[Call to Order]
[00:00:05]
ALL RIGHT.WE'RE GONNA CALL THE, UH, MEETING, UH, FOR THE NIGHT.
THIS IS A REGULAR SESSION OF LAKE JACKSON CITY COUNCIL.
I HELD ON MONDAY, AUGUST 21ST, 2023 AT 6:30 PM AT 25 OAK DRIVE, LAKE JACKSON, TEXAS.
WELCOME TO EVERYBODY FOR THE MEETING TONIGHT.
I APPRECIATE YOU MAKING IT OUT.
UM, WE'RE GONNA BEGIN THE EVENING WITH THE PLEDGE LED BY COUNCILMAN HANYA PLEDGES.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL HONOR, JUSTICE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO BE ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE INVOCATION.
THIS EVENING WILL BE PROVIDED BY, UH, COUNCILMAN BAKER.
DEAR MOST HEAVENLY FATHER, THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY A DAY AND WE'LL NEVER SEE YOU AGAIN.
AND MOST HEAVENLY FATHER, JUST BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US THAT HERE TONIGHT AND JUST BLESS US AND WATCH OVER US.
AND MOST 70 FATHER JUST BLESS OUR HOMETOWN HEROES THAT PROTECT AND WATCH OVER US EACH DAY, OUR FIREFIGHTERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND AS AS THEY WATCH OVER US ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND HEAVENLY FATHER, AS WE GET READY TO GO INTO OUR MEETING, JUST BE WITH US TO BE ABLE TO MAKE WISE AND POSITIVE DECISION FOR THIS GREAT CITY THAT WE LIVE IN, WHICH IS THE CITY OF LAKE JACKSON.
[VISITOR COMMENTS]
THE AGENDA OF VISITORS' COMMENTS, UH, THIS ITEM IS AVAILABLE FOR THOSE CITIZENS WISHING TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON ISSUES NOT ON THE AGENDA.CITY COUNCIL MAY NOT DISCUSS ANY, UH, PRESENTED I ISSUES, NOR MAY ANY ACTION BE TAKEN.
UH, ANY ITEM PRESENTED COULD BE CONSIDERED FOR PLACEMENT ON THE AGENDA OF A FUTURE REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING.
WE HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS SIGNED UP FOR VISITOR'S COMMENTS.
THANK YOU MAYOR COUNCIL, UH, MIKE WALLS, 59 SOUTHERN WARD TORT LAKE JACKSON.
UM, IT'S A BIG MEETING TONIGHT.
A LOT OF BIG THINGS, SO I JUST WANTED TO, UM, AS COUNSEL BEGINS THEIR DELIBERATION ON THE FINAL BUDGET.
CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? AM I TALKING TO THIS? OKAY.
UM, IN THE CORRESPONDING TAX RATE, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A FEW OBSERVATIONS AND JUST A COUPLE OF STATEMENTS.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, NONE OF US HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL IN THE ABILITY TO SEE IT CLEARLY INTO THE FUTURE.
WHEN THE VOTERS AUTHORIZED THE PROPERTY TAX RATE CEILING IN THE 2021 BONDS PROJECTS, NONE OF US COULD HAVE PREDICTED RECORD LEVELS OF INFLATION RAPIDLY INCREASING INTEREST RATES, ESPECIALLY MORTGAGE RATES, WHICH ARE NOW BETWEEN DOUBLE AND TRIPLE WHAT THEY WERE IN 2021 AND PROPERTY TAX APPRAISALS THAT HAVE SHOCKED EVERYBODY, UH, I THINK ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS.
UM, WHILE NONE OF US COULD HAVE SEEN ALL OF THESE THINGS COMING, ESPECIALLY ALL AT ONCE, WE CAN LOOK BACK ON RECENT DECISIONS BY THE CITY OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND USE THEM AS A GUIDE TO HELP US MOVE FORWARD.
AS AN EXAMPLE, PLANS WERE MADE TO BEGIN THE DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION PROJECT LONG BEFORE 2021.
UM, AND, AND SUBSEQUENTLY COVID BEFORE THAT TURNED THINGS UPSIDE DOWN.
UM, DURING THAT TIME, THE STATE AND THE CITY MADE DECISIONS TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF PATRONS IN CERTAIN BUSINESSES, AND IN SOME CASES FORCED THEM TO CLOSE COMPLETELY.
AS THINGS LOOSENED UP AND SOME RESTRICTIONS WERE LIFTED, THE CITY DECIDED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ITS FINAL PHASE OF THE DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION EFFORTS AT THE SAME TIME THAT THESE SMALL BUSINESSES WERE ATTEMPTING TO GET BACK ON THEIR FEET.
AS WE KNOW NOW, A NUMBER OF THEM DID NOT SURVIVE AND SEVERAL MORE ON VERY, VERY THIN ICE.
UM, AND THE DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION IS STILL NOT COMPLETE.
WE CAN LEARN FROM THESE ACTIONS AND TAKE PAUSE TO REFLECT ON THE DAMAGE THE LAST FEW YEARS HAVE IMPOSED ON AMERICAN FAMILIES AND LAKE JACKSON CITIZENS.
MANY OF US ARE STARING DOWN THE VERY REAL POSSIBILITY OF HIGHER PROPERTY TAXES ACROSS THE BOARD.
UH, I'M SURE ALL OF YOU'RE AWARE OF THE INCREASE IN HOME INSURANCE, UH, ESPECIALLY WINDSTORM INSURANCE.
THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE FLOOD INSURANCE, THAT'S BEEN RIDICULOUS.
UH, AS WELL FOR BUSINESS OWNERS AND RENTERS, THE IMPACT OF PROPERTY TAXES ARE EVEN MORE, MORE PROFOUND.
BUSINESS OWNERS LIKE MYSELF AND LANDLORDS LIKE MYSELF, DO NOT RECEIVE ANY TYPE OF PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS TO HELP SHIELD THEM FROM RISING PROPERTY TAXES.
THESE EXPENSES ARE PASSED ALONG AT A HIGHER RATE TO RENTERS, AND SO ALL OF US CONSUMERS AT LARGE, EACH ONE OF US WILL FEEL THE IMPACT OF PROPERTY TAX HIKES.
MY PERSONAL EXAMPLE IS THAT I OWN A SMALL ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY IN THE CITY OF LAKE JACKSON AND ITS PROPERTY TAX APPRAISAL IS DOUBLE WHAT IT WAS LAST
[00:05:01]
YEAR.I'LL HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO PASS THE ADDITIONAL TAX BURDEN ALONG TO MY RESIDENTS WHO ARE ALL ON FIXED INCOMES AND HAVE NO WAY TO BRING IN MORE REVENUE.
AND THERE'S NO RELIEF IN SIGHT FOR THEM.
MANY OF US, ALL OF US, UH, ALL OF YOU I WOULD IMAGINE HAVE HAD TO WORK ON OUR OWN BUDGETS AND MAKE SOME SACRIFICES IN OUR OWN SPENDING HABITS.
ALL I'M ASKING RIGHT NOW IS TO APPLY THE SAME LEVEL OF FISCAL THOUGHT AND RESPONSIBILITY THAT YOU WOULD IN YOUR OWN HOUSEHOLDS.
PEOPLE ARE HURTING AND IT'S PLAIN TO SEE THAT EACH OF US WILL BE PAYING EVEN MORE IN THE NEXT YEAR AND TO COME FOR THE EXACT SAME SERVICES WE UTILIZE TODAY.
NOW IS THE BEST TIME, NOT NOW IS NOT THE BEST TIME TO ADVOCATE FOR RA TO ADVOCATE FOR RAISING TAXES ON YOUR NEIGHBORS, BUT TO HELP PROTECT THEM.
AND I THINK THE CITY IS IN A UNIQUE POSITION WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY LOWER A BURDEN ON PEOPLE WHERE WE CAN'T FIND RELIEF OTHERWISE.
ANY OTHER VISITOR COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? ALRIGHT, WE'LL MOVE ON
[PRESENTATIONS]
TO PRESENTATIONS.WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM LAKE JACKSON LIBRARY PROGRAMS AND ACHIEVEMENTS, GRACE, WE WILL BACK GO FORWARD.
UM, GOOD EVENING MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL AND AUDIENCE MEMBERS.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW ME, MY NAME IS GRACE HEFFERNAN.
I'M THE BRANCH LIBRARIAN AT THE LAKE JACKSON LIBRARY FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS.
DO YOU WANT TO MENTION I HAVE MY LITTLE PEANUT GALLERY OVER HERE? UM, THE BRAZORIA COUNTY LIBRARY DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR LISA NC IS HERE AS OUR FRIENDS PRESIDENT, OUR REPRESENTATIVE TO THE SYSTEM LIBRARY BOARD, AND, UM, MY MANAGEMENT TEAM AND I APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THE SUCCESSES WE'VE HAD SO FAR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
SO THIS IS A BRIEF TIMELINE OF THE HISTORY OF THE LAKE JACKSON LIBRARY, WHICH YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE AWARE OF.
THE LIBRARY HAS BEEN PART OF THE ROSARIA COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM SINCE 1955.
AND, UM, LEGAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY HAVE BEEN IN PLACE FOR THE PAST 41 YEARS.
WE HAVE THREE MAIN FUNDING SOURCES.
THIS IS, UH, FISCAL YEAR 22 FIGURES.
THE COUNTY CONTRIBUTION COVERS STAFF SALARIES, BOOKS, AND OTHER MATERIALS COSTS, AS WELL AS OTHER COSTS TO RUN THE LIBRARY.
THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTION COVERS MAINTENANCE, FURNISHINGS, AND FIXTURES.
UM, THIS DOES NOT, BECAUSE IT'S NOT OPERATIONAL, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE FISCAL YEAR 22 BOND MONEY THAT LET US REDO THE FLOORING IN THE LIBRARY.
WE ALSO HAVE A FANTASTIC FRIENDS GROUP, THE FRIENDS OF LAKE JACKSON LIBRARY THROUGH THEIR BOOK SALE THAT IS ONGOING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, HELP TO PROVIDE FUNDS TO HELP WITH OUR PROGRAMMING, AS WELL AS SPECIAL PROJECTS LIKE STORY WALK, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT MORE IN DEPTH IN A BIT.
WE ARE THE THIRD BUSIEST BRANCH IN BRAZORIA COUNTY.
THERE ARE 12 BRANCHES WITHIN THE SYSTEM.
UH, WE FOLLOW THE TWO PARA LANDS.
UM, THEY ARE THE BUSIEST, BUT WE ARE NUMBER THREE.
I DO NEED TO NOTE THAT I HAD A TYPO.
UM, IT'S 65,000 LIBRARY VISITS, NOT 165.
UM, SO I DO WANT TO BE UP, UH, FRONT ABOUT THAT.
BUT WE HAVE ALREADY EXCEEDED OUR FISCAL YEAR, 2020 VISITS, UM, NOW AND WE STILL HAVE SEVERAL MONTHS TO GO.
AND I'M NOT GONNA GO READ THROUGH EVERY SINGLE THING ON HERE.
UH, BUT LAKE JACKSON PATRONS IN FISCAL YEAR 22 SAVED OVER $2 MILLION BY CHECKING OUT BOOKS FROM THE LIBRARY.
SO MOST PEOPLE, WHEN THEY THINK OF LIBRARIES, THINK OF BOOKS.
AND WE CERTAINLY HAVE LOTS OF BOOKS IN OUR BRANCH, BUT WE'RE A LOT MORE THAN THAT.
WE HAVE A MEETING ROOM AND CONFERENCE ROOM WHOSE USAGE HAS ALMOST DOUBLED COMPARED TO LAST FISCAL YEAR.
OUR COMPUTERS ARE REGULARLY USED BY THE PUBLIC FOR CLASSES, EXAMS, JOB SEARCHING, AND MORE.
IN FISCAL YEAR 22, WE WERE ABLE TO ADD A PARENT CAROL TO OUR CHILDREN'S DEPARTMENT TO HELP PARENTS WITH SMALL CHILDREN'S BETTER UTILIZE THE COMPUTERS.
OUR MAKERSPACE OFFERS A VARIETY OF EQUIPMENT INCLUDING THREE D PRINTING, LARGE FORMAT PRINTING, THINK POSTERS AND LAMINATION.
AND WE'VE RECENTLY BEEN DISCOVERED BY TEACHERS
THIS PAST YEAR, THE SYSTEM ADDED
[00:10:01]
NINTENDO SWITCH GAMING TO MULTIPLE BRANCHES.AND THIS HAS BEEN POPULAR WITH OUR FAMILIES.
OUR CHILDREN'S AREA HAS EARLY LEARNING TOYS AS WELL AS EDUCATIONAL TABLETS, BOTH FOR USE WITHIN THE BRANCH AS WELL AS TO CHECK OUT AND THROUGHOUT B C L AND THROUGH THE B C L SS SYSTEM.
PATRONS OF ACCESS TO A VARIETY OF ITEMS TO CHECK OUT THROUGH A LIBRARY OF THINGS, INCLUDING TOOLS, COOKING AND BAKING SUPPLIES, BOARD GAMES, OUTDOOR GAMES, AND THINGS LIKE BOUNCE HOUSES, POWER WASHERS AND CARPET CLEANERS ARE PROBABLY THE MOST POPULAR THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
WE OFFER A VARIETY OF PROGRAMMING OUR STORY TIMES ON TUESDAY, WE, TUESDAYS, WEDNESDAYS, AND THURSDAYS, WHICH ARE GEARED FOR THE PRESCHOOL SET AVERAGE 50 PLUS PEOPLE DAILY.
WE HAVE TWO BOOK CLUBS FOR ADULTS.
WE DO QUARTERLY ADULT MURDER MYSTERIES, MONTHLY FAMILY FUN NIGHTS, STEM PROGRAMMING, TEEN LOCK-INS.
AND WE ALSO TAKE OUR PROGRAMMING TO OTHER LOCATIONS SUCH AS MCLEAN PARK AND THE LAKE JACKSON HISTORICAL MUSEUM.
WE PARTNER WITH NUMEROUS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
BUSINESSES LIKE WHATABURGER, H E B AND T D E C U HELP SUPPORT OUR SUMMER PROGRAMMING NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE SS P C A KEEP LAKE JACKSON BEAUTIFUL AND THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY HELP US WITH BIG PROGRAMS SUCH AS OUR WARRIORS PARTY, THE SPRING AND OUR ANNUAL NIGHT AT HOGWARTS EVENT.
WE WORK WITH B I S D ON THEIR MOSQUITO LIST NAME, THAT BOOK CONTEST AND READING PROGRAMS. WE HAVE A A R P N STARTING IN FEBRUARY EVERY YEAR TO PROVIDE FREE TAX SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC.
AND DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, WE PROVIDE MONTHLY STORY TIMES AT HEAD START.
OUR BIGGEST PROGRAM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IS CERTAINLY SUMMER READING CHALLENGE.
THIS IS AN ANNUAL PROGRAM FOR ALL AGES.
AND THIS SUMMER WE HAD GREAT PARTICIPATION IN THE CHALLENGE AS WELL AS A GREAT TURNOUT FOR PROGRAMS SUPPORTING THAT CHALLENGE.
WE HAD EDUCATION PRESENTATIONS, FUN ART FRIDAYS STEM CHALLENGE, ADULT CRAFTS AND TEEN AND TWEEN PROGRAMMING, THE SUMMER READING CHALLENGES.
BUT ONE OF THE FOUR READING CHALLENGES WE HAVE DURING THE YEAR.
THE NEXT ONE IS FALL READING, BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST.
I THINK ONE OF OUR MOST EXCITING THINGS THIS YEAR IS THAT IN FEBRUARY, STORY WALK DEBUTED AT MCLEAN PARK.
THIS UNIQUE MONTHLY ACTIVITY LETS EVERYONE READ A PICTURE BOOK WITH ACTIVITIES AS THEY WALK THE PATH.
THIS PROJECT IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE LIBRARY, THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AND THE FRIENDS OF LAKE JACKSON LIBRARY WHO PROVIDE THE, PROVIDED THE FUNDING FOR THE SIGNS AND THE INAUGURAL BOOKS.
WE INITIALLY REACHED OUT TO PARTNER WITH THE LAKE JACKSON HISTORICAL MUSEUM, KEEP LAKE JACKSON BEAUTIFUL PARKS AND RECREATION AND THE S P C A TO SPONSOR A MONTH WITH PLANS FOR THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY TO FUND THE REST.
WE HAVE SINCE ADDED THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS FOR 2023 BRASE SPORT COLLEGE, BRASSE SUPPORT, MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE AND LIGHT UP LAKE JACKSON.
WE ALREADY HAVE MOST OF 2024 SPONSORED IN FISCAL YEAR 22 THROUGH THE CARPET BOND ISSUE.
WE WERE ABLE TO REPLACE THE FLOORING THROUGHOUT THE LIBRARY IN FISCAL YEAR 23 BECAUSE THE LIBRARY SYSTEM TOOK OVER THE PURCHASE OF THE MCNA AND LEASE BOOKS, WE WERE ABLE TO REPLACE THE CIRCULATION IN CHILDREN'S DESKS.
THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE COMMENTS FROM OUR COMMENT BOX IN THE LIBRARY AS WELL AS SURVEYS WE DO DURING PROGRAMS. I COULD CERTAINLY HAVE LISTED PROBABLY HUNDREDS OF MORE MURDER MYSTERY EVENTS ARE GREAT FOR FAMILIARIZING OURSELVES WITH THE LIBRARY.
THE WARRIORS PROGRAM WAS BASED ON A SUGGESTION AND DISCUSSION AT ONE OF OUR TEEN ADVISORY MEETINGS.
I LIKE THAT WE WERE LISTENED TO AND OUR IDEAS WERE LISTENED TO.
IT WAS FUN TO WATCH EVERYONE PLAY THE GAMES AND TALK ABOUT THE BOOKS.
I LOVE HOW IT BRINGS CHILDREN IN THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
I BRING MY LITTLE ONE TO PLAY AND HE GETS TO MEET NEW KIDS HIS AGE.
I LIKE THAT THE KIDS ARE LEARNING IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTAL SKILLS WHILE STILL HAVING FUN.
THE LIBRARY IS AMAZING AND WE LOVE COMING TO THE THE YEAR ROUND EVENTS AND PROGRAMS. AND FINALLY, I THINK THE LIBRARY IS DOING AN AMAZING JOB AT INVOLVING THE PUBLIC AND TEACHING AS THEY GO.
[00:15:03]
THESE ARE SOME OF OUR UPCOMING PLANS FOR THE LIBRARY IN THE COMING FISCAL YEAR.SOME OF THE THINGS WE PLAN TO USE THE CITY BUDGET ALLOCATED FOR THE LIBRARY ARE WE WANT TO INSTALL SMART THERMOSTATS TO BETTER CONTROL THE TEMPERATURE, UM, AND BE ABLE TO PROGRAM IT WHERE IT'S NOT RUNNING.
YOU KNOW, ON SUNDAY AT 70 DEGREES WE WANT TO ADD A PROJECTOR TO OUR CONFERENCE ROOM.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE A PROJECTOR IN THE LARGE MEETING ROOM, WHICH ALLOWS GROUPS TO COME IN AND DO PRESENTATIONS.
AND WE'VE HAD MORE AND MORE USE OF THE CONFERENCE ROOM AND PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR A PROJECTOR.
AND THEN FINALLY, WE WANT TO GET NEW SEATING IN OUR STORY TIME AREA AND START REPLACING OUR LOUNGE CHAIRS.
THIS IS ALL FURNITURE FROM THE 1991 RENOVATION.
ON DECEMBER 9TH, WE WILL HAVE NIGHT AT HOGWARTS, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR SIGNATURE EVENTS FOR THE YEAR.
WE HAVE OVER 300 PEOPLE ATTEND THIS FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENT.
IN THE NEW CALENDAR YEAR, WE WILL BE PARTNERING WITH THE MASTER GARDENERS AND TEXAS AGRILIFE EXTENSION TO DO A QUARTERLY SERIES FOR YOUTH ON LITERATURE IN THE GARDEN.
AND WE JUST FINISHED SUMMER READING, BUT WE ARE ALREADY PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR, WHICH WILL KICK OFF IN JUNE, 2024.
AND THEN THIS IS MY MANAGEMENT TEAM.
UH, KAREN IS OUR ASSISTANT BRANCH LIBRARIAN AND REFERENCE LIBRARIAN.
AND ANDY LARSSON IS OUR YOUTH SPECIALIST.
ANY OF US OR ANY OF OUR OTHER FANTASTIC STAFF ARE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT THE LIBRARY.
AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
CAN I ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS? I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY, ONE THING YOU DIDN'T MENTION THAT I LOVE IS YOU GUYS STARTED THE SEED LIBRARY YES.
WHERE YOU CAN SWITCH, YOU CAN BRING SEEDS FOR VEGETABLES AND FLOWERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND TAKE SEEDS.
UM, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
UM, SO RIGHT WHEN WE REOPENED AFTER THE CARPET RENOVATION, 'CAUSE WE WERE CLOSED FOR TWO MONTHS, UM, WE STARTED THE SEED LIBRARY AND THE FRIENDS HELPED SUPPORT THAT.
BUT WE ALSO GET SUPPORT FROM THE MASTER GARDENERS, UH, JUST THE PUBLIC BRINGING IN SEEDS.
UM, WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS THAT HELP PARSE IT OUT 'CAUSE SOMEBODY BRINGS IN A LITTLE BUNDLE OF SEEDS.
IT'S NOT LIKE WE JUST STICK THAT WHOLE BUNDLE IN THERE.
BUT YES, IT'S BEEN VERY, VERY, UM, POSITIVE AND WE HOPE TO BUILD PROGRAMMING ON THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WELL, JUST ANOTHER COMMENT IS, IS THAT, UH, I KNOW MY, UH, GRANDCHILDREN WHEN THEY COME INTO TOWN, THEY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE STORY TIMES AND STUFF AND IT, UH, THEY ALWAYS ENJOY THAT.
AND, UH, THE TWO OF THE ONES THAT ENJOY IT THE MOST HAVE MOVED OUTTA THE COUNTRY.
SO
BUT ANYWAY, IT'S AGAIN THAT IT'S BRING 'EM BY.
YEAH, IT'S A, IT, IT JUST, THE LIBRARY JUST SEEMS IT IT IS.
IT'S JUST ANOTHER COMMUNITY CENTER.
IT'S WHERE PEOPLE COME TOGETHER AND I KNOW THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE WHEN WE DID THE, THE FLOORS AND NOW WE'VE DONE THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING AGAIN, UH, REPLACING THE, THE FLOORING THERE IS, UH, YOU KNOW, IT, WE CAUSED SOME PROBLEMS FOR THE LIBRARY WHEN WE DO THOSE THINGS.
BUT, UH, AGAIN, I THINK EVERYBODY SEEMS TO WORK WELL TOGETHER TO TRY TO, TO WORK THROUGH THE SITUATION.
AND I KNOW DIFFERENT, UH, GROUPS HAD OFFERED UP FOR, UH, LIBRARY EVENTS DURING THE, REDOING THE FLOORING OUT FRONT TO MOVE 'EM TO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
WE HAD MCLEAN PARK, THE MUSEUM AND STUFF LIKE THAT LAST WEEK.
AND THEN THIS WEEK WE'LL BE AT C CENTER.
I WAS WONDERING WHEN THE DATE WAS.
I SAW IT, BUT I COULDN'T REMEMBER WHAT THE DATE WAS.
SO I'VE SEEN THIS LIBRARY PROGRAM GROW OVER THE YEARS AND, UH, I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB FOR THE CITIZENS OF LAKE JACKSON AND FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO COME TO THE LIBRARY AND HAVE SERVICES, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, FOR ADULTS AS WELL AS KIDS.
AND SO WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
AND I ALSO WANNA SAY THAT, UH, I NOTICED DURING ELECTION TIME I WAS OUT THERE THAT I COULD TELL WHEN IT WAS STORY TIME.
ALRIGHT, UH, NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA'S DECLARATION OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
AND THIS IS, UH, WHERE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL CAN DECLARE IF THEY HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST ON ANY ITEM ON THE AGENDAS, EITHER CONSENT OR REGULAR AGENDA.
SO AT THIS TIME, DOES ANYBODY HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST TO ANNOUNCE? ALRIGHT, NOT HEARING ANY.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
AGENDA AND I'LL ABBREVIATE SOME OF THESE.[00:20:01]
ITEM ONE IS APPROVED MINUTES OF AUGUST 7TH, 2023.ITEM TWO IS ACCEPT BOARDS AND COMMISSION MINUTES.
UH, KEEP LAKE JACKSON BEAUTIFUL AND IN PARKS.
ITEM THREE IS APPROVE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH BRAZORIA COUNTY FOR ROAD AND BRIDGE MAINTENANCE.
IT'S NOT, UH, ANY KIND OF LIST.
IT'S JUST AGREEMENT THAT WE WILL WORK TOGETHER.
UH, ITEM FOUR IS APPROVE ORDINANCE 23 22 69 AMENDING, UH, CHAPTER 90 SUBDIVISIONS IN LAKE JACKSON.
UH, CODE OF ORDINANCES SECOND READING.
ITEM FIVE IS APPROVED ORDINANCE 23 22 68, SETTING DOWNTOWN, UH, FOUR DOWNTOWN INTERSECTIONS AS STOP INTERSECTIONS.
ITEM SIX IS ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 23 9 23 AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2023, I MEAN 20 22, 20 23 BUDGET, UH, FOR THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF 4,000,048, UH, THOUSAND $389 AND 75 CENTS FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS AND EQUIPMENT.
ITEM SEVEN, APPROVE AN AMENDMENT TO, UH, THE A AT AND T WATER TOWER LEASE CONTRACT FOR THE, UH, BEACHWOOD TOWER FOR ADDITIONAL MOUNTS.
AND ITEM EIGHT, HIS AWARD, A ONE YEAR EXTENSION FOR CHLORINE AND SULFUR DIOXIDE TO D X I INDUSTRIES, UH, FOR $1 AND $1.03 PER POUND, UH, FOR ONE TON LIQUIDS, UH, CHLORINE AND, AND THEN $1.91 PER POUND, UH, FOR 150 POUND LIQUID CHLORINE CYLINDERS AND $0.94 PER POUND FOR ONE POUND OF SULFUR DIOXIDE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $350,089 AS BUDGETED.
IS THERE A REQUEST FROM ANYBODY MEMBERS OF COUNSEL TO REMOVE AN ITEM FOR FURTHER OF THE DISCUSSION? MR. MAYOR? I'D LIKE TO REQUEST THAT WE REMOVE LINE ITEM NUMBER THREE.
HAVE A REQUEST TO MOVE ITEM THREE TO REGULAR AGENDA.
IS THERE ANYTHING, ANY OTHER REQUESTS? IF NOT, I'LL TAKE A MOTION ON THE REMAINING CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. MAYOR, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS WRITTEN ITEMS. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, AND EIGHT AS WRITTEN.
ALRIGHT, I HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER SETH.
I HAVE A SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER BAKER.
ANY OPPOSED? ALRIGHT, SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO REGULAR AGENDA.
SO THE FIRST ITEM WE'LL TALK ABOUT IS APPROVE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH PEORIA COUNTY FOR ROAD AND BRIDGE MAINTENANCE.
STILL, MY QUESTION IS, WHAT DOES THAT ENTAIL? I MEAN, UH, THE REASON I'M ASKING THAT QUESTION IS RECENTLY, IN LAST COUPLE YEARS, WE HAD AN ISSUE WITH ONE OF THE BRIDGES, YOU KNOW, OVER OYSTER CREEK DRIVE ON OLD TON ROAD THAT, UH, IS DETERIORATING AND WE HAD TO RAISE THE, OR LOWER THE WEIGHT LIMIT ON THAT BRIDGE.
SO MY QUESTION THEN WAS THAT WHY, HOW COME THE COUNTY'S NOT TAKING ANY EFFORT TO REPAIR THAT? SO IT DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, SO WHAT DOES, WHAT DOES THIS AGREEMENT ENTAIL? DOES IT COVER ANY OF THAT? OR I MEAN, WHAT THIS AGREEMENT ABOUT? I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
SO THE AGREEMENT ONLY COVERS MATERIAL COST WHEN WE HAVE AN ASPHALT ROAD THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO GET REPAVED.
SO AS THE AGREEMENT IS THEY WILL PROVIDE THE LABOR AND THEN WE WILL PAY THE MATERIALS AT THEIR COST THAT WHEN THEY BUY IT FROM THE PROVIDER, THE BRIDGE IS OURS.
AND THAT'S, WE HAVE THAT ON THE AS A C I P PROJECT, YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR OF BRINGING IT IN.
BUT THE COUNTY, UM, UM, DOES NOT PAY FOR THE, YOU KNOW, UM, CITY BRIDGES.
THEY DO THEIR OWN, UH, WITH IN CONJUNCTION WITH TXDOT, BUT WE'VE CHECKED WITH TXDOT AND THIS ONE IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR, UH, THE, THE FUNDING, UH, OUT OF THE TXDOT PROGRAM.
ONLY REASON I ASK PROGRAM BRIDGE AND ROAD.
SO THIS IS JUST REALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, PAVING.
SO THAT'S SOUTHERN OAKS THAT WE DID.
SOUTHERN OAKS LAST YEAR WAS A, WAS A TYPICAL PROJECT.
UH, WE USUALLY ALSO SUBMIT AND WE HAVE IN THE QUEUE, UM, OTHER PAVING PROJECTS LIKE, UM, UM, PARKS, UM, PARKING LOTS, UH, STUFF WHERE WE PAY THEM MATERIAL AND THE TRAIL AND THE, AND THE TRAIL.
BEFORE WE CAN DO THOSE, I WOULD JUST QUESTION ABOUT THE BRIDGE.
SO THANK YOU FOR CLEARING THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON ITEM? THAT ITEM? I DON'T NEED A MOTION ON THAT ONE.
I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE, UH, INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH BRAZORIA COUNTY FOR ROAD AND BRIDGE MAINTENANCE.
I HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN HANYA.
[00:25:01]
NEED A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN BROADUS.
[1. Public Hearing to consider the proposed FY 2023-2024 Annual Budget – Modesto Mundo.]
IS PUBLIC HEARING.I MEAN, ITEM ONE, SORRY, IS PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 20 23, 20 24 ANNUAL BUDGET.
MODESTO MAYOR, COUNCIL AUDIENCE, UM, I'LL GO THROUGH OUR PUBLIC HEARING.
WE HAVE TONIGHT TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
THE FIRST ONE IS FOR THE BUDGET.
UH, THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE FOR, EXCUSE ME, THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE FOR THE TAX RATE.
SO THERE IS TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
SO WE'LL, I'LL GO THROUGH THE BUDGET AND THEN THE TAX RATE.
AND THEN AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING, THEN THE TAX, THE COUNCIL THEN CAN CONSIDER THE BUDGET AND THE, AND THE TAX RATE.
SO HOPEFULLY I CAN SHED SOME LIGHT, UH, JUST, UH, THROUGH THE PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS.
DON'T FREE TO EVEN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, THIS SHOWS A LITTLE BIT OF A CONDENSED VERSION OF OUR BUDGET CALENDAR.
AND THE BUDGET REALLY STARTS IN FEBRUARY, UH, WITH A STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION WITH, UH, COUNCIL OVER A COUPLE OF MONTHS IN STAFF.
AND THEN WE MOVE INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS WITH STAFF.
I MEET WITH ALL THE DIRECTORS AND MANAGERS IN THE APRIL MAY TIMEFRAME.
AND THEN I'M REQUIRED BY CHARTER TO SUBMIT, UH, MY RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL, UM, UM, AROUND, UH, THIS YEAR WAS JULY 3RD.
SO USUALLY THE, THE FIRST WEEK IN, IN JULY AND A SECOND.
TOLD YOU I WAS GONNA, ALRIGHT, I NEED TO OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING.
WE'RE OPENING A PUBLIC HEARING, UH, FOR THE, UH, TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 20 23, 20 24 ANNUAL BUDGET.
AND THAT WAS AT, WE'LL CALL IT NINE, UH, SIX FIFTY FIVE.
UM, THEN WE HAVE A SATURDAY, UH, BUDGET WORKSHOP WITH COUNSEL.
AND THEN FROM THEN, UH, AT, AT THAT WORKSHOP, THE DIRECTORS, UM, GET TO MAKE THEIR PRESENTATION, UH, FOR THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND WHAT THEY'RE REQUESTING, UM, FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR FOR OPERATIONS, UH, FOR, I'M SORRY, FOR THE, FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
SO THE COUNCIL REALLY KIND OF SEES WHAT I SEE IN MAY WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH MY REVISIONS OR CUTS.
UM, AND THEN WE, UH, CALL FOR, UH, THEN REALLY THE KEY DATE FOR US IS WAITING FOR FINAL APPRAISAL RULE.
WE DON'T SEE EVERYBODY'S INDIVIDUAL NUMBERS.
WE SEE ONE NUMBER FOR THE TAX RULE, AND THAT HELPS US ESTABLISH WHAT OUR TA TAX RATE NEEDS, UH, NEEDS TO BE.
UH, THIS, UH, WE USUALLY SEE THAT, UH, JULY 25TH OR 26TH.
AND THEN THAT HELPS US ESTABLISH OUR RECOMMENDATION FOR THE TAX RATE.
AND THEN WE MOVE INTO AUGUST AND WE CALL FOR A PUBLIC HEARING, AND WE ADVERTISE.
THIS YEAR THE COUNCIL ASKED US TO ADVERTISE THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE.
AND WE'LL GET INTO, I'LL GET INTO THAT LATER.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE TAX RATE, THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE IS THE MAXIMUM RATE THAT THE COUNT, UH, THAT A CITY CAN ADOPT FOR THE TAX RATE.
ANYTHING OVER THAT, THEN IT HAS TO GO BEFORE THE VOTERS.
AND THEN TONIGHT IS AUGUST 21ST.
UH, WE WILL HAVE OUR, WE HAVE OUR PUBLIC HEARING AND TAX RATE AND ADOPTION, AND ALSO WE HAVE OUR FIRST READING ON THE ADOPTION OF OUR UTILITY RATES.
AND THEN WE HAVE A SECOND READING ON UTILITY RATES.
AND THEN OUR FISCAL YEAR STARTS OCTOBER 1ST AND THEN SEPTEMBER 30TH.
BILL FOR, DO YOU WANNA GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE? THE THREE PRIORITIES GOING INTO THIS BUDGET THIS YEAR WERE, IS, AS THEY WERE VERY SIMILAR TO LAST YEAR, WAS CONTINUE OUR CAPITAL INVESTMENT TO IMPROVE CITY INFRASTRUCTURE, IMPROVE FUNDS FOR OPERATIONAL MAINTENANCE, UM, AND THEN, UH, CONTINUE TO INVEST OUR EMPLOYEES SO WE CAN, UH, CONTINUE TO, UH, ATTRACT, TRAIN AND RETAIN STAFF.
UM, WE'RE, UM, OUR BREAKOUT OF OUR EXPENDITURES FOR THE GENERAL FUND, ABOUT 65% OF OUR BUDGET IS FOR PAYROLL.
UH, AND THEN 35% IS FOR ACTUAL OPERATION ITEMS THAT SWITCHES KIND OF WHEN YOU GO TO THE UTILITY.
THE UTILITY FUND, UH, IT'S ABOUT 40% PAYROLL AND THEN 60% COST OF GOODS.
YOU CAN SEE OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET, UH, THIS YEAR, UM, IS, UH, RECOMMENDATION WAS AROUND 25.7 MILLION.
UM, UH, AND THEN, UH, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE OUR GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES.
THE UTILITY FUND, REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES WERE ABOUT 17.5, UH, MILLION.
THE GENERAL FUND IS WHAT YOU TYPICALLY THINK OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES.
THE UTILITY FUND IS WATER, SEWER, AND SANITATION.
THAT IS NOT SUPPORTED BY TAXES.
IT IS A CONSIDERED A BUSINESS ENTERPRISE, AND IT'S COMPLETELY SUPPORTED BY FEES.
SO THERE ARE NO TAXES THAT GO INTO THE UTILITY PRO.
UH, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE, UM, OUR TOTAL BUDGET
[00:30:01]
FOR THE CITY IS 54 MILLION.UH, THE GENERAL OPERATING FUND IS THE LARGEST FUND.
AGAIN, THAT'S WHAT YOU CONSIDER NORMAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES OF ABOUT ALMOST 26 MILLION.
THEN, UM, OTHER GENERAL FUND SERVICES.
MISCELLANEOUS, UH, GENERAL DEBT SERVICE IS, UH, THE 4.2 IS APPROVED BY THE VOTERS.
THAT'S OUR DEBT PAYMENTS, UH, FOR, UH, DEBT.
ALL OF OUR DEBT ON THE GENERAL FUND SIDE HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE VOTERS.
UH, THEN WE HAVE GENERAL PROJECTS FUND.
THE GENERAL PROJECTS FUND IS USUALLY LEFTOVER, UH, MONEY SAVINGS, UH, FROM TURNOVER.
AND WE DO OTHER NORMAL CAPITAL PROJECTS, USUALLY AROUND LESS THAN 250,000.
AND SO THAT'S SAVINGS AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
WE MOVE IT OVER INTO CAPITAL AND TRY TO DO AS MANY CAPITAL PROJECTS AS WE CAN, BUT USUALLY THEY'RE SMALL.
ANYTHING LARGER THAN 250 MOST LIKELY IS GONNA GO INTO THE QUEUE AND HAS TO GO TO THE VOTERS.
UH, UTILITY OPERATING FUND, I MENTIONED THAT THAT'S AN ENTERPRISE FUND, NO TAXES FOR THAT.
THE OTHER UTILITY FUND IS, AGAIN, CAPITAL PROJECTS.
THAT'S FROM WHEN REVENUES EXCEED EXPENDITURES ARE EXPENDITURES ARE DOWN.
THEN WE HAVE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND.
THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND IS A HALF CENT SALES TAX THAT WAS VOTED ON BY THE VOTERS IN 1995.
APPROXIMATELY 70% OF THAT SALES TAX IS PAID FOR BY NON-RESIDENTS.
UH, THEN WE HAVE THE GOLF COURSE FUND.
IT DOES, UM, HAVE ASSISTANCE, UM, FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND FROM A TRANSFER IF THEY'RE SHORT ON REVENUE.
UH, THE GOLF COURSE, UM, PROJECTED PROBABLY, UM, MAKES UP 98% OF ITS COST RECOVERY.
AND THEN WE HAVE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.
THOSE ARE PEG FUND, UH, PEG FUNDS, HOTEL, MOTEL TAX.
THOSE ARE USUALLY MOST SMALLER FUNDS THAT ARE DEDICATED TAXES THAT, UH, SOMEONE MAY PAY WHEN THEY'RE VISITING.
UH, HIGHLIGHTS OF THE, THE BUDGET, UH, THE PROPOSED TAX RATE, WE, UM, UM, IS A RANGE.
UM, THE BASE IS RECOMMENDING TO MAINTAIN THE TAX RATE AT 32.31 CENTS.
AND AS I MENTIONED, WE ALSO ADVERTISE THE MAXIMUM RATE OF 33.74, AND WE'LL SHOW YOU IF THAT IS VOTED ON, WHAT THAT ADDITION WOULD BE USED FOR.
UH, THE GENERAL FUND INCREASE IS PROJECTED AT 1.1 MILLION.
MOST OF THAT IS A SALARY INCREASE.
WE HAD A, UM, STUDY DONE SHOWING THAT WE'RE STILL LOW TO THE MARKET AND HAVING A HARD TIME ATTRACTING, UH, EMPLOYEES TO FILL THE POSITIONS.
UH, WE'RE A SERVICE ORGANIZATION, AND SO IT HAD RECOMMENDED A 5% INCREASE.
THE BUDGET, UH, AS IT IS NOW, HAS A 3% MARKET ADJUSTMENT, AND IT'S ALSO CONSIDERING POSSIBILITY A FOUR.
IF WE WERE TO DO THE, UM, VOTER APPROVED RATE, THE UTILITY FUND INCREASE IS 1.1 MILLION.
UM, MOST OF THAT IS FROM OUR PURCHASE OF WATER FROM THE B W A AND ALSO THE HARRIS RESERVOIR, UH, EXPANSION.
UH, 15 CENTS OUT OF THE 30 IS DEDICATED FOR THE HARRIS RESERVOIR.
ALL SEVEN CITIES IN SOUTHERN BRAZORIA COUNTY WILL BE ALSO HAVING TO ADOPT THAT 15 CENTS PER YEAR FOR THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS.
UH, AT ITS TOTAL IMPACT IN YEAR EIGHT, WE'LL HAVE TO PAY ANOTHER 900,000, UH, FOR THE HARRIS RESERVOIR, AND THAT WILL GO ON FOR ANOTHER 30 YEARS.
UM, HALF CENT PROJECTS, WE HAVE PROPOSED 8.9 MILLION IN C I P PROJECTS.
OUT OF THAT 5.3 IS FROM GRANT FUNDING.
THE LARGEST PORTION OF THAT IS, UM, UH, TWO POINT, UH, APPROXIMATELY A 2.2 MILLION OF, UM, G L O PROJECT FOR DRAINAGE OUT OF THE HARVEY.
UM, THESE ARE C D B G FUNDS THAT WERE AWARDED TO US.
THOSE HAVE TO BE AWARDED TO A LOW TO MODERATE INCOME AREA.
UM, AND OUR PROJECT, UM, BORDERS THAT WHERE 50% OF THE PROJECT, UM, DOES ASSIST THOSE FAMILIES.
AND THE OTHER ONE IS A GENERATOR, UH, GRANT, UH, MATCH, THAT'S A I IS THAT A 90% MATCH? IT'S A 90% MATCH ON THE GENERATORS.
AND WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO THREE GENERATORS.
ONE ON THE CIVIC CENTER WHERE WE DO NOT HAVE A GENERATOR.
UM, THE REC CENTER, CITY HALL, AND THEN OUR TWO, UM, WATER DISTRIBUTION SITES, BEACHWOOD AND OAK, UM, ON THAT.
SO IT'S OUR MATCHING SHARE OF 10% IS PROPORTION OUT OF THE, UM, GENERAL PROJECTS FUND.
AND THEN THE UTILITY PROJECTS FUND.
THE REC CENTER AND THE CIVIC CENTER CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE, UH, GENERATORS.
AND WE'VE USED BOTH OF THOSE FACILITIES, UM, DURING, UH, HURRICANES AND ALSO DURING, UH, ICE WEATHER STORM EVENTS.
UH, THE HALF-CENT PROJECT, AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, THAT'S A HALF-CENT SALES TAX.
WE HAVE, UM, A LITTLE OVER 1 MILLION OF CASH PROJECTS,
[00:35:01]
UH, FOR THAT, UM, SLATED.THAT'S USUALLY, UM, PARK PROJECTS.
UH, WE HAVE A UTILITY RATE INCREASE OF $2 AND 65 CENTS PER MONTH.
AGAIN, MOST OF THAT IS FOR A LITTLE BIT FOR RAISES, UH, BUT MOST FOR THE B W A INCREASE IN THEIR COST.
AND OF COURSE OUR COST AS WELL FOR, UM, UM, CHEMICALS.
THEN WE HAVE A RESIDENTIAL RATE INCREASE OF A DOLLAR.
UM, OUR COST OF FACILITIES SHOWED THAT WE NEEDED TO, UM, WE WERE NOT BREAKING EVEN.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE A LANDFILL COST INCREASE, UH, IN THERE.
WE'VE MADE SOME CUTS TO COVER THAT, BUT IT WAS STILL RECOMMENDING A DOLLAR INCREASE FOR OUR RESIDENTIAL SANITATION RATE.
AND THEN WE HAVE A COMMERCIAL, UH, SANITATION RATE OF A 15% INCREASE.
AGAIN, THE, THE COST, AND WE ARE THE LOWEST IN THE REGION FOR SANITATION BY FAR.
UM, 3% MARKET ADJUSTMENT FOR ALL POSITIONS.
UH, PAY FOR PERFORMANCE AS WELL OF TWO TO 4%.
AND THEN WE HAD, UH, 11.4% INCREASE IN MEDICAL PAYMENTS.
BUT AFTER TALKING TO THE REGION, UH, CITY MANAGERS OF ABOUT 30 CITIES, WE WERE ON THE LOW SIDE ON, UH, ON MEDICAL PREMIUMS. YOU CAN SEE THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE BREAKDOWN.
THIS IS KIND OF, I'M SORRY, THAT'S IT.
DOESN'T, IT LOOKED GOOD ON A COMPUTER.
CAN YOU TURN THE LIGHT OUT, MAYBE RIGHT THERE.
WHAT'S SURPRISING FOR A LOT, SALES TAXES ARE BIGGEST REVENUE, UM, STREAM FOR THE GENERAL FUND AT A LITTLE OVER 8.1 MILLION.
WE'RE PROJECTING THAT TO STAY FLAT.
UM, IT'S HITTING, UM, IT'S EXCEEDING LAST YEAR'S REVENUE, BUT NOT HITTING OUR EXPECTATION OF IT.
SO WE'VE, WE'VE DECIDED TO KEEP THAT FLAT.
THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT HAS DONE WELL.
UM, THAT'S EXCEEDED EXPECTATION.
UH, THAT HAS, UH, REALLY FUNDED A LARGE PART OF THE INCREASE THIS YEAR.
THAT'S, UM, A LITTLE OVER SIX OR $700,000, UH, OVER LAST YEAR'S BUDGET.
UH, AND WE WILL TALK ABOUT THAT.
THAT'S MAKES UP, UH, ABOUT 23% OF OUR REV OF OUR REVENUE.
AND THEN YOU'LL SEE FRANCHISE FEES.
AND THEN MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE.
MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE IS CHARGES FOR SERVICE LIKE THE REC CENTER AND PERMIT FEES, FINES FOR, UH, AND WHATNOT.
YOU CAN SEE THESE ARE, UM, OUR NOTEWORTHY CHANGES OF 20,000 ABOVE.
UH, AS YOU CAN SHOW AT THE, AT THE RATE OF MAINTAINING THE RATE, UH, IT WOULD PAY FOR MARKET ADJUSTMENTS AND PAY PERFORMANCE.
THAT'S A LITTLE, IT'S ALMOST 1.1 MILLION.
OUR PROPERTY INSURANCE, MR. WALLS HAD ALLUDED TO WINDSTORM.
THAT'S, THAT'S ALL WINDSTORM 119, UH, THOUSAND HEALTH AND DENTAL INSURANCE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
OVERTIME WE'VE IN, WE'VE INCREASED THE OVERTIME THERE.
STREET MAINTENANCE, ADDITIONAL FUNDING, 91,000.
THAT 91,000 COMES FROM SOME CUTS THAT WE'VE NOTED BELOW.
UH, THE LAKE JACKSON E M S CONTRACT IS A 29,000 INCREASE.
UH, WE'VE UNFUNDED TWO AND A HALF POSITIONS FOR HUMANE CURRENTLY BECAUSE WE'RE STILL IN THE DESIGN PHASE, UH, OF THIS.
WE BUDGETED FOR THOSE POSITIONS, BUT WE DON'T NEED THEM YET.
SO THAT'S DEFERRED FUEL HAS GONE DOWN AND ELECTRICITY HAS GONE DOWN.
WE ARE ALSO PROPOSING, UH, ELIMINATING OUR CREDIT CARD FEES.
IN THE GENERAL FUND, WE PAY PAY $60,000 OF CREDIT CARD FEES.
AND ON THE UTILITY FUND, WE PAY A HUNDRED.
MOST, MOST CITIES, ALMOST EVERY CITY THAT WE'VE SEEN CHARGES A CUSTOMER CONVENIENCE FEE.
WE WILL IMPLEMENT THAT BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN, IF YOU PAY YOUR UTILITY, YOUR WATER SEWER BILL, AND IF YOU PAY A HUNDRED DOLLARS, WE COLLECT $97 WHERE SOMEONE PAYS CASH, WE COLLECT THE WHOLE A HUNDRED DOLLARS.
SO EVERY OTHER CITIZEN WHO PAYS CASH IS COVERING THAT LOSS, UH, ON THERE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO, UH, IMPLEMENT A CUSTOMER, UH, CONVENIENCE FEE OF 3%.
UH, THEN WE'VE ALSO ELIMINATED SOME MINOR ONES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, A AVIATION TASK FORCE THAT WE, UH, PROVIDED FUNDING FOR, UM, ADMINISTRATION, OUTSIDE ATTORNEY AND ENGINEERING FUEL WAS A MISCODE.
SO THAT, SAY THAT 60,000, 14,000.
AND THEN, UM, ADDITIONAL, UM, PROPERTY TAX THAT WAS NOTED, THAT WOULD GO INTO STREET MAINTENANCE, ADDITIONAL FUNDING OF THE 91, UH, THOUSAND.
ALSO, IF WE WERE TO LOOK AT THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, THEN THE MARKET ADJUSTMENT COULD GO TO 4%.
AGAIN, THE CONSULTANT RECOMMENDED FIVE.
THAT WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL 135,000.
THE OTHER, THE OTHER REMAINING FUNDS WOULD THEN GO TO STREET MAINTENANCE, ADDITIONAL MONEY OF 317,000 IF THE COUNCIL CHOSE TO VOTE ON THAT TAX RATE.
[00:40:02]
UH, YOU CAN SEE THE PROPOSED WATER AND SEWER RATES.UM, CURRENTLY, UM, THE BASE BILL FOR RESIDENTIAL IS $31 AND 25 CENTS.
WE ARE WOULD PROPOSE TO GO TO 32 25.
THAT'S VERY RARE AMONG TEXAS CITIES.
I THINK WE'VE SEEN LESS THAN FIVE CITIES THAT DO THAT ACROSS THE STATE THAT GIVE A DISCOUNT TO FOR SENIORS.
UM, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE CHANGE IN THE RATE, UH, FOR, FOR WATER BETWEEN TWO AND 2000 AND OVER 20.
AND THEN THE SEWER, WHAT THOSE RATES WOULD CHANGE.
UH, THE, THE SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE SEWER IS BECAUSE WE HAD TO ISSUE $6 MILLION TO DO, UH, MINOR REPAIRS TO THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT WHERE IT, IT'S, UM, 20 YEAR STAGE WHERE WE'VE HAD TO MAKE REPAIRS AND WE STILL HAVE, UH, WE PROBABLY STILL HAVE MORE, UH, TO, TO DO, UM, IN, IN THE COMING YEARS.
AND THEN THE NEXT SLIDE, I THINK SHOWS THE, AGAIN, THE NOTED LARGEST CHANGES IN THE BUDGET.
ON THE UTILITY SLIDE, AGAIN, THIS IS NOT TAX SUPPORTED.
YOU'LL SEE THAT UTILITY DEBT TRANSFER, THAT'S THE, UH, INCREASED FOR THE BOND ISSUE FOR REPAIRS TO THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.
TRANSFERS TO CAPITAL PROJECTS IS IN BLUE.
AGAIN, THAT'S NOTED FROM A CHANGE.
WHEN WE, UH, USE THE COST OF SERVICE STUDY, UH, TO INCREASE THE RATE, THAT ADDITIONAL FUND WILL, UM, THEN GO TO THE WATER AND SEWER FUND FOR A REPAIR OF LIFT STATIONS.
YOU CAN SEE THE MARKET ADJUSTMENT'S 2 52, THE B W A, WE BROKE THE COST INCREASE INTO TWO.
UM, FIRST IS THE RESERVOIR HARRIS EXPANSION OF 109.
AND THEN THE INCREASE OF THE 14 CENTS IS 102 LANDFILL TIPPING FEES, 91, THE ADMIN FEE TO THE GENERAL FUND.
THAT'S TO REIMBURSE, UH, THE GENERAL FUND FOR COST FOR OPERATING PERSONNEL.
UH, ENGINEERING, UH, ELECTRICITY, 45,000 GROUP HEALTH.
AND THEN PROPERTY INSURANCE WAS MINOR.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE SAVINGS AGAIN, THE CREDIT CARD FEES WOULD HAVE A HUNDRED THOUSAND SAVINGS TO IT.
UH, G P S TRACKING, THAT'S A, IT WAS A, IT WIND UP BEING A ONE-TIME COST.
WE ELIMINATED THAT FOR THIS NEXT COMING YEAR.
AND WE HAVE, UM, WOOD GRINDING COST OF, UH, THE AMOUNT THAT PEOPLE ARE PUTTING OUT FOR.
UM, DEBRIS HAS GONE DOWN AFTER THE STORM.
YOU SEE A SPIKE AFTER THE STORM FOR THE NEXT, FOR A COUPLE YEARS, AND THEN IT LEVELS OFF FOR A COUP A COUPLE YEARS.
IT'LL, IT'LL GO BACK UP, UH, UH, AS OUR TREND SHOWS.
BUT FOR THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS WE EXPECT IT TO BE DOWN.
AND THEN OUR SANITATION CONSULTANT WAS A ONE-TIME EXPENDITURE.
AND THEN WE'VE SEEN A REDUCTION IN FUEL.
THAT'S THE, THOSE ARE THE MOST OF THE, THAT'S 99% OF THE COST.
UH, IN THE UTILITY SIDE, OUR UTILITY RATE, YOU CAN SEE THIS IS THE PROPOSED RATE.
AGAIN, IT WILL GO UP $2 AND 65 CENTS.
WE'RE SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE IN THE REGION.
UH, I THINK YOU CAN SEE HOUSTON IS THE SECOND FROM THE RIGHT WHILE WE ARE AT, NO.
CAN YOU READ? I CAN'T READ THAT FROM THERE.
WHOA,
SO THE POINT THAT I WILL MAKE HERE IS HOUSTON'S RATE IS PROBABLY CORRECT FOR THE STATE.
AND THE REASON WHY IS THEY'VE DONE A MUCH MORE THOROUGH ANALYSIS ON THE INVESTMENT THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE FOR CITIES TO BRING BACK THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE, WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE.
AND SO MY BELIEF IS THAT MOST CITIES ARE BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL THIS YEAR.
WE'LL SPEND A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME AND, UM, SETTING, PRIORITIZING OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
THERE'S, SO WHAT YOU SEE THERE IS 89, THEY'RE PROJECTING THEIR WATER RATE OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS TO DOUBLE AND STUFF.
AND IT'S, AND IT'S ALMOST ALL BECAUSE OF THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF, OF WATER AND SEWER.
AND SO MY SUSPICION IS, IS THAT, UM, THEY'RE PROBABLY LEADING ON THE KNOWLEDGE THERE OF WHAT ALMOST EVERY CITY IN THE UNITED STATES IS GOING TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
UH, SO OURS IS, WHEN YOU SEE OUR RATE, THAT'S MORE OF AN INVESTMENT IN OPERATIONS.
IT'S NOT A, AN INVESTMENT IN CAPITAL.
YOU'LL SEE MINOR UTILITY BONDS AND THEN WE, WE FIX UP SOME THINGS BASED ON SAVINGS, BUT WE'RE NOT MAKING, UH, ENOUGH HEADWAY INTO REINVESTING IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO THE WATER AND SEWER RATE, MY PROJECTION IS THAT IT EVENTUALLY ALL OF THE CITIES WILL MOVE IT UP AND CATCHING UP TO HOUSTON.
[00:45:01]
THE GARBAGE RATE COMPARISON, 26.WE, UM, YOU KNOW WHAT WE FOUND? WE DO PROVIDE A CADILLAC SERVICE, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR OUR GARBAGE, UH, GARBAGE SERVICE.
AND OUR CITIZENS DO LIKE THAT.
UH, BUT IT DOES, IT DOES COME AT A COST, UH, ON THERE.
SO WE'RE AT $26 PER MONTH, AND THAT IS THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT THE TAX RATE.
RIGHT? SO, UH, MODESTO'S PROVIDED THE OVERVIEW AND TO BRING EVERYBODY UP TO SPEED IS QUICK IN A VERY QUICK WAY OF, UH, WHAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH FOR THE LAST MANY MONTHS, UH, IN PREPARATION AND DISCUSSION, UH, CONCERNING OUR BUDGET.
SO THIS IS OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE TODAY, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, AND IF YOU WOULD RAISE YOUR HAND AND YOU CAN COME UP AND SPEAK OR ASK QUESTIONS.
YOU HAVE TO COME UP, YOU HAVE TO COME UP TO PODIUM.
AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CUSTOMER CONVENIENCE FEES FOR THE CREDIT CARDS.
WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE, YOUR NAME AGAIN PLEASE.
I'M SORRY, JUST FOR RECORD, LEE FIRST.
UM, WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE, A LOT OF, UM, BILLS AND UTILITIES WERE BASED ON CREDIT CARD.
LIKE THEY DIDN'T, I DIDN'T HAVE AN OPTION TO DO DIRECT DEPOSIT.
RIGHT? SO IF YOU'RE GONNA DO THE FEES, ARE THEY GONNA OH, ROLL OUT FOR DIRECT DEPOSIT FOR EVERYTHING? YOU'VE ALWAYS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO, FOR BILLING, YOU COULD FOR PAYMENTS, YOU CAN PAY CASH, YOU COULD DO A, UH, DIRECT DRAW OR YOU DO CREDIT CARD.
YOU MAY HAVE BEEN MISLED, BUT THAT'S BEEN, SO YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T, IF YOU SIGN UP, YOU CAN HAVE YOUR WATER BILL DIRECTLY TAKEN OUT FROM YOUR ACCOUNT AND THERE'S NO FEE CHARGED FOR THAT.
BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHAT I WAS CONFUSED WITH BECAUSE I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE, I KINDA GOT THE LIST OF WHATEVER TO SET UP AND IT ALL WOULD JUST SET CREDIT CARD.
SO YEAH, NO, YOU CAN HAVE, UM, THAT MY ACCOUNT IS TAKEN, YOU KNOW, IT'S TAKEN DIRECTLY OUT.
SO YOUR BILL CAN BE TAKEN OUT DIRECTLY A DIRECT DRAFT AND THERE'S NO CHARGE FOR THAT.
SO IF YOU CONTACT THE UTILITY DEPARTMENT, THEY CAN SET YOU UP FOR THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, EMILY WISE? EMILY WISE, UH, I JUST WANTED CLARITY ON ONE, ONE THING I SAW ON THERE.
THAT'S KIND OF, UH, ON THE INCREASE WHERE IT SAID SANITATION INCREASE, IT'S, AND IT SAID $1 TO $26.
YEAH, IT'S GOING TO, I'M SORRY.
CURRENTLY IT'S 25 AND IT'S GOING TO 26.
SO, I'M SORRY, NOT UP, UP TO COULD BE NO, NO, NO.
MIKE WALLACE, 59 SOUTHERN WOOD COURT.
DO I HAVE TO SAY IT AGAIN? EVERY TIME I ADDRESS IT, UH, JUST YOUR NAME, JUST, JUST YOUR NAME.
YOU HAVE TO GIVE US THE ADDRESS.
BECAUSE I REMEMBER MONTHS AGO WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, AND I THINK COUNCILMAN BLANCHARD BROUGHT IT UP WHERE, WHY ARE WE CONTINUING TO DO THAT? COULD WE SAVE ANY MONEY THERE INSTEAD OF RAISING RATES? COULD WE GET RID OF THAT SERVICE? UM, BUT I THINK I, I DON'T REMEMBER THE NUMBERS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
'CAUSE THIS IS SEVERAL MONTHS AGO WE HAD THAT DISCUSSION.
I THINK IT WAS, YEAH, MY MEMORY IS WHEN WE LOOKED AT IT, WE COULD PROBABLY, I WANNA SAY $2 AND 30 CENTS THAT IT WOULD POSSIBLY GO DOWN IF WE CUT OUT THE RECYCLING, UH, SERVICE.
SO IF WE DID THAT, WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO RAISE GARBAGE COLLECTION BY A DOLLAR.
WELL, IT'S NOT A COMPLETE, THE COST OF IT COMPLETELY, IT'S NOT A COMPLETE WASH BECAUSE THE, YOU EITHER PICK IT UP AS RECYCLE OR YOU PICK IT UP AS TRASH.
SO IT'S GONNA, IT'S GONNA BE TONNAGE THAT'S GOING TO, AND DRIVING AND, AND PEOPLE TO, TO STILL DO IT.
WE WON'T BE HIRING VENER MATERIALS TO, I KNOW, I UNDERSTAND.
SAYING MOVE ALL OF THAT AND STORE THIS MATERIAL TO BE THEN TAKEN TO ANOTHER PLACE WHERE IT'S HOUSTON.
WHO'S BEEN IN TROUBLE NUMEROUS TIMES FOR COLLECTING, RECYCLING AND ACTUALLY NOT GETTING RECYCLED.
BUT YEAH, SO I KNOW WE, WE HAD A PRETTY GOOD DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT AND IT RANGED EVERYTHING FROM BUILDING YOUR OWN, THE LAKE JACKSON'S OWN RECYCLING CENTER TO DO, WE CONTINUE TO DO IT THIS WAY WHERE SOMEBODY ELSE TAKES IT TO CUTTING THE SURFACE COMPLETELY.
UM, I MEAN, ALL OPTIONS HAVE BEEN ON THE TABLE AND DISCUSSED.
UM, I THINK FROM, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I WOULD SAY IT'S SOME, IT'S FEEDBACK THAT WE NEED FROM THE PUBLIC.
WHAT DOES THE PUBLIC WANT? YOU KNOW, IF IF THE PUBLIC WANTED TO CUT THE SERVICE, THEN WE COULD CUT THE SERVICE.
UM, BUT IT HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN SOMETHING THAT IS PRETTY HEAVILY UTILIZED IN THE CITY.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF I'VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION WITH OTHER PEOPLE OF, YOU KNOW, WE COULD CUT EVERYTHING TO ABSOLUTE BARE MINIMAL, YES.
[00:50:01]
THAT'S NOT WHAT THE LA THE CITIZENS ARE ASKING FOR.YOU KNOW, YOU COULD CUT GAR GARBAGE SERVICE TO ONCE A WEEK.
LIKE MOST CITIES, I'M THE ONLY CITIZEN THAT'S REGULARLY EVEN COMES UP HERE.
SO, I MEAN,
NOW, HANG ON A SECOND, THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY TRUE BECAUSE WE GET PHONE CALLS AND WE GET THINGS THAT THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY HERE, BUT WE DO GET THE EMAILS AND WE DO GET THE PHONE CALLS.
UM, AND EACH ONE OF US HAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT OPINION ON PROBABLY WHAT WE SHOULD DO.
UM, BUT I THINK IT IS, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR MORE FROM THE CITIZENS ON WHAT DO YOU WANNA DO WITH IT? YEAH, FOR SURE.
I HATE PAYING TO STORE IT AND HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE TAKE IT.
BUT AGAIN, JUST TO RESPOND TO YOUR, YOUR COMMENT ABOUT, UH, THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO IT, AND I CAN ALMOST GUARANTEE YOU THAT NOW SINCE WE'VE GONE THIS PROCESS AND WE HAVE BETTER CONTROL OF WHAT HAPPENS TO IT, ONCE IT GOES TO THE RECYCLER, IT IS BEING RECYCLED.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, WITH THIS RECYCLER IS, UH, THE OPTION OF, I BELIEVE WE HAVE WITH THIS ONE IS, IS THAT IF THERE IS, UH, A PROFIT FOR THE, IF THE RECYCLE VALUE GOES UP, THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WILL, THAT IS SHARED BACK TO US TO CUT COST.
BUT, UH, IN THE PAST THERE WASN'T, I WASN'T EVEN COMFORTABLE IN THE PAST BEFORE WE, WE STARTED WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY THAT, THAT THE RECYCLING WAS REALLY HAPPENING BECAUSE IT COULD, IT COULD VERY EASILY HAVE HAPPENED TO WHERE A DRIVER THAT DAY THAT'S SUPPOSED TO TAKE THE LOAD TO HOUSTON DECIDED, I DON'T WANNA DRIVE TO HOUSTON.
I'LL JUST, I'LL JUST DECLARE THIS WHOLE LOAD IS CONTAMINATED AND IT GOES TO THE LANDFILL.
BUT NOW WE HAVE ALL VERNOR DOES IS THEY TAKE THE MATERIAL TO THE RECLAIM THE, THE MURPH AND THEY TAKE IT AND UH, THEN THE MURPH MAKES DETERMINATION IF IT'S RECYCLABLE OR NOT.
SO WE HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF IT BEING RECYCLED WITH THE PROCESS WE HAVE THAN WHAT WE HAD IN THE PAST.
WHAT HAPPENS NOW IS THAT IT DOESN'T SIT, YOU KNOW, BEFORE WHEN IT WAS AT SEA BREEZE, IT'S SET FOR A WHILE AND THEN IT WAS COMMINGLED WITH ANYBODY ELSE WHO RECYCLED.
SO WE TAKE IT TO WERNER AND WE PAY A $50,000, UM, UH, A YEAR LEASE FOR THEIR BUILDING.
THEN THEY TAKE IT AND PUT IT IN CONTAINERS.
AND THEN I'D SAY THREE OR FOUR CONTAINERS ARE TAKEN TO THE, UM, WASTE MANAGEMENT, MURPH, YOU KNOW, THERE.
AND THEN THEY DO AN AUDIT AND GIVE US A REPORT OF HOW MUCH IS BEING RECYCLED.
THEN THEY'LL DO QUARTERLY AUDITS AND TELL US HOW MUCH IS ACTUALLY RECYCLABLE AND HOW MUCH IS WASTE.
WE'RE ABOUT 30% OF IT IS WASTE MATERIAL.
AND 70% THEY THINK THAT'S GOOD.
THEY SAY THAT'S GOOD, UM, ARE NORMAL.
UH, THEY USUALLY START TELLING THE CITIES YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TO FIX IF THEY START GETTING OVER 35 OR 36%.
UM, BUT YEAH, BEING OUT IN, YOU KNOW, SO FAR FROM, UH, THE MURF, THAT IS THE COST, IT'S THE TRANSPORTATION OF THE MATERIALS IS, IS, IS THE BIGGEST CHUNK OF CHANGE THAT WE HAVE TO PAY.
AND THAT'S JUST SIMPLY 'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A MURF, NOR COULD WE, I DON'T THINK, WE DON'T GENERATE ENOUGH MATERIAL FOR US TO DO OUR OWN MURF.
SO WE'VE PICKED THE MOST, THE MOST AFFORDABLE WAY TO RECYCLE.
IF WE AS A COMMUNITY WANT TO RECYCLE, THAT'S A WORD.
IT'S A MUNICIPAL RECYCLING FACILITY.
AND SO IT JUST TAKES OUR BLUE BAGS AND IT SEP AND, AND THEN IT, IT SEPARATES THEM.
I, I DON'T WANNA BELABOR THIS ISSUE TOO MUCH 'CAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A LOT ON THIS AGENDA.
MY, MY MY BROADER POINT IN, IN BRINGING THIS UP WAS WHEN IT WAS FIRST BROUGHT UP, THERE WAS OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE DISCUSSION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WAYS TO HANDLE THIS? AND ALL THOSE OP ALL THOSE DISCUSSIONS WERE NOT DONE UNDER THE AUSPICE OF, OH, BY THE WAY, IT'S PROBABLY GONNA COST YOU MORE NEXT YEAR.
RIGHT? I MEAN, WE SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT IT PROBABLY WILL COST US MORE AS WE GO INTO THE FUTURE, BUT NOW IT'S BEING PROPOSED AS A, AS AN INCREASE AS A LINE ITEM IN THE BUDGET WITHOUT LOOKING AT, UH, THAT THERE IS A VERIFIABLE WAY TO POTENTIALLY REDUCE COSTS AND THAT IS TO GET RID OF THAT AGREEMENT WITH VERNOR AND THE COLLECTION OF THIS MATERIAL.
SO THAT'S ALL, THAT'S I, YEAH, MAINLY NOT SO MUCH FOR YOU GUYS, BUT JUST ANYBODY LISTENING AT HOME, YOU KNOW, TO UNDERSTAND THAT BROADER POINT.
AND SO THE RECYCLING, THERE'S NO COST IN THE RECYCLING THIS YEAR.
UM, IT, IT STAYS WITHIN ITS LIGHT ITEM AMOUNT.
THERE IS INCREASE TO THE, UM, THE RENTAL AND THE TRANSPORTATION, BUT IT STILL STAYS WITHIN THE LIGHT ITEM AMOUNT THAT WE HAVE AND STUFF.
SO WE WON'T HAVE AS MUCH SAVINGS AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
UM, THE SIGNIFICANT COST IN THE SANITATION, AGAIN, IS SALARIES AND THEN THE INCREASE, UM, OF THE, UH, THE LANDFILL FEES.
BUT A LOT OF IT WAS COVERED UNDER SAVINGS FROM FUEL AND ALSO THE MULCHING.
AND THEN, UH, THE ONE TIME EXPENDITURE LAST YEAR THAT WAS BUDGETED FOR THE SANITATION, UH, CONSULTANT, AGAIN, WITHOUT DOING A FULL DIP IN STUDY,
[00:55:01]
I, I STILL REMEMBER THE TWO AROUND THE $2.SO I STILL THINK WE WOULD HAVE A, DO, WE'D STILL HAVE A NEED FOR THE DOLLAR INCREASE.
SO IF YOU TOOK THE $2 OFF, IT WOULD GO FROM, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, SPITBALLING IT FROM 26 TO 20, YOU KNOW, TO 24.
SO WE WOULD WIND UP NETTING A DOLLAR, YOU KNOW, DECREASE.
BUT AGAIN, YES, THAT'S THE BA THAT'S THE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST THE BACK, BACK OF THE NAPKIN.
SO, SO A POTENTIAL DECREASE IN COST, NOT AN INCREASE IS CORRECT AT THE END OF THE DAY.
I THINK JUST LET ME CLARIFY 'CAUSE I DID BRING THAT UP AND I THINK WHERE YOU WERE GOING WITH THAT, BUT I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT IS AFTER IT GOT TO THE FACILITY YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, WE DON'T KNOW RIGHT.
'CAUSE THE POINT I BROUGHT UP YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S AN ASIDE, BUT RIGHT.
THE POINT I BROUGHT UP WAS BETWEEN SEA BREEZE HAVING A FIRE AND SEA BREEZE TELLING THE CITIES THEY WEREN'T GONNA DO RECYCLING ANYMORE WAS I THINK THREE MONTHS.
IT WAS QUICK AND THEY WERE, ALL OF YOUR RECYCLING THAT YOU PUT OUT IN THE BLUE BAGS WAS GOING IN THE LANDFILL RIGHT.
YEAH, THAT'S THE POINT I WAS TRYING TO MAKE.
SO I MEAN, I, AND ONE MORE LITTLE POINT ON THAT IS, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S ALWAYS DISCUSSION THAT WE NEED TO HAVE IS, IS THIS A SERVICE THAT THE CITIZENS WANT TO CONTINUE TO PAY FOR? BECAUSE THE BOTTOM LINE IS IT'S A COST.
SO, I MEAN, I THINK EVERYBODY'S ALWAYS OPEN TO THAT CONVERSATION.
AND, AND, AND, AND TO PUT A FINER, YOU KNOW, SAYING IN UTILITIES LIKE WATER, SEWER, TRASH AREN'T TAXES, UM, TECHNICALLY IS CORRECT.
I MEAN, THEY'RE FEES, BUT, BUT I HAVE NO OPTION TO NOT PAY THEM.
I CAN'T, I CAN'T GO TO WASTE MANAGEMENT AND HAVE THEM PICK UP, 'CAUSE IT'S PART OF MY WATER BILL.
I HAVE TO PAY FOR TRASH PICKUP AND RECYCLING NO MATTER WHAT.
I CAN'T GO DIG A WELL, OBVIOUSLY I CAN'T, YOU KNOW, DO THESE THINGS, RIGHT? SO THE, THE, IT'S A SEMANTICS, YOU KNOW, THE VERNACULAR CHANGES, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I'M FORCED TO PAY THESE FEES REGARDLESS.
EVEN IF I USE NO WATER, I HAVE TO PAY A BASE RATE.
SO IN THAT SENSE, IT WORKS LIKE A TAX.
AND I THINK THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE, UH, DON'T REALLY CARE WHAT WE CALL IT.
WE JUST KNOW WE'RE PAYING FOR IT AND, AND WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE BUT TO PAY FOR IT.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGER POINT.
AND THE CHOICE IS, IS IF THE COMMUNITY COMES BACK AND SAYS, WE DO NOT WANT A RECYCLE PROGRAM, WE'LL TAKE IT OFF.
WHAT I'M HEARING, AND IS ANY, AND WE'LL HEAR IT TONIGHT YEAH.
IS, IS, UH, I'LL HAVE MESSAGES TONIGHT THAT SAYING IS, IS WE, THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T WANT TO NOT HAVE A RECYCLE PROGRAM.
WE GET MORE COMPLAINTS ABOUT, WE GET ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT NOT PICKING UP THE RECYCLE BAGS AS WE DO ABOUT MISSING, PICKING UP THE REGULAR GARBAGE.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE RECYCLE COLLECTION AT, UH, THE MULCH SITE, WHICH WE FILL UP, UH, ROLL OFFS FROM PEOPLE THAT BRING THEIR OWN RECYCLE BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MUCH RECYCLE, THEY COLLECT.
SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE, UH, DO WANT TO DO.
I MEAN, MY PREFERENCE IS, IS THAT, UH, THE FO THE FOCUS SHOULD BE ON REDUCING INSTEAD OF RECYCLING, BUT GETTING PEOPLE TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF RE OF MATERIAL THAT THEY GET THAT HAS TO BE RECYCLED OR THROWN AWAY IS A EVEN BIGGER CHALLENGE.
SO INSTEAD OF USING THESE, USE SOMETHING ELSE TO DRINK YOUR WATER OUT OF, I MEAN, AND FROM THE WASTE STREAM, WE REALLY HAVEN'T GROWN, BUT I MEAN, THE WASTE STREAM CONTINUES TO GROW.
I MEAN, WE HAVE BECOME A VERY THROWAWAY SOCIETY AND I MEAN WE, WE PICK UP A LOT OF MATERIAL THAT GOES IN THERE.
AND THE MAYOR'S RIGHT? I MEAN, IT COULD BE REDUCED.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, MOST STUDIES SHOW THAT AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, 70% OF WHAT GOES IN THE LANDFILL IS RECYCLABLE.
UM, BUT WE JUST, YOU KNOW, CHOOSE YOU KNOW, NOT TO DO THAT.
BUT THE WASTE STREAM AMOUNT HAS GONE UP.
NOT A LOT, BUT IT STILL CONTINUES TO CLIMB.
AND WE'RE NOT GROWING AS A CITY, SO WE JUST SEEM TO BE THROWING AWAY MORE.
OUR, OUR BIGGEST RECYCLE COMPONENT IS CORD BOARD.
AND THAT IS ALSO THEIR BIGGEST COMPONENT OF STUFF THAT IS CONSIDERED AS CONTAMINATED BECAUSE, UH, PIZZA BOXES, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY'LL, THOSE ARE CONTAMINATED 'CAUSE THEY HAVE FOOD ON THEM.
BUT YOUR AMAZON BOXES THAT ALL OF US BUY FROM AMAZON, THOSE MOST OF 'EM ARE RECYCLABLE.
AND THEN NEXT THING, NEXT PROBLEM YOU'VE GOT IS BECAUSE, AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO HAVE A COVERED AREA TO, UH, TO, TO, FOR OUR TRUCKS TO DROP OFF TO AND THEN BE ABLE TO LOAD IT WITH, IS THAT THE COURT BOARD CAN'T GET WET.
IF IT GETS WET, WELL THEN IT'S DECLARED CONTAMINATED.
SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A COMPLICATED PROCESS, BUT MR. MALLS IS CORRECT.
I MEAN, IF, UM, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT IN TIME IF THE COMMUNITY DIDN'T WANT TO RECYCLE, YOU WOULD THEN THAT MATERIAL WOULD THEN GO TO THE WASTE STREAM.
WE WOULD, THE VOLUME WOULD GO UP INTO THE WASTE STREAM.
WE CAN PICK IT UP MORE EFFICIENTLY.
YOU'D ADD, YOU'D KEEP ONE TRUCK ON THE ROUTE BECAUSE IT'D HAVE TO PICK UP.
IT'S, IT'S CALCULATED AS A WHOLE NOTHER ROUTE.
UM, BUT THEN YOU WOULD GET, YOU WOULD ELIMINATE, YOU KNOW,
[01:00:01]
THE TRAVEL CHARGES, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THE SHIPPING TO HOUSTON AND STUFF.SO THERE IS A SAVINGS, WHICH IS THE BROADER POINT ACROSS THE BOARD THAT I'M, THAT I'M MAKING WITHOUT GETTING WAY OFF INTO THE WEEDS ABOUT WET CARDBOARD IS, YOU KNOW, LOOK TO FIND WAYS TO DECREASE EXPENDITURES RATHER THAN CONTINUALLY TAPPING INTO OUR POCKETBOOKS TO INCREASE REVENUE.
SO THAT'S THE THE BROADER POINT.
LET'S MAKE THAT, I MEAN, THE CHOICE THAT WE MADE WAS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HEAR FROM CITIZENS SAYING THAT THEY DID NOT WANT TO RECYCLE ANYMORE.
SO YOUR STATEMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T CHOOSE TO CONTINUE TO RAISING AND NOT LOOK AT THE COST SAVINGS.
I WAS HERE SAYING THAT, BUT YEAH.
LOOK, YOU ONE, I'M ONE BOARD AS WELL.
SO WHAT WE DECIDE AS INDIVIDUALS DOESN'T COUNT.
IT'S WHAT THE WHOLE CITIZENS OF CITY, OF LAKE JACKSON RIGHT.
SO WHAT, AND, AND NOBODY'S SPEAKING ABOUT IT.
THERE'S NO REFERENDUMS ABOUT IT.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT IT AT ALL.
SO, I MEAN, EITHER THEY'RE SATISFIED OR THEY'RE NOT COMING IN.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE SAYING, WELL, THEY'RE NOT SATISFIED.
THEY JUST NOT COME TALKING ABOUT IT.
WE ARE SAYING, WELL, OBVIOUSLY THEY ARE SATISFIED, THAT'S WHY THEY'RE NOT COMING AND TALKING ABOUT IT.
SO, I MEAN, NO DAY ONE'S THE, THIS IS DAY ONE OF HEARING THAT THESE COSTS ARE GOING UP.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S I THINK WHY WE'RE, THAT'S NOT TRUE.
THOUGH WE'VE BEEN HAVING, WE'VE BEEN HAVING PUBLIC MEETINGS ON THIS EXACT THING FOR THIS'S, THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE BUDGET, THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
WE'VE HAD THE STRATEGIC MEETING, THE C I P MEETINGS.
THOSE ARE ALL OPEN TO THE PUBLIC THAT WE DISCUSSED THESE THINGS.
AND ALSO JUST GOING BACK TO ALL OPEN TO THE PUBLIC TWO YEARS AGO, WHENEVER WE, WHEN WE HAD BEING ADMONISHED FOR COMING UP HERE AND TALKING ABOUT THIS.
I'M SAYING IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED THESE NUMBERS.
IT'S, THIS IS A LONG PROCESS AND NO, ABSOLUTELY.
BUT IT'S THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING TO DISCUSS THESE NUMBERS, SO TO SAY THAT NO ONE'S COME UP HERE AND SAID ANYTHING.
I'M, I'M STANDING HERE RIGHT NOW SAYING SOMETHING.
AND OKAY, I'M THRILLED TO SEE AS MANY PEOPLE HERE AS THERE AS THERE ARE.
I WISH WE HAD THAT AT EVERY ASPECT OF THE BUDGET MEETING.
NO, I MEAN, I'M PROBABLY THE SINGLE PERSON THAT PROMOTES THIS THE MOST.
SO, I MEAN, I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOUR VALUE, YOUR OPINION IS NOT VALUABLE TO US, BUT I I'M JUST TELLING YOU THAT WE ARE HEARING FROM OTHERS THAT DO WANT RECYCLING.
SO PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO, UH, GET WITH THE NEWSPAPER.
I'LL, AND YOU KNOW, I MEAN, GET MORE AWARENESS THAN IF THEY DON'T WANT RECYCLING.
HEY, CALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I KNOW IT'S THE BROADER POINT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
WHICH I THINK WE'RE ALL AWARE OF.
I DON'T WANNA HAMMER THIS BEAT THIS DEAD HORSE.
AND, AND THERE'S A LOT OF COMPONENTS TO THIS BUDGET THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT AND WE'VE TALKED THROUGH TO DECIDE IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO, UH, ALLOW AN INCREASING COST OR NOT TO ALLOW AN INCREASE INCREASING IN COST.
AND SO WE, YOU KNOW, NO, WE DIDN'T GO INTO A LOT OF DIS DISCUSSION ON, ON, OR WE DIDN'T TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT RECYCLE THIS TIME, BUT WE DID TALK ABOUT IT TWO YEARS AGO WHENEVER THE, THE WHOLE PROCESS WENT TO WHERE AGAIN, THE, THE PROVIDER WAS NOT GOING TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE ANYMORE.
AND WE HAD TO FIND A SOLUTION.
AND WE HAD THE CONVERSATIONS AND IT WAS IN THE PAPER AND IT WAS ON FACEBOOK, AND WE DID GET FEEDBACK AND PEOPLE DID SAY THAT THEY WANTED RECYCLE AGAIN.
SO LET'S GO BACK TO, UM, TWO SLIDES BEFORE.
SO I JUST, I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, I GUESS I WILL BELABOR THE POINT.
UM, THE, YOU KNOW, THE BIG INCREASE IS REALLY THE UTILITY DEBT TRANSFER.
THAT'S THE DEBT ISSUE TO MAKE REPAIRS ON A 20 YEAR OLD, UM, WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.
THE HEADWORKS HAD TO BE CHANGED OUT.
THAT'S THE FIRST PROJECT WE'RE WORKING ON.
AND THEN, UH, ELECTRICAL, YOU KNOW, UPGRADES AND THEN SOME OTHER MI MI MINOR ONES.
UM, AND SO THAT'S THAT 360 THERE AND THAT'S ON THERE FOR THE NEXT, UH, UH, WANT TO SAY THAT'S A 20 YEAR, UH, IT'S A 20 YEAR NOTE.
UH, THE MARKET FOR EMPLOYEES, THAT'S TO HIRE THE 65 EMPLOYEES THERE.
THAT'S TO UPGRADE, YOU KNOW, THEIR SALARIES THERE.
THE HARRIS RESERVOIR EXPANSION, I MENTIONED THAT ONE.
THE B W A AND THE TIPPING FEES.
AND IT SHOWED THE, THE OTHER THINGS.
BUT WE DID, YOU KNOW, WORK TOWARDS MAKING, YOU KNOW, COSTS OUR, OUR RECOVERY OF, YOU KNOW, FEES.
THE CREDIT CARD FEES REALLY, YOU KNOW, THE CONVENIENCE FEE WILL HELP US.
'CAUSE THAT'S SEEN AS A LOSS WHEN I SEE IT ON THE REVENUE.
I SEE REVENUE COME IN AND THEN I SEE A HUNDRED THOUSAND THAT GOES OUT BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE COVERING THE CREDIT CARD FEES,
AND THAT'S A HUNDRED THOUSAND OF LOST REVENUE THAT IS THEN PASSED ON TO ALL OF THE OTHER RATE PAYERS THAT PAY DIRECTLY THAT COME OUT OF THEIR, OF THEIR ACCOUNT, OR BECAUSE WE HAVE A SET COST THAT WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THE UTILITIES.
AND SO I, I SEE THAT AS A LOSS.
AND SO WE TRIED TO ELIMINATE THAT, AND THEN WE REALLY DID CUT OUT THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE DID.
WE HAD SAVINGS AND WOOD GRINDING.
SO WE'VE TRIED TO PASS THAT ON, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, TO THE, TO THE CUSTOMER AS WELL AS, AS THE FUEL COST.
[01:05:01]
WE IDENTIFIED, YOU KNOW, A TRUE SAVINGS, WE TRIED TO PASS THOSE ON INTO THE RATE.BUT REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE DID TO COST SAVINGS AND WHY THE INCREASE IS, I UNDERSTAND WHAT MR. WALLACE IS SAYING.
HE SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SAVE TWO BUCKS INSTEAD OF RAISING IT BY 2 2 60, EVEN KNOW IF YOU SAVE TWO BUCKS, IT'S NOT GONNA BE TWO 60.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S WHAT CITIZENS WANT.
AND PERHAPS YOU CAN HELP DRIVE THAT, YOU KNOW, DRIVE THAT FOCUS.
SO THAT'S, I WON'T, BUT
IT IS SOMETHING, IT IS SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, THE DECISION WAS NOT MADE LIGHTLY TO RAISE THAT TWO BUCKS.
YOU KNOW? SO THE ONE THING IS THAT, YOU KNOW, AND WE'LL CLARIFY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE SANITATION RATE IN LAKE JACKSON, WHAT DRIVES THE LARGEST COMPONENT OF THE SANITATION RATE IS BULKY WASTE PICKUP.
AND, UM, PICKING UP GREEN DEBRIS, THAT IS, AT LEAST IT IS SOMEWHERE AROUND 10 TO $12 OF THE RATE IS THAT OF PICKING UP THE WAY AND THERE'S NO OTHER WAY TO PICK IT UP.
WE HAVE A LOT OF MATERIAL THAT GETS PUT IN THE FRONT YARDS, YOU KNOW, UH, FOR PICKUP.
AND, UM, THAT IS, THAT IS THE MAIN, THAT'S THE MAIN COMPONENT OF THE RATE.
I MEAN, NOT THE MAIN COMPONENT, BUT IT IS A LARGE COMPONENT OF THE RATE.
AND WE'RE, AND WE'RE RESEARCHING DIFFERENT OPTIONS ON HOW TO HANDLE IT.
I DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE UP, THAT'S OKAY.
RUDY BRITA, UH, 1, 2, 3 CEDAR.
UH, I THINK THAT'S, UH, THAT'S NOT FAIR TO COMPARE THE UTILITY RATE WITH HU FROM HOUSTON, UH, TO WHAT WE HAVE HERE IN LAKE JACKSON.
I THINK IF WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE, THAT'S, THAT'S SUCCESS IN MY OPINION.
WE SHOULDN'T BE SO EASY TO SAY, LIKE, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING.
UH, HU WHENEVER YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A, A COMPARISON, YOU DON'T GO TO THE FIFTH LARGEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY WHEN, FOR A CITY OUR SIZE, RIGHT.
UM, THE, THE SPACE COWBOYS DON'T COMPARE THEMSELVES TO THE ASTROS.
THEY COMPARE THEMSELVES TO THE TOLEDO MUD HENS.
LET'S KEEP UP THE AGGRESSION, UH, ON, ON YOUR PART, WHICH OF COURSE, EVERYONE'S VERY GRATEFUL.
UH, LET'S KEEP BEING AGGRESSIVE, STAY IN THE MIDDLE, NOT BE SO EASY TO SAY, OH, THAT THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING.
AND I DID ONE TO MISTAKE THAT, THAT'S OUR GOAL, RIGHT? MY SUSPICION IS THAT, UM, THEY HAVE PUT MORE OF THEIR THOUGHT, UH, AND ENERGY INTO IDENTIFYING THEIR TENURE CAPITAL, WHERE WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT SHORT ONLY TWO TO THREE YEARS OUT, AND WE ARE STARTING TO FEEL THAT WE'RE BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL.
AND I THINK ONCE WE'RE WORKING ON A 10 YEAR PLAN, UM, IS JUST, WE, WE HAVE A LOT OF EXPENSIVE PROJECTS IN THE QUEUE.
AND I, I THINK THAT'S WHAT, AND I THINK EVERY SMALL CITY IS IN THAT SAME BOAT, RIGHT? YEAH.
UH, ANOTHER QUESTION I HAD IS THE 3% PAY INCREASE FOR EMPLOYEES AND THE TWO TO 4%, UH, MERIT, RACE MERIT, YEAH.
IS, IS THAT ON TOP OF THE 3%? I'M ASSUMING THE TWO TO FOUR? IT IS FOUR, YEAH.
SO THE WAY THAT, UH, WE HAVE IT FUNDED THIS YEAR IS, UH, THE 3% MARKET ADJUSTMENT IS IN OCTOBER ONE.
SO, UM, OUR BASE PAY FOR LABOR IS $15 AN HOUR.
IT WOULD MOVE THREE, 3%, AND THEN THEY WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR THEIR MERIT INCREASE, THEIR EVALUATION OF TWO, THREE, OR FOUR.
SO IF THEY MEET EXPECTATION, THEY WOULD GET A 2% INCREASE ON TOP OF THAT.
IF THEY EXCEEDED, THEY WOULD GET THREE.
IF THEY SIGNIFICANTLY, YOU SAY THEY WOULD GET FOUR, AND IT'S ABOUT 50% OF THE EMPLOYEES MEET EXPECTATIONS.
AND IS IS A PLAN TO KEEP THAT EVERY YEAR, ADD THAT TWO TO 4% ON A YEARLY BASIS? YEAH.
SO THEY MOVE THROUGH, THEY MOVE THROUGH THE RANGE.
UH, THE TWO TO THREE TO THE, THE TWO, THREE AND FOUR IS THE EVALUATION SYSTEM, WHICH WE DO, WE TRY TO DO EVERY YEAR.
THERE HAVE BEEN TWO OR THREE YEARS IN THE 28 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE THAT WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FUND THAT.
UM, WE FUNDED EITHER A, UH, A LUMP SUM.
THERE'S ONE YEAR, UM, THAT WE WERE NOT BE ABLE TO FUND ANY RAISES.
UM, THE MARKET ADJUSTMENT WAS BASED ON THE CONSULTANT OF LOOKING AT THE RANGE AND THE STARTING.
AND THEY RECOMMENDED OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS THAT WE DO A FIVE, FOUR, AND THREE THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE A BUDGET AT THREE WITH A POSSIBILITY OF TONIGHT OF MOVING IT
[01:10:01]
TO FOUR IF WE WERE GOING TO DO THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, BUT NOT FIVE.AND SO WE, WE WERE NOT ABLE TO GET TO THE RECOMMENDED RATE OF MOVING IT 5% AND THAT INCLUDE IT.
WHAT THEY WERE SAYING WAS ALL OF THE RANGES ACROSS ALL CLASSIFICATIONS NEED TO, TO BE, TO BE A ADJUSTED.
UH, AND ALSO, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT RESPONSE.
UH, SOMETHING ELSE, JUST THAT, THAT SOME INFORMATION I CAME ACROSS, UH, IS, UH, TRANSPORTATION STIPENDS, UH, FOR, UH, THE PUBLIC FIGURES HERE.
I KNOW SOME OF 'EM ARE SEEMED, UH, SOMEWHAT HIGH, 9,000, 6,000, UH, THAT SEEMS EXCESSIVE FOR, FOR A SMALL TOWN THAT I, I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH, UH, TRAVEL CONSISTS IN PERFORMING, UH, Y'ALL'S DUTIES.
BUT MOST PLACES, UH, IN MORE, MOST INDUSTRIES, WHENEVER THERE IS TRAVEL THAT IS REQUIRED, IT'S PAID FOR THAT AMOUNT.
LIKE THE PERSON THAT RECEIVES 9,000, UM, DOLLARS, THAT'S $750 A MONTH.
HOW, HOW DO YOU GET TO THAT NUMBER TO, TO SPEND TRAVELING FIVE MILES TO AND FROM CITY HALL? RIGHT.
I KNOW THERE'S MORE, MORE TRANSPORTATION INVOLVED, BUT NINE, SIX, THAT'S 15.
WE'RE, WE'RE, UH, SAYING, UH, SUCCESS OF, UH, LIKE FOR THESE SMALL SAVINGS THAT THAT GETS US TO LIKE 20, 30, 40% OF SOME OF THESE SAVINGS.
WE ARE, WE ARE PATTING OURSELVES ON OUR BACK FORS, WHICH IS, WHICH IS GOOD.
BUT I THINK THERE'S MORE WE CAN DO, AND I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S JUSTIFIED TO HAVE THESE, UH, TRANSPORTATION STIPENDS.
I KNOW THAT'S PROBABLY NOT A, A POPULAR THING
UH, BUT, UH, IT'S, IT'S, WELL, JUST TO BE CLEAR, IT'S A TYPE OF AGGRESSION WE NEED TO, ESPECIALLY IN THE, UH, THESE YEARS, RIGHT? WHERE EVERYONE'S BEEN HIT HARD.
JUST TO BE CLEAR, NOBODY WHO IS ELECTED, WHO SITS UP HERE, HERE, I KNOW, I KNOW.
UH, AND, AND I'LL SPEAK TO THAT.
THOSE, THOSE GO TO THE DEPARTMENT HEADS.
AND REALLY WHAT WE LOOK AT IS WE LOOK AT THE TOTAL COMPENSATION AND THE, THE, THE COMPETITION PAYS FOR THAT AS WELL.
AND SO WE LOOK AT IT AS, UH, AS THE TOTAL COMPENSATION, RIGHT? IT'S JUST, UH, I BELIEVE IT'S A, IT'S A BAD LOOK WHEN WE'RE CLAIMING, UH, IT'S $9,000 FOR, FOR THAT IT TAKES, FOR TRANSPORTATION FOR SOMETHING THAT THERE'S REALLY NO, NOT A WHOLE LOT, UH, TRAVELING OR TRA TRAVELING, UH, REQUIRED.
SO IF IT'S COMPENSATION, MAYBE NAME IT SOMETHING ELSE.
I'M NOT SAYING, BUT IT'S JUST THE, THE OPTICS, RIGHT? UH, SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND.
AND, UH, YEAH, JUST, JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP THERE.
ANYBODY ELSE ON THIS TOPIC? I WANNA SAY ONE MORE QUICK THING THAT, JUST TO MAKE IT VERY SIMPLE FOR ME ANYWAYS, IS, SO WE DO LOOK AT THE STUDIES ON THE SALARIES AND SOMETHING THAT, LIKE COMING ON NEW COUNCIL SEVERAL YEARS BACK THAT I REALLY HAD TO LOOK AT WAS, YOU KNOW, YEAH.
WHY ARE WE GIVING RAISES WHEN EVERYBODY'S, YOU KNOW, DOING THIS? WELL, THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT LIKE FOR LIKE OUR C D L DRIVERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, EVEN WITH GIVING THE MAXIMUM RAISE OF 5%, IF THEY WERE TO GET THAT, WE CAN'T COMPETE WITH THE PLANTS.
UM, AND WE WANNA BE ABLE TO OFFER THE SERVICES OF PICKING UP YOUR GARBAGE.
SO WE HAVE TO HAVE THE EMPLOYEES, IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE, LIKE CUTTING THE GRASS TO HAVE TO CONTRACT OUT WITH OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS TO DO, BECAUSE WE CAN'T KEEP EMPLOYEES.
SO FOR ME, IT ALWAYS FEELS LIKE A VERY FINE LINE TO WALK.
AND I THINK EVERYBODY UP HERE, UH, LOOKS AT THAT.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE EVERYBODY WHO WORKS FOR THE CITY'S MAKING, YOU KNOW, $48 AN HOUR, LIKE YOU SAID, THE PAY RATE'S $15 AN HOUR FOR PRETTY TOUGH WORK.
UM, SO I THINK THAT IT'S, I JUST WANNA KEEP THAT PERSPECTIVE OF WE'RE ALREADY BELOW, AND I THINK WE TRY TO KEEP, WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO WHERE WE'RE AT LEAST 65% OF THE MARKET.
SO, UM, OUR CITY WORKERS WORK REALLY HARD.
I MEAN, THEY'RE STILL PICKING OUT THE GARBAGE IN 109 DEGREE HEAT, UM, MOWING THE GRASS AND 109 DEGREE HEAT.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO KEEP THAT PERSPECTIVE.
AND THEY HAVE FAMILIES TO SUPPORT AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, THEY GOT HIT, HIT WITH INFLATION AS WELL, AND, UH, SO I MEAN, WE GOTTA BE FAIR TO THEM AS WELL, SO, OKAY.
SO I, AND I WAS A HUGE PROPONENT FOR TRYING TO GET TO THE RAISES THAT WE NEEDED TO DO FOR A FEW REASONS.
ONE, BECAUSE WE PAID $30,000, $30,500
[01:15:01]
TO A COMPANY TO TELL US WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO, AND THEN WE'RE NOT GONNA DO IT.SO WE JUST WASTED $30,000 FOR THAT.
AND I DON'T LIKE THE, I, I DON'T WANT THE IDEA OR THE SOLUTION TO BE, TO GET TO THAT GOAL.
WE'VE GOTTA GO TO THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE OR ABOVE.
I, I WISH WE COULD FIND A WAY THAT WE COULD CUT FAT TO GET WHAT WE NEED.
I MEAN, IT IS, IT'S, IT'S A HARD PILL TO SWALLOW.
ANY OF THESE ARE GONNA BE A HARD PILL TO SWALLOW.
WHEN WE DID AN EIGHT HOUR BUDGET WORKSHOP, 278 PAGES OF LINE ITEMS, AND WE DIDN'T CUT ANYTHING.
THERE WAS, THERE WAS NOTHING CUT, NOT A PENNY.
WE DID THE AVIATION AND WE DID.
THOSE WERE MISTAKES THAT NO, I FOUND, WELL, THE AVIATION WAS A CUT.
WELL, YOU FOUND THE AVIATION RIGHT, RIGHT.
I JUST WANT ANYTHING BIG OUT OF $54 MILLION.
BUT WE DID IDENTIFY IN THE WORKSHOP, WE DID IDENTIFY, UH, AGAIN, UH, RECOVERING THE COST OF, OF CREDIT CARDS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABSORBING.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S $160,000 THAT WE DID IDENTIFY OUT OF THE WORKSHOP THAT DIDN'T COME OUT, BUT AGREED.
BUT I BROUGHT UP, AND I'LL BRING IT UP AGAIN, EVEN THOUGH IT RUFFLES FEATHERS, BUT FROM 2020 UNTIL, IF WE USE THE PROPOSED BUDGET TONIGHT THROUGH THE 2324 BUDGET, WE'RE GOING TO SPEND $105,000, 240, $105,246 ON CHRISTMAS DECOR.
I THAT PLUS THE, THE 30 GRAND PLUS, THE 83,000 WE PAID FOR THE REDESIGN ON THE ANIMAL CONTROL FACILITY.
WE COULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF EVERYTHING.
THOSE ARE JUST THE POINTS THAT IT'S, ANY OF THIS IS GONNA BE HARD TO SWALLOW FOR ME.
ANYTHING ELSE ON PUBLIC HEARING? ANYONE? ALL RIGHT.
I'M GONNA CLOSE OUT THE PUBLIC HEARING, UH, ON ITEM NUMBER ONE, UH, WHICH WAS ON THE FISCAL YEAR 23, 20 23, 20 24 ANNUAL BUDGET.
[2. Public hearing to discuss the proposed tax rate of $0.337422 (per $100), which would increase taxes above the no-new-revenue rate by 21.67% for the City of Lake Jackson of Fiscal Year 2023-2024 – Modesto Mundo.]
TO ITEM TWO.UH, AND THIS IS OPENING A PUBLIC HEARING, UH, AT 7 46.
THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPERTY TAX RATE OF, UH, 33 CENTS OR $0.34 PER HUNDRED DOLLARS, WHICH, UH, WOULD INCREASE TAX TAXES ABOVE THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE BY 21.67% FOR THE CITY OF LAKE JACKSON FISCAL YEAR OF 2023.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY ON THIS ONE, AUGUSTA, BEFORE? WELL, I'LL TRY TO, UH, NO, I'LL JUST TRY TO BE REAL QUICK.
ON THE, UM, THE PRIMER, THE, THE CALCULATED NO NEW REVENUE RATE FOR THE CITY THIS YEAR IS 0.2 7 7 2 1 1.
THAT IS WITHOUT ANY CHANGE IN ANY DEBT ISSUANCE, ADDING ANY DEBT.
AND IT WOULD GET US THE SAME AMOUNT OF REVENUE FOR NEXT YEAR AS, AS IT DOES THIS YEAR FOR THE RATE.
SO JUST REMEMBER THAT, THAT NUMBER, UM, THAT IS SPLIT INTO, AGAIN, TWO RATES.
WE HAVE ACTUALLY TWO TAX RATES.
WE HAVE A DEBT RATE THAT'S APPROVED BY THE VOTERS, AND THEN THE OPERATION RATE, WHICH IS APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, THE VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE.
CAN YOU PUT THAT, THAT ONE'S WAY MORE SIMPLE TO UNDERSTAND.
THE VOTER, I, I, LET ME GIVE REALLY QUICK TO THIS AND THEN I'LL GO TO THE TABLE.
THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE IS AGAIN, THE SAME, YOU KNOW, IT'S SPLIT INTO TWO RATES, BUT IT IS THE MAXIMUM RATE.
THAT RATE INCLUDES WHAT WE CALL, THERE'S A THREE AND A HALF CAP OF REVENUE THAT IS, UH, BY THE STATE.
AND THEN THE, IT ALSO INCLUDES ANY DEBT ISSUANCE THAT WE ARE PROPOSING, UH, TO DO THIS YEAR.
WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO $16.5 MILLION THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE VOTERS IN MAY OF 2021.
AND I APOLOGIZE AGAIN, THIS IS SMALL.
CAN WE MAKE THAT ANY BIGGER? MILFORD, DO YOU WANT ME TO TURN THE LIGHT OFF? YES, BETTER.
SO YOU CAN SEE, WE'LL GO TO THE FIRST CON.
SO THIS REALLY, WHAT IT TRIES TO SHOW IS EVERYBODY WANTS, UH, KNOWS THAT APPRAISALS HAVE, HAVE GONE UP.
SO IN 2023, THE AVERAGE HOME VALUE WAS 246, 147.
AGAIN, WE DON'T, WE SEE THIS NUMBER, BUT THE TAX RATE GETS CALCULATED ON THE TOTAL APPRAISED VALUE FOR ALL PROPERTIES.
SO 3.3 POINT, LET'S SAY 3.3 BILLION.
UM, AND WE SEE THAT'S HOW THE TAX RATE IS CALCULATED ON ALL PROPERTIES.
[01:20:01]
THE AVERAGE FOR A HOMEOWNER RIGHT NOW, THE TAXABLE VALUE IS 2 46, 1 47 LAST YEAR.THIS YEAR IS INCREASING TO 2 71, 287.
SO THAT'S WHY IT DROPS THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE TO 0.277 TO GENERATE THE SAME THING.
SO IF THAT HAPPENED AND WE WERE ISSUING NO DEBT, THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER WOULD SEE A $43 AND 31 CENT SAVINGS, AND WE WOULD HAVE NO NEW TAX REVENUE FOR M AND O AND NO NEW TAX REVENUE FOR DEBT.
WE ARE PROPOSING, YOU KNOW, A 60, YOU KNOW, A 16.5% BOND, UM, AND THEN A 2% MARKET.
WITH THAT, THERE'S NO INCREASE, INCREASE IN THE M AND O.
THE 2% MARKET IS BEING COVERED BY THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT TAX, UM, RATE AND ANY OTHER, UM, CHARGES FOR SERVICE.
UM, AND SO THE TAX RATE INCREASE IS COVERING THE DEBT.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE THE IMPACT ON THAT, THAT COST DIFFERENCE.
IT'S, IT'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A LITTLE OVER A, IT'S, YOU KNOW, $110 AND STUFF FOR THE, FOR THE TAX RATE AND STUFF.
AND THAT GENERATES 1.3 MILLION FOR THE DEBT FUND, UH, ON THERE.
AND AGAIN, THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE VOTERS.
SO THAT'S OUR BASE, THAT'S THE BASE AMOUNT TO MAINTAIN THE TAX RATE.
IT WOULD JUMP UP, UH, TO 81 17.
SO THAT DIFFERENTIAL IS $9 AND CHANGE, UM, I, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE $9 AND 70 CENTS, I BELIEVE, UH, DIFFERENCE THAT GENERATES STILL THE SAME AMOUNT FOR THE, UH, DEBT.
BUT THEN AN ADDITIONAL A HUNDRED AND SEVENTEEN FIVE FIFTY THREE, WHAT THAT GIVES US IS A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO MOVE FROM THE 2% MARK, UH, MARKET ADJUSTMENT TO 3%.
AND THEN THE EXTRA 17 GOES INTO THE STREET, STREET MAINTENANCE, THE VOTER APPRO, UH, WE HAVE ANOTHER, THE 4% MARKET WE WERE LOOKING AT, BUT I'LL JUST GO TO THE LAST COLUMN, WHICH IS THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, WHICH IS WHAT HAS BEEN ADVERTISED THAT WOULD, UM, YOU CAN SEE THE TAX TAXES ON AVERAGE HOME WOULD GO TO NINE 15 VERSUS 8 66.
I'LL CONSIDER THAT THE BASE, THAT DIFFERENCE.
THEN YOU CAN SEE, UM, UM, ONE, AGAIN, THE DEBT STAYS THE SAME, THE POINTER, DO I HAVE A POINTER? I'M SORRY.
IT JUMPS UP FROM, SO ZERO TO 5 69.
THAT 5 69 THEN WOULD BE DEDICATED TO SALARIES.
THAT WOULD BE 4% IF COUNCIL CHOSE TO DO THAT, VERSUS, UM, MAINTAINING THE TAX RATE OF THREE.
AND THEN STREETS, THE MARINE MOUNT WOULD GO INTO, INTO THE STREET MAINTENANCE, UH, OPERATING, UH, OPERATING FUND TO DO ADDITIONAL STREET STREET MAINTENANCE ON A YEARLY BASIS.
AND SO COUNCIL REALLY IS, TONIGHT IS TALKING, UM, MOSTLY BETWEEN MAINTAINING THE TAX RATE AND OR THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE.
WE'VE NOT MADE ANY PROPOSAL OF NOT ISSUING THE DEBT.
I WAS GONNA ASK THAT SINCE WE'RE HAVING THE CONVERSATION NOW.
I MEAN, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CONSIDER? I, I KEEP HEARING THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THE VOTERS APPROVED.
AND I, AND I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THE VOTERS APPROVED THAT TWO YEARS AGO BEFORE, YOU KNOW, A, A CARTON OF EGGS IS THE SAME PRICE AS A GALLON OF GASOLINE.
IT'S KILLING ME TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE.
IF WE WERE TO, I THINK, SURVEY THE ROOM TONIGHT AND SAY, HEY, Y'ALL DID VOTE ON THIS AND, AND PASSED IT WITH I THINK 90% IF I REMEMBER THE NUMBERS RIGHT.
BUT IF, IF WE ASKED THE ROOM TONIGHT AND SAID, HEY GUYS, THE, THE SPACE WE'RE IN NOW, THE WORLD WE LIVE IN NOW, DO Y'ALL STILL WANT TO DO ANY OF THIS? DO Y'ALL STILL WANT TO BUILD THAT ANIMAL CONTROL FACILITY FOR $3.7 MILLION? OR DO YOU GUYS STILL WANT TO REPLACE THOSE ROADS THAT'S GONNA COST EIGHT OR $9 MILLION? I DON'T THINK WE WOULD GET THE SAME CONSENSUS THAT WE DID IN 2021.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE BIG CONVERSATION WE NEED TO HAVE, BECAUSE THAT'S SO MUCH OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO, WHAT WE'RE HAVING TO PAY FOR.
WELL, THE, THE $16.5 MILLION, WE CAN CHOOSE TO DO IT NOW, OR WE CAN CHOOSE TO DO IT LATER.
OR LIKE YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD, I THINK IT WOULD TAKE A, A VOTER REFERENDUM TO GO OUT THERE AND SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, SINCE THEY, THE VOTERS SAID, YES, WE WANT TO GO DO THESE THINGS, IT'S FOR THE VOTERS TO
[01:25:01]
COME BACK AND SAY, NO, WE DON'T WANNA DO THESE THINGS.THE ANIMAL CONTROL SHELTER IS NOT PART OF THE 16.5 THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED.
THE 16.5 IS FOR ROAD IMPROVEMENTS, LIKE FOR SLEEPY HOLLOW RESIDENTS THAT ARE TODAY.
I'M GETTING, I STILL, I GET PHONE CALLS ON A REGULAR BASIS OF WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO REPLACE THE STREETS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, IT'S ALSO FOR PART OF, UH, THE $40 MILLION THAT WAS PROJECTS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED ALREADY THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO, THAT WAS, UH, FOR, UH, RAINWATER, UH, AND, UH, FOR THE EAST PART OF THE CITY.
UH, AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S MOVING THOSE PROJECTS THE 16TH TO DO THE 16.5 MILLION TODAY ON, ON, AND DUE TO SELL THE BONDS IN DECEMBER.
THAT'S MOVING MOST OF THOSE PROJECTS UP TWO YEARS.
AND THE REASON WHY THERE IS A, UH, WANTING TO MOVE THOSE UP TWO YEARS IS BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THE COST OF, OF NOT ONLY MATERIALS, BUT ALSO THE COST OF ENGINEERING IS GOING UP SO HIGH AND SO QUICK ON, UH, WORK OUT THERE IS, IS THAT IF WE DON'T GO OUT THERE AND WORK ON THESE PROJECTS, START TO WORK ON THESE PROJECTS, WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD THOSE PROJECTS IF WE DELAY 'EM ANOTHER TWO YEARS.
I MEAN, AS IT SITS NOW, WHEN WE DID, YOU KNOW, THE BONDI PROJECTS, CONSTRUCTION COSTS HAVE GONE UP 36%.
YOU KNOW, WE HAD AN INFLATION COST IN THERE OF 10%.
SO IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY OUTSTRIPPING.
SO EARLIER IN THE, UM, IN THE CONSENT WE REIMBURSED OURSELVES WITH THE ARPA FUNDS, WHICH FREES UP 4 MILLION.
MY HOPE, YOU KNOW, EARLY ON WHEN WE RECEIVED THOSE FUNDS, THAT THAT WOULD GIVE US THE ABILITY TO DO EXTRA PROJECTS.
THOSE FUNDS ARE GONNA BE DEDICATED TO OFFSETTING THE COST INCREASE FOR THESE BOND BOND PROJECTS.
AGAIN, I'VE PROPOSED TO MOVE THESE UP TO DO THEM SO WE CAN AFFORD THEM.
IF WE DELAY IT ONE YEAR, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DO ANY OF THESE PROJECTS.
YOU'LL HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE VOTERS FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS, FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS.
UH, STUFF YOU JUST, YOU WOULDN'T SIMPLY, THE COST INCREASES ARE JUST OUTPACING US.
AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE HAVE A BID THAT WE'RE READY TO GO OUT FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR BID.
RIGHT NOW IT'S COMING IN AT 3.33, YOU KNOW, 3.4.
AND SO WE'RE GOING TO PROPOSE, YOU KNOW, USING THIS FOR THE, YOU KNOW, THE RPA FUNDS TO, TO OFFSET OR ANY OTHER BOND SAVINGS WE HAVE.
SO THE LONGER WE WAIT, THE COST JUST KEEPS ON INCREASING AND IT GETS FURTHER UNATTAINABLE.
UH, AND SO, UM, I MEAN, COUNCIL CAN CHOOSE TO DO THAT, BUT I WOULD SAY IF WE DELAY IT, THEN I JUST, ALL THESE PROJECTS ARE OFF, YOU KNOW, BUT THOSE ARE NOT THE ONLY PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE.
WE HAVE OTHER STREETS THAT'S, THAT'S GETTING BAD.
SO THAT'S JUST PUSHED THEM FURTHER BY.
AND YOU KNOW, I MEAN, INFRASTRUCTURE IS IMPORTANT PART OF THE CITY.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE GOOD ROADS TO DRIVE, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE MOVE TO YOUR TOWN, THEY LOOK AT SCHOOL, YOU KNOW WHAT KIND OF SCHOOLS YOUR KID IS GOING TO GO TO, WHAT KIND OF HOUSE YOU'RE GONNA LIVE IN, WHAT KIND STREETS YOU'RE GONNA DRIVE ON.
AND ALL THOSE COMPONENTS ARE IMPORTANT COMPONENTS.
AND IT'S, MY UNDERSTANDING IS CITIZENS THAT I SPEAK TO, THEY WANT STREET INFRASTRUCTURE TAKEN CARE OF.
THEY DON'T WANT TO BE DRIVING ON A ROLLER COASTER, GOING DOWN THE ROAD, TEARING UP THEIR CARS AND, AND STUFF.
SO WE ARE JUST DOING WHAT CITIZENS WANT US TO DO.
THEY WANT US TO HAVE GOOD DRIVABLE ROADS.
THEY WANT TO HAVE, UH, CITY SERVICES THAT THEY'RE USED TO.
AND LIKE I SAY, WE ARE HERE TO SERVE OUR CITIZENS.
SO IF THEY WANT SOMETHING DIFFERENT, THEY NEED TO SPEAK UP AND COME TALK TO US AND LET US KNOW WHAT THEY WANT.
'CAUSE WE ARE NOT HERE TRYING TO TELL YOU OR MOVE ANY OF THESE COSTS TO YOU BECAUSE WE WANT TO.
IT'S OF A DIFFICULT PROCESS FOR ALL OF US SITTING HERE TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS THROUGH THAT COME OUT OF YOUR POCKET AS WELL AS OUR POCKETS.
I'M RETIRED, YOU KNOW, SO I HAVE TO COME UP WITH THESE ONE JUST AS YOU, YOU GUYS DO.
SO I'M VERY SYMPATHETIC TO YOU WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
BUT ON ONE OTHER HAND, WE ARE HERE TO REPRESENT ALL THE CITIZENS OF THE LAKE JACKSON DISTRICT.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY BEFORE ASK CITIZENS? NO, SORRY ABOUT THAT.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS, UH, PUBLIC HEARING.
SO THIS IS FOR, WE'RE LOOKING FOR INPUT FROM YOU GUYS.
SO DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR SOME QUESTIONS OR WHATEVER GET THEM ON YOUR LIST? OKAY.
LONNIE KERSHAW, ONE 15, STANFORD ALSO 1, 1 13 AND 1 2 30 PALM LANE.
SO YOU WANNA HEAR FROM THE CITIZENS.
[01:30:01]
I AM.I FEEL LIKE WITH THE RECENT APPRAISALS THAT WE'VE HAD ON OUR PROPERTY, WE NEED TO CATCH A BREATH WITH THE INFLATION THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING.
YOU KNOW, COSTS JUST KEEP GOING UP, UP, UP, UP AND UP.
BUT PEOPLE WANT TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO BE ABLE TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES.
SOME OF THESE PROPERTY TAXES, APPRAISALS THAT ARE COMING OUT, PEOPLE ARE SAYING, I CAN'T AFFORD MY MORTGAGE ANYMORE.
THEY'RE NOT GONNA BENEFIT FROM THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE STREET BEING REDONE IF THEY'RE NOT LIVING IN THE CITY.
WE'VE GOT TO COME TO A HAPPY MEDIUM WHERE WE CAN SATISFY EVERYBODY.
NOT EVERYBODY'S GONNA BE HAPPY ALL THE TIME.
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS AND SALARIES ARE IMPORTANT 'CAUSE THEY HAVE TO LIVE TO PAY FOR THESE MORTGAGES THAT ARE INCREASING.
I GET THAT THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR THESE RENTAL PROPERTIES THAT THEY'RE IN BECAUSE THE COSTS ARE HAVING BEEN PASSED ON TO THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE HAVING TO PAY MORE PROPERTY TAXES, MORE INSURANCE.
BUT THERE AGAIN, IF YOU CAN'T LIVE IN YOUR PROPERTY OR HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHERE ARE YOU GONNA GO? SO, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M WITH COUNCILMAN BLANCHARD HERE.
WE DON'T NEED TO SPEND A HUNDRED AND SOMETHING THOUSAND FOR CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS, PUT IT TO THE STREETS.
I MEAN, REALLOCATE THE FUNDS FROM THINGS THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY NECESSITIES RIGHT NOW AS FAR AS EMPLOYEES.
THAT'S YOUR MOST IMPORTANT ASSET.
'CAUSE I DON'T CARE HOW MANY FIRE TRUCKS YOU HAVE OR POLICE CARS IF YOU DON'T HAVE QUALITY PEOPLE TO PUT IN 'EM.
I MEAN, I'M NOT ABOUT HURTING ANYBODY'S LIVELIHOOD, BUT YOU'VE GOT FIXED INCOME, SINGLE INCOME, UM, UM, WORKING CLASS.
THIS STUFF IS JUST HURTING THEM.
I MEAN, THEY'RE BEING SQUEEZED FROM ALL DIRECTIONS AND WE'VE GOTTA COME TO A SOLUTION SO PEOPLE CAN AFFORD TO BUY THEIR GROCERIES AND STILL BE ABLE TO PAY THEIR BILLS AND PAY THEIR RENT OR PAY THEIR MORTGAGE.
AND Y'ALL JUST ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.
YOU GOT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, YOU GOT THE COUNTY, I, Y'ALL JUST ONE PIECE.
AND EVERYBODY I TALK TO SAYS, GO TO YOUR GOVERNMENT ENTITIES AND TELL 'EM HOW YOU FEEL AND EXPLAIN TO THEM WHAT YOU'RE EXPERIENCING.
UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE SALES TAX IS NOT MEETING EXPECTATIONS SO FAR THIS YEAR FOR THE BUDGET.
AND THAT LEADS ME TO LEAVE BELIEVE THAT HOUSEHOLD SPENDING IS DOWN.
AND SO IF HOUSEHOLD SPENDING OF OUR, IF WE'RE ALREADY TIGHTENING OUR BUDGETS AT HOME, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO AFFORD THIS, UM, TAX RATE INCREASE THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING.
UM, OUR CITY EMPLOYEES ALSO ARE GOING TO BE HIT WITH THIS TAX RATE TOO.
SO IF YOU'RE TAXING THEM MORE, WHAT IS THIS RAISE GOING TO DO IF YOU'RE JUST TAKING IT BACK RIGHT BACK ANYWAY? UM, IF WE KEEP SPENDING AND PAYING THE OVERLY HIGH CONSTRUCTION COSTS, THEY'RE NEVER GOING TO COME DOWN.
UH, I KNOW A FEW YEARS AGO, LIKE WOOD HAD GONE UP, BUT WHEN WE STARTED USING IT LAST, IT DID COME DOWN.
SO I THINK THAT POSSIBLY, I DON'T KNOW, BUT POSSIBLY IF WE STOP PAYING THE OVERLY HIGH FEES OR RATES, THEN MAYBE THAT WOULD COME DOWN TOO.
BUT WE KEEP PAYING IT, IT'S GONNA KEEP ON GOING UP.
UM, YOU CAN'T HAVE OUR CITY OUT SPENDING OUR CITIZENS.
OUR HOMES ARE LIKE THIS, LADIES AT OUR HOMES ARE TIGHTENING OUR BELTS.
IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY FOR EXTRA CHRISTMAS LIGHTS HERE, WE WOULDN'T BUY THEM.
BUT YET OUR CITY IS DOING THAT.
WE ARE OUT SPENDING WHAT OUR PEOPLE AT OUR HOMES ARE DOING.
YOU WANNA HAVE NICE ROADS AND NICE SCHOOLS, AND I DO TOO.
BUT IF I CAN'T TAKE CARE OF MY HOME, THEN MY HOME'S NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO BE ANY GOOD FOR ME TO SELL THAT IN THE FUTURE TO BRING IN GOOD, UM, CITIZENS IN THE FUTURE.
MIKE WALLS, I'VE GOT, I'VE GOT A STATEMENT AND THEN I'VE GOT, I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, AND, AND THE STATEMENT, UM, THAT I HAVE IS, AS A, AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, I HAVE TO WORK WITHIN THE REVENUE I GET IN.
I DON'T HAVE A, I DON'T HAVE A WAY TO GO INCREASE REVENUE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I CAN GO INCREASE REVENUE BY PROVIDING BETTER SERVICE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT IF THE REVENUE'S THAT THERE, I DON'T HAVE A ANOTHER MAN MECHANISM TO DO THAT.
AND I HAVE TO MAKE THE HARD DECISIONS.
I HAVE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN MY ASSISTED LIVING RIGHT NOW WHERE I'M HAVING TO REMODEL A BATHROOM BECAUSE OF A BAD SEWER PIPE.
I HAVE TO DO IT FOR MY PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE.
SO I'M HAVING TO MAKE THE REAL DIFFICULT DECISION ABOUT DO I HAVE TO CUT STAFF, YOU KNOW, OR DO I HAVE TO CUT SERVICES THAT I WOULD OTHERWISE PROVIDE? AND GOVERNMENT, YOU KNOW, TAXING ENTITIES, UM, HAVE ONE OPTION THAT PRIVATE ENTERPRISE DOESN'T HAVE, AND THAT'S THE ABILITY TO HIT THE TAXPAYER.
[01:35:01]
AND SO I THINK, I THINK WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SAYING AND, AND IS WHEN, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE THE 16 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED, UM, I AGREE WITH YOU AS SOMEONE WHO, YOU KNOW, REMODELS HOUSES AND WHATNOT, IT'S NEVER GONNA BE CHEAPER THAN IT IS TODAY.YOU KNOW, NEXT YEAR IT'S GONNA BE MORE EXPENSIVE.
IT'S NEVER GONNA GET AS CHEAP AS IT IS TODAY.
BUT WHAT ARE AREAS OF THE BUDGET THAT WE COULD CUT THAT ARE MAYBE MORE SUPERFLUOUS? YOU KNOW, WHETHER THAT'S LOW ROCKS IN A NATURE PATH OR SOMETHING I APPROVED ON THE L J D C, WHICH WAS $60,000 WORTH OF LIGHTS FOR, UH, UH, THE DOG PARK.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT MAY BE NON NECESSITIES, BECAUSE I THINK THE FOCUS HAS TO BE ON CULVERTS AND STREETS AND, YOU KNOW, THE INFRASTRUCTURE THINGS.
SO THAT'S JUST MY STATEMENT I WANTED TO MAKE.
BUT I HAVE A, A QUESTION, AND IT'S ABOUT, AND I'M DIRECTING THIS ONE KIND OF TO YOU, MR. MUNDO, BUT ANYBODY, UH, WHO KNOWS THIS, I HAVE A REAL CONCERN WHEN, WHEN THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT CERTIFIES THOSE APPRAISAL NUMBERS AND GIVES THOSE TO YOU ON JULY 26TH, I HAVE REAL SERIOUS DOUBT THAT, THAT THEY'RE REALLY 95% OF THE WAY THERE BY JULY 26TH, WHICH IS WHAT THE A R B HAS TO BE IN ORDER TO CERTIFY THOSE NUMBERS.
SO THE QUESTION IS, I MEAN, I'VE GOT 12 PROPERTIES THAT I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHEN MY HEARINGS DUE, YOU KNOW, ON YET.
SO IF THE NUMBERS, THEY GIVE YOU 200 AND, WELL, $271,000, YOU KNOW, AVERAGE DO WE RUN INTO NUMBERS FROM, DO, DO WE RUN INTO SITUATIONS WHERE LATER ON DOWN THE ROAD THAT'S WAY OFF AND WE DON'T EVEN HIT THOSE? YEAH.
I MEAN, EXPECTED REVENUE NUMBERS THAT BE POSSIBLE.
LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED TO PEARLAND.
PEARLAND WAS $10 MILLION OFF LAST YEAR.
AND, UH, BUT THIS IS, THEY CAN BE, THEY CAN FLUCTUATE, BUT THEY'RE NOT, THEY DON'T CHANGE DRAMATIC DRAMATICALLY.
AND WHAT WE WERE, WHEN WE FIRST SAW THE AMOUNT OF 3.4 MILLION, WE WERE AT 2.8 LAST YEAR, AND IT WENT TO 3.4.
WE WERE ASSUMING, I WAS ASSUMING THAT THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF APPEALS AND IT WOULD GO DOWN DRASTICALLY.
UH, AND SO THE, THERE, THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME REDUCTION, BUT IT WASN'T A LOT.
AND THERE'S, SO YES, THERE ARE STILL SOME ON THERE, BUT THE DECREASE, IT'S, IT'S GOING TO STILL BE CLOSE.
USUALLY WHERE OUR NUMBERS, UH, DIFFER FROM THE APPRAISAL BOARD, WE TRY TO CALCULATE OUR TAX RATE AT A HUNDRED PERCENT COLLECTION.
THEY'LL, WHEN YOU SEE THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, THEY'LL CALCULATE IT 102% COLLECTION MM-HMM.
SO SOMETIMES OUR, OUR NUMBERS DIFFER A LITTLE BIT JUST FROM THE COLLECTION RATE, BUT THE APPRAISAL NUMBERS, UM, RIGHT NOW THEY'VE, THEY'VE STAYED VERY CLOSE TO WHAT, WHAT THEY'VE COME OUT.
SO I DON'T SEE A, A DRASTIC CHANGE.
SO MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT LAST YEAR, SO I PROTESTED AND MY HEARING WAS WAY PAST THE, SO WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS, THEY LOWERED MY PROPERTY VALUE AND THEN THEY LOWERED THE EXEMPTION, THEY CAME UP WITH THE SAME LINE MM-HMM.
SO THAT'S WHY THE NUMBER DOESN'T CHANGE.
THEY JUST SMOKE AND MIRROR AND I'M IN THE SAME PLACE YOU ARE.
I STILL DON'T HAVE A HEARING DATE.
BUT IT'S A VERY BROKEN SYSTEM.
AND I'VE SAID THIS A HUNDRED TIMES, BE LOOKING, AND THIS IS ALL IN THE WEEDS.
OUR TEXAS STATE LEGISLATURE HAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF CONTROL OVER THIS WHOLE APPRAISAL THING.
IT IS ABSOLUTELY A SHELL GAME.
AND WE, SHE SAID, WORKING CLASS, I'M A NURSE, MY HUSBAND'S A MECHANIC, WE'RE WORKING CLASS, WE'RE GETTING KILLED.
SO WE'VE POURED OVER THIS BUDGET AND IT'S SUCH A BALANCE OF ARE WE MAKING SMART DECISIONS, YOU KNOW, VERSUS WHAT ARE YOUR CITIZENS ASKING FOR? SO THAT IS THE LINE THAT WE TRY TO TREAD WITH IT IN MIND.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT MY PROPERTY TAX RATE'S GONNA BE YET, AND I'VE GOTTA GO TO THE GROCERY STORE AND FEED TWO KIDS.
YOU KNOW? SO WE ARE POURING OVER THIS BUDGET AND TRYING TO MAKE THE VERY BEST DECISIONS.
AND YOU ABSOLUTELY SHOULD ALWAYS COME TO THESE LOCAL ENTITIES AND, AND HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.
AND I JUST ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO CONTINUE THAT CONVERSATION WITH YOUR TEXAS STATE LEGISLATURE BECAUSE THE ENTIRE PROPERTY APPRAISAL SYSTEM IS BROKEN AND IT'S NEVER IN OUR FAVOR.
AND I'M SAYING THAT AS A TAXPAYER AND AS HOMEOWNER.
SO JUST, THIS IS A SUPER UNCOMFORTABLE PLACE TO BE SITTING BECAUSE WE ARE HAVING TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS.
UM, BUT WE ALSO LIVE WITH THEM.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE IN THE SAME SPOT EXCEPT FOR ONE BIG DIFFERENCE.
[01:40:01]
MY SPENDING OUTSTRIPS REVENUE, I GO OUT OF BUSINESS.AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER MAKING THAT DECISION.
YOUR LIVELIHOOD IS NOT AT STAKE.
WHICH IS, WHICH IS WHY, AND WE WOULD AGREE.
AND SO THAT'S, I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S THE, THE INSIGHT THAT, THAT I WANT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE, THE, THE TACT THAT I WANT YOU GUYS TO TAKE IS, UM, I DON'T THINK THE CITY EXISTS TO EMPLOY PEOPLE.
I'M NOT SAYING WE HAVE TO FIRE PEOPLE, RIGHT.
BUT I'M SAYING AS AN EXAMPLE, THAT MAY BE THE END RESULT.
AND THAT'S AN UNPOPULAR THING TO SAY STANDING HERE.
ESPECIALLY WITH A LOT OF CITY EMPLOYEES LOOKING AT ME RIGHT NOW.
BUT IT'S THE TRUTH IN MY SITUATION IN MY BUSINESSES, IF I, I DON'T HAVE THE REVENUE, I HAVE TO GET RID OF EMPLOYEES, OR I HAVE TO GET RID OF OTHER EXPENDITURES, AND MAYBE IT'S DEFERRING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT DEFERRAL IS THE LAST THING I WANNA DO BECAUSE I NEED TO KEEP MY MAINTENANCE ON.
AND THE LAKE JACKSON CITY BUDGET HAS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND THAT WAS SOMETHING I WAS SURPRISED ABOUT WHEN I CAME ON COUNCIL.
BUT THIS CITY HAS RUN A FAIRLY LEAN BUDGET FOR MANY YEARS.
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT ANY OTHER CITY OUR SIZE, WE'VE RUN A LEAN BUDGET, AND THOSE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS HAVE BEEN DEFERRED AND DEFERRED AND DEFERRED.
AND NOW WE HAVE A 20 YEAR OLD WASTE.
CAN I GO TO THIS JAR WATER TREATMENT PLANT THAT IS AT THE END OF ITS LIFESPAN.
BUT THOSE EMPLOYEES THAT WE'RE PAYING HAVE MAINTAINED IT IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE'VE WE'RE RINGING EVERY LAST DROP OF WHAT WE CAN GET OUT OF THAT.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A $15 MILLION LIFT STATION.
AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS I THINK ABOUT THAT AS CITY COUNCIL'S RESPONSIBLE FOR IS DO PEOPLE HAVE SAFE WATER? CAN THEY FLUSH THEIR TOILETS? AND IS THERE GARBAGE BEING PICKED UP AND ARE THEY SAFE? UM, I DON'T MIND CUTTING SOME OF THE EXTRA STUFF IF THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE, 'CAUSE I'VE SAID SOME THINGS THAT WERE PROBABLY UN UNPOPULAR ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON PARKS, WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON THINGS LIKE THIS THAT DON'T, THEY CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR QUA QUALITY OF LIFE, AND THEY ABSOLUTELY CONTRIBUTE TO THE QUALITY, QUALITY OF OUR CITY, BUT THEY'RE NOT BREAD AND BUTTER.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S MY MINDSET, MY MINDSET FROM DAY ONE.
SO, BUT WHAT PEOPLE DON'T SEE IS B W A HAS A HUNDRED PERCENT CHLORINE COST INCREASE.
WE HAVE A HUNDRED PERCENT CHLORINE COST INCREASE.
AND, AND OUR CITIZENS PAY FOR ALL OF IT.
WE PAY FOR ALL OF IT BECAUSE B W A'S PASSING A HUNDRED PERCENT DOWN TO US.
SO, I MEAN, THERE ARE A LOT OF COSTS FOR THINGS THAT ARE VERY NECESSARY THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE WE JUST, WE HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.
WE HAVE TO FIX THE SEWER LINE IN THE BATHROOM.
YOU KNOW, SO, AND I'M WOULD NE WE'LL NEVER MAKE EXCUSES FOR SPENDING.
I THINK THAT THERE'RE, IF I TOOK A PEN TO THIS BUDGET, THERE ARE THINGS THAT I WOULD CUT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT IMPORTANT TO MY FAMILY.
BUT I CAN'T MAKE EVERY CUT BASED ON WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO MY FAMILY.
I CAN ONLY HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS AND HERE YEAH.
AND I THINK EVERYBODY HERE WILL LISTENS TO THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
I WISH MORE PEOPLE WOULD SHARE THEIR OPINION, THAT'S FOR SURE.
CUTTING THE, YOU KNOW, YOU SAID CUTTING PEOPLE, RIGHT? SO WHO'S POTENTIALLY, WE NOT GONNA PICK UP TODAY, OR WHO'S POLICE CAR NOT GONNA SHOW UP THEIR HOUSE TOMORROW? OR, UH, WHEN YOU FLUSH YOUR TOILET, WHO'S, WHO'S NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO FLUSH THAT MODE? BECAUSE YEAH.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE PIPELINE SEWER LINE FAILED BECAUSE WE HAVE A 40 YEAR OLD INFRASTRUCTURE THAT, UH, NEEDS, NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.
AND THAT IS THE HEAVY CONVERSATION THAT I FEEL LIKE THAT WE HAVE CONTINUED TO HAVE OF, OKAY, SO ALL THESE THINGS HAVE BEEN PUSHED DOWN FOR ALL THESE YEARS.
WE'RE LIKE, OH, THIS STUFF'S REALLY ABOUT TO BREAK.
AND SO WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
AND MR. RHE ACTUALLY HAD THE BEST PERSPECTIVE ON THAT.
I THINK WE NEED TO START LOOKING LONG TERM AT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO WE NEED TO START LOOKING LONG TERM AT OUR LIFT STATIONS, OUR WATER SUPPLY.
PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT A BIG DEAL WATER SUPPLY IS GONNA BE IN THE FUTURE.
YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT TO EVERYONE.
AND, UM, I MEAN, WE, I'M JUST SAYING WE GET IT.
IT'S JUST YOU'RE IN A ROCK AND A HARD SPOT AND I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY COMING OUT AND TELLING US, YOU KNOW, YOUR PERSPECTIVE.
BUT, BUT ERNESTO'S GOT SOME MORE COMMENTS.
SO I'LL GO THROUGH A COUPLE SLIDES AND SEE IF I CAN COMFORT ANYBODY.
BEFORE YOU SAY I'LL SIT HERE, I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW ONE THING THOUGH, THAT THE PROPOSED RATE IS NOT A SET RATE.
[01:45:01]
HAD TO ADVERTISE IN ORDER TO EVEN DISCUSS TO GET TO THAT POINT.SO I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO GO SITTING HERE THINKING THAT COUNCIL HAS ALREADY DECIDED ON THEIR, ON THEIR RATE.
WE HAD TO ADVERTISE THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE RATE.
SO I JUST HAVE TO STICK WITH CLARIFY.
SO ARE WE, SO, SO MILFORD, IF YOU CAN GO TO THE BAR CHART.
IT SAYS, PROPERTY TAX RATE OPTIONS AND REVENUE USE.
THAT ONE, UH, THAT SHOWS, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, REALLY THE IMPACT THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED.
MOST OF IT AGAIN, IS THE ISSUANCE OF THE DEBT.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ORANGE, UM, RIGHT THERE ON TOP OF THE GREEN.
AND THEN THE OPERATION, THEN THE M AND O RATE OF WHAT, UH, IS ALSO BEING CONSIDERED.
SO YOU CAN SEE GOING TO 3%, UM, AND STREETS WOULD MAINTAIN THE TAX RATE.
THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE GETS YOU THE SALARY ADJUSTMENT OF GOING TO FOUR, AND THEN THE EXTRA WOULD BE THROWN AT STREET, STREET MAINTENANCE.
BUT AGAIN, THE, THE ORANGE, THE ORANGE SECTION, I'M SORRY, I'M JUST NOT QUICK ENOUGH HERE.
THE WARREN SECTION IS REALLY, THAT'S WHAT'S DRIVING THE TAX RATE HERE, IS THE, IS THE, THE ISSUING OF, OF THE DEBT.
AND WE'RE ALREADY BEHIND THE, THE EIGHT BALL, YOU KNOW, ON, ON ISSUING DEBT WHERE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO USE OUR ARA FUNDS TO CATCH UP ON, ON THE INCREASE.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE, UM, CAN YOU, CAN SOMEBODY CLARIFY WHAT IS PART OF THAT? 16? THE 16 IS SLEEPY HOLLOW, UM, UM, THEN MOSS CHESTNUT, WHICH IS 12.1 MILLION AND DRAINAGE, RIGHT.
UH, DRAINAGE PROJECTS THAT, AND THE MOSS CHESTNUT IS A HALF, IS HALF OF IT IS STREET AND HALF OF IT IS DRAINAGE.
THAT WAS BASED ON OUR DRAINAGE, YOU KNOW, MASTER PLAN ON THE E WHAT WE CALL THE EAST SIDE DRAINAGE MASTER PLAN OF IMPROVING, YOU KNOW, THE DRAINAGE, WHICH IS A $40 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS THREE YEARS AGO.
AND SO, AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER PROJECT OUT OF THERE, NORTH SHADY, NOR, I'M SORRY, NOR NORTH, NORTH SHADY, NORTH SHADY OAKS, UH, STUFF.
SO THOSE ARE THE THREE OUT OF THAT 16 AND A HALF, HALF MILLION ON THERE.
THE ONE PROJECT THAT WE HAVE LEFT OUT, UH, THAT WE HAVE AN ISSUE, IT WOULD BE NEXT YEAR, IS IT WAS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT EXPANSION THAT WE, WE PUSHED, WE PUSHED THAT BACK.
WE'VE ALREADY SOLD THE DEBT AND THE FIRST ISSUANCE FOR, UM, UM, FOREST OAKS, UH, AND PIN OAK, AND THEN THE ANIMAL SHELTER, AND THEN LI LIBRARY, YOU KNOW, IMPROVEMENTS AND PA AND PANEL REPLACEMENTS.
THIS ONE ALSO HAS A MILLION AND A HALF OF PANEL PANEL REPLACEMENTS ALSO IN THE 16 AND A HALF, UH, ON THERE.
STREET PANELS, STREET PANEL, STREET PANELS, STREET PANELS.
UM, AND SO THAT SHOWS THE TAX RATE OPTION.
THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, THIS SHOWS THE INCREASE WHEN YOU SEE THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE WHEN WE HAVE TO ADVERTISE THE LEVY ON THE PROPERTIES, WHICH IS A 21.67%.
AGAIN, 16% OF THAT IS THE DEBT ISSUANCE.
WE HAVE TO SHOW THE DIFFERENCE IN REVENUE COLLECTION.
AND MOST OF THAT JUMP, THAT 1.3 MILLION IS IN THAT, IS IN THAT INCREASE, UH, STUFF.
'CAUSE IT WASN'T COLLECTED LA LAST YEAR.
AND THEN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
HERE'S HOW WE COMPARE IN THE REGION FOR TAX RATES.
THERE'S ONLY ONE OTHER CITY THAT IS LOWER THAN US.
IT'S WHAT'S PEARLAND? OH, WHAT'S SUGARLAND? SUGARLAND? SUGARLAND IS A SUGARLAND.
I DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU WHAT STAFFORD'S TAX RATE IS.
I CAN'T, THEY GOT HIGH FEES THOUGH.
WELL, IF YOU'RE IN STAFFORD, SOMETIMES YOU THINK YOU MAY BE IN SUGARLAND, BUT YOU'RE IN STAFFORD
SO A LOT OF THEIR COMMERCIAL, THEY HAVE, THEY'RE THE SIZE OF RICHWOOD, BUT THEY HAVE SOME TAX BASE LIKE SUGARLAND AND STUFF.
AND SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE AT ZERO.
SO THEY'RE THE ENVY OF THE STATE.
UH, AND THEY HAPPEN TO BE IN OUR BACKYARD.
UM, AND THEN AGAIN, THIS IS FOR POPULATIONS 20,000 AND ABOVE.
THAT'S THE NEXT ONE WHICH WE COMPARE.
[01:50:01]
STATE.AGAIN, THIS IS FOR 20,000 AND ABOVE UNIVERSITY PARK.
UH, THAT'S THE RICHEST CITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS PER HOME VALUE.
THE AVERAGE HOME VALUE, I BELIEVE IS 1.8 MILLION.
UM, THEIR TAX RATE IS 25 CENTS.
IF YOU DID THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, WE WOULD BE AT 33 AND CHANGE.
WE WOULD NOT MOVE TO THE NEXT CITY OF SUGARLAND, WHICH IS GOING TO 35.
SO THAT'S HOW WE COMPARE STATEWIDE ON PROPERTY TAX.
SO WE'RE, WE GIVE A GOOD VALUE.
AND WHAT I ALWAYS SAY, WELL, WE GIVE A GOOD WHY WE HAVE A GOOD VALUE AND WHY WE HAVE ONE OF THE LOWEST TAX BURDENS IN THE STATE IS ONE, WE HAVE A HEALTHY SALES TAX.
WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN TOWN FOR EVERYONE.
WE HAVE A VERY HEALTHY, AND WE'RE BLESSED BY AN INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT AND WE HAVE A VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT PROBABLY SAVES 20 CENTS ON THE TAX RATE.
THOSE THREE THINGS MAKE THAT TAX RATE ONE OF THE LOWEST IN THE STATE.
AND SO THE ONLY THING THAT HASN'T, THAT I THINK IS A KEY, A KEY COMPONENT OF THIS ENTIRE ANALYSIS, AT LEAST FOR ME DURING THE MATH THAT HADN'T BEEN TALKED ABOUT YET, IS, AND THIS IS SORT OF IN LINE WITH WHAT RHONDA WAS TALKING ABOUT WITH THE STATE AND ITS KABUKI THEATER INFLUENCE AND RESTRICTIONS ON WHAT WE CAN DO.
AND THAT IS WHAT THE VOTER VOTER APPROVAL RATE MEANS.
AND, AND THE CAP SORT OF HOW ALL THAT WORKS.
RIGHT? COULD YOU GIVE US LIKE A, A PRIMER? SO THE STATE CAPS ALL CITIES NOW AT THREE POINT A HALF PERCENT INCREASE.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS IT'S NOT A THREE.
THE THREE AND A HALF CAP IS ON THE REVENUE FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION, NOT DEBT, BECAUSE THEY CONSIDER, BUT THEY WANT US TO ADVERTISE THE DEBT BECAUSE IT HAS AN IMPACT.
IT'S VOTED, YOU KNOW, IT'S VOTED ON OR IT'S NOT VOTED ON.
A LOT OF CITIES ISSUE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION THAT ARE NOT VOTED ON.
WE HAVE HISTORICALLY HAVE TAKEN ALL OF OUR GEO TO THE VOTERS.
UM, SO THAT'S ADVERTISING THE PERCENTAGE, BUT THE CAP IS FOR, IT'S CAPPING CITIES AT A THREE AND A HALF PERCENT INCREASE IN REVENUE FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION.
NOW WE HAVE HISTORICALLY HAVE NOT USED OURS, SO WE CAN ADD TO IT.
THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE ADDS ON IN A THREE YEAR WINDOW.
SO IF WE DIDN'T USE, SO WE HAVE A PENNY OF UNUSED INCREMENT, IT'S GIVEN US THE ABILITY TO GO TO THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE.
SO IF YOU DIDN'T USE IT LAST YEAR, THE STATE ALLOWS YOU TO USE IT THE NEXT YEAR.
BUT THEN IT STARTS ROLLING OFF, IT ONLY STAYS IN A, IN A THREE YEAR.
SO THAT'S HOW THEY CALCULATE THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE.
IS THAT 3.5% CAP AND THEN ALL THE DEBT ISSUANCE THAT IS GOING TO BE IN THE, THE COMING YEAR.
BUT WOULD IT BE TRUE THEN THAT CITIES LIKE OURS WHO HAVE BEEN PRETTY RESPONSIBLE FISCALLY AND SO THEY'RE ON A SORT OF LOW END OF THIS, THEY'RE IMPACTED BY THAT LAW HARDER THAN WE ARE IMPACTED HARDER BY THE CAP THAN CITIES WHO HAVE A HIGHER TAX RATE HISTORICALLY.
MAKE UP FOR SOME OF THAT, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE, POTENTIALLY THE, THE SAME LEVEL OF SPACE TO RESPOND QUICKLY TO, TO CHANGES IN THINGS AS SAFE CITIES ON THIS ONE.
ANOTHER THING THAT HURTS US IS WE'RE NOT A GROWING COMMUNITY, RIGHT? I MEAN, WE'RE NOT, LIKE ANGLETON IS GROWING LEAPS AND BOUNDS, YOU KNOW, UH, AND ALL THOSE OTHER CITIES ARE GROWING, THE COUNTY GROWING LEAPS AND BOUNDS AND WE'RE NOT.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PRETTY STAGNANT, RIGHT? AND LIKE COMPOUND INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS THAT YOU MAKE, THE, THE, THE ABILITY TO COMPOUND ON THE THREE AND A HALF, THREE AND A HALF, THREE AND A HALF, THREE AND A HALF, IT MAKES THE END RESULT DOWN THE ROAD.
BUT, BUT LIKE THE CHESTNUT AND THE NORTH SHADY ACRES AREA, IT HADN'T HAD ANY WORK DONE IN WHAT, 40 YEARS, UH, AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO WE JUST KEEP KEEPING THERE.
AND THOSE AREAS WERE IDENTIFIED BY A CITIZEN VOLUNTEER TASK, BOND FORCE.
I MEAN, WE DIDN'T GO OUT AND PICK, HEY, WE WANT THIS STREET OR THAT STREET OR WHATEVER.
THESE WERE OVER A COURSE OF PERIOD OF TIME.
WE HAD A VOLUNTEER BOND TASK FORCE THAT WENT OUT AND SAID, OKAY, WHERE, WHAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED? YEAH.
I ALSO WANNA MAKE THE POINT THAT 40 PEOPLE, WHAT DOES NOT HAVE A 3.5% CAP ARE THE STATE'S UNFUNDED MANDATES.
OH, BY THE WAY, YOU PAY FOR IT.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE, BUT WE CAN'T BECAUSE WE, WE WE'RE CAPPED AT THREE AND A HALF.
WE'RE, WE'RE CAPPED AT THREE POINT HALF PERCENT.
THAT DOES HAPPEN, BY THE WAY, FREQUENTLY.
I JUST DUNNO IF THAT PROVIDES ANY COMFORT THAT WE'RE LOW.
UH, BUT WE'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, YES.
I'VE ALWAYS, I'VE TOLD EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER COMING ON BOARD, UH,
[01:55:01]
AND YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC WILLING TALK, WE ALL CAN IDENTIFY COST CUTS OUT OF THE BUDGET.THE HARD PART IS GETTING EVERYONE TO AGREE ON WHAT THOSE ARE, BECAUSE SOMETHING GETS LOST.
A LEVEL OF SERVICE OF CUTTING BACK ON AN EMPLOYEE, A FIREWORKS EVENT, A CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS, YOU KNOW, THOSE THINGS.
YOU START THE LIBRARY CLOSING, CUTTING, YOU KNOW, NOT FUNDING THE MUSEUM.
AND THOSE ALL HAVE BEEN CHOICES THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED OVER MY 28 YEARS.
THAT STUFF HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP, YOU KNOW, IN ONE TIME OR ANOTHER.
BUT IT'S HARD TO FIND AGREEMENT, YOU KNOW, TO CUT THOSE.
'CAUSE THOSE ARE A THING AT A, AGAIN, I, I, I TRY TO SPEAK FROM A, UH, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, WE ARE VERY BLESSED TO OFFER THE LEVEL OF AMENITIES THAT WE HAVE FOR THE TAX RATE THAT WE HAVE, THAT WE, WE DO.
MOST CITIES CANNOT OFFER THE LEVEL OF SERVICE OR THE NICE THINGS THAT WE DO OFFER, UM, TO THE CITIZENS AT OUR TAX RATE.
AND AGAIN, WE, WE, WE CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT TAX RATE, BUT ALL OF US UP HERE, WE LOOK MORE AT WHAT'S THE COST TO US AS TAXPAYERS? WHAT IS YOUR ACTUAL TAX BILL? AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE, WE THINK ABOUT.
WE, WE KNOW, YEAH, TAX RATE IS A NUMBER, BUT, AND IT'S USED TO CALCULATE WHAT OUR COST IS.
AND WE'RE VERY AWARE AND WE, WE LOOK VERY HARD AT WHAT, HOW MANY DOLLARS THAT EQUATES TO, TO US, THE CITIZENS, EACH ONE OF US.
ANYTHING ELSE FROM AUDIENCE? YES MA'AM.
EMILY WISE, AGAIN, I JUST WANTED TO PIGGYBACK OFF THIS ON TWO POINTS.
THE, THE INDUSTRIAL MONEY THAT WE DO GET IS THE REASON WHY WE GET TO OPERATE THAT LOW.
BUT AS PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE, WE KNEW THAT WHEN WE MOVED HERE, THAT PART, PART OF THE APPEAL OF LIVING IN LAKE JACKSON AND NOT ENGLETON, IS OUR PROPERTY TAX PRICE.
I LIVED HERE, I BOUGHT MY HOUSE HERE AND NOT INCLUDE BECAUSE OF HOW APPEALING IT IS TO HAVE SUCH A LOW PROPERTY TAX.
I DON'T WANNA GET, UH, TAXED OUTTA MY HOUSE.
AND IT'S NOT JUST, OBVIOUSLY THE CITY IS LIKE THIS COMPARED TO EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND TRUST ME, I FIND EVERYTHING.
AND I WAS GONNA TELL YOU, GO ON THE PORTAL AND CHECK.
I HAVE, UH, A MEETING THAT WAS CALLED ME AND NO ONE TOLD ME.
UH, THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO ASK, I AM NOT THE SMARTEST PERSON IN THE ROOM.
BUT I DID WANNA CLARIFY OR ASK ONE QUESTION ON THE 16 MILLION THAT YOU'RE PRETTY MUCH ASKING FOR, ARE YOU, ARE THOSE PORTIONS FOR, TO HELP FINISH AND GO TOWARDS THE BONDS? WE ALREADY VOTED AND APPROVED? OR IS THAT SO YOU WANT MORE MONEY FOR SOMETHING? YOU ASKED US THE 16 AND HALF, IS THERE PORTIONS OF IT? OH, I THOUGHT I SAW YOU NOT NO, THE 16 AND A HALF IS WHAT WAS APPROVED BY THE VOTERS.
SO WE HAVE NOT AGO ISSUED THE DEBT.
BUT YOU HAVE SOLD THE DEBT FOR THE ANIMAL CONTROL THE SHELTER.
SO SOME OF THE DEBTS FOR THOSE BONDS WERE SOLD.
SO THEY'RE NO LONGER, THEY'RE, THEY'RE WE'RE COLLECTING, WE'RE PAYING INTEREST ON THOSE ALREADY.
SO WE HAD PLANNED TO ISSUE THE PHASES, UH, ISSUE THE BOND ISSUE.
IT WAS, UH, APPROXIMATELY 26, 20 7 MILLION.
WE WERE GONNA DO IT IN THREE PHASES OVER FIVE YEARS.
UM, THIS PHASE, WHAT WE'VE BROUGHT UP, WE PUSHED BACK THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND WE BROUGHT FORWARD MOSS CHESTNUT.
IT WAS, WE WERE GONNA ISSUE JUST THE ENGINEERING, BUT WE'VE MOVED UP EVERYTHING.
AND THE REASON WHY IS I'M TRYING TO GET THAT MONEY IN SO WE CAN COLLECT INTEREST ON IT TO HELP OFFSET THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION.
BECAUSE IF IT'S NOT ISSUED, THE 12 MILLION JUST SITS THERE STATIC AND THE PROJECT COST KEEP ON CLIMBING.
IF I DON'T ISSUE IT, IF I JUST WAIT AND WAIT ON IT, IT JUST, IT, THE PROJECT GETS FURTHER UNACHIEVABLE.
AND SO WE WERE GOING TO ISSUE THAT NEXT YEAR.
BUT WE'VE, I'VE, I'VE RECOMMENDED COUNCIL, WE WANT TO DO THIS PROJECT.
WE JUST NEED, WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND SELL THE DEBT AND PARK IT AND START ON THE PROJECT AS QUICK AS WE CAN.
EVEN, EVEN IF WE SELL THE, THE BONDS IN DECEMBER, THE CONSTRUCTION OF THESE PROJECTS IS STILL 18 TO 24 MONTHS OFF.
THE ENGINEERING IS GONNA TAKE AT LEAST A YEAR, UH, TO DO THE ENGINEERING BEFORE YOU CAN START DOING THE CONSTRUCTION.
SO AGAIN, IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST THE TIMELINE IS SO LONG ON THESE PROJECTS MM-HMM.
SO YES, THE VOTERS APPROVED ON HIM, BUT THEY HAVE NOT PAID ON HIM YET
[02:00:01]
BECAUSE WE'VE NOT SOLD.WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR MORE MONEY, WE'RE JUST, NO, WE'RE JUST APPROVING THE ABILITY TO GO AHEAD AND SELL THE BONDS.
THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID IS, IS WAY TOO LONG NOW, A $5 MILLION PROJECT'S, $15 MILLION, THEN WHAT DO YOU, IT'S LIKE ANIMAL CONTROL, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, IT WAS, WE ASKED FOR 3.2 OR 3.7.
YOU KNOW WHAT, THE BID CAME IN AT 6 MILLION MM-HMM.
AND THAT WAS IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME BECAUSE CONSTRUCTION COSTS.
SO WE HAD TO GO BACK AND REVAMP THAT.
UM, THAT THAT WAS GONNA BE THE, THE PART I WAS GONNA PIGGYBACK ON THAT.
SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THESE, SO ORIGINALLY WE VOTED AND WE SAID, OH, IT'S GONNA BE PROJECTED AT A HUNDRED DOLLARS PER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS VALUE HOME INCREASE IF YOU SAY YES ON ALL OF THESE.
WELL, NOW HERE WE ARE AND EVERYTHING'S BALLOONED.
SO I SAID YES TO THAT, AND NOW I WANNA SAY NO TO IT BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THE AMOUNTS ARE GONNA KEEP CHANGING.
AND WHAT IF YOU DON'T STAY WITHIN YOUR BUDGETED AMOUNT? WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON'T PAY THAT? YOU CAN'T GO OVER THE AMOUNT THAT YOU APPROVED? I'M SORRY? YOU CANNOT GO OVER THE AMOUNT YOU APPROVED.
BUT WHAT ABOUT WHEN CEMENT PRICES GO UP AND THEN IT'S DELAYED BY TWO YEARS AND THEN THE WOOD PRICES GO UP? I MEAN, THAT'S SOMETHING YOU CANNOT, SO ALL OF THE PROJECT, I MEAN, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO IS STOP.
ALL OF THE PROJECTS RIGHT NOW ARE GOING TO FALL SHORT.
UM, WE PROPOSED TO USE THE 4 MILLION IN ARPA FUNDS TO COVER, THEY DON'T KNOW ARPA.
THE, THE ARPA FUNDS ARE AMERICAN RELIEF FUNDS, YOU KNOW, SUPPLIED TO US BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
WE USED, YOU KNOW, WE USED SOME MONEY TO REIMBURSE US, UH, FOR OTHER PROJECTS.
WE DID SMALLER CAPITAL PROJECTS.
WE DID A DOWN PAYMENT ON A FIRE TRUCK OF 900,000.
AND WE DID THE, WE PAID FOR THE COST OF MATERIALS FOR SOUTHERN OAKS.
OUT OF THOSE, WE STILL HAVE $4 MILLION.
WE REIMBURSED OURSELVES TONIGHT FOR THOSE FREEING THOSE FUNDS UP THAT 4 MILLION WILL MOST LIKELY BE DEDICATED TO COVER THESE COST INCREASES.
AND REALLY THAT'S WHAT THE COVID FUNDS WERE.
FOR US, IT'S BEEN THE COST IN, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN THE COST INCREASES THAT HAVE, THAT ARE IMPACTING US YEARS LATER, BUT IT'S STILL A RESULT.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF IT HAS A RESULT OF THAT.
THERE WAS SO MUCH PENT UP DEMAND, YOU KNOW, FROM CONSTRUCTION DELAYED.
NOW THERE'S A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION AND THEN THE MATERIALS COST.
SO WE WILL USE THAT 4 MILLION AND WE MAY HAVE TO REDUCE SCOPE, OR WE MAY HAVE TO LOOK AT OTHER BOND MONEY OR TRYING TO TAKE THE, WHAT WE'VE DONE BEFORE IN THE GEO, WE'VE TRIED TO REPLACE ALL THE WATER AND SEWER LINES WHILE WE WERE DOING THE ROAD CONSTRUCTION.
NOW WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT AND SAY THE UTILITY MAY FUND, MAY HAVE TO PICK UP, PICK UP THOSE COSTS FOR THOSE WATER AND SEWER FUNDS TO, TO BRING IT BACK INTO CONTROL FOR THE BOND ISSUE.
TO PAY FOR THE STREETS AND THE DRAINAGE MM-HMM.
MOST CITIES, THEY'LL SEPARATE THE COST.
AND OTHER STREET PROJECTS WHERE WE COULDN'T AFFORD 'EM, WE MADE THE WATER AND SEWER FUND PAY FOR THE WATER AND SEWER UTILITIES, WHICH IT'S SUPPOSED TO.
AND THEN THE GO PAID FOR THE STREET AND DRAINAGE, THIS BOND ISSUE, WE WERE HOPING THAT IT WOULD PAY FOR ALL OF IT.
WE MAY HAVE TO SEPARATE THAT COST OUT, ESPECIALLY FOR THE, UM, MOS CHESTNUT, THE WATER AND SEWER.
WE MAY HAVE TO ISSUE REVENUE DEBT TO PAY FOR THOSE WATER AND SEWER, YOU KNOW, SEWER LINES ON THERE ARE, AGAIN, REDUCING THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT.
BUT AGAIN, IF WE DELAY ANYMORE, WHICH IS ALWAYS AN OPTION TO COUNCIL, THEN I WOULD SAY THAT ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT WERE IN THE QUEUE, THEY WOULD BE SCRAPPED AND WE WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE VOTERS AT ANOTHER TIME, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, AND, AND COME BACK WITH 'EM AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE NOW THE CORRECT COST.
I THINK THAT'S MORE MY CONCERN IS I, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THE, THE, SOME OF THESE PHASES WERE IN LIKE 2018, 2019, WHERE THEY WERE FIRST TO, I, I JUST REMEMBER THE ANIMAL SHELTER PARK WHEN WE BROUGHT THE, UM, BOND TASK FORCE TOGETHER.
WE BROUGHT IT BACK, WE TOOK OFF THE CITY HALL EXPANSION, AND THEN WE ADDED SLEEPY HOLLOW, UH, TO, TO THE PROJECT SCOPE.
AND THEN WE MADE A MODEST INCREASE IN THE COST OF THE PROJECTS OF 10%.
BUT AGAIN, AS MY ENGINEERS ARE TELLING ME NOW, YOU KNOW WHAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE ADJUSTING BASED ON HISTORICAL NUMBERS, IT'S GONE UP 36%.
SO WE FIND OURSELVES IN THE HOME.
DO YOU HAVE, SO, UH, ARIEL LAURA, 57 CRANBERRY COURT.
[02:05:01]
UM, I ATTENDED MY FIRST CITY COUNCIL MEETING BACK IN 2016.SINCE, UM, ATTENDANCE IS RELEVANT NOW.
UM, WHAT IS OUR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION AT RIGHT NOW? IT IS ZERO ZERO.
HISTORICALLY, WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS WE, UM, THE COUNCILS HAVE ALWAYS DECIDED THAT WE WOULD TAX BUSINESSES AND HOMES THE SAME.
AND THAT THEY WOULD CARRY THE SAME, THEY WOULD GAIN, CARRY THE SAME BURDEN.
AND WHAT, UM, WHAT'S THE MAX THAT IT COULD POTENTIALLY GO UP TO IF WE DECIDED EVER TO SEPARATE THAT? WELL JUST MAKE CLARIFY SOMETHING REAL QUICK THOUGH.
BUT WE DO HAVE AN EXEMPTION THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE 65 AND ABOVE.
AND THAT'S THE, IF THEY APPLY FOR IT, THEY GET THE FIRST $70,000 OF THEIR ASSESSED VALUE IS NOT TAXED IN THE CITY OF LAKE JACKSON.
SO, AND THEN WE DO HAVE THE, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE, THE RATE, UH, THAT WE ALLOW, UH, 10%, I GUESS IT IS ON RATE FOR, UH, UTILITIES.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A MAXIMUM.
UM, THERE'S PROBABLY AN AVERAGE.
I WOULD SAY IT RANGES FROM 10 TO 20% THAT I'VE SEEN ON HOMES ON HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS.
UM, USUALLY YOU SEE THOSE THOUGH WITH CITIES WHO HAVE HIGHER TAX RATES TO BRING IT BACK DOWN.
AND THE COUNCILS IN THE PAST HAVE WANTED TO TREAT THE BUSINESS AND THE HOMEOWNERS THE SAME.
HAS THAT EVER IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, GONE TO THE VOTERS? OR WOULD THAT BE A DECISION JUST FOR COUNCIL? UH, COUNCIL COULD, AND I GUESS IT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR A REFERENDUM VOTE IF THEY, IF, IF WANTED TO.
USUALLY I THINK, UH, GOSH, I'D HAVE TO DEFER TO MY FINANCE DIRECTOR, UM, ON THIS.
UM, I THINK IF THE CITY DOES CONSIDER IT, THEN THEY CAN, UM, ADJUST THE TAX RATE MM-HMM.
UM, AND NOT GETTING SPECIFIC NUMBERS WISE, BUT WHAT WOULD THAT DO TO THE BUDGET? HOW WOULD YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IT IF WE DID HAVE A DOLLAR AMOUNT OR A PERCENTAGE FOR SEPARATING HOMEOWNERS AND BUSINESSES? I THINK, I THINK WE'RE AT 60%.
UM, NATASHA, I'M JUST, I'M, I'M PULLING NUMBERS OUTTA THE AIR.
I, I DUNNO, I, I, I THINK WE, 60% OF OUR TAX TAX ROLL IS RES, IS RESIDENTIAL THAT COULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR THAT.
BUT I COULDN'T TELL YOU WHAT THE NUMBER IS.
WE WOULD HAVE TO CALCULATE IF COUNSEL EVER WANTED TO STUDY THAT.
THE CONTROLLER'S WEBSITE SAYS WE CAN EXEMPT UP TO 20% OF THE HOMES DYING.
AND, UM, IT CAN'T BE LESS THAN $5,000, WHICH, OKAY, THERE YOU GO.
BUT THEN THAT, THAT'LL BE, THAT WOULD BE MADE UP IN THE BUSINESS SIDE.
I MEAN, IT COULD BE BUDGET DOLLARS IF, IF THE, IF IT COSTS THE SAME TO RUN THE CITY.
IF THE CITY DIDN'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, LET, LET'S SAY IT TOOK OFF $2 MILLION MM-HMM.
WE WANT TO SHIFT THAT TAX BURDEN.
YOU CAN ADJUST THAT RATE AND THAT TAX BURDEN WOULD THEN SHIFT TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
SO THAT, THAT'S KIND OF IT FOR MY QUESTION, MORE OF MY COMMENTS.
UM, MY OLDEST IS IN FIFTH GRADE, AND I HAVE TWO THAT ARE IN FIRST GRADE.
UM, I COMPLETELY, I CAN UNDERSTAND SOME OF WHERE, LIKE MR. WALLS IS TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THOSE THAT ARE RETIRED, THOSE THAT ARE ON FIXED INCOME.
UM, AND LORD KNOWS I'M CANNOT STAND THE TERM MILLENNIAL, BUT I AM IN A POSITION WHERE, UM, I'M IN THIS GAP OF CARETAKER.
SO I JUST MOVED MY GRANDMOTHER IN WITH ME, UM, BECAUSE SHE'S ON THAT RETIRED FIXED INCOME, AND I'M STILL TRYING TO CARE FOR MY CHILDREN.
SO WHEN I LOOK OVERALL AT THE CITY OF LAKE JACKSON, THIS IS WHERE I WANNA BE.
UM, I PERSONALLY FEEL LIKE THINGS GET HARD SOMETIMES AND WE HAVE TO KIND OF TIGHTEN OUR OWN BUDGETS.
UM, PERSONALLY AS A CITIZEN, I FEEL LIKE I DO MY PART BY SHOPPING LOCALLY.
UM, HAVING FAMILY MEMBERS STAY IN HOTELS, I MEAN, THAT'S WIN-WIN FOR BOTH OF US.
UM, BUT WHEN THEY DO COME DOWN, YOU KNOW, SAYING, YEAH, GO STAY IN A HOTEL.
UM, SO AS A CITIZEN, I AM FIRST LOOKING INTERNALLY AT WHAT CAN I DO? HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED? UM, AND THAT'S WHY I FEEL LIKE I HAVE BEEN SO INVOLVED IN THE CITY FOR SO MANY YEARS.
[02:10:01]
10 PLUS YEARS AGO, LIKE I SAID, I'M 30.SO I'M, I'VE REALLY ONLY BEEN IN THIS POSITION FOR A FEW YEARS NOW, UM, TO WHERE I'M PAYING TAXES AND WHERE WE'RE DOING THINGS ON OUR HOME.
AND I MEAN, WE DON'T HAVE A SINK IN OUR DOWNSTAIRS RESTROOM.
THAT'S AN EXPENSE THAT WE WEREN'T PREPARED FOR.
UM, BUT WHEN DO WE KIND OF DRAW THAT LINE? WHEN DO WE TIGHTEN UP AND SAY, HEY, WHAT, WHAT IS MY FIFTH GRADER GONNA DO WHENEVER HE GROWS UP? IS HE GONNA WANNA MOVE AWAY FROM LAKE JACKSON? ARE WE EVENTUALLY GONNA HAVE TO FOLLOW OUR KIDS AND OUR GRANDKIDS TO ANOTHER CITY BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANNA STAY IN LAKE JACKSON BECAUSE WE HAVE, UM, SUCH, YOU KNOW, DIMINISHING, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE ALL OVER THE CITY.
UM, AND AS I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE CITY AND IN THE COMMUNITY, I'VE ALWAYS ADVOCATED TO BE CONSERVATIVE AND TO PAY ATTENTION.
LET'S FOCUS ON THE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE REPAIRED.
UM, BUT I ALSO MOVED TO THE CITY OF ENCHANTMENT FOR A REASON.
UM, AND I, I WANNA SEE IT CONTINUE THAT WAY.
I WANNA SEE THE BUSINESSES THRIVE, AND I WANNA SEE MY KIDS GROW UP IN THE TOWN THAT I ENJOYED WHEN I WAS YOUNGER.
UM, AND LIKE I SAID, THESE ARE ALL JUST KIND OF BROAD, BROAD COMMENTS, BUT IT'S DIFFICULT TO ADVOCATE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
AND I JUST, I FELT LIKE Y'ALL NEEDED TO HEAR FROM SOMEONE, UM, FROM A DIFFERENT AGE BRACKET.
'CAUSE DEMOGRAPHICS ARE WILD IN LAKE JACKSON, WHETHER YOU SEE IT OR NOT.
AND WE REALLY NEED TO BE PREPARING FOR, FOR THAT SIDE OF IT TOO.
I, I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND IF YOU'RE RETIRED AND YOU HAVE THOSE FIXED INCOMES, UM, BUT WHILE I'M ALSO TRYING TO STAY IN OUR HOME AND FIGHTING TAXES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, I'M STILL TRYING TO THROW MONEY AT RETIREMENT, AT A SAVINGS AT A 4 0 1 AT WHATEVER THE CASE MIGHT BE TO PREPARE DOWN THE LINE.
UH, SO AS A CITY AND AS A CITIZEN, I JUST FEEL LIKE I, I DON'T WANT ANY OF US TO FORGET THAT BECAUSE I, I BELIEVE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO, AND, UM, PERSONALLY, UH, I APPRECIATE WHAT COUNCIL DOES 'CAUSE IT TAKES A LOT.
UM, BUT I THINK ONE THING WE SHOULD ALSO DO IS KIND OF LOOK INTERNALLY, UH, AS CITIZENS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL DOING WHAT WE CAN.
SO DURING THE HOLIDAYS, STICK YOUR FAMILY IN A HOTEL
UH, UH, AGAIN, YOU HIT ON A FEW NOTES AND, AND, AND IT'S STUFF THAT WE'VE ALL TALKED ABOUT, UH, BE IT IN A WORKSHOP OR WHATEVER, AND, UM, OR A BUDGET.
AND THAT IS, IS THAT, UH, NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE AN AGING CITY, WE HAVE AGING COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, WE'VE ALWAYS, I MEAN, WE'VE, EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, WHICH HAS BEEN FOR A LONG TIME, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD TO LISTEN, WE'VE LISTENED TO THE INDUSTRIES AND THE INDUSTRIES AND EVEN THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE, ARE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT IS, IS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT WE NEED TO HAVE, UH, MAKE IT A, UH, MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO COME TO LAKE JACKSON AND LIVE IN LAKE JACKSON.
AND SOME OF THAT DEPENDS ON THE, YOU KNOW, WHICH YEAR YOU TALK TO PEOPLE.
SOME OF THAT IS BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN'T MOVE TO LAKE JACKSON BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ANY HOUSING AVAILABLE, OR THAT THE HOUSING NET IS AVAILABLE IS TOO EXPENSIVE FOR TEACHERS, FOR EXAMPLE.
AND SO WE'VE GONE THROUGH CYCLES OF WHERE WE'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN GIVEN DIRECTION OR REQUESTS FROM INDUSTRIES, YOU KNOW, THAT THE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE HIRING PEOPLE IS THIS, YOU KNOW, OF RANGES OF JUST OF HOUSING THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE AVAILABLE.
THERE'S NOT A LOT, A WHOLE LOT WE CAN DO TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
BUT THE OTHER PIECE OF IT IS, IS THAT, AGAIN, IT GETS DOWN TO THE PEOPLE START TALKING ABOUT THE QUALITY OF LIFE, WHICH YOU MENTIONED.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AND YOU KNOW, AGAIN, BEING AN AGENT COMMUNITY IS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, AS WE GET OLDER, LIKE I AM, I'M ON, I'M RETIRED, I'VE BEEN RETIRED SINCE 2014.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ALL THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SPENDING, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE SPEND OUR DOLLARS THAT WE SPEND IT EFFECTIVELY AND, AND AND STUFF.
AND, BUT THEN AT THE SAME TIME, YOU, EVERY TIME YOU PICK UP, YOU TALK ABOUT BEING A MILLENNIAL, YOU TALK ABOUT MILLENNIALS, UH, A LOT OF MILLENNIALS THAT THEY SIT THERE AND THEY, THEY LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN I DO TODAY WITH THE DOLLARS I HAVE? YOU KNOW? AND SOMETIMES THAT, THAT IS, THAT STARTS FALLING INTO THE QUALITY OF LIFE THINGS, YOU KNOW, I WANT MORE OF THIS.
YOU WANT, INSTEAD OF BASEBALL FIELDS, THEY WANT PICKLE THE PICKLEBALL FIELDS, WHICH ROBIN SITS THERE AND GONNA FALL OVER SINCE I'M TALKING ABOUT PICKLEBALL.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A, THAT'S A RISING THING, YOU KNOW? AND IT'S SURPRISING THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY COME TO US AND SAY THAT THEY WANT A DEDICATED PICKLEBALL COURTS THAT DAY IS GOING TO COME.
AND THAT'S WHENEVER THIS COUNCIL'S GONNA HAVE TO SAY, IS THAT SOMETHING WE WANT TO DO OR NOT? IS THAT AN AMENITY WE WANT DO.
NOW WHAT WE CAN DO IS WE DO THAT WITH, WHAT WE'RE LUCKY WITH IS THAT, YOU KNOW, BACK IN THE NINETIES WHEN WE APPROVED THE, THE HALF CENT SALES TAX, THE FOUR B IS THAT THE FOUR B IS RESTRICTED BY THE VOTERS TO QUALITY OF LIFE TYPE THINGS.
SO WE CAN USE THOSE FUNDS TO GO,
[02:15:01]
IF THE CITY COMMUNITY WANTS A PICKLEBALL COURT, THEN WE CAN GO OVER THERE AND USE THOSE FUNDS FOR THAT.AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT FREES UP THE ABILITY TO EITHER NOT ADD AN ADDITIONAL TAX BURDEN TO THE CITIZENS FOR THAT ASSET, OR IT FREES UP TAX DOLLARS THAT WE WOULD'VE USED FOR THAT.
AND, AND ONE THING JUST TO LAST STATEMENT, JESSE, I PROMISE, UM, I JUST, I DON'T WANT MY KIDS TO HAVE TO MOVE AWAY.
I WANT THEM TO HAVE THE SAME CITY THAT I HAD.
UM, AND I DON'T WANNA PASS ON A BURDEN THAT IF I TIGHTEN MY BELT RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, I CAN TAKE CARE OF THIS.
SO IN 20 YEARS FROM NOW, THEY'RE NOT SITTING IN THE SAME COUNCIL CHAMBER SAYING, MAN, I WISH THEY WOULD'VE JUST INCREASED HIS TAX RATE INSTEAD OF BEEN WORRIED ABOUT CONTINUOUSLY BEING THE LOWEST.
AND, AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE $16.5 MILLION WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THAT'S INFRASTRUCTURE.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT A PICKLEBALL COURT.
THAT'S INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS, THAT IS, YOU KNOW, WORKING TOWARD THINGS TO WHERE WE HAVE STREETS AND WE HAVE DRAINAGE IN AREAS THAT ARE SUFFERING TODAY BECAUSE OF SUBSIDENCE.
THE EAST, EAST SIDE OF TOWN IS SUFFERING BECAUSE OF SUBSIDENCE AND BECAUSE A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS.
BUT THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE, YOU KNOW, AND WHEN WE'VE DONE THE BOND TASK FORCE, I MEAN, AGAIN, THAT BOND, LAST BOND TASK FORCE WAS 40 PEOPLE CAME TOGETHER AND, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A LONG LIST OF THAT.
THEY HAD $80 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS THAT THEY LOOKED AT, AND THEY CAME OUT WITH $27 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS TO WORK ON.
AND SO, BUT THOSE OTHER PROJECTS THAT, THAT WERE MADE UP TO 80 MILLION HAVE NOT GONE AWAY.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE IN THE GROUND THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DIG UP ONE OF THESE DAYS, DIG UP, REPLACE, AND COVER BACK UP.
AND PEOPLE ARE WONDERING, WHERE, WHERE'D MY DOLLARS GO? WELL, YOU CAN FLUSH YOUR TOILET.
RUDY BERETTA, UH, THERE'S BEEN FIVE, SIX PEOPLE COME UP HERE AND GIVEN REASONS WHY THEY DON'T BELIEVE THIS, UH, TAX RATE INCREASE IS, IS ADEQUATE AT THIS, THIS DAY AND AGE.
UH, AND ALL MY IMPRESSION FROM ALL I'VE HEARD FROM, UH, MOST OF Y'ALL ARE JUST JUSTIFICATIONS AS TO WHY, HEY, WE'RE, THIS IS WHY WE NEED TO DO IT.
RIGHT? I HAVEN'T HEARD ONE REASON, HEY, WE'RE GONNA GO BACK, UH, AND LOOK AT IT.
WHAT CAN WE CUT OUT OF THE 50 SOMETHING MILLION DOLLARS? NOTHING WAS CUT.
LIKE, UH, COUNCILMAN BLANCHARD MENTIONED ARE, ARE WE BEING LISTENED TO? I HOPE SO.
'CAUSE 'CAUSE THIS IS STRANGE THAT SIX PEOPLE HAVE COME UP HERE AND SAID IT, AND OH, WE'VE HEARD ARE JUSTIFICATIONS.
WE SAY IF WE WAIT ANOTHER YEAR, ANOTHER TWO YEARS, TH THE 30% INFLATION, THIS IS, THIS IS THE TIME TO DO IT.
HOW ARE WE DOING IT AT, AT OUR HOUSES? RIGHT.
WE'VE, WE'RE SEEING THE 30% INCREASE TOO.
LIKE A LADY OVER THERE SAID, LET US BREATHE.
RIGHT? WE'RE GASPING FOR ERROR OVER HERE, SO WE DON'T WANNA HEAR JUSTIFICATIONS.
LISTEN TO THE FIVE, SIX PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME UP HERE AND SAID, HEY, WE, THIS IS NOT GOOD.
WHAT DOES THE, THE PRIORITIZATION, UH, METHOD LOOK LIKE? FOR EXAMPLE, CEDAR STREET, THE STREET THAT I LIVE ON RIGHT NEXT TO ROBERTS, SEES A LOT OF TRAFFIC, RIGHT? THERE WAS A DIP.
THERE'S A DIP THAT'S A, DURING SCHOOL, UH, UH, THAT HOURS, THAT'S A 15 MILE PER HOUR, UH, SPEED, UH, LIMIT.
AND THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE, THEY SLOW DOWN FOR IT.
NOW WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE WHAT NEEDS TO GET DONE.
ALL THESE STREETS PRIORITIZE 'EM.
BUT YOU'RE, BUT YOU'RE ASSUMING THAT WE D DID NOT PRIORITIZE COR I'M NOT ASSUMING THAT.
I'M SURE THERE WAS, THERE WAS A PRIORITIZATION THAT WAS DONE.
AND EVERYBODY COULD SIT HERE AND SAY THAT THEIR STREET SHOULD BE ON THE TOP OF THAT ROOF.
WANTS EVERYBODY AND EVERYBODY THAT LIVES OFF OF NORTH YON, THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND.
THEY CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE HAVEN'T REPLACED NORTH YON.
AND HE SAID, HE SAID, WHY ISN'T SYCAMORE ON THIS LIST? AND THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE THE BOND TASK FORCE LOOKED AT ALL THE LISTS THAT WERE GIVEN, GIVEN TO THEM OF STREETS, AND THEY DIDN'T PUT IT ON THE TOP OF THE LIST, DIDN'T MAKE THE CUT.
AND THE SAD THING IS THE GENTLEMAN SAID IS, IS THAT, WELL THEN, I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING, WHAT I'M HEARING IS, IS THAT I'LL NEVER SEE IN MY LIFE, I'M, I'LL NEVER SEE MY STREET REPAIRED.
AND GUESS WHAT? HE'S PASSED AWAY.
WE'VE NEVER REPLACED IT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S NOT HITTING THE TOP OF THE LIST.
[02:20:01]
IT'S, IT GETS DOWN TO TAKING WHAT FEW DOLLARS WE CAN FEEL THAT WE CAN JUSTIFY BACK TO THE TAXPAYERS, BE ABLE TO TAKE THOSE FEW DOLLARS AND SPREAD THEM OUT AS WIDE AS WE CAN.THERE'S LONG LISTS OF, I MEAN, OUR C P C I P LIST IS HUGE.
IT'S, IT'S EVEN SHORTER THAN IT WAS IN THE PAST WHENEVER I CAME HERE, BECAUSE WE FINALLY WENT BACK AND SAID, OKAY, THESE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN ON THIS LIST FIVE, 10 YEARS.
YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST TAKE 'EM OFF THE LIST 'CAUSE WE'RE NOT GONNA DO 'EM OR, YOU KNOW, TYPE STUFF.
SO AGAIN, WE'VE, WE'RE NOT, I'M SORRY THAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT WE'RE JUSTIFYING, WE'RE JUST, WE'RE TRYING TO EXPLAIN WHERE WE GOT WHERE WE'RE AT.
JUST EXPLAINING WHERE WE'RE AT.
BUT JUST LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE OF IF, IF, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S SIX PEOPLE THAT ARE SITTING HERE SAYING THAT WE WANT TO CUT THE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS.
WELL, AGAIN, THAT'S NOTHING THAT'S BEEN TAKEN OUT TO THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WANT DONE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE YEARS WHEN WE DIDN'T HAVE A FESTIVAL LIGHT PARADE, WE ALL GOT PHONE CALLS WHEN IT, LAST YEAR, WHENEVER IT GOT RAINED OUT, WE GOT ATE UP INSIDE AND OUT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE IT FIREWORKS.
AND, AND WHEN WE DON'T HAVE FIREWORKS, WE GET PHONE CALLS.
WHY DON'T YOU DO FIREWORKS? WHAT DO YOU GOT AGAINST THE US BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT DOING FIREWORKS.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S $30,000 WE SPEND ON FIREWORKS.
THAT'S A THOUSAND DOLLARS A MINUTE THAT WE SPEND.
WE CAN SAVE $30,000 RIGHT NOW IF WE DON'T WANT TO, IF THIS GROUP DOESN'T WANT TO DO FIREWORKS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO GET A PHONE CALL.
SO IT'S BACK GETS BACK TO WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS, AND THEN WE'LL SPEND THE DOLLARS TO EITHER DO WHAT THEY WANT OR NOT DO WHAT THEY WANT.
WELL, OR, OR NOT SPEND THE DOLLARS, THE BOND ISSUE IS PROBABLY, AGAIN, IT'S THE MOST DIFFICULT ONE BECAUSE IT'S THE LARGEST COMPONENT OF THE COST.
AND, AND, AND THE LANDSCAPE COMPLETELY CHANGED.
IT IT HAS, IT'S, IT'S NOT THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES THAT, THAT'S CORRECT.
BUT WHAT HAS NOT CHANGED THOUGH, THE COST.
THE COST OF, YOU KNOW, CHANGE.
WHEN WE WENT INTO TALKING WITH THE COMMITTEE, THERE'S A COMMITTEE OF 40 CITIZENS.
THE COUNCIL DOESN'T VOTE ON THE PROJECTS.
WHERE COUNCIL MADE THE CHANGE WAS THEY, THEY TOOK CITY HALL OFF, UM, AND THEN PUT ANOTHER STREET PROJECT ON THERE.
BUT IN ALL, IN ALL, IT STAYED WITH A 40 PERSON COMMITTEE AND STUFF THAT MET OVER 6, 7, 8 MONTHS ON THERE.
AND THEN IT WAS TAKEN TO THE PUBLIC, PUBLIC HEARING.
AND THEN THE VOTERS, 1200 VOTERS VOTED ON THAT.
AND SO IT IS HARD TO CHANGE IN A, UH, FOR A BOND PROJECT ON A PUBLIC HEARING, ON A, ON A, IN A BUDGET, IN A BUDGET PROCESS WHERE FIVE OR SIX CITIZENS, YOU KNOW, ASK FOR A CHANGE BECAUSE THEN YOU COULD POSSIBLY EXCERPT THE WILL OF 1200 VOTERS.
THAT ACTUALLY, THAT, I MEAN, IF THERE'S EVER ANY ONE DEFINITIVE FEEDBACK THAT YOU EVER WANT, IT'S AN ELECTION.
AND SOMEBODY EARLIER SAID 90 10 IN FAVOR, IS THAT, IS THAT REALLY, I DON'T KNOW THE NUMBERS EXACTLY.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE CHASE? THAT'S WHAT WHAT I THOUGHT I SAW.
AND IT WAS, AND I, I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK THAT I'M AGAINST INFRASTRUCTURE.
I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE TOP PRIORITIES WE NEED, RIGHT? IS OUR ROADS AND OUR PEOPLE.
UH, I'M JUST SAYING THE, OUR CITIZENS SIGNED THOSE CHECKS IN 2021, AND IT WAS A, JUST A DIFFERENT TIME.
SO, SO THE, THE, WHAT WOULD A CITY COUNCIL MEETING LOOK LIKE BACK WHEN THESE CONVERSATIONS WERE BEING HAD IN 2020? RIGHT.
I'M SURE AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, THERE, THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT, THAT WERE SPEAKING UP FOR THE BONDS.
IT, IT WOULDN'T LOOK LIKE RIGHT NOW WHERE EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT HAS COME UP HERE HAS, HAS NOT BEEN, UH, COMPLETELY IN FAVOR, RIGHT? YEAH.
NO, THERE WAS PEOPLE THAT WEREN'T IN FAVOR OF CERTAIN COMPONENTS OF THE BONDS, RIGHT.
SO, SO I'VE, I DON'T, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYBODY IN FAVOR TODAY, AND ALL I'M ASKING IS HERE, HEAR US OUT.
I KNOW Y'ALL PROVIDED YOUR JUSTIFICATIONS, BUT PERHAPS REVISIT SOME, SOME OF THESE THINGS AND HEY, MAYBE WE, WE, I MEAN THAT'S WHAT THIS FORUM IS FOR, RIGHT? YOU SAYING BACK IN 2020, BUT THE ECONOMY MIGHT HAVE BEEN GREAT, MIGHT HAVE BEEN GOOD, AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM.
ALRIGHT, SO THAT'S ALL, THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO COME ACROSS.
WELL, AGAIN, WE, YOU KNOW, MODESTO DID MENTION THIS IS THAT ONE OPTION, YOU KNOW, IF WE DO DELAY IT, WE MIGHT AS WELL JUST FORGET ABOUT THE PROJECTS.
AND THE ANSWER TO THAT, IF WE, IF WE GO DOWN THAT ROUTE IS, IS THAT WE WOULD COMPLETELY JUST GO BACK TO THE VOTERS AND SAY, THESE PROJECTS ARE OFF THE LIST.
WE'RE NOT GONNA USE THE BOND DOLLARS AND WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU AT A LATER DATE.
THE DEAL IS, IS THAT, AGAIN, SLEEPY HOLLOW, IT'S BEEN SITTING THERE, THE STREETS ARE FALLING APART.
[02:25:01]
THOSE CITIZENS HAVE BEEN PAYING TAXES JUST LIKE YOU HAVE, AND THEY WANT NEW ROADS.AND SO AGAIN, THAT'S, THAT'S A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT WILL GET A PHONE CALL FROM.
AND ANYBODY ELSE THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM THE IMPROVED STREETS WOULD WE'D GET A PHONE CALL FROM.
NOW AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING AT INFRASTRUCTURE.
IF WE DON'T, THERE'S SOME COMMUNITIES IN OUR AREA THAT HAVE SUFFERED AND WILL CONTINUE TO SUFFER BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT TAKEN CARE, THEY DID NOT TAKE CARE OF THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE.
THEY HAD A COMMUNITY THAT SAID, WAIT A MINUTE, I DON'T WANT US, I'M AN AGING COMMUNITY.
I DON'T WANNA SPEND THESE DOLLARS.
AND SO NOW THEY GOT AN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS FAILING AND THEY'LL NEVER CATCH UP.
THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO CATCH UP.
AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TRY AND STAY AHEAD OF THAT CURVE AS BEST AS WE CAN.
AGAIN, LOOKING AT WHAT THE IMPACT IS TO THE DOLLARS THAT WE'RE ASKING FROM YOU AND FROM US AS TAXPAYERS TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT.
UM, LEE REDLINE, UM, 63
ARE THESE, ARE THESE JUST OUTGOING BIDS THAT WE GET FROM PEOPLE, UM, PROJECTING THE COST OF THIS? UM, LIKE DO WE JUST KIND OF, DO WE JUST HAVE LIKE A THING? THE, THE STATE HAS GOT A WHOLE SET OF GUIDE GUIDELINES THAT WE HA HAVE TO ABIDE BY.
SO, SO THAT MIKE, THE BIDDING EXPLAIN THE, THE, WHAT WE DO ON THE ESTIMATES.
SO WE RUN IN OUR ESTIMATES IN-HOUSE, AND THEN WE ALSO RUN 'EM, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES BY THE ENGINEER.
AND SO WHEN WE CONTRACT WITH THE ENGINEER, THEY TRY TO DO THE ESTIMATES.
BUT WHEN WE GO OUT FOR BID, IT'S A PUBLIC BID.
SO WE, UH, ON A STREET CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, WE MAY GET EIGHT BIDS FROM PRIVATE FIRMS AND IT'S ADVERTISED ON WEDNESDAY.
IT'S, IT'S OPENED UP AT TWO O'CLOCK.
AND WE SEE, AND USUALLY WE HAVE TO WARD IT TO THE LOWEST AND BEST BID.
AND MOST OF THE TIME IT'S THE LOWEST BID.
UH, THE CONTRACTORS USUALLY, YOU KNOW, MEET, YOU KNOW, MEET THE CRITERIA ON THAT.
DO WE EVER DO INCENTIVIZE FOR ANYTHING LIKE A LOCAL, DO WE HAVE ANY LOCAL CONSTRUCTION? WE DO HAVE A LOCAL CONSTRUCTION, UH, COMPANY THAT PROBABLY DOES GET A LOT OF THE, THE BIDS.
THEY, UH, THEY PERFORM, YOU KNOW, EXCELLENT WORK.
UM, ON OCCASION WHEN THE PROJECT BECOMES TOO BIG OR THERE'S TOO MUCH ON THEIR PLATE, THEY MAY NOT WIN, YOU KNOW, WIN THE BID.
BUT USUALLY THEY'RE THE, UH, IN RECENT, YOU KNOW, MEMORY OF THE LAST 10 OR 15 YEARS, THEY'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF THE BID.
UH, BUT OTHER LOCAL PROJECTS, THEY, THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE.
BUT THERE'S REALLY ONLY ONE CONSTRUCTION FIRM THAT'S LOCAL.
IF WE HAVE, UM, ONES THAT AREN'T LOCAL, IS THERE ANY WAY WE PUT IN THERE LIKE, FOR HIRING, LIKE A LOT OF TIMES IT'S CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES WILL HIRE ON YOUR LABORERS.
I DON'T, THEY ALWAYS HAD CONTRACTS.
DON'T THINK WE CAN PUT, I DON'T THINK WE CAN LEGALLY, UH, DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THE FEDS, THE STATE CAN, CAN, BUT I DON'T THINK WE CAN.
UM, AND THEN I GUESS ON THAT IS, ARE SOME OF THESE PROJECTS LIKE SMALLER ONES, ARE THEY EVER DONE JUST BY THE CITY WORKERS THAT WE HAVE? OR IS THERE STUFF LIKE THAT? OR IS IT CITY WORKERS? WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM.
THE CITY IS NOT CAPABLE OF CONSTRUCTION.
IF WE HAVE, UM, LOOKING FORWARD, IF WE HAVE THIS MUCH GOING FORWARD LIKE THAT, WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL THIS INFRASTRUCTURE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
IS THERE NOT MAYBE SOMETHING THAT THE CITY COULD LOOK INTO IN CREATING ITS OWN CONSTRUCTION, ITS OWN, UM, COMPANY ACQUIRING ITS MATERIAL STUFF.
WE GOT GRASS THAT WE CAN'T MO THAT WE HAVE TO LEASE.
THIS IS THE ONE WHERE WITH GRASS THAT WE GET, THIS IS THE ONE WHERE I WILL AGREE WITH MR. WALLS.
THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS MUCH MORE EFFICIENT IN CONSTRUCTION THAN WE COULD, THAN WE COULD EVER BE.
THAT COST YOU FOUR TIMES AS MUCH.
WELL, WE'VE HEARD FROM ALL THE YOUNGER PEOPLE.
THIS IS THE GRUMPY OLD MAN CLUB.
OH, GLEN JONES, ONE 18 CYPRESS.
AND I'VE BEEN AROUND LONGER THAN MOST OF THEM ARE OLD.
AND I'VE ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED IN THIS, WHICH IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE MISS, AND I THINK Y'ALL TRIED TO EXPLAIN OR RHONDA IN THE TIMELINE, ALL THESE EARLY HEARINGS ARE NEVER ATTENDED BY ANYBODY, BUT THEY'RE PUBLIC.
YOU CAN SIT RIGHT HERE WITH THEM IN YOUR SHIRT AND SHORTS AND EAT THEIR DONUTS OR WHATEVER THEY GIVE YOU THAT DAY AND DO A PUBLIC HEARING.
THAT SAID, THIS IS KIND OF LATE IN THE GAME, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS BOND ISSUE THING.
AND, AND A LOT OF IT KEEPS GETTING PUT IN THE CONTEXT OF TODAY THE WAY THINGS ARE.
BUT THIS IS WHAT MAYBE OUR FIFTH BIG INFRASTRUCTURE, I'VE BEEN ON THREE BOND TASK FORCE, RIGHT? SO IT'S, IT, SO IT'S,
[02:30:01]
THERE WERE TIMES WHEN WE DID SOME OF THESE THAT WEREN'T THE GREATEST OF TIMES.I MEAN, WHEN WE HAD SOME OF THESE BOND ISSUES, UH, AND THEY WERE GENERALLY ABOUT THE SAME SIZE, BUT THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING THING.
THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT JUST CAME UP.
AND WE HAD GOT A BOND TASK FORCE AND I WAS THERE, I WAS ON IT.
AND YOU'LL BE SURPRISED THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT SAID AS WE WERE PARING THIS DOWN.
'CAUSE BILL, BILL KEPT SAYING, OH, OR, OR PAM KEPT SAYING, OH, WE ONLY WANT IT TO BE A NICKEL INCREASE AT THE MOST, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND THERE WERE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE SAID, LOOK, DO WE WANNA BE THE, HAVE THE CHEAPEST TAX RATE OR DO WE WANT TO HAVE THE BEST CITY? WHAT? I MEAN, WE NEED TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
AND I HAVE MADE, AND I HAVE LONG SAID, EVERY TIME I SEE A CITY, NOT NECESSARILY THIS ONE, A LOT OF 'EM, THEY'LL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF CUTTING THAT TAX RATE A PENNY OR TWO, WHICH SAVES A HOMEOWNER $5 OR $10.
AND YOU WIND UP, IT GETS TO BE A CUMULATIVE EFFECT.
AND THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, FREEPORT WILL NEVER CATCH UP.
AND WHEN YOU START COMPLAINING ABOUT THAT KIND OF THING, YOUR ILLUSTRIOUS, UH, APPRAISAL DISTRICT APPRAISED BY $1.9 BILLION BUILDINGS AT 6.992 IN FREEPORT.
AND I HADN'T SEEN AN IMPROVEMENT IN THERE IN YEARS.
AND I'M STILL, I'M FIGHTING THAT.
I MEAN, I DON'T MAKE ANY MONEY OFF THE DARN THINGS, BUT ALL OF THIS ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE, IT REALLY, REALLY, IF YOU PUT IT OFF, YOU'LL NEVER CATCH IT UP.
AND WE STARTED THIS PROCESS A LONG TIME AGO WITH CITIZEN INPUT.
WE, ALL OF THESE, UH, BOND ISSUES HAVE HAD BIG BOND GROUPS AND EVERYBODY, WE, I THINK THIS LAST ONE WE DID, WE PRIORITIZED THEM BY USING SOME SYSTEM LIKE THE HIGHWAY MARBLE DEPARTMENT DID THEN MARBLES.
I MEAN, IF PEOPLE WERE ASKED TO COME OUT, WE SHOWED 'EM, EXPLAINED IT, AND THEY WENT THROUGH 'EM.
AND I UNDERSTAND EVERYBODY'S HAVING TROUBLES.
I MEAN, THEY'RE LIKE, I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS AND I, YOU KNOW, I, YOU KNOW, BUT YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE, WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR YOUR CITY.
I KNOW SOMEBODY SAID, OH, WHY DON'T WE HAVE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS? WELL, A LOT OF PEOPLE, THEY'RE PROUD OF THAT.
THEY LIKE TO SEE YOUR CITY LOOK GOOD.
AND I MEAN, IT'S A LITTLE THING.
I MEAN, YOU CAN KNOCK OFF 30,000 BUCKS, EVERYTHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT, THESE LITTLE THINGS WON'T REALLY MAKE A HILL OF BEANS DIFFERENCE.
WHEN IT GETS RIGHT DOWN TO IT, IT WON'T CHANGE ANYTHING.
IT WON'T LOWER YOUR TAX RATE THAT MUCH.
ALL IT WILL DO IS JUST A BIT OF AN AGGRAVATION FOR ACCOUNTING, BUT IT WON'T.
SO WE, WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT THIS AND GET OFF OF WORRYING ABOUT WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT.
I KNOW WE'RE GONNA DO IT IN SMALLER INCREMENTS, BUT WE REALLY NEED TO STICK WITH THE PROGRAM THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE DOES IT.
AND LONG, LONG TIME AGO WHEN WE STARTED THIS, WE REJECTED AS A CITY OR THE COUNCIL TO ASSESS PEOPLE.
I MEAN, A LOT OF CITIES, THEY PUT IN YOU A CONCRETE STREET, YOU PAY FOR A FOOT OF IT.
AND, UH, SO I MEAN, WHAT WE'RE GETTING HERE IS A GOOD DEAL.
YOU LOOK AT, LOOK AT, I ALWAYS LIKE TO LOOK AT AZALEA WHEN I WAS A KID OR A LOT YOUNGER IS ZALIA WAS A NICE STREET, THEN IT GOT A CRAPPY STREET.
WE IMP WE PUT THAT NEW STREET IN AND PEOPLE START FIXING THEIR HOUSES UP.
AND I KNOW ON THE BOND TASK FORCE, A LOT OF PEOPLE, BOB SIPPEL WAS A BIG ONE, BUGGING ME ABOUT LET'S DO MEDICAL DRIVER LATE DRIVE SOMETHING.
AND I SAID, LOOK, WE GET MORE BANK FOR OUR BUCK IN A NEIGHBORHOOD.
I THE STREET THAT A GUY DRIVE, THAT SOMEBODY COMING FROM TOWN DRIVES ON TO GET TO WORK OR SOMETHING, BUT IN YOUR STREET.
SO WE'VE GOT A REALLY GOOD DEAL.
NOW, I'M, I MAY NOT LIVE TO SEE THIS BOND ISSUE FINISHED FOR THAT MATTER, BUT THE POINT IS, I THINK TO TRY TO START PUSHING THAT STUFF OUT.
AND I TELL YOU, WELL, WHAT'LL HAPPEN IF WE DON'T DO IT, WE WON'T EVER DO ANOTHER ONE BECAUSE THE, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS A REAL STRAIN.
WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT WHEN WE DID THIS ONE, WHEN WE VOTED FOR IT.
AND YOU PUSH IT OFF WHERE THE VOTER LOSES CONFIDENCE IN YOUR ABILITY TO, TO PLAN AHEAD FOR WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
A LOT OF THIS IS EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
BUT WE JUST HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, PULL OURSELVES UP AND DECIDE TO DO IT AND GET IT OVER WITH.
I MEAN, IF IT WERE ME, I JUST, I WOULD RAISE THE TAX RATE BECAUSE I WANT THE SAME SERVICES THAT I'M GETTING NOW THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY MORE MONEY FOR.
I WANT GOOD POLICE, THANK GOD WE'RE ABLE TO KEEP A DECENT VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.
'CAUSE SOME OF THESE CITIES ARE PAYING BIG BUCKS, BIG BUCKS.
[02:35:01]
WE GET WHAT WE PAY FOR AND WE ARE BLESSED.I MEAN, YOU GO LOOK AT OUR CIVIC CENTER, OUR REC CENTER, OUR TENNIS COURTS, OUR SWIMMING POOLS AND THE STREETS.
YOU GOT TO GET TO 'EM AND YOU JUST CAN'T DENY THE CITY OF NOW WHAT, 26,000.
I MEAN I HAVE PEOPLE COME TO TOWN TO MY HOUSE AND SAY, MAN, Y'ALL GOT THAT.
OR MAN, HOW DO Y'ALL AFFORD THAT? WE JUST DO A GOOD JOB AT IT.
SO I THINK, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT, AND THIS IS A HARD JOB.
I MEAN, I FIRST GOT TO COUNCIL, I HAD NO IDEA ABOUT A BUDGET.
THAT'S THE MOST FRIGHTENING THING I DID.
I MEAN, IN EVERY DECISION I MADE, I FELT LIKE IT WAS PROBABLY AGGRAVATING ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF THE PEOPLE.
SO TAKE, GIVE 'EM, GIVE US SOME CREDIT FOR WHAT THEY'VE DONE THIS DEAL OF, OH, WE DIDN'T LOOK FOR A PLACE TO CUT.
WELL, SOMETIMES IT JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN THAT WAY.
I KNOW EVERYBODY THINKS THAT CITY GOVERNMENTS AND THE STATE, EVERYBODY'S GOT A BIG LOAD OF FAT, BUT YOU START LOOKING AT THESE THINGS AND YOU BELIEVE, YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE HOW REALLY LEAN THEY REALLY ARE.
AND SO JUST BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T CUT ANYTHING DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S GOT A LOT OF FAT.
AND AMY? I, I'D SAY ONE, ONE THING ON THAT IS THAT BY THE TIME IT GETS TO US TO GO THROUGH LINE ITEM, MODESTO HAS ALREADY PUT 'EM THROUGH THE RINGER IN TERMS OF NOPE, WE'RE NOT EVEN TAKING THAT.
SO HE DOES A LOT OF THE PRE-CUTTING BEFORE WE GET TO THE CUTTING, WHICH IS WHY THERE'S NOT A LOT TO CUT SOMETIMES.
I THINK THAT WAS WHAT I LEARNED.
WELL I'M GONNA BRING US OUT OF THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 9 0 6 AND IF WE MAY, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT, UH, PROBABLY NEED TO TAKE A BREAK.
SO LET'S TAKE A, LET'S TAKE A, A 10 MINUTE BREAK.
I'M GETTING OUTTA YOUR WAY, COUNSEL.
DON'T TALK TO OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD.
UM, AND THERE IS GONNA BE AN AGENDA CHANGE HERE ALSO.
IS IS THAT, THAT AFTER WE FINISHED, UH, ITEM FIVE, WE'RE GONNA GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND DO THE, UH, EVALUATIONS FOR OUR TWO MUNICIPAL JUDGES SO THAT THEY CAN GET BACK HOME AND STUFF.
UH, SO THAT'S, WE'LL CHANGE THAT.
SO WE'LL ACTUALLY, WE'LL BY THE END OF THE NIGHT WE'LL HAVE AT LEAST THREE EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO TO, UH, ITEM AGAIN, ITEM THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE.
UH, COUNSEL, YOU HAVE A SHEET IN FRONT OF YOU.
SO WHENEVER WE GO TO MAKING MOTIONS, YOU HAVE TO USE THE, UH, THE STATEMENTS THAT, UH, ARE IN FRONT OF YOU FOR EITHER ONE OF THOSE ITEMS. AND DEPENDS ON WHAT WE DO ON THOSE ITEMS. SOME OF THE NUMBERS WILL CHANGE OR NEED TO BE ADDED.
[3. Discuss and consider Resolution No. 23-924 adopting the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Annual Budget – Modesto Mundo.]
GONNA MOVE ON TO ITEM THREE IS DISCUSS AND CONSIDER, UH, RESOLUTION NUMBER 23, UH, 9 2 4, ADOPTING THE FISCAL YEAR 2023.AND MODESTO, YOU GOT A RESOLUTION OR READ OR NOT? I DO.
THIS IS A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE BUDGET FOR THE CITY OF LAKE JACKSON, TEXAS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2023.
AND IT MEANS SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024.
SINCE IT'S A RESOLUTION AND WE READ IT, I NEED A MOTION TO GO FURTHER IN DISCUSSION.
RESOLUTION, WE CAN GO INTO DISCUSSION WITHOUT THIS RES, WITHOUT A VOTE.
THE VOTE WITH THE RESOLUTION RIGHT, IS THAT THEY HAVE TO PICK THE TAX RATE OKAY.
AND SO IT'S GONNA BE REALLY, UNLESS THEY, YEAH, JUST DO IT FOR THE BIGGEST.
SO WHAT, WHAT'S CURRENTLY PROPOSED IS MAINTAINING THE TAX RATE, THE 3% MARKET AND THE 16.5 UM, MILLION.
SO THAT'S MAINTAINING THE TAX RATE.
MY CURRENT PROPOSAL, WHAT WAS ADVERTISED WAS THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, UM, WHICH IS 0.3 3 7 4 2 2.
SO WHAT IS IN THE PROPOSAL IS MAINTAINING THE TAX RATE AT 3, 2, 3, 1, 2, 1.
SO MR. MAYORS, FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES, I WOULD UH, MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, UH, CHOOSE OPTION ONE, WHICH IS 2% MAINTAIN TAX RATE.
[02:40:02]
WAIT A SECOND, LEMME FIND OUT.OPTION ONE IS THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, THAT'S NO NEW REVENUE.
I'M LOOKING AT THE YELLOW COLUMN.
THAT'S OPTION, THAT'S OPTION THREE.
SO THAT IS THE MAIN YEAH, BUT THAT WAS, SO IS THAT THIS IS ALL MIXED UP.
'CAUSE 'CAUSE WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE SAYING WE WE'RE, THIS IS FOR THE BUDGET.
AND I UNDERSTAND IF WE GO OVER THERE AND WE CHANGE THE RATE, IT COULD IMPACT THE BUDGET.
ESPECIALLY IF YOU GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO NO NEW REVENUE.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS FOR THE BUDGET.
SO DO YOU WANT, THIS IS THE QUESTION IS, IS DO YOU WANT TO ACCEPT THE BUDGET AS IT STANDARDS? WELL SEE IT SAYS THE READ THE WAY IT IS, SO I'M TRYING TO READ IT THE WAY IT IS.
SO YEAH, THAT WOULD BE, IT SAYS WITH OPTION BLANK.
UH, I'M JUST FOLLOWING, BUT I'M, I UNDERSTAND.
SO I MEAN THERE'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT I NEED TO NO, I'M JUST, I'M JUST CLARIFYING IS WE'RE VOTING ON THE BUDGET.
WE'RE NOT VOTING ON THE RIGHT EVEN THOUGH ONE DRIVES THE OTHER.
AND I THINK THIS IS BACKWARDS, BUT THIS IS THE WAY WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO IT.
SO ITEM THREE, YOU, YOU'RE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ITEM THREE.
IT'S MOVING TO ADOPT THE BUDGET WITH, YOU KNOW, OPTION.
YOU KNOW THREE AS THE TAX RATE.
AGAIN, THE BUDGET IS PRESENTED IS UH, CALLS FOR MAINTAINING THE TAX RATE.
WHAT THAT DOES IS IT PAYS FOR A 3% MARKET ADJUSTMENT.
UM, WHICH REQUIRES AN INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE TO GET THAT A HUNDRED THOUSAND EXTRA REVENUE.
RIGHT? UH, THE MAINTAIN GETS YOU 117.
SO THAT 17 WOULD GO TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, THE STREET MAINTENANCE.
SO I GOT A SECOND AND SO WE GOT A SECOND.
SO CONTINUE ON THIS, SO THAT DISCUSSION PURPOSE AND NOW WE CAN DISCUSS WHATEVER WE WANT.
IF YOU WANT TO GO OVER THE OPTION FIVE, THEN WE CAN DO THAT.
SO, BUT THAT HAS TO BE AMENDMENT THAT HAS TO BE DONE WITH AN AMENDMENT.
IF WE GO WITH A DIFFERENT CHANGE FROM WHAT YOU JUST SAID AND THAT'S, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON.
I THINK WHAT WE'VE GOT IS, IS THE MOTION, IS THE MOTION AS HE READ, IS IS HE MOVED TO ADOPT THE BUDGET WITH OPTION THREE, WHICH IS THE MAINTAIN TAX RATE, WHICH IS IN THE BUDGET.
THAT IS THE WAY THE BUDGET READS TODAY, LIKE MODESTO WAS EXPLAINING IS THAT THAT GIVES YOU THE 3% SALARY INCREASE AND IT GIVES YOU AN ADDITIONAL $17,000 THAT HE'S IN THE BUDGET, HE'S EARMARKED FOR STREETS, ADDITIONAL STREET WORK.
SO THAT'S WHAT THE MOTION IS, IS THE OPTION AND THE 16.5 MILLION FOR THE BOND INCLUDING YES.
THAT INCLUDES A 16.55, WHATEVER THE NUMBER IS.
SO THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WAS PROPOSED, YOU KNOW, DURING THE SUMMER, UH, IN THE, IN THE BUDGET HEARING WITH THE IDENTIFIED COST THAT COUNCIL WANTED TO CUT OUT.
AND THEN THE CONVENIENCE FEE IN, YOU KNOW, FOR THE CHARGE AND THOSE COSTS AND THAT CONVENIENCE FEE HAS BEEN ALLOCATED TO THE STREET MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT.
SO THAT EXTRA 17 AND THE COST NETTED THE STREET DEPARTMENT AN EXTRA 91,000 IN MAINTENANCE FEES.
AND DOES THIS, THIS BUDGET DOESN'T INCLUDE THAT THE UH, REQUEST THAT WAS MADE FOR THE ADDITIONAL HOLIDAY? THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE AMEN.
THAT WOULD HAVE TO IT TO THIS BUDGET.
I'LL AMEND MY MOTION TO INCLUDE THAT HOLIDAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO AMEND TO INCLUDE IN THE BUDGET THE JUNE 19TH HOLIDAY FOR EMPLOYEES.
SO THAT'S A MOTION AMENDMENT MOTION.
SO ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT AMENDMENT? AMENDMENT? NOT HEARING NONE.
I NEED A VOTE ON THAT AMENDMENT.
SO ALL IN FAVOR OF INCREASING THE NUMBER IN TO, TO ADD THE JUNE 19TH HOLIDAY TO THE CI CITY, UH, CALENDAR.
UH, IF YOU APPROVE THAT, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AND MAYOR, CAN I JUST CLARIFY? SURE.
THAT HAD A NO COST IMPACT TO THE GENERAL FUND.
RIGHT? IT DID HAVE A COST IMPACT OF 18,000 OF OVERTIME TO THE UTILITY FUND.
BUT WHAT THAT WILL DO IS WE'LL LESSEN THE TRANSFER TO CAPITAL PROJECTS WITH A RATE INCREASE.
SO IT, YOU DON'T HAVE TO CHANGE, YOU CHANGE ANY RATES.
IT JUST LESSENED THAT TRANSFER TO LIFT STATION REPAIRS BY 18,000.
AGAIN, THAT BOAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD HAVE DONE AFTER THIS BUDGET.
WE COULD HAVE DONE IT IN OCTOBER.
BUT WE'RE DOING IT NOW TO JUST GET IT, TAKE CARE OF IT.
SO NOW WE HAVE AN AMENDMENT BUDGET, I MEAN AMENDMENT, AMENDMENT MOTION ON THE FLOOR OF OPTION THREE WITH THAT AMENDMENT OF THE JUNETEENTH DATE HOLIDAY FOR DISCUSSION
[02:45:01]
FOR DISCUSSION.SO AM I CORRECT IN I LIKE THIS GRAPH THE MOST OF ALL THE ONES I'VE SEEN SO FAR AS FAR AS THIS DISCUSSION GOES.
WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS, IS THIS IS WHAT, UM, THE MOTION'S TALKING ABOUT.
RIGHT? SO THE MAINTAIN TAX RATE, THIS WOULD BE OPTION THREE 17,000 STREETS IN SALARIES, A HUNDRED SALARIES RIGHT.
AND THE MAXIMUM OPTION FIVE WOULD BE THIS ONE, ANOTHER COUPLE HUNDRED TO STREETS AND ANOTHER COUPLE 2 35 FOR SALARIES.
SO IN ESSENCE, YES, THIS ONE WOULD OUTSIDE OF THE DEBT INCREASE, UM, THE M AND O RATE FOR CITIZENS, WHAT THEY WOULD SEE, THEY WOULD SEE A 10, A $10 INCREASE A YEAR.
RIGHT OUTSIDE OF THE, OUTSIDE OF THE DEBT.
BUT YOU'RE INCREASING MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS FOR I GUESS 91 CENTS A MONTH.
SO THEN THIS IS THE SAME TAX RATE THAT WE HAVE TODAY.
IT'S MAINTAINED THE SAME TAX RATE THAT WE HAVE TODAY.
SO IT'S STILL AN INCREASE BUT AN INCREASE PREDOMINANTLY, YEAH.
ONE 17 TOTAL THAT WE, THAT THE BUDGET BREAKS UP THIS WAY.
17 TO STREETS AND A HUNDRED TO SALARIES.
SO YEAH, THAT UH, IN ESSENCE THAT BUDGET, THAT TAX RATE WOULD, UM, $81, THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER WOULD SEE AN $81 INCREASE FOR THE WHOLE YEAR.
71 OF THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE DEBT ISSUANCE AND $10 IS FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS.
AND, AND THIS SALARY A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOES NOT GET US TO WHERE IT'S 3% OR 4%.
IT GETS US THREE, IT GETS US 3%.
THE CONSULTANT RECOMMENDED FIVE.
RIGHT? 2% LESS THAN THE CONSULTANT RECOMMENDED.
AND EVEN IN FACT, EVEN THIS ONE IS LESS, IT'S DOESN'T GET US FOUR, IT GETS US TO FOUR BUT IT DOESN'T GET US TO WHAT THE THAT'S CORRECT.
THE CONSULTANT RECOMMENDED TO, TO MAINTAIN FIVE AND ATTRACT NEW MAIN, YOU KNOW.
IF OUR PEOPLE, IF YOU WANTED TO DO THE FIVE, YOU WOULD HAVE TO TAKE THE STREAM MORE AWAY FROM THE STREETS.
SO I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE OPTION TWO AND OPTION THREE.
IT'S NOT MUCH DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO.
SO THE DIFFERENCE THAT IS 3% MARKET.
SO WE'RE SAYING THE 3% MARKET INCREASE IS ONLY CHANGING.
OPTION TWO INCLUDED A 2% MARKET.
SO INCLUDED A 2% MARKET, BUT IT HAD NO, UM, THAT WAS THE, UM, THAT WAS THE BASE ONE AND UH, WE OPTED TO, TO THREE COUNCIL WAS ASKING, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO, YOU KNOW, TO DO THE 3%.
AND SO WE LOOKED AT THAT, UH, MAINTAINING THE TAX RATE WOULD GET US TO THREE.
OPTION TWO INCLUDED A 2% MARKET ADJUSTMENT.
ALL THESE CUT NO BOND, A CUT TO THE RATE OPTION TWO ALSO INCLUDES THE BOND.
WITH THE BOND WE CAN LOWER THE TAX RATE AND GIVE 2% RATE.
RATE JUST BEING THIS NUMBER RIGHT HERE.
THIS IS WHERE IT IS RIGHT NOW.
WE CAN GO DOWN WITH IT, GIVE 2%, BUT WITH THE BOND.
WE WANT TO GO UP WITH THE TAX RATE FOR THIS IS A VOTER APPROVAL.
SO ANOTHER QUESTION, UH, I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT.
I SHOULD'VE SHOWED THE, IT DIDN'T SHOW THE 2% MARKET ON THAT OPTION TOO.
WE WOULD SAY THAT RIGHT HERE, THIS ALL INCLUDES 2, 3, 4, MERIT RAISE, ALL OF THAT, ALL OF IT'S STILL INCLUDED IN THIS.
WELL YES, TWO THROUGH 2, 3, 4 ALL INCLUDE THE MERIT.
JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT'S NOT, YES.
SO THIS'S NOT ONLY THIS IS 3% PLUS TWO FOUR.
SO ANYTHING, ANY OTHER DISC ANY MORE DISCUSSION ON THIS? BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT STANDS WITH OPTION THREE WITH, UH, THE JUNETEENTH HOLIDAY AND OPTION THREE IS THE ONE RIGHT HERE, CORRECT? YES.
AGAIN, WHICH INCLUDES LESS, LESS MONEY FOR SALARIES, WHICH IS REFLECTED IN THIS DI DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, 'CAUSE THIS FOUR WOULD ALSO BE IN FIVE, RIGHT? THIS IS ALSO 4%.
AND THEN ALSO WHAT, AND ANOTHER 200 PLUS THOUSAND FOR STREETS, RIGHT? YES.
SO WHAT I MEAN PRACTICALLY WHAT'S THE IMPACT OF THAT? IS THAT ONE MORE PANEL? FIVE MORE PANELS, 10 MORE PANELS? NOT MUCH.
BUT I MEAN, OR WOULD THAT COMPLETE IT'S SOMETHING COMPLETE, COMPLETE ANOTHER STREET LIKE Y POND OR RE'S GOT SOMETHING TO SAY I'LL LET RE MR. MR. MIA SPEAK, UH, TO WHAT, YOU KNOW, THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS
BUT BEFORE ANY, BEFORE THAT, I WANNA MAKE SURE I, I WOULD PERSONALLY
[02:50:01]
LIKE TO SEE THE 4% MARKET INCREASE.PERSONALLY, I'M NOT SURE HOW REST THE COUNCIL FEELS.
'CAUSE OUR EMPLOYEES, THEY'RE FACING THE SAME, UH, ISSUES AS EVERYBODY ELSE.
THEY ARE ALREADY BELOW THE PERCENTILE RATE.
THAT IS, THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN.
SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM COME UP A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THEY ARE AT 3%, YOU KNOW, TO, TO BRING IT TO THEM TO 4%.
EVEN THOUGH I KNOW IT'S NOT A VERY POPULAR DECISION TO BE MAKING.
BUT I PERSONALLY FEEL THAT THEY DO REALLY, UH, DESERVE THAT THEY WORK HARD.
UH, THEY'RE, LIKE I SAY, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE OF THE HARDEST JOBS OUT THERE IN THE SUN, IN THE HEAT, AND, UH, WORKING OVERTIME, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF FAILURES IN OUR AGING INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM AND, UH, THEY'RE OUT THERE WORKING AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES WORKING HARD, AND, UH, I THINK THEY DESERVE THAT.
MIA? UH, MAYOR, WHAT, WHAT WE RECOMMEND, AS WE SAY, WE ARE NOT PUTTING THE JOINT CEILING AND THE CRACKED CEILING.
SO WE WOULD RECOMMEND THIS $300,000 EXCLUSIVELY GO FOR THAT, BECAUSE THIS IS, YOU'RE GONNA GET THREE, PROBABLY FIVE PANEL, BUT WITH THE JOINT AND CRACK CEILING, WE CAN EXTEND THE LIFE OF THOSE STREETS.
SO WE'LL PUT THIS ON, ON THE CEILING PROJECT, SO IT, IT, IT EXTENDS THE LIFE OF WHAT WE HAVE.
I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN REQUESTING IT FOR A LONG TIME, SO NOW WE'VE, WE'RE, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME DOLLARS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AGAIN, TO, TO REDUCE.
SO HOW FAR WOULD THAT GO? WOULD THAT GO HALF OF THE CITY OR PART OF THE CITY OR SOME OF THE CITY OR, I MEAN, YOU NEED PROBABLY FIVE TO $7 MILLION TO COVER THE WHOLE CITY, BUT THIS IS A GOOD START.
IS THAT JUST SEALANT OR IS THAT, IS THAT FIXING STUFF? IT WAS JUST THE SEAL, JUST THE CEILING CRACKS AND JOINTS.
HOW FAR WAS THAT CEILING GONNA GO? SO IT'S, THEY REACHED IT TOO DRY.
NOW IT'S BECAUSE OF THE DROUGHT, IT'S EVEN MOVING MORE.
SO SOME OF THE STREET, THEY ALREADY HAVE GOTTEN TO THE POINT THAT CAN'T BE FIXED WITH SEALANT, SO THEY WOULD'VE TO STILL BE NEEDING PANEL REPLACEMENT.
AND THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE THE MONEY FOR SOME KIND REPLACEMENT.
SO, SO THE BIG THING, THE BIG THING TO LOOK AT HERE IS BETWEEN OPTION THREE AND FOUR AS A TAXPAYER WITH OPTION THREE, AND MY TAX BILL'S GONNA BE $80 AND 99 CENTS.
IF WE CHOOSE OPTION FOUR, MY TAX BILL'S GONNA BE $91 AND 98 CENTS MORE, MORE.
THE TAX BILL IS RIGHT ABOVE IT.
MS. SETH, 87, AN INCREASE FIRST FLASH, RIGHT? 800.
THAT, THAT WOULD BE THE, THAT WOULD BE THE INCREASE, RIGHT? THE, THE INCREASE, YES.
RIGHT? SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT LESS THAN $11
I MEAN, I WAS A MATH GUY IN A PREVIOUS LIFE.
THAT'S, SO IT'S, IT'S $11 DIFFERENCE.
I MEAN, I THINK OUR EMPLOYEES DEFINITELY DESERVE THAT, SO.
SO ANYTHING ELSE ON THIS BEFORE? I MEAN, RIGHT NOW, AGAIN, WE'RE STANDING ON OPTION THREE AND IF Y'ALL WANT TO GO WITH THE, AGAIN, WITH THE JUNETEENTH DATE, IF YOU WANNA GO OPTION FOUR, THEN AGAIN, WE'LL HAVE TO AMEND THAT TO STATE THAT DIFFERENCE.
COMMISSIONER, I AMEND MY MOTION TO DO, UH, GO WITH OPTION FOUR WITH THE, UH, ADDITIONAL HOLIDAY.
SO THEN WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO MOVE IT TO OPTION FOUR, WHICH IS THE 4% MARKET AND STILL INCLUDES THE 16.5 BOND AND ALSO INCLUDES THE JUNE 19TH DATE.
ANY DISCUSSION? IS THIS ON JUST AMENDING HIS ORIGINAL MOTION? YES.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENT? OKAY.
SO NOW WE STAND WITH A MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR OF OPTION, WHICH WOULD BE, UH, IT WILL READ, I MOVE TO ADOPT THE BUDGET WITH OPTION FOUR, INCLUDING JUNE 19TH, HOLIDAY BEING ADDED FOR THE CITY OF LAKE JACKSON, TEXAS, SO FORTH.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON IT.
UH, I'LL JUST SAY, I, I HEAR WHERE Y'ALL ARE COMING FROM, UM, BUT I HEARD A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE JUST ASK US TO GO BACK AND TRY AND DO BETTER.
UM, WE'RE JUST, WE'RE NOT MEETING THE MARKS THAT WE EVEN SET FOR
[02:55:01]
OURSELVES WITH EITHER ONE OF THOSE.UM, I, I WISH WE COULD'VE GONE BACK AND DONE ANOTHER, UM, BUDGET WORKSHOP OR, OR JUST TRIED.
THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I'M GONNA VOTE AGAINST IT.
I JUST WANTED US TO GO BACK AND TRY.
WHAT, WHAT BENCHMARKS DO YOU FEEL LIKE WE'RE NOT MEETING? WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? EVEN EITHER ONE OF THOSE, YOU'RE NOT MEETING THE BENCHMARK FOR, WELL, WE ARE SELECTING OPTION FIVE.
THAT'S WHAT REPRESENTED TO THE FINISHED OF FINISHED COMMENT.
BUT YOU'RE NOT MEETING THE BENCHMARK FOR WHAT WE PAID THAT COMPANY TO TELL US.
WE'RE NOT GOING FORWARD ON IT.
SO YOU'RE SAYING YOU WISH WE COULD HAVE WENT HIGHER? MAYBE TWO TO 5%.
I WISH WE COULD HAVE DONE IT, BUT FOUND A WAY TO DO IT.
JUST GONE BACK AND FOUND A, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER WE HAD TO DO TO MAKE IT WORK WITHOUT HAVING TO RAISE THE TAX RATE AS MUCH AS WE ARE.
WELL, AND, AND, AND I GUESS I JUST WANNA ADD IS FROM WHAT WE HEARD TODAY, WHICH AGAIN, I APPRECIATE, EVERYBODY DID SHOW UP TODAY AND THEY GAVE US INPUT, IS THAT AGAIN, IT'S INPUT THAT WE CAN TAKE FORWARD AND, UM, THEY DIDN'T FALL IN DEAF EARS, I GUESS IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS THAT WE HEARD AND, BUT IT'S QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE, HAVE TO ASK OUT TO THE COMMUNITY OF WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY REALLY WANT.
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY IS HOPEFULLY WHAT WE'RE SPENDING IS ON THINGS THAT THEY'VE ASKED FOR AND OR WE'VE PERCEIVED THAT THEY'VE ASKED FOR.
SO WE HAVE, EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR.
OKAY? UH, OKAY, SO WE FINISHED THAT ONE.
IS THAT CORRECT? I'M GETTING, YOU NEED TO VOTE FOR, YOU NOW NEED TO VOTE ON IT.
YOU NEED TO, OH YEAH, WE DID THE AMENDMENT.
SO YOU NEED TO READ, SO WE VOTE ON, ON THE, ON THE ACTUAL DEAL.
YEAH, WE JUST VOTED ON THE AMENDMENT.
SO, SO NOW WE GOTTA VOTE ON THE FINAL.
YOU GOTTA THE, WE GOTTA STILL VOTE ON ITEM THREE.
SO WE VOTED TO CHANGE IT TO OPTION FOUR.
SO NOW WE GOTTA VOTE ON, OKAY, YOU WENT FROM OPTION THREE TO OPTION FOUR, THAT WAS THE AMENDMENT.
WELL, I MOVE TO ADOPT THE BUDGET WITH, NOW WE, WE'VE AMENDED THE BUDGET.
SO NOW THE, THE WAY IT IS, IS OPTION FOUR WITH THE JUNETEENTH DATE ON IT.
THAT'S THE WAY THE, THE AMENDMENT HAS BEEN, THE ORIGINAL AMENDMENT HAS, I MEAN, ORIGINAL MOTION HAS BEEN AMENDED TO OPTION FOUR WITH THE JUNE 19TH DATE.
SO NOW WE NEED TO VOTE ON THAT.
THE ORIGINAL, I THOUGHT WE JUST VOTED.
NO, WE DID NOT, WE JUST VOTED ON THE AMENDMENT.
WOULD IT BE EASIER TO, TO DO THE HOLIDAY AT THE VERY END? SO EVERYBODY'S NOT CONFUSED.
SO DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE MOTION WE'RE VOTING ON OPTION FOUR AND THE HOLIDAY, THE READS, WHAT IT, IT, THE MOTION IS OPTION FOUR AND THE HOLIDAY IS IN THERE.
SO ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE A AYE.
[4. Consider ratifying the property tax rate increase of 21.72% as reflected in the budget for Fiscal Year 2023- 2024 – Modesto Mundo. ]
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM FOUR.ITEM FOUR IS, UM, ITEM FOUR IS THE CERTIFY RATIFYING THE PROPERTY TAX RATE INCREASE OF 21.72%.
DOES THAT STILL HOLD TRUE? NO.
18.02% AS REFLECTED IN A BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL 20 23, 20 24.
DO YOU NEED ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT, MODESTO, OR WE DO HAVE, DO WE HAVE SOMETHING? WE GOTTA, THERE'S NOT A RESOLUTION, SO IT'S JUST NO, IT IS JUST YOU, YOU'LL HAVE TO MAKE THIS STATEMENT HERE ON ITEM FOUR.
SO DOES SOMEBODY WANNA MAKE A MOTION ON ITEM FOUR? I'LL DO IT AGAIN.
I'LL MOVE TO RATIFY THE PROPERTY TAX INCREASE OF 18.02% AS REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023 THROUGH 2024.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN BROADS AND SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER.
SETH, ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? OKAY, NOT HEARING ANY.
[5. Discuss and consider the first and final reading of Ordinance No. 23-2271 to adopt the proposed tax rate of $0.337422 – Modesto Mundo.]
TO ITEM FIVE IS DISCUSS AND CONSIDER THE FIRST AND FINAL READING OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 23 22 71 TO ADOPT THE PROPOSED TAX RATE OF IT WOULD BE[03:00:01]
BE 32 71 73.AND IT, AND IT WOULD AGAIN, AGAIN, 18.02.
SO I'LL, MAYOR, CAN YOU WANT ME TO READ 18? YEAH, GO AHEAD AND READ THAT.
THIS IS AN ORDINANCE LIVING THE AD VALOREM TAX OF THE CITY OF LAKE JACKSON, TEXAS, ON ALL TAXABLE PROPERTY WITHIN THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF THE CITY.
NOT EXEMPT BY LAW, PROVIDING REVENUES FOR PAYMENT OF CURRENT MUNICIPAL EXPENSES AND FOR INTEREST IN SINKING FUNDS ON OUTSTANDING CITY OF LAKE JACKSON BONDS PROVIDING FOR ENFORCEMENT OF COLLECTION, PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE, AND PROVIDING THAT THE CHARTER RULE REQUIRING THAT THE ORDINANCE BE READ AT TWO SEPARATE REGULAR MEETINGS BE SUSPENDED.
FIRST I NEED A MOTION TO, UH, SUSPEND THE RULES.
MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES, PLEASE.
AND A SECOND MOTION BY COUNCILMAN BROS.
AND SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER SETH.
ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT, SO NOW WE HAVE, UM, ALRIGHT, SO NOW WE HAVE, UH, MOTION.
I MOVE THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF 0.3 2 7 1 7 3, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY 18.02% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN BROS.
AND SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER SETH.
[EXECUTIVE SESSION]
SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THE JUDGES.SO FOLKS, WE'RE GONNA GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.
YOU'LL HAVE TO LEAVE UNTIL WE COME BACK.
OKAY? AND THE LANGUAGE IS ON THE LAST, THE LAST ONE.
SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION AT, UH, 9 39, UH, UNDER STATE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 4 0 4 7 A PERSONNEL MATTERS TO DELIBERATE THE EMPLOYMENT EVALUATION DUTIES OF THE, UH, CITY JUDGE.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE BACK AT, UH, REGULAR SESSION AND, UH, I BROUGHT US OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 9 53.
ALL RIGHT, SO NOW WE'RE BACK IN REGULAR SESSION AND WE'RE
[6. Discuss and consider the first reading of Ordinance No. 23-2270 revising fees charged for water, sewer, garbage, and dumpster services – Modesto Mundo.]
GOING TO GO TO ITEM SIX, DISCUSS AND CONSIDER FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 23 2 2 7 0, REVISING FEED CHARGED FOR WATER, SEWER, GARBAGE, AND DUMPSTER SERVICES.THIS IS AN ORDINANCE BY THE CITY, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAKE JACKSON, TEXAS, AMENDING SECTION 1 0 2 0.1 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES BY REVISING THE FEES TO BE CHARGED FOR WATER, SEWER, GARBAGE, AND DUMPSTER SERVICES, AND WATER AND SEWER TAP FEES, REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES AND CONFLICT HERE WITH PROVIDING FOR A SAVING CLAUSE AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
OKAY, ANY DISCUSSION? YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT IT SOME MORE REAL QUICK? UM, AGAIN, WE TALKED ABOUT THE, THE BASE RATE INCREASING, UM, FOR RESIDENTS, UM, UH, A DOLLAR, UM, FOR THE SEWER AND THEN THE, UM, THE SEWER CHARGES, UH, INCREASING ALSO, UM, UH, THE WATER, THE, THE WATER GOING FROM 5 5 30 TO FIVE 60, AND THEN OVER 20,000 GALLONS GOING FROM 5 95 TO 6 6 35.
THEN ON THE, UM, S THE RESIDENTIAL GARBAGE RATE GOING FROM 25 TO 26, THIS IS FOR APARTMENTS AND FOR, UM, RESIDENTS, RIGHT? WE CHARGE THEM THIS THE SAME WAY.
AND THEN COMMERCIAL, YOU CAN SEE THE CHANGES ON, UH, THE COMMERCIAL RATES.
THE COMMERCIAL THREE AND FOUR YARD DUMPSTERS ARE GOING UP, UM, 15%, THESE ARE ALL 15% CHANGES, RIGHT? THIS INCLUDES THE ROLL OFFS.
UH, THE ROLL OFFS ARE A 10% INCREASE.
THERE'S, I DON'T THINK THERE'S, THERE'S NO OTHER CHANGES TO TREE LANDSCAPE OR THE MALT SITE OR ANYTHING ELSE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS ONE? NOT I'LL TAKE A MOTION ON ORDINANCE 23, 22 70.
[03:05:01]
ITEM SIX, MR. MAYOR, I MOVE TO APPROVE ITEM SIX AS PRESENTED.I HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN BROADUS SECOND, AND WE HAVE A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN BAKER.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS FOR ORDINANCE NUMBER 23 22 71.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? OH 7 7 0 7 0.
UM, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY.
[7. Discuss and consider the first reading of Ordinance No. 23-2272 setting a credit card processing fee - James Bryson.]
IS DISCUSSED AND CONSIDER THE FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 23 22 72, SETTING A CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEE.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
WE DISCUSSED WITH YOU THE POTENTIAL FOR STARTING TO CHARGE A CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEE.
AND SINCE THAT TIME, UM, MET WITH THE CITY, UM, ATTORNEY AND SHE DRAFTED THE ORDINANCE FOR US.
UM, INSTEAD OF PUTTING IT IN UTILITIES, WE FELT LIKE IT BELONGED AS A GENERAL, MORE OF A GENERAL ADMIN WHO THE STATE LAW, THE STATE LAW SAYS IT HAS TO GO TO GENERAL FUND.
SO, SO Y'ALL CAN FIGURE IT OUT, Y'ALL.
UM, BUT AS FAR AS INFORMATION PROVIDED TO YOU IN YOUR PACKET, I GAVE YOU THE CREDIT CARD FEES, UH, OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE TREND GOING TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, WHERE THIS YEAR WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE ABOUT $190,000 IN FEES.
AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE BREAKOUT BETWEEN UTILITY AND THE TOP THREE, THE, THE GENERAL FUND AND THE BOTTOM, THE UTILITY WOULD BE THE UTILITY FUND.
AND THEN WITH REGARDS TO THE TI, THE NUMBER OF TRANSACTIONS AND THE HOW THE FEES ARE BROKEN OUT, YOU HAVE THE ONLINE AND THE IN PERSON, AND AGAIN, BY THE DEPARTMENTS, YOU HAVE THE UTILITY, YOU HAVE THE COURT AND PERMITTING.
AND THEN FOR IN PERSON, YOU HAVE THE PARKS, COURT PERMITTING AND UTILITIES.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE CAME WITH, WITH A PERCENTAGE.
SO THE RECOMMENDATION'S 3%, AND I CALLED ALL THE DIFFERENT CITIES IN THE AREA TO KIND OF SEE WHAT THE RATES WERE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE MAJORITY OF CITIES ARE CHARGING A RATE, AND THEY ALL FALL WITHIN ABOUT THE TWO POINT HALF TO THREE AND A HALF PERCENT.
SO WE'D BE WRITING ABOUT THE MIDDLE, UH, THE SAME AS THE COUNTY.
AND THEN LASTLY, UH, THE REFERENCE IS WHAT THE SOFTWARE COMPANY THAT WE WOULD BE USING JUST TO VALIDATE THAT THE SOFTWARE WORKS AND THEY CAN CHARGE THE FEE AND CAN ACCOMMODATE THE REQUEST.
AND SO THESE ARE THE OTHER TWO CITIES THAT ARE, THAT THEY RECOMMENDED THAT WE SPEAK TO.
AND, AND THEY TALKED TO ME ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION, HOW EASY IT WAS, AND, AND, AND HOW, UM, THEY WERE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THE REQUESTS WE STILL NEED TO BRING A CONTRACT WITH TO YOU, UH, WHICH WE'LL BRING AT THE NEXT MEETING.
THIS IS REALLY TO SET THE FRAMEWORK SO THAT WE CAN CHARGE THE FEE, OKAY.
AND THEN AT THE NEXT MEETING, IT WOULD BE THE AUTHORIZED THE CITY MANAGER TO, TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT.
AND THE ONLY REASON THIS HAS REALLY TAKEN A WHILE IS BECAUSE THE TECHNOLOGY WASN'T THERE.
SO NOW THE SOFTWARE COMPANY CAN ACCOMMODATE THE TRANSFER FEE.
IN THE PAST IT WASN'T ABLE TO, AND THE OTHER COMMUNICATION, THERE WASN'T A COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE PROCESSOR AND OUR SOFTWARE FOR, FOR THE FINANCIAL DEPARTMENT.
BUT NOW THERE IS, OKAY, I HAD A QUESTION.
ARE WE GONNA GIVE, ARE ANYBODY ANY, UH, NOTICE THAT'S GONNA CHANGE? SO YES.
UHHUH, AND SO IS, THERE'LL PLENTY OF NOTICE OF SOME KIND OR THEY'LL ON THE UTILITY BILL AND THEN ON THE, THEY'LL BE ON THE WEBSITE.
THERE'LL BE PLENTY OF INFORMATION THAT GOES OUT I'S WANT PEOPLE SAY, WELL, I DIDN'T KNOW I SHOWED UP, YOU KNOW? NO, YOU KNOW.
NOW WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT'S A, AS SOON AS WE GET IT IMPLEMENTED WITH THE CONTRACT WE HAVE, WE HOPE TO GET IT AS SOON AS WE CAN FOR THE NEW FISCAL YEAR, BUT WE WILL MAKE SURE WE GET ALL THE DOCUMENTATION IN PLACE SO CITIZENS WILL BE WELL AWARE OF IT.
AND, AND, AND ALSO IF WE CAN MAKE 'EM AWARE OF THEIR OPTIONS OH, YEAH.
FOR THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A C H VERSUS CREDIT CARD.
PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT'S A GOOD, THEY CAN SET UP A BANK DRAFT.
THERE'S, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, CASH, CREDIT CARD.
OBVIOUSLY MONEY ORDERS, CASHIER, CHECK, THERE'S ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF METHODS.
WE WOULD BE COMPLETELY TICKLED IF EVERYBODY DID AACH H FOR RIGHT.
THEIR WATER AND SYRUP PAYMENT.
WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT GETTING THEM.
WE'RE THE FEE GOES TO SOMEBODY ELSE'S ORDER.
OKAY, GO AHEAD, READ THE ORDINANCE.
THIS IS AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF LAKE JACKSON, TEXAS AMENDING CHAPTER ONE, GENERAL PROVISIONS IN THE LAY JACKSON CODE OF ORDINANCES TO ALLOW CITY TO CHARGE CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES AND TO AUTHORIZE FEES FOR CHARGES NOT HONORED BY THE BANK, PROVIDING THAT ALL ORDINANCES ARE PARTS OF ORDINANCES AND CONFLICT HERE WITH SHALL BE REPEALED TO THE EXTENT OF THE CONFLICT ONLY, AND PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE.
UH, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? I'LL TAKE A MOTION ON ITEM SEVEN.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT ITEM NUMBER 2 3 2 2 7 2 SET CREDIT CARD.
[03:10:02]
I SEE FEES, UH, TO APPROVE THE FEES.WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE AND A SECOND HAD MOTION BY COUNCILMAN BAKER, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HANYA.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM SEVEN? NOT ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
OKAY, JAMES, YOU'RE FREE TO GO.
[8. EXECUTIVE SESSION (Part 1 of 2)]
UH, WE'RE GONNA GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 10 0 2.UH, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL ADJOURN INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION UNDER TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.072, DELIBERATING THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE LEASE OR VALUE REVENUE, REV VALUE OF REVENUE, AND SECTION 5 5 1 0.073 DELIBERATING A NEGOTIATED CONTRACT FOR A GIFT OR A DONATION REGULAR SESSION
[9. RECONVENE AND TAKE ACTION ON EXECUTIVE SESSION to consider an agreement for the donation of FM 2004 property in exchange for the construction of the Azalea Street extension. ]
ON ITEM NINE.SO, COMING OUTTA DISCUSSION, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM OF, UM, RECONVENE TO TAKE ACTION ON EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSIDER THE AMENDMENT THE AGREEMENT FOR DONATION OF FM 2004 PROPERTY IN EXCHANGE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A ISAIAH STREET EXTENSION? ALL RIGHT, I'LL TAKE A MOTION ON THE ITEM.
ALL RIGHT, MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AN MOTION, A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGREEMENT FOR THE DONATION OF THE FM 2004 PROPERTY IN EXCHANGE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE AZALEA STREET EXTENSION WITH THE FOLLOWING AMENDMENTS.
UM, T D E C U WILL CONVEY THE 2004 PROPERTY, UH, WITHIN THREE MONTHS OF THE CCE CO ISSUE BEING ISSUED, UH, NO GREATER THAN 36 MONTHS.
UH, THE FOLLOWING AMENDMENT OF THAT, THEY WILL ENTER INTO A FUTURE LEASE AGREEMENT REGARDING THE A T M PLACEMENT AND THAT THE CITY HAS THE FIRST RIGHT OR REFUSAL, UM, FOR THE DONATION OF FURNITURE AND FIXTURES.
PLEASE DON'T ASK ME TO REPEAT THAT.
IS YOU WANNA CLARIFY THE CO O OF THE NEW BUILDING? NO.
CAN YOU ADD THAT ON THERE? THE NEW BUILDING ON THERE, CO O OF WHAT IT DOESN'T SAY.
CO CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY FOR THE, UM, OAK DRIVE NEW UP DRIVE.
SO THAT'S BEEN CLARIFIED FOR THE MOTION.
UH, I NEED A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND ONE FROM COUNCILMAN BAKER.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[10. Discuss and consider directing the City Manager to execute an agreement with Blank Rome for legal representation in Adaway v. City of Lake Jackson – Sherri Russell.]
10, DISCUSS AND CONSIDER, UH, DIRECTING, UH, THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH, UH, BLANK ROME FOR LEGAL REPRESENTATION IN ATTAWAY VERSUS THE CITY OF LAKE JACKSON, SHERRY, AND DADA.UM, WE CAN GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THIS, BUT LET'S SEE HOW WE DO
UM, SO T M L COVERED ALL LITIGATION EXPENSES THROUGH THE DISCOVERY, THE HEARINGS, AND THE APPEAL.
WE WON ON ALL OF THE NEGLIGENCE ACTIONS ON APPEAL, WHICH MEANS THAT T M L IS OUT, THAT'S WHAT THEIR, THEIR COVERAGE DOESN'T, UM, APPLY TO IT, TO TAKINGS CLAIMS. I MEAN, IT, IT APPLIES TO POLICE FOR ILLEGAL SEARCH AND SEIZURE, OBVIOUSLY, BUT IT DOESN'T APPLY TO FIFTH AMENDMENT OR COMMON LAW TAKINGS CLAIM.
SO, SO WE NEED, UM, A LAWYER, AND I RECOMMEND JUST KEEPING BLANK ROME, BARRY ABRAMS AS A LAWYER BECAUSE HE'S UP ON THE CASE AND IT'S A HUGE TECHNICAL WHAT CAUSES FLOODING AND WHAT DOESN'T CAUSE FLOODING CASE.
AND THIS WAS, I MEAN, HE WAS, WE REQUESTED HIM, BILL AND I, WHEN WE GOT STATED, BECAUSE HE'S SUCH A GOOD LAWYER AND HE'S JUST, I DON'T KNOW, BLANK ROME, HE'S, THAT'S JUST THE FIRM HE WORKS FOR.
SO, UM, HE ESTIMATES, HE SENT ME AN ESTIMATE IS RAY S IS $695 AN HOUR.
NO, THAT'S THE, HE GAVE US THE T M L DISCOUNT.
WAIT, WE'RE SAYING HE'S A GOOD LAWYER, BUT HE DID JUST LOSE THIS PART OF THE CASE.
WE WON, BUT HALF OF IT WE DIDN'T.
[03:15:01]
WELL, NO, HALF OF IT, THE, UM, IT'S A MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT.AND SO THAT HALF THE COURT OF APPEALS SAID YOU NEED TO GO BACK AND HAVE A HEARING ON THAT ONE, THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA GRANT YOU SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON THAT ONE.
AND SO, BECAUSE THAT'S GONNA TAKE MORE DISCOVERY AND MORE MOTIONS.
MY CURRENT RATE, IT'S, IT'S NOT LIKE A, IT'S NOW BE 695 AN IT'S, THIS IS, THIS IS NOT THE, I'M LOOKING AT THE RATE THE LIFE WE LIVE, WE SHOULD BE PARALLEL, DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.
UM, SO WHAT IS IT? THE PARALEGAL, THE PARALEGALS DON'T GET ALL THAT.
PARALEGAL GET 200 AND SOMETHING.
THE LAW FIRM DOES, BUT THEY HAVE TO COVER THAT NICE CONFERENCE ROOM, YOU KNOW, THE OVERHEAD FOR THE RENT.
SO IT LOOK LIKE IT'S OVER 1100, ALMOST $1,300 A RATE AN HOUR.
EVERY PERSON DOESN'T WORK ON THIS ALL THE TIME.
IT'S JUST THE 15 MINUTES OF PARALEGAL PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER TO MAIL, OR THE HOUR.
BARRY WENT TO GET HIMSELF REFRESHED BEFORE HE GOES TO COURT, AND THEN THE TIME HE SPENDS IN COURT, I MEAN, YOU COULD FIND SOMEBODY TO DO IT FOR HALF THE RATE, BUT IT'LL PROBABLY TAKE THREE TIMES AS LONG AS YEAH.
THEY HAVE TO GO BACK BECAUSE IT SAW THE TECHNICALITY AND STUFF.
I MEAN, IT'S, YOU'RE GONNA, I I DON'T KNOW WHO I WOULD, NO, I'M JUST TO DO THIS CASE.
NO, HONESTLY, CHRIS, I'M SO IMPRESSED WITH HIM.
IT'S JUST, IT, IT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT, UH, I'M IMPRESSED WITH HIS RATES.
HOW MANY, UM, HOW LOW THEY ARE.
SHERRY, HOW MANY LITIGANTS ARE THERE? 344.
AND THE TAKINGS CLAIM WOULD BE FOR THE VALUE OF THEIR HOME? OH, NO, THERE'S NO CAP.
YOU CAN GET PUNITIVE, YOU GET YOUR DAMAGES, YOU CAN GET PUNITIVE.
SO POTENTIAL DAMAGES OF THIS 344 MILLION EASY.
SO WE DO NEED TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY.
IS THIS THE ONE ON THE, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? JB DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? I WAS JUST, THIS, THIS IS CONTAINS TO THE FLOODING OPEN RIDGE ROOF.
THAT'S HOW LONG THIS CASE HAS BEEN GOING ON, CORRECT? 2019.
ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT.
NEED A MOTION ON THIS ITEM, MR. MAYOR? I WOULD, UH, MOVE THAT WE, UH, DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH BLANK ROOM FOR LEGAL REPRESENTATION IN ATTAWAY VERSUS LAKE JACKSON.
HAVE A MOTION FOR COUNCILMAN BROADUS.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I KNOW WE DON'T WANNA SPEND MONEY, BUT IT'S THOSE THINGS.
[11. Staff Updates]
WE'VE GOT, UH, STAFF UPDATES.WE HAVE ANY COUNCIL MEETING ACTION ITEMS? I DON'T THINK WE HAD ANYTHING WE MAY, UM, OTHER THAN THE CONTRACT BREACH? THE CONTRACT, I THINK IS THE ONLY THING WE HAD ACTIONS ON.
EVERYTHING ELSE WAS NO, JUST, NO, I THINK THAT'S IT.
AND JUST FOR SAKE OF TIME, WE DIDN'T DO, UH, WE, WE TOOK OFF, UH, PROJECT UPDATES TO SAVE US SOME TIME.
[ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST]
WE GO BACK IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, WE HAVE ANY ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST? NO, NOT FROM ANYBODY.MY DAUGHTER TURNED SEVEN YESTERDAY.
INTO A SEVEN YEAR OLD, I GUESS ATTORNEY.
DID WE GO INTO DROUGHT STAGE ONE TODAY? UM, WE, I'VE WRITTEN THE ORDER FOR, FOR US TO GO INTO, UH, DROUGHT ONE, BUT WE PROBABLY HAVEN'T, UH, GOTTEN, SHE WAS WORKING ON THE, IT'S ON THE WEBSITE AND THE FACEBOOK.
DID SHE GET IT UP? UH, THE NOTIFICATION, UH, OUT THERE.
AGAIN, THIS STARTS TO VOLUNTARY FOR MOST OF THE WATERING DAYS EVERY OTHER DAY.
BUT, UH, MOST LIKELY WE, UM, IF IT DOESN'T IMPROVE, WE'LL PROBABLY, UH, MOVE TO STAGE TWO.
A LOT OF IT WAS TODAY PREDICATED ON THE NUMBER OF BREAKS.
WE HAD 15 TODAY THAT WE'RE WORKING, WE ACCOMPLISHED EIGHT.
THE OTHER SEVEN WE WERE WAITING ON UTILITY LINE RELOCATE
[03:20:01]
BEFORE WE CAN WORK.UH, UNLESS IT'S A ABSOLUTE EMERGENCY, BUT, UM, UH, THE UTILITY LINE RELOCATE COMPANIES ARE OVERLOADED RIGHT NOW.
CAN YOU START SENDING THAT TO US MAYBE WEEKLY SO WE CAN PASS IT ON TO THE CITIZENS? HOW MANY BREAKS WE HAVE AND STUFF? WE, WE HAVE.
YEAH, WE, I, WE LOST LIKE, I THINK ROBIN TOLD ME WE LOST SOMETHING LIKE 15 TREES LAST WEEK.
THAT'S THE NUMBER I HAVEN'T HEARD.
BUT UH, YEAH, WE'LL TRY TO GET THAT AS WELL.
WE'LL, UH, WE'LL GET YOU THE LINE BREAKS AND WHAT STAGE WE START.
THAT'S BETTER THAN BUSINESSES.
LIKE CAR WASH, LOSING ALL 'EM COWS, UH, THAT WOULDN'T IT? YEP.
AND 40 COWS THEY LOST IN THE COUNTY.
IT WASN'T IN STAGE ONE AND TWO, PROBABLY MORE WHERE WE START SHUTTING DOWN CAR WASHES.
ANY OTHER COMMUNITY ITEMS OF INTEREST INSTEAD OF D DEAD COWS.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GO MR. MAYOR.
WITH THIS CONSERVATION, THAT MEANS PEOPLE DON'T USE WATER.
SO JUST PEOPLE GONNA BE CALLING YOU AND THE FLUSHING STOPS IN FACE, ALL THIS THING BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE GO TO CHLORINE ISSUES.
[8. EXECUTIVE SESSION (Part 2 of 2)]
SO WE'RE GONNA GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.EXECUTIVE SESSION AT, UH, 10 35 UNDER TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 5 5 1 0 7 4 A PERSONNEL MATTERS TO DELIBERATE THE EMPLOYMENT EVALUATION AND DUTIES OF THE CITY.
UH, LET'S GO TO CITY ATTORNEY AND CITY MANAGER.
AND I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND ADD CITY ALTERNATIVE JUDGE AND CITY JUDGE 'CAUSE WE'RE GOING TO ALSO DISCUSS DOLLARS.
MAYOR, ALSO, IF YOU, IF YOU NEED JOSE TO COME IN, HE CAN.
HE'S HERE
UH, THERE'S NOT AN ITEM NUMBER, BUT WE'RE ON THE, UH, RECONVENE AND TAKE ACTION ON EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, SETTING SALARIES COMPENSATION, 2003, 2023, 2024 COMPENSATION FISCAL YEAR.
SO I HAVE A MOTION, DO I HAVE A MOTION ON THIS ITEM? MR. MAYOR? I MOVE THAT WE, UH, SET FOLLOWING SALARIES FOR FISCAL YEAR 20 23, 20 24, UH, LARRY SCH WENER, $25,750 PER YEAR.
EVERETT STONEWALL, $68,143 A YEAR.
SHERRY RUSSELL, $183,287 PER YEAR, PLUS $500 A MONTH CAR ALLOWANCE, AND MODESTO MUNDO $244,021 WITH 77 $50 MONTHLY CARD ALLOWANCE.
I FEEL LIKE IT'S JUST GONE TO WORK.