* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:02] ALL RIGHT. WE'RE CLOSE ENOUGH TO SIX 30. ALL RIGHT. UH, WELCOME [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] EVERYONE TO THE MONDAY, DECEMBER 15TH, 2025 REGULAR SESSION OF THE LAKE JACKSON CITY COUNCIL, UH, AT, UH, 25 OAK DRIVE, LAKE JACKSON, TEXAS. AGAIN, THANKS FOR EVERYBODY, UH, UH, COMING IN TONIGHT. AND WE'RE GOING TO LEAD WITH THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE LED BY COUNCILMAN HANYA. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE REPUBLIC FOR STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, THE JUSTICE. ALL RIGHT, UH, THIS EVENING, THE, UH, INVOCATION WILL BE PROVIDED BY MR. UH, COUNCILMAN BUELL DENNIS, YOU HEAVEN. FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO MEET THIS EVENING. AS OUR MEETING CONTINUES AND DECISIONS HAVE TO BE MADE, WE ASK THAT YOU GIVE STRENGTH, COURAGE, AND WISDOM TO MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT WE FEEL ARE BEST, THE RIGHT RESIDENCE AND OF OUR CITY. PLEASE BE WITH OUR ENT FIRE AND POLICE PERSONNEL, AS WELL AS OUR MILITARY MEN, AND BE WITH US AS WE TRAVEL HOME. GET US HOME SAFELY AND EVERYBODY HAVE A SAFE AND FUN. MERRY CHRISTMAS. IN YOUR NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. AMEN. THANK YOU. UH, NEXT WE, WE KNOW WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PRESENTATIONS. NEXT ITEM IS VISITORS' COMMENTS. UH, IS ANY ANYBODY SIGNED UP AS FAR AS VISITOR COMMENTS? IS ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE THAT, UH, WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO COUNCIL ON THE ITEM THAT'S NOT ON ANY OF THE AGENDAS FOR THIS EVENING? NOT SEEING ANY. WE'LL GO FORWARD WITH THE DECLARATION OF CONFLICT AND INTEREST. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL CAN DECLARE IF THEY HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST ON ANY INDIA, UH, AND ANY AGENDA ITEM, BE CONSENT OR REGULAR. IS ANYONE NEED TO DECLARE A, A CONFLICT OF INTEREST? IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UH, CONSENT [CONSENT AGENDA ] AGENDA, UH, CONSENT OF AGENDA AS PRESENTED. IS THERE ANY, UH, ITEM ON THE AGENDA THAT COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, I'LL TAKE A MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. MR. MAYOR, I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. ITEMS ONE THROUGH SEVEN AS PRESENTED SECOND. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN SETH. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN BUELL. CALL FOR VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED. MOVE ON TO, UH, [1. Discuss and consider the request from Habitat for Humanity Southern Brazoria County to waive building permit fees for a single-family home at 503 Gardenia. – Melissa Alexander ] REGULAR AGENDA, UH, REGULAR AGENDA. ITEM NUMBER ONE IS DISCUSS AND CONSIDER REQUESTS FROM HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, UH, SOUTHERN BRAZORIA COUNTY TO WAIVE BUILDING PERMIT FEES FOR A SINGLE FAMILY HOME AT, UH, 5 0 3 GARDENIA, ALYSSA. GOOD EVENING, Y'ALL. HELLO. HELLO. ARE GOING REALLY FAST. , UH, I KNOW THAT I SAY THIS EVERY TIME I SPEAK BEFORE Y'ALL OR ANY OTHER CITY COUNCIL, WE DON'T GIVE AWAY FREE HOMES. WE BUILD HOMES THAT ARE AFFORDABLE FOR MIDDLE INCOME. UM, ONCE OUR RESIDENTS ARE IN THEIR HOME, WE CLOSE AT A TITLE COMPANY. THEY PAY A MORTGAGE BACK TO US FOR WHAT IT COSTS FOR THE HOME. AND OF COURSE, THEY PAY PROPERTY TAXES AND INSURANCE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE THAT A TYPICAL HOMEOWNER. UM, OUR HOMEOWNERS DO STAY IN THEIR HOME, TYPICALLY LONGER THAN MOST HOMEOWNERS. AVERAGE HOMEOWNER MOVES EVERY SEVEN YEARS. WE'RE AT ABOUT 92% OF OUR HOMEOWNERS STAY 25 YEARS. THAT'S THEIR MORTGAGE. AND THEN WE LOSE TRACK BECAUSE THEIR MORTGAGES ARE PAID OFF. I KNOW THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR THE FEES, AND Y'ALL HAVE WAIVED OVER THE, THE FEES, THE LAST 25 HOMES WE'VE BUILT IN LAKE JACKSON. UM, IT'S NOT A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY ON Y'ALL'S BUDGET, BUT IT'S A BIG IMPACT ON THE COST OF THE HOMES FOR US. UM, WE ARE A NONPROFIT. WE HAVE TO RESTORE THE DEBT, COLLECT SALES TAX IN LAKE JACKSON. WE TRY TO PARTNER, DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN, SO WE ASK THAT Y'ALL HELP US DO THIS. ALRIGHT. ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MELISSA? NO. NO. THANK Y'ALL FOR DOING WHAT YOU DO. YEAH. YEAH. THANK Y'ALL. Y'ALL MAKE IT EASY, . ALL RIGHT. IF THERE'S NOT ANY QUESTIONS, UH, I'LL TAKE A MOTION ON THIS ITEM. MR. MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE REQUEST FROM HA, HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, SOUTHERN BRAZO COUNTY TO WAIVE THE BUILDING PERMIT FEE FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOME AT 5 0 3 GARDENIA. ALL RIGHT. HAVE A MOTION FOR COUNCILMAN HANYA. I SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE A COUN, UH, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN BAKER. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? CALL FOR VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. ALL WE HAVE TO START BUILDING IN JANUARY, SO WE'LL BRING Y'ALL LEFTOVER FOOD FROM OUR OKAY. FOR YOU BEFORE YOU LEAVE. WHAT, WHAT IS THE AVERAGE COST OF A HOUSE THERE IN LAKE JACKSON? UM, LAKE JACKSON, WE, WE HAVEN'T BUILT IN THE FIVE YEARS I'VE BEEN THERE, SO I DON'T HAVE THE AVERAGE COST [00:05:01] OF THAT. IT WAS, I BELIEVE, 80,000. BUT DON'T QUOTE ME ON THOSE NUMBERS. THE LAST TWO HOMES THAT WE CLOSED, UM, THEY WERE, THEY COST US 150. THAT'S LAND EVERYTHING THAT IT TAKES. UM, THEY APPRAISED FOR OVER TWO 50. OKAY. SO, ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. NIGHT Y'ALL. MM-HMM . ALRIGHT. ITEM TWO, DISCUSS AND CONSIDER [2. Discuss and consider the Charter Review Commission Report and the Council’s recommended changes to the Charter. – Modesto Mundo ] THE, UH, CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION'S, UH, REPORT AND THE COUNCIL'S RECOMMENDATION RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO THE CHARTER MODESTO MAYOR, UH, COUNSEL. UH, WE PUT THIS ON YOUR AGENDA AND OF COURSE, UH, YOU WILL, IF YOU DO, UH, WANT TO MAKE ANY CHANGES, YOU'LL HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION BY, UM, UH, CALLING THE ELECTION ON FEBRUARY 2ND. UM, SO I'M SURE THE CITY ATTORNEY APPRECIATE SOME GUIDANCE SO THAT WE CAN PUT IT IN, UH, LANGUAGE FORM IF THERE'S ANY ONE OF THE, I BELIEVE THERE WERE THREE SUGGESTIONS FROM THE CHARTER REVIEW, UH, COMMISSION. RIGHT. ONCE, JUST A TINY THING THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE TO THE VOTERS. WE CAN JUST TELL THEM TO REMOVE THAT OOF. IT DOESN'T BELONG HERE AT ALL. THE NEXT ONE, UM, WE'RE CLEANING UP A LITTLE BIT, UM, OF ELECTION LANGUAGE BECAUSE SOME OF IT IS BECAUSE OF THE AGENDA POSTING TIME CHANGE. THIS ONE IS, UM, WE DON'T APPOINT ELECTION AUTHORITIES, ALTHOUGH WE MIGHT DO IT IN THE FUTURE. SO THEY WANT IT JUST TO MAKE IT A LITTLE MORE GENERAL. UM, YEAH. THIS NEXT MONTH, 6 0 6 IS JUST A CHANGE BECAUSE WE PROBABLY CAN'T GET IT BETWEEN FIVE AND 15 DAYS WITH THE NEW POSTING REQUIREMENTS. SO IT'S JUST GONNA BE AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING. AND THEN, UM, THIS IS THE ONE WHERE THEY WANT TO CHANGE THE LANGUAGE SO THAT, UH, WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE EVERY TWO YEARS. IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE BETWEEN TWO AND SIX, BUT ON AN ODD YEAR SO THAT, UM, THE LEGISLATIVE CHANGES CAN BE TAKEN INTO EFFECT. ALTHOUGH WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO PUT ODD YEAR. I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE UP TO COUNCIL 15, BUT I MEAN, THAT MAKES SENSE. 'CAUSE THAT IS REALLY WHAT IMPACTS IT THE MOST. IT YES. YES, IT DOES. SO THOSE ARE, I THINK THAT THAT'S ALL OF THEM. RIGHT. AND I THINK IT'S IMPRESSIVE THAT THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN ON THAT COMMITTEE TWO OR THREE TIMES ARE LIKE, YEAH, I DON'T NEED TO KEEP MEETING. THEY, THEY'RE SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE. I THINK THEY WERE CRYING, UNCLE. YEAH. DON'T CALL ME AGAIN. WELL, YOU KNOW, OUR CHARTER HAS EVOLVED OVER YEARS AND, UH, THEY HAVE FIXED JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING THEY CAN EVERY, EVERY LAST FEW YEARS. MM-HMM . AND UNLESS THERE'S A BIG CHANGE IN THE LEGISLATURE, THERE'S NOT REALLY MUCH TO AMEND. AND SO YOU KIND, THEY KIND OF NITPICKING ALMOST, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING. AND, UH, I AGREE WITH THEM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE PERHAPS IT DOESN'T NEED TO MEET EVERY TWO YEARS. I THINK IT WAS DONE FOR THE ONE BOARD THAT MEETS ON THE EVEN YEAR AND ONE MEETS THE ODD YEAR. I THINK THE HEALTH BOARD OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I'M NOT SURE WHICH ONE IT IS, BUT THEY JUST, UH, THAT'S WHY, HOW IT ENDED UP BEING EVEN AN ODD YEARS JUST TO KIND OF OH, OKAY. SPREAD THAT OUT. SO NOT HAVING TWO OF THEM IN ONE YEAR. SO I THINK THERE WAS JUST A CONVENIENCE THAT AT THE TIME, AT THE TIME MM-HMM . SO I THINK THE TIME HAD PASSED THAT WE, I'M GONNA PLAY DEVIL'S ADVOCATE HERE THOUGH MM-HMM . AND PUT THIS OUT THERE IS, UM, I DON'T LIKE MEETINGS JUST FOR THE SAKE OF MEETINGS, BUT I WILL SAY COMING ON TO COUNCIL AS A NEW PERSON, THAT SITTING THROUGH THE CHARTER REVIEW IS SUPER EDUCATIONAL AND HELPS, I THINK NEW COUNCIL PEOPLE, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S, YOU KNOW, UM, I DON'T THINK IT'S A BAD THING TO REVIEW IT EVERY TWO YEARS, BUT I'M OKAY IF WE SPREAD THAT OUT A LITTLE BIT. BUT IT'S REALLY GOOD FOR A NEW COUNCIL PEOPLE TO SIT THROUGH, BUT THAT ONLY HELPS THE COUNCIL MEMBERS COMING ON THAT YEAR. DOESN HELPS ANOTHER YEAR. SO IT, AND IT'S TRUE. AND THAT'S TRUE, BUT JUST THROWING THAT OUT AND PERHAPS MAYBE YOU SHOULD HAVE, DURING THE NEW COUNCIL ORIENTATION, A CHARTER REVIEW. MAYBE MODESTO COULD CONDUCT A CHARTER REVIEW CLASS. YEAH. YEAH. MODESTO, I THINK THAT WOULD BE MORE SUITABLE THING TO DO. UH, YOU'VE PICKED THE WORST PERSON, . NO, BUT IT, IT IS VERY HELPFUL AND, AND UNDERSTANDING JUST THE STRUCTURE OF OUR CITY. YEAH. YEAH. AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION, DEATH BY POWERPOINT. SO IS THERE ANYTHING, UH, CHANGES, SUGGESTED CHANGES THAT ARE GONNA HAVE TO GO BEFORE THE VOTERS OR THEY ALSO MINOR? THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THESE ARE THE, THIS, THIS GOES BEFORE THIS GOES ON THE BALLOT. OKAY. SO THE THREE IS THE, THE LITTLE OF THE WORD CHANGES. THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE CAN TELL, TELL THE, UM, COMPILER REMOVE THAT. ANYWAY. WE CAN TELL ME ANY CODE, JUST TAKE THAT OUT. IT'S BAD GRAMMAR. RIGHT. AND IT, 'CAUSE IT DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING. BUT THE REST, THE VOTERS WILL VOTE ON THIS IN MAY. OKAY. [00:10:01] SO THAT'D BE THREE, THREE ITEMS. OKAY. WELL, I MEAN, THERE'S NO REASON, REASON TO DRAG THIS OUT IF EVERYBODY'S OKAY WITH PUTTING THESE ON THERE. UH, AND, UH, DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU, THERE'S ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD TO THESE THREE, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GET DIRECTION TO SHERRY TO GO AHEAD AND WORK UP THE DOCUMENTS SO WE CAN AT LEAST SEE THE WORDING GETTING QUICKER. OKAY. SO EVERYBODY EVERYBODY OKAY WITH THAT? YES. YEP. SO I'LL BRING BACK AT BEFORE FEBRUARY, I'LL BRING BACK A DRAFT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SOUNDS GOOD. ITEM THREE TO DISCUSS AND CONSIDER THE FIRST READING OF THE ORDINANCE TO REDUCE THE SLEEPY HOLLOW, UH, SUBDIVISION SPEED LIMIT FROM 30 MILES PER HOUR TO 25 MILES PER HOUR. SHERRY IT. OKAY. SO, UM, THE ABILITY TO DO THIS IS PRETTY RARE WITHOUT HAVING TO DO AN ENGINEERING STUDY. IT'S, IT'S RESTRICTED TO STREETS. LIKE THEY HAVE, THERE'S NO SIDEWALK, THERE ARE DITCHES. PEOPLE CAN'T ENJOY THE, THE ROAD, THEY CAN'T WALK, THEY CAN'T PLAY. SO IT'S DANGEROUS. UM, 'CAUSE COUNSEL HAS TO MAKE A FINDING THAT IT'S UNREASONABLE OR UNSAFE TO, TO LOWER IT TO 25. I PUT ALL OF THOSE THINGS IN THE WAREHOUSE CLAUSES. OKAY. JUST AS IF SOMEBODY COMES BACK IN 10 OR 20 YEARS AND SAYS, WHAT DID YOU DO FOR SLEEPY HOLLOW? AND PULL IT UP AND SAY, HERE'S, HERE'S ALL THE REASONS THEY DID IT FOR SLEEPY HOLLOW AND NOT FOR PLUM CIRCLE. RIGHT. SO THERE'S ONE STREET HERE AND LET JACKSON, THAT WOULD HAVE AN ISSUE. THEY COULD COME ASK FOR 25. IT'S, UH, GLENWOOD LANE. GLENWOOD STREET IS CONCRETE, BUT HAS NO SIDEWALKS, HAS A CURB AND GUTTER. BUT, UH, SIDEWALKS WERE NOT REQUIRED AT THAT TIME. I THINK THERE ARE A FEW BLACK TOPS THAT DON'T HAVE, I THINK MEADOWBROOK MIGHT BE, BUT DO THEY HAVE, ARE THEY FLAT BESIDE THE ROADS VERSUS DO THEY DROP OFF TO DITCHES? NO, THERE'S, THERE'S NO GUTTER, THERE'S NO DRAINAGE. IT'S JUST, UH, SO I MEAN, YOU COULD WALK IN THE GRASS. YEAH, YOU COULD WALK IN THE GRASS. YOU WOULDN'T BE IN A DITCH. RIGHT. WHICH WOULD BE THE DIFFERENCE. IT CAN DO LITTLE SLEEPY HOLLOW BECAUSE THERE'S SOME DITCH BECAUSE THERE'S DITCHES, WHICH IS RIGHT. I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW THAT I DID THAT WHEN I WAS A KID LIVING IN CLUE. WE PLAYED IN THE DITCHES. THE TIME CAN WHEN RAIN STILL PLAYING. ESPECIALLY WHEN RAIN CATCH CRAWFISH. ALL RIGHT. YEAH, GO AHEAD. UH, COUNCILMAN STEIN ASKED IF WE COULD PULL UP, UH, ON GOOGLE MAPS, UH, GLENWOOD. MR. GARY, DO YOU KNOW, UM, IN SLEEP IT'S NARROW. YOU SAID 17, 18 FEET. YEAH, IT RANGES FROM 17. IS IS GLENWOOD OR LIKE WILLENBERG ANOTHER ASPHALT STREET THAT WE'RE GONNA DO? ARE THEY, YOU KNOW WHAT I BELIEVE IS THE, UH, STANDARD STREET WITH IT IS 27 CONCRETE. YEAH. EXCEPT HAS, IT JUST DOESN'T HAVE SIDEWALKS. JUST LIKE A LOT OF PLACES IN CITY THAT WE DO SIDEWALKS, WILLENBERG, IS IT THAT IS ALSO THE SAME CONDITION AS AS AS, UH, SLEEPY HOLLOW. YES. 17 FEET AND IT'S GOT DITCHES NOT QUITE AS, AS DEEP AS THE ONES THAT SLEEPY HOLLOW, BUT JUST ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OPEN UP BAR. SO THERE COULD BE A POSSIBILITY IN THE FUTURE. ANOTHER STREET, UH, WILL WILLENBERG NO, WILLENBERG HAS GOT CONNECTION ON EITHER END. I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S GOT OPEN ENDS THAT, UH, TRAVEL CAN GO, BUT IT HAS THE SIMILAR CONDITIONS AS THE STREETS IN SLEEPY HOLLOW SCENARIO. YEAH. IT'S GOT THE SAME SIMILAR CONDITIONS. THE ONLY, THE ONLY SITUATION IS THAT SOUTHERN OAKS WILBERG ALREADY IS A, THEY USED IT AS A, CALL IT AS A CUT THROUGH GLEN CREEK. GLEN GET OUT THERE. SO, OKAY. AND THE SAME THING HOLDS FOR BOTH COMES FORWARD AND ASK THIS, THIS JUST GIVES US A TEMPLATE TO SAY, THIS IS WHY WE DID IT. FOR WHY WE DID IT. YEAH. OKAY. IT JUST ONE STREET THAT HAS CONCRETE, BUT NO, IT'S ALL GOOD. IT, IT'S RIGHT HERE. AS LONG AS, YOU KNOW, WE ARE, WE ARE AWARE OF THAT THERE MM-HMM . BUT I THINK WHAT WE'VE, BY DOING THIS, UH, FIRST WHERE WE ALL THESE HAVE ALL THESE ITEMS HERE, IT LISTS THE WORST CASE. I MEAN, THIS IS PROBABLY THE WORST CASE AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE GREENWOOD. I THINK IF WE, I THINK IF, IF WE HAD OTHER STREETS THAT ARE SOMEWHAT SIMILAR, I THINK THE CHALLENGE WOULD BE IS, OKAY, YOU GOT ONE THING THAT'S NOT IN THAT, THAT'S ON THIS LIST. THE REST OF THE THINGS, YOU HAVE ALL THESE DEALS AND UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS, YOU KNOW, OR A LOT OF THINGS, BUT IT'S ALSO BECAUSE YOU HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, DITCHES ALONG THE STREET AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF. SO IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST, IT'S A WORST CASE SCENARIO. UM, ERIC'S TEAM HAS CONTINUED TO, YOU KNOW, COLLECT THE SURVEY. IT'S NOT ANY DIFFERENT THAN REALLY THAN WHAT WE HAD, BUT MOST OF THE SPEEDING COMES IN AS YOU GO OVER THE RAILROAD TRACKS. UH, THERE. SO IF COUNSEL APPROVES IT, THEN UH, OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO PUT ONE SIDE COMING INTO THE S SUBDIVISION AND TRY THAT. ALRIGHT. RIGHT. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? NO SIR. ALRIGHT, I'LL TAKE IT ON. SO, MR. MAYOR, I WOULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, UH, ON ONE THREE, DISCUSS [3. Discuss and consider the first reading of an ordinance to reduce the Sleepy Hollow Subdivision speed limit from 30 mph to 25 mph. – Sherri Russell] AND CONSIDER [00:15:01] FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE TO REDUCE THE SLEEPY HALL OF SUBDIVISION SPEED LIMIT FROM 30 TO 25. SECOND. I DON'T, WE APPROVE THAT. SO WAS A MOTION? YES. WAS THAT A MOTION? YES SIR. OKAY. SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO, UH, APPROVE ON FIRST READING. AND WE HAVE A SECOND, UH, BY, UH, COUNCILMAN HANYA. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? NO. CALL FOR VOTE. ALL FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. A AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. SO IT'S PASSED ON FIRST READING AND WE'LL BRING IT BACK, UH, IN, UH, JANUARY. TAKE CARE OF SOME. OKAY. UH, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM FOUR. DISCUSS [4. Discuss and consider cancelling the January 5, 2026, city council meeting and scheduling a workshop for the water rate study. – Modesto Mundo ] AND CONSIDER CANCELING THE JANUARY 5TH IN 2026. CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND, UH, SCHEDULING A WORKSHOP FOR THE WATER RATE. UH, STUDY MAYOR, UH, COUNCIL. THE FIRST ONE WAS THE REQUEST TO, UM, WE HAD A, A LITTLE BIT OF A LIGHT AGENDA COMING OUT OF UH, JANUARY. THE OTHER ONE IS, UM, IF WE DID START TO GET A LOT OF ITEMS, WE'D HAVE TO PUT IT ON THE WEEK OF, UH, UM, I BELIEVE THE 29TH OR THE 30TH WE WOULD'VE TO GET IT, UH, POSTED. UM, SO THE RECOMMENDATION WAS LIKE TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION WITH THE COUNCIL. IT'S LIKE, UH, DO YOU WANT A COUNCIL MEETING ON, UH, THAT DAY? AND THEN THE OTHER ONE WAS A WORKSHOP THAT WE WERE TRYING TO SCHEDULE FOR LOOKING AT, UM, OUR WATER RATE STUDY WITH, UM, NUGEN. THEY WERE LOOKING AT, UM, THREE AREAS THAT WE'D LIKE TO PRESENT TO YOU. THE FIRST ONE WAS, UH, METER SIZING, CHARGING A LITTLE BIT BY METER SIZING. UH, THEY'VE ALSO LOOKED AT, UH, APARTMENT UNITS, UH, TRANSITIONING BY UNIT. AND THEN THE LAST ONE WAS THEY WERE LOOKING AT THE, UH, WINTER AVERAGE. THOSE ARE THE THREE THINGS WE THINK WE NEED SOME TIME WITH YOU. UM, PROBABLY ABOUT AN HOUR, UH, ON THAT DISCUSSION. 45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR. UM, WE WEREN'T LOOKING FOR A DECISION THAT NIGHT, BUT WE JUST WANTED TO COVER IT AS A RIGHT AS POSSIBLY A WORKS ITEM. SO THE ONE DISCUSSION THAT, UM, THE ONE IDEA THROWN OUT THERE WAS ON THE 20TH, WHICH IS A TUESDAY, WE HAVE TO MOVE FROM MARTIN LUTHER KING. UH, HOLIDAY WAS TO MEET AT MAYBE FIVE O'CLOCK BEFORE THE COUNCIL MEETING AND THEN TRANSITION. I KNOW THAT MAKES FOR A LONG MEETING AND IT COULD POSSIBLY BE A LONG MEETING IF SOME ITEMS FLOAT THERE. SO IF THAT WASN'T A GOOD IDEA, UH, THEN UM, WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT ANOTHER DATE. UM, THE REASON I INITIALLY STAYED AWAY FROM FEBRUARY, 'CAUSE WE'RE ALREADY HAVING A WORKSHOP IN FEBRUARY. UM, BUT WE'D LIKE TO GET A, UM, DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL BEFORE WE START LOOKING AT RATE ANALYSIS AND BUDGET ANALYSIS IN THAT APRIL TIMEFRAME. I WOULD RATHER HAVE ONE LONG MEETING THAN MULTIPLE MEETINGS. RIGHT. PERSONALLY AND, UH, COUNCIL AND MAYOR, THESE THREE RATE OPTIONS. UH, THAT'S WHY WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME. IT MIGHT SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT THE RESIDENTIAL RATE BECAUSE WE ARE TRYING TO SHIFT THE RATE INCREASE, PARDON TO MORE TO COMMERCIAL AND APARTMENT. SO THAT'S WHY, BECAUSE WE NEVER HAD A METER SIZE. SO YOU, YOU HAVE A SIX INCH OR BIG METERS, YOU WILL BE CHARGED A MONTHLY FLAT FEE OF HIGHER RATE. 'CAUSE NOW IT BEEN CHARGED THE SAME RATE. YOU GOT A HALF INCH METER OR YOU GOT EIGHT INCH METER, YOU GOT CHARGE THE SAME RATE. OKAY. WAS UH, EVERYBODY OKAY WITH, UH, FIRST OF ALL CANCELING THE JANUARY 5TH MEETING? UH, 'CAUSE STAFF IS THINKING WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A LOT TO REALLY DISCUSS, SO THERE'S NO NEED TO HAVE A MEETING, JUST CALL A MEETING JUST TO HAVE A MEETING AND WE COULDN'T GET THE CONSULTANT ON THAT DAY. RIGHT. I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT. AND THEN, UH, IF WE'RE OKAY WITH THAT, UH, ALSO THEN THE WORKSHOP ON THE 20TH, DO YOU NEED A MOTION ON THAT? I GUESS WE CAN DO ONE. YES. SURE. YES. SO YEAH, I'M OKAY WITH CANCELING THE ON THE FIFTH, ON THE 20TH. MY ONLY CONCERN IS HAVING MEETINGS BACK TO BACK. YOU'RE LIMITING THE DISCUSSION, UH, ON THIS SUBJECT OF WATER RATES THAT MAKE AN EFFECT HAVE A BIG IMPACT FOR CITIZENS. I JUST DON'T WANT TO HAVE A DEAD END SALE, DEAD STOP AND SAY, OKAY, WE HAVE TO STOP THE DISCUSSION. 'CAUSE IF SOMEBODY ELSE HAS A DISCUSSION, WANT TO DISCUSS, AND THAT'S A LEGITIMATE CONCERN. WHAT WE WERE THINKING WAS THAT WE WOULD HAVE THE CONSULTANT DO THEIR PRESENTATION, ASK QUESTIONS, BUT NO DECISION, AND THEN WE WOULD PUT IT ON SUBSEQUENT. OKAY, THAT'S FINE. COUNCIL MEETINGS FOR YOU TO DISCUSS BECAUSE IT, IT, UM, AND THEN THE CONSULTANT CAN COME BACK, BUT MOST LIKELY IF THEY DO COME BACK, IT MAY BE LIKE A TEAMS MEETING [00:20:01] OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THEY CAN'T COME OUT OR WE CAN'T AFFORD FOR THEM TO COME OUT EVERY TIME. UM, BUT THIS TIME WE JUST WANTED 'EM TO MAKE THEIR PRESENTATION. SO PRESENTATION BUT NOT ASK YOU TO MAKE A DECISION. YEAH. I I JUST FEEL THAT I KNOW YOU THAT WAY. BE ALRIGHT. YEAH, THAT'S FINE THAT WE HAVE TIME TO KIND OF DIGEST WHAT THEY SAY. I THINK YOU WILL. IT'S A BIG CHANGE. EVEN. I'M STILL DIGESTING IT. UM, UH, COUNCIL DISCUSSED IT MANY, MANY YEARS AGO ON THE METER SIZE. UM, UM, BUT WE JUST WANTED TO KIND OF PUT IT OUT THERE FIRST FOR YOU TO, AND THEN I DON'T THINK WE REALLY OR WOULD BE ASKING COUNSEL FOR, YOU KNOW, A TIMEFRAME FOR IT TO CHANGE UNTIL APRIL. OKAY. SO I'LL TAKE A MOTION ON ITEM AGAIN, CHANGING THE DATE, I MEAN CANCELING FIFTH AND THEN, UH, THE 20TH. MR. MAYOR, I WILL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE CANCEL THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON JANUARY 5TH AND THAT WE, UH, MEET AT 5:00 PM ON JANUARY 20TH FOR THE NEWGEN PRESENTATION PRIOR TO THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING. SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN SETH. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN BUELL. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? CALL FOR VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. A AYE. ANY OPPOSED? NAY. ALRIGHT. ALL RIGHT. MOTION CARRIES. UH, FIVE ONE VOTE. I THOUGHT HE WAS THOUGHT SECOND. ALL RIGHT, YOU SECONDED THAT MOTION. SECOND WAS, UH, MS. BU AND THEN HE SAID MAY VANAY SAID NO. VANAY DID. OH, I THOUGHT IT WAS ALL RIGHT. UH, WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UH, ITEM FIVE. [5. Construction Updates] UH, THIS IS, UH, CONSTRUCTION UPDATES. OKAY. UH, YOU HAVE THAT REPORT IN FRONT OF YOU, I HOPE. AND, UH, IF ANY ONE OF THOSE, UH, PICTURE FANCY, CAN YOU, UH, I MEAN, I WILL BE MORE THAN GLAD TO TO EXPAND ON THAT. ANY OF THOSE PROJECTS, UH, IN OUR, AS FAR AS THE CITY'S, UH, MAIN PROJECTS, WHICH IS THE, UH, THE ONE THAT'S REALLY, UH, TAKEN OFF IS THE, UH, WASTEWATER PIPE THEY ARE IN, UH, EARNEST. THEY'RE DOING THEIR, THEIR WORK THAT THEY WISH THEY SUPPOSED TO BE HAVE DONE A LONG TIME AGO. SO HOPEFULLY THAT'LL, THAT'LL BE OUT OF THERE. THE ONE THAT'S NOT MOVING FAST ENOUGH IS, OF COURSE OUR, OUR DOG SHELTER, WHICH, UH, IS STILL IN THE PROCESS OF BEING, UH, ON THE WINDSTORM. IT'S STILL BEING, UH, CONTESTED BY OUR ENGINEER AND THEIR, AND THEIR STRUCTURAL ENGINEER. UH, HOPEFULLY BY, UH, THIS, AS A MATTER OF FACT, TODAY THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE, UH, RESOLVED THE ISSUE. WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING THAT, UH, ANYTHING ON IT. BUT, UH, HOPEFULLY THAT THAT'LL HAPPEN THIS WEEK AND WE CAN CONTINUE ON WITH THAT ONE. UH, ON THE, UH, WE ARE STILL, UH, PUTTING PROJECTS OUT FOR OUR QUEUES. OUR QUEUES ON THE, UH, POLICE STATION AND ON THE FIRE STATION FOR THE CMA ARE BEING RECEIVED. WE'RE GONNA BE OPENING UP, UH, THOSE AT, AT THE START OF THE YEAR. AND SO THAT THAT CAN, THAT WORK CAN PROGRESS. THE, UH, AND UH, AND OUR PROJECT ON PARK TERRACE IS, IS STARTING TO AGAIN WITH THE DRY WEATHER THAT JUST, UH, AND THIS TODAY THEY START BACK IN EARNEST TRYING TO, TO, TO, UH, THEY'RE STILL CONTINUING ON WITH THE UTILITY WORK, WHICH IS GONNA TAKE THEM QUITE A WHILE TO GET THROUGH BEFORE THEY CAN START ACTUALLY TEARING OUT PAVEMENT AND, AND DOING THE, THE ACTUAL STREET PORTION OF THE WORK. AND I HAD, UH, THE MARRIED RECEIVED AN INQUIRY, UM, ABOUT ARE WE DONE WITH PON? AND, UM, WE FINISHED UP ON THE FIRST ON THE BOND FUNDS FROM 2021. SO WE HAVEN'T STARTED IT USING THE 8 MILLION FOR THE, THE OTHER PANELS. SO RIGHT NOW BAKER LAWS IS SURVEYING THAT AND THAT'LL BE GIVEN TO THREE ENGINEERS. SO WE STILL HAVE PLENTY OF, UH, IDENTIFIED FUNDS, UH, CORRECT TO GO ON, ON, ON YO FUND. UH, I THINK SOME PEOPLE MAY HAVE THOUGHT THAT WHEN WE WERE DOING THE WORK, THEY THOUGHT, OH, THAT'S THE, WE'RE NOT THAT QUICK. NO. WHEN DO WE, [00:25:01] I KNOW WE'RE PUSHING, UH, HARD ON, UH, IMPLEMENTING THOSE BOND OUT, THAT BOND AS, UH, WHEN DO WE EXPECT TO HAVE MAJORITY OF THAT WORK DONE FROM THAT, THAT THE, AT LEAST THE PANEL REPLACEMENT ON THE AV AND WELL, WE HAVE THREE ENGINEERS THAT HAVE BEEN, THAT WE HAVE SELECTED TO THE ACTUAL DESIGN. THEY ARE, UH, WAITING ON THIS, UH, SURVEYING INFORMATION SO THEY CAN DO THAT. AND DEPENDING ON THE, UH, WE'VE DIVIDING, WE HAVE DIVIDED THE PROJECTS INTO, UH, LARGER PORTIONS FOR, FOR ONE OF THE ENGINEERS, THE ONES THAT HAVE DONE WORK HERE BEFORE, UH, THAT KNOW THE, UH, KNOW THE PROJECT SO THEY CAN START, YOU KNOW, RUNNING THE, THE, THE PROJECT GOING FASTER. THE TWO, UH, THE OTHER ONES THAT HAVEN'T DONE ANY WORK, ESPECIALLY ON THAT SIDE, WE'VE GIVEN THEM THE SMALLER SIZE PROJECTS AND UH, THEY CAN START, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN START RIGHT AWAY AND HOPEFULLY FINISH FIRST, UH, FIRST AND THE OTHER ONES AND START RELEASING THOSE HIGHEST THEY COME IN. WE'RE NOT GONNA BE WAITING FOR ANYTHING FOR ANYONE TO OUR TWO. WE'RE NOT WAITING FOR ALL NO, NO, NO. WE'RE GONNA DO IT OUT THAT WAY. IT'S THEIR PLANS IN CORRECT. YOU THINK WE COULD GET SOMETHING IN BEFORE SUMMER? YES. UHHUH. . OKAY. SURE. SO I'VE NOTICED THE SURVEY FOLKS ARE PUTTING THEIR MARKERS DOWN AND THEY'VE LOANED PEOPLE WHEN THEY COME, THEY TAKE, THEY RUN OVER ALL OF THEM. SO IS THAT, UH, HOW IS THAT MA MANAGED? WELL, THAT'S NOT, NOT A PROBLEM. UH, THEY, THEY HAVE ALREADY, MOST OF THE SURVEY MARKERS HAVE BEEN USED UP ALREADY. SO THEY'VE GOT ALL THAT INFORMATION UP. NOW THEY'RE JUST PUTTING IT INTO NOW INTO THE, THE, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S ANY SIGNIFICANCE TO HAVING THOSE MARKERS STILL THERE. SO, NO, THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T REALLY NEED THAT ONE. THEY HAVE SET SOME MARKERS THAT THEY HAVE TO REFER BACK DURING CONSTRUCTION AND THOSE ARE, ARE SAFEGUARDED. SOME OTHER PLACES, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE, THEY SELECT THEIR PLACES FOR THOSE. OKAY. SO DO YOU SEE US FINISHING THE $8 MILLION PROJECTS BY THE END OF THE YEAR? NO. NO. NOW CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION WILL PROBABLY TAKE NO, REMEMBER THAT. THE CONTRACTORS ALSO HAVE TO DO, I MEAN, HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, SO. OKAY, THANK YOU. STAFF. ANYTHING ELSE? ALRIGHT. NO, NO, SIR. ALL RIGHT. WELL THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UH, LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO DO, UH, I [ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST ] COMMUNIC INTERESTED IS NEXT. WE DON'T HAVE A, YEAH, WE LEFT. UH, SALLY DIDN'T WANNA HEAR FROM ME. NO, WE DIDN'T WANNA HEAR FROM YOU. ALRIGHT. UH, MR. BAKER? NO, SIR. MR. SCOOTER? NO, SIR. MS. SETH, UH, IF YOU CATCH BROKEN CHRISTMAS LIGHTS, THERE'S BOXES HERE. CITY HALL LIBRARY ALL AROUND TOWN. DROP OFF YOUR, UH, BROKEN CHRISTMAS LIGHTS AND, UH, KLJB IS PICKING THEM UP TO RECYCLE AND MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYBODY. EVERYBODY ENJOYS THEIR TIME OFF WITH THEIR FAMILIES. MR. HANYA. OH, JUST, UM, MERRY CHRISTMAS. HAPPY GOZA. HAPPY , HAPPY HOLIDAYS, AND WE ALL BE SAFE OUT THERE. MM-HMM. MR. BUELL? NO, SIR. UH, JUST, UH, FYI, UH, UH, TALKED TO, UH, COMMISSIONER LINDER, UH, LET'S SEE, WHAT IS THIS? LAST WEEK, MID LAST WEEK. AND HE WAS GIVING AN UPDATE. UH, AND THIS IS OUT TOWARD, OUT IN THE FARMS AT THE LAKE ROAD SECTION, THE COUNTY SECTION OF LAKE ROAD INTO THE FARMS, WHICH, UH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, UH, WE HAVE, UH, LAKE JACKSON RESIDENCE ON ONE SIDE OF THAT. AND THEN THE OTHER SIDE IS, UH, COUNTY, DEPENDS ON HOW FAR BACK YOU GO. ANYWAY, THEY ARE GOING TO, UH, START REPLACING RESURFACING, UH, LAKE ROAD, UH, IN FEBRUARY, STARTING AT THE INTERSECTION, UH, 2004 AND LAKE ROAD. AGAIN, THIS IS THE COUNTY SIDE LAKE ROAD, UH, BACK TOWARD ALL THE WAY TO THE NORTH SIDE, UH, WHICH IS ABOUT TWO MILES, TWO MILES THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO. AND, UM, THEN THEY WILL BUDGET FOR DOING THE REST OF THE ROAD, UH, BACK TO 3 32, UH, UH, FOR, UH, 27. UH, THEY CAN'T DO ALL THE ROAD, UH, IN ONE YEAR. UH, ACTUALLY DOING, UH, AS MUCH AS THEY'RE DOING IN 26 IS MORE THAN THEY NORMALLY DO AT ONE TIME, ONE STANDING ON A PROJECT. SO THEY'RE TRYING TO BE AS AGGRESSIVE AS THEY CAN ON, UH, ON THAT SURFACE. AND THEN AFTER THEY FINISH THAT, WELL, THEN THEY WILL, UH, STRIKE THE ROAD. THE REASON WHY I BRING THAT UP IS BECAUSE I GET PHONE CALLS PROBABLY ONCE A MONTH WHEN LAKE ROAD ON THAT SIDE STRIPED AND IT'S A COUNTY ROAD, SO, BUT THEY'LL STRIP IT AFTER IT FINISHED. AND SAME THING. EVERYBODY BE SAFE, UH, [00:30:01] OVER THE HOLIDAYS AND STUFF. SPEND TIME WITH FAMILY AND, UM, ANYTHING ELSE WE DO? UH, NO. UM, THE, UM, LIGHT UP LAKE JACKSON EVENTS. UH, MAKE SURE YOU REFER TO YOUR MAILER. I KNOW THAT SOMEONE WILL BE TOURING THE CITY VIA FIRE TRUCKS, UH, THIS COMING SATURDAY. SO WATCH OUT FOR THEM. UM, AND THEN, UH, SO THANK YOU TO LAURA MARIE AND EVERYBODY AT THE REC CENTER, UH, THAT'S WORKING ON THAT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. UH, AND, AND THEN, UH, PD WHO, UH, UM, SUPPLIES, UH, SOME SANTA CLAUS AND EVEN THE, UH, THIS YEAR FINANCE JAMES THE SANTA JAMES. YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE THE GRINCH? NO, MY OFFICE IS A GRINCH. OH YEAH. JAMES Z SANTA. JAMES THE SANTA. AND THEN IF YOU, UH, GIVE CHANCE, UH, PLEASE. UH, I KNOW WE HAVE, UH, SANTA CLAUS COMING IN, UH, NEXT WEEKEND, BUT, UH, OUR OWN DOLORES, UH, UH, UH, DECORATED, UH, THE FRONT, UH, LOBBY AND I THINK SHE'S GONNA WORK AT, I MEAN THE REST OF THE LOBBY HERE. UH, BUT UH, LOOK AT UM, UH, SOME OF OUR HANDY WORK. UH, SHE'S VERY TALENTED. ALRIGHT. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH EVERYONE. YES, THAT'S IT. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.