN STICK WITH IT BECAUSE IT'S YOU CAN'T YOU CAN'T DO WITHOUT RIGHT NOW.

THE ECONOMY DROPS OUT FROM UNDER EVERYBODY.

IT MAY BE A DIFFERENT STORY AROUND THE METROPLEX, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE COMPETING.

ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE ARE.

I MEAN, EVERY TIME WE GO TO HIRE SOMEBODY, WE'RE COMPETING.

AND WE'RE NOT ONLY COMPETING ON THE BASIS OF THESE TYPES OF THINGS.

WE'RE COMPETING ON TRYING TO CONVINCE PEOPLE TO COME SOUTH OF THE TRINITY.

AND I THINK BETWEEN THE BEST SOUTHWEST CITIES RIGHT NOW, WE'RE WE'RE ERASING THAT, THAT AVOIDANCE TO CROSS THE TRINITY.

WE JUST GOT SOMEBODY BACK FROM SOUTHLAKE, YOU KNOW, SO I'M ALWAYS GLAD TO STEAL FROM THOSE CITIES UP THERE.

THEY SURE BENEFIT BY OUR EMPLOYEES.

A LOT OF OUR OUR ROCK STARS GET PICKED UP REAL QUICK BY SOME OF THE MORE PROGRESSIVE, LARGER CITIES.

AND THAT'S WHAT YOU WORK FOR.

YOU LOOK TO BE NOTICED.

SO WHEN THAT HAPPENS, YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING BUT WISH THEM THE BEST LUCK.

BUT WE NEED TO NOT SEND THEM TO SO MANY EVENTS WHERE THEY GET SEEN.

BUT THANK YOU TO MANAGEMENT AND STAFF FOR PUTTING US IN THIS POSITION.

OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? JUST ONE COMPLIMENT AGAIN.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR GOING BACK AND SCRUBBING THE BUDGET.

THANK YOU FOR FINDING A WAY TO ELIMINATE THAT $507,000 UNBALANCED BUDGET.

THANK YOU FOR THE MRS 5030.

THIS IS WHAT I.

WHAT I HOPE TO BE A PART OF.

SO IF I COULD, I JUST WANT THE WHOLE COUNCIL TO KNOW.

[02:35:04]

LISTEN, WHEN YOU GUYS WHEN YOU GUYS SHARE THINGS.

SO, LIKE, THE BUDGET IS VERY MUCH A TRIAL BALLOON.

THIS IS OUR FIRST BUDGET.

WE HAVE LITERALLY ALL NEW DIRECTORS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A COUPLE.

AND SO WE WANTED TO GET YOUR TEMPERATURE.

AND WE LISTENED TO THAT.

AND WE WENT IN RICHARD'S OFFICE AND WE'RE LIKE, OKAY, WHAT WERE THE PAIN POINTS? ALL RIGHT, LET'S ADDRESS THOSE PAIN POINTS AND LET'S FIGURE OUT.

AND SO WE NEED THAT INPUT FROM YOU GUYS.

SO WE APPRECIATE IT. SO THANK YOU.

OKAY. SO BEFORE MAYOR BEFORE YOU GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, I WANT TO ASK THE POLICE CHIEF JUST TO SHARE SOME INFORMATION WITH YOU.

JUST TO CLARIFY, IT'S KIND OF QUASI BUDGET RELATED.

IT'S IT'S IN IN TERMS OF POSITIONS IN THE POLICE ADMINISTRATION.

THANK YOU. SO, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TWO ASSISTANT CHIEFS.

I FILLED ONE OF THOSE VACANCIES SINCE WE'RE A CIVIL SERVICE AGENCY, ONE OF THOSE CLASSIFICATIONS, ACCORDING TO CIVIL SERVICE, WHEN I WAS APPOINTED INTERIM, OBVIOUSLY, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPOINT AN INTERIM ASSISTANT CHIEF, WHICH WAS ASSISTANT CHIEF ARENA SINCE BEING CONFIRMED BY YOU ALL.

I HAVE REMOVED THAT TITLE OF INTERIM.

SO HE IS OFFICIALLY AN ASSISTANT CHIEF.

SO I SUBMITTED MYSELF AND OFFICER ARIAS A PRESS RELEASE ACKNOWLEDGING AND CONGRATULATING ASSISTANT CHIEF ARENA ON HIS PROMOTION THAT WAS SENT OUT TODAY.

WFAA AND ANOTHER NEWS ORGANIZATION IS GOING TO RUN THAT STORY.

SO WHEN YOU SEE THAT NEXT WEEK, WE'RE GOING TO DO THE SAME WITH ASSISTANT CHIEF WILCOX, OR THEY'RE REALLY UPLIFTING STORIES, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY BOTH GET THE THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF TIME TO CELEBRATE THEIR, THEIR PROMOTION.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. THE DIFFERENCES OF THE TWO.

YES POSITIONS.

YES. SO THE TWO POSITIONS, ONE WILL BE OVER OPERATIONS.

OPERATIONS ENCOMPASSES OUR PATROL, OUR OUR MEAT OF OUR DEPARTMENT.

THE OTHER ONE WILL TAKE CARE OF SUPPORT.

NOW SUPPORT OPERATIONS IS CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS.

I'M GOING TO DO SOME CHANGING ON SOME SOME NAMES OF DIVISIONS WITHIN THE SUPPORT GROUP, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES OUR TRAINING AND PERSONNEL.

OUR ADMINISTRATIVE LIEUTENANT, WHICH IS OVER GRANTS AND OTHER THINGS.

SO IT IS A FOR ONE PERSON TO DO IS I DID IT FOR A WHILE AND IT WAS OVERWHELMING.

SO THIS HELPS SPREAD THE WORKLOAD TO BOTH.

AGAIN YOU DEAL WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH OF OF MY PEOPLE.

AND IT HELPS ME THEN GET MORE INTO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE I KNOW I HAVE TWO PEOPLE DEALING WITH TWO MAJOR FUNCTIONS OR THE, THE BIG FUNCTIONS OF OUR DEPARTMENT. SO ONCE THEY GET ROLLING IN THEIR IN THEIR JOBS, YOU WILL SEE ME MORE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE I NEED AND BELONG ULTIMATELY.

SO THAT'S THAT'S WHERE WE ARE WITH THEM.

SO THIS IS THE FIRST OFFICIAL NOTICE THAT THE INTERIM POSITION HAS BEEN REMOVED.

FOR NOW ASSISTANT POLICE CHIEF TIJERINA.

THAT'S CORRECT. SO.

YES. THANK YOU.

AND, MAYOR, IF I JUST CUT, I ALSO I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND JUST COMPLIMENT CHIEF STOGNER.

I TELL YOU, THERE'S SO MANY DAYS, THERE'S SO MANY TIMES WE'VE TALKED AT 5 A.M., WE'VE TALKED AT MIDNIGHT.

THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND CHIEF STOGNER IS ON TOP OF IT WITH OUR ENTIRE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

YOU KNOW, IF IT GETS TO A POINT WHERE I'M SHARING TOO MUCH INFORMATION WITH YOU GUYS BY EMAIL, JUST TELL ME.

BUT WE'RE TRYING TO.

HE COMES OVER TO MY OFFICE TO THE POINT, AND I'M LIKE, UNLESS YOU HAVE GOOD NEWS, GIVE ME AT LEAST TWO HOURS.

I NEED A BREAK FROM YOU FOR A MINUTE.

SO. WELL. LISTEN, I IT'S NOT ME.

IT'S THE PEOPLE OUT THERE ON THE STREET DOING THEIR JOBS, AND THEY DO IT EFFECTIVELY.

AND I. AND I'VE ALWAYS SAID THIS WHEN WHEN THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD, REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU HAVE ON THE STREET.

WE SEEM TO ALWAYS COME TOGETHER WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WITH WHOMEVER, TO COME TO A SAFE RESOLUTION TO THESE THINGS, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THAT'S OUR GOAL, IS TO CHANGE PEOPLE'S BEHAVIOR. AND IT'S THE PEOPLE.

IT'S NOT ME, IT'S THE PEOPLE.

SO THANK YOU. AND I JUST PUT MY STUFF UP.

YEAH. THERE YOU GO. OKAY, SO.

BEFORE WE ACTUALLY GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE A LITTLE BREAK SO I CAN TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AND BE BACK HERE AT

[4. EXECUTIVE SESSION]

ALL RIGHT. YOU'RE SO GENEROUS.

OH VERY WELL THEN.

FREE. YEAH.

I FIGURED THAT TIME.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.