[CALL TO ORDER]
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I CALL THIS MEETING OF THE RICHARDSON CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER AT 6:45 PM I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE COUNCIL MEMBER JUSTICE TO GIVE THE INVOCATION AND LEAD THE PLEDGES.
UH, SEEING AS WE ARE HAVING OUR FINAL MEETING, UH, OF THE YEAR AND STARTING A NEW YEAR SOON, I AM GOING TO, UH, SHARE WITH YOUR WORDS OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
JOIN ME AS YOU'RE, UH, COMFORTABLE.
JOIN WITH EARTH AND EACH OTHER TO BRING NEW LIFE TO THE LAND, TO RESTORE THE WATERS, TO REFRESH THE AIR, TO RENEW THE FOREST.
TO CARE FOR THE PLANTS, FOR THE PLANTS, TO PROTECT THE CREATURES.
TO CELEBRATE THE SEAS, THE SEA, TO REJOICE IN SUNLIGHT AND SUNLIGHT.
TO SING THE SONG OF THE STARS, TO RECALL OUR DESTINY, TO RENEW OUR SPIRITS, TO INVIGORATE OUR BODIES, TO RECREATE THE HUMAN COMMUNITY, TO PROMOTE JUSTICE AND PEACE, TO LOVE OUR CHILDREN, AND TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
TO JOIN TOGETHER AS MANY AND DIVERSE EXPRESSIONS OF ONE LOVING MYSTERY FOR THE HEALING OF THE EARTH IN THE RENEWAL OF ALL LIFE.
THE US PLEDGE, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF UNITED STATES AMERICA, AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC.
STANDS ONE NATION, NATION UNDER GOD, INDI INDIVISIBLE.
LIBERTY AND JUSTICES, THE TEXAS FLAG.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER GOD.
INDIVISIBLE, INDIVISIBLE, ALL.
[3. MINUTES OF THE DECEMBER 8, 2025 SPECIAL CALLED MEETING AND DECEMBER 8, 2025 MEETING]
I WOULD BE LOOKING FOR A MOTION FOR THE MINUTES OF THE DECEMBER 8TH, 2025, SPECIAL CALLED MEETING.AND THE DECEMBER 8TH, 2025 MEETING.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAN, I PUT A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MEETING MINUTES AS WRITTEN AS STATED.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY ANYONE OPPOSED? OKAY.
THAT PASSES SIX TO NOTHING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER.
OKAY, WE'LL MOVE INTO PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS AND VISITORS FORUM.
WE'RE NOT IN RECEIPT OF ANY CARDS IN ADVANCE OF THE 5:00 PM DEADLINE, AND I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED TO SPEAK.
ANYONE WISH TO SPEAK TONIGHT? OKAY.
[5. REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE 2026 BOND PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT]
WE'LL MOVE ON THEN TO ITEM FIVE, WHICH IS REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE 2026 BOARD PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT.MR. MAGNER, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR COUNCIL, UH, VERY EXCITED TO, UH, BE BRINGING THIS, UH, PRESENTATION BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.
IT'S THE CULMINATION OF, UH, AS YOU KNOW, FIVE WEEKS OF DEEP DIVES, UH, SEVERAL, UH, INTRODUCTORY AND KICKOFF BRIEFINGS, UH, STARTING BACK TO THE BUDGET RE, UH, BUDGET RETREAT AND BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS THIS SUMMER.
UM, AS, UH, AS WE BEGIN THIS PROCESS AND REALLY START TO TALK, TALK ABOUT THE PARTICULARS, UH, OF OUR, UH, RECOMMENDATION TO YOU, WE, WE DO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, A LOT OF IMPORTANT STAKEHOLDERS, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN PART OF THIS PROCESS.
UH, VERY IMPORTANTLY, OUR, OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, UH, OUR HOA PRESIDENTS, UH, UH, MANY HOMEOWNERS, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEDIAS MEETINGS, UM, OUR INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS, UM, THAT, UH, UH, WE'VE, UH, WORKED WITH, UH, PARTICULARLY ON THE TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY, UH, OUR BUSINESS AND DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, UH, BUSINESS AND, UH, UM, UH, DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.
THEN OF COURSE, MANY OF THE INTERNAL STUDIES AND ASSESSMENTS WE'VE DONE, AS WELL AS, UH, SOME EXTERNAL ASSESSMENTS AND STUDIES, UH, THAT WE'VE BEEN, UH, FORTUNATE TO PARTNER WITH, UH, WITH THE LIKES OF TECH DOT, FOR INSTANCE.
UH, AS WE, UH, UH, GET TO THIS IMPORTANT BRIEFING TONIGHT, UH, AS I MENTIONED, UH, YOU'VE SPENT HOURS NOW, UM, UM, HEARING THE DEEP DIVES OF TRANSPORTATION, MOBILITY, PARKS AND REC, INCLUDING AQUATIC DRAINAGE, UH, STREETS, ALLEYS, AND SIDEWALKS.
AND THEN LAST WEEK, UH, FACILITIES, UH, WE DO HAVE SEVERAL MEETINGS RESERVED AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UH, IF, UH, IF THEY'RE NEEDED, UH, TO REFINE, UH, THE, UH, PROPOSITIONS THAT'LL BE PRESENTED TO YOU TONIGHT.
UH, BEFORE WE GET TO THAT, I WANT TO DO, I DO WANT TO, UH, TALK ABOUT OUR CAPACITY AND SOME OF THE MODELING THAT, UH, KENT AND HIS TEAM HAS HAVE DONE.
UM, AS YOU, UH, RECALL FROM PAST BRIEFINGS AND, AND REALLY MANY YEARS, UM, WE TAKE A VERY CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO OUR DEBT MODELING.
UM, AS YOU SEE, THE PROPERTY TAX VALUE GROWTH IS, ASSUMPTIONS ARE THAT THEY'LL REMAIN FLAT FOR FY 27 AND 28, A VERY MODEST 1% GROWTH FROM FY 29 THROUGH 34, AND THEN 0% GROWTH THEREAFTER.
WE CONTINUE TO, UH, USE INTEREST RATES, UH, BETWEEN FOUR AND A HALF, UH, MEAN 4.75 AND 5.25%, UM, FOR FUTURE, FUTURE ISSUANCES WHEN IN REALITY, UH, EVEN, UH, THIS LAST SERIES, UH, KENT, WHICH I BELIEVE WAS THE HIGHEST WE'VE HAD, UM, IN MANY YEARS, WAS, UH, WAS WELL BELOW THAT A HALF POINT, UH, BELOW THE LOW END OF THAT ASSUMPTION.
UM, AS, UH, WE, WE, UH, CONSIDERING FACTORS, UM, THIS CONSERVATIVE MODELING, UM, MOST OF THE CAPACITY THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT TONIGHT IS ACTUALLY BEING
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CREATED THROUGH THE GOOD WORK OF KENT AND HIS TEAM AS WE, UM, UH, PAY OFF THE OLD DEBT, UH, MUCH, UH, SOONER IN A MUCH MORE TIMELY WAY THAN THAN, THAN IT'S SOLD.UM, THIS DOES, UH, THIS MODELING DOES ASSUME A FIVE YEAR SERIAL SALE, UH, FOR THIS GEO BOND PROGRAM WITH ONE ASTERISK, AND I'LL COME BACK TO THAT.
OF COURSE, IT IS A NO TAX RATE INCREASE, UH, AS, AS THE LAST TWO BOND PROGRAMS BEEN, UH, AND IT DOES LEAVE SOME ROOM FOR SUPPLEMENTAL ISSUANCE IN THE FUTURE.
UM, WHILE WE SAY WE HAVE A CAPACITY OF $200 MILLION FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, UH, AGAIN, THE ASTERISK WILL BE THE $23.5 MILLION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF FIRE STATION SEVEN THAT WE TALK ABOUT IN QUOTE, YEAR SIX, OR POTENTIALLY YEAR ONE OF, OF OUR NEXT BOND PROGRAM.
UH, NOT WITHSTANDING EVEN THE 23, UH, THE $223 MILLION NUMBER, UH, WE STILL HAVE ABOUT 25, UH, TO $30 MILLION OF CAPACITY, UH, FOR, UM, OTHER NEEDS THAT MIGHT ARISE.
UM, AS WE, UH, HAVE SHARED WITH YOU PREVIOUSLY AND HAVE DRILLED DOWN ON THE REFINEMENT OF THE PROPOSITIONS, UM, OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES CONTINUE TO BE FIRST AND FOREMOST AS THE PROJECT HELP ACHIEVE OR FURTHER ONE OF YOUR GOALS.
UM, UH, VERY, VERY IMPORTANTLY AS WELL, UH, MIN, THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE MINIMAL ADDITIONAL OPERATING COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROJECT.
UH, OBVIOUSLY, UH, YOU'RE GONNA HEAR, UM, UH, THE SECOND PART OF OUR NEXT BRIEFING IS GONNA TALK ABOUT WHY THAT IS SO IMPORTANT.
UM, OF COURSE, WE WANNA BUILD ON AND EXECUTE, UH, ON, UM, UH, PREVIOUS MASTER PLANNING EFFORTS.
UH, MANY OF THE DISCUSSIONS THAT YOU HAD IN PARTICULARLY THE PARTS REALM WHERE ABOUT THAT.
AND, UH, AND THEN WE WANNA CONTINUE TO BUILD ON PRIOR PROJECTS BY, UH, FURTHER COMPLETING, UH, OR, OR, UM, UH, UM, ADDING TO, UH, THOSE PLANS, THOSE PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY TAKEN PLACE.
AND THEN WE LOOK FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE CATALYTIC OR TRANSFORMATIONAL IN NATURE.
I HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE, UM, IN TERMS OF CONSIDERATIONS, WE'RE ALWAYS MINDFUL OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, UH, IMMEDIATELY.
UM, AND, AND, AND THIS IS KIND OF THE WORST FIRST KIND OF MENTALITY, UH, BUT WE'RE ALSO ALWAYS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF PROJECTS COMPLETELY IMPLEMENTED IN PHASES.
THIS IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN THE REALMS OF DRAINAGE.
UM, WE'VE TALKED MANY TIMES ABOUT SOME, HOW SOME OF THE DRAINAGE PROJECTS FOR SOME OF THE, UH, UH, BASINS, UH, OFTEN COME TO 35 TO $40 MILLION, AND EVEN THROUGH A BOND PROGRAM.
UM, THAT'S NOT, UH, THAT'S NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND THEN WE LOOK FOR, UH, WAYS, OBVIOUSLY TO LIMIT DISRUPTION TO OUR OPERATIONS AND SERVICES TO CITIZENS.
UM, AND THEN, AS I MENTIONED, IMPORTANTLY, UH, WE WE'RE ALWAYS, UM, MINDFUL OF, UM, THERE ARE GONNA BE PROJECTS THAT ARE ON THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR AT THE END OF THIS IN EVERY PROPOSITION.
SO HOW DO WE GO ABOUT, UM, BOTH IN THE IMMEDIATE TERM, ADDRESSING THOSE HIGH PRIORITY PROJECTS, BUT, UH, OVER THE LONG HAUL, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROGRESS THE, UH, PROP, THE RECOMMENDATION I HAVE FOR YOU TONIGHT IS, UH, IS AGAIN ABOUT A, IT'S A $223.4 MILLION RECOMMENDATION.
UM, I, I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH THIS, UM, BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA DO A LITTLE BIT OF A DEEP DIVE INTO EACH ONE OF THE PROPOSITIONS.
UH, YOU CAN SEE A LITTLE BIT OF DIFFERENCE IN TRANSPORTATION, MOBILITY, STREET SIDEWALK, DRAINAGE, UH, PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND, AND PARKS, ALL A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE INITIALLY PROPOSED TO YOU IN THE BLOCKING EXERCISE.
AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY.
SO, UH, FIRST WE'LL GO TO TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY.
UM, WE'RE HAPPY, UM, TO, TO, UH, RECOMMEND, UH, ALL OF THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL REBUILDS AT $9.5 MILLION.
UH, IN ADDITION TO, UM, THE TWO NEW TRAFFIC SIGNAL REBUILDS OF RENTER AND SHARP AND BELTLINE AND WEATHERED FOR $1.3 MILLION.
UM, IMPORTANTLY, I THINK REPLACING ALL SCHOOL'S OWN FLASHERS AND SPEED FEEDBACK SIGNS, AS WELL AS COMPLETING ALL OF THE A DA COMPLIANCE UPGRADES THAT WE HAD IDENTIFIED.
AND THEN FOR THE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PLAN, UM, UH, THE OWENS TRAIL UPGRADES THAT WE COVERED IN THE STREET CROSSING UPGRADES, AGAIN HERE, THE, UH, $1.3 MILLION OF NEW TRAFFIC SIGNALS AND THE ADDITIONAL $1.3 MILLION TO COMPLETE ALL OF THE A DA COMPLIANCE UPGRADES, RATHER THAN THE 50% THAT WERE INITIALLY DISCUSSED OR THE DIFFERENCES, UM, THAT, UH, THAT WE BRING TO YOU TONIGHT IN TERMS OF STREETS AND ALLEYS, THIS IS VERY EXCITING, UH, FOR, FOR ME IN ANYWAY,
UH, YOU SEE THE COLLECTORS OF WATERVIEW DRIVE FROM ARAPAHOE TO CAMPBELL, ANDROSE FROM AUSTRALIA TO PROVIDENCE TOWN, NEIGHBORHOOD COLLECTORS OF MOSA FROM MELROSE TO ARAPO, SOUTH WEATHER FROM DOWNING TO BELTLINE, UH, COMMERCIAL, THE PRESIDENTIAL DRIVE FROM ROUNDABOUT TO 1220 PRESIDENTIAL, UM, MANY, MANY RESIDENTIAL STREETS TO THE TUNE OF $27 MILLION, UH, 15 ALLEY SEGMENTS THAT I'LL SHOW YOU ON A MAP HERE.
AND THEN $25 MILLION FOR, UH, THE CONCRETE REPLACEMENT.
UM, UH, UH, MAYOR HU, WE TOOK, UH, A LOT OF, UH, UH, THOUGHTFUL FEEDBACK, UH, FROM YOU THAT NIGHT AND THE REST OF THE COUNCIL, AND REALLY CONTEMPLATED OUR STRATEGY.
UM, AND, AND I FEEL CONFIDENT IN RECOMMENDING, UM, THIS WOULD AMOUNT TO TWO AND A HALF TIMES A FULL DEPTH CONCRETE REPLACEMENT.
UM, THEN WE'RE AVERAGING OVER THE LAST, UH, FIVE TO SIX YEARS, UH, THROUGH THE PEGO PROGRAM, UM, UH, THAT'S, UH, REALLY GOING TO EXCEL, UH, THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT WE CAN
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DO.AND IF WE ARE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THAT IN THE PEGO, UM, IT'S GOING TO, UH, REALLY ALLOW US TO START QUOTE CATCHING UP IF FOR SOME REASON, AND, AND IT IS A POSSIBILITY.
AGAIN, THESE TWO BRIEFINGS THAT ARE ON HERE TONIGHT ARE NOT BY COINCIDENCE, AS WE'LL TALK ABOUT IF WE NEEDED TO TWEAK THE PEGO, UH, TRANSFER OUT FOUR STREETS, UM, WE KNOW WE STILL HAVE HERE, UM, ESSENTIALLY, UH, 4 MILLION DO, UH, I'M SORRY, $5 MILLION A A YEAR.
AGAIN, TWO AND A HALF TIMES WHAT WE'VE AVERAGED THROUGH THE PEGO TO HANDLE THESE LOCALIZED REPAIRS.
AND YOU SEE HERE, UM, A MAP THAT'S BEEN UPDATED TO INCLUDE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, ALL OF THE STREETS AND ALLEY SEGMENTS.
YOU SEE A NICE DISTRIBUTION THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, AND THEN THE CONCRETE REPAIR, UH, SEGMENTS.
UH, AND, UM, I'M, I, I FEEL, UH, UH, CONFIDENT THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY PROBABLY, UH, EXCEED THIS WITH THE $25 MILLION, AS I BELIEVE, IF I RECALL RIGHT, CHARLES, THE, THE, UH, UH, THE ACTUAL ESTIMATE WAS, UH, BASED AROUND, UH, PROBABLY ABOUT A $4 MILLION A YEAR, UH, UM, SALE, PARTICULARLY IF WE, IF WE CONTINUE TO INVEST, UM, THROUGH THE PEGO.
NOW, THE OTHER OPTION, RATHER THAN JUST REDUCING THE PEGO, WOULD BE TO USE THAT $2 MILLION FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
UH, AND RECALL, OUR RECOMMENDATION TO YOU IS THAT AS WE GET INTO EARLY NEXT YEAR, AND WE HAVE SOME, UH, BRIEFINGS AROUND THINGS LIKE, UH, THE USE OF ASPHALT, UH, FOR OVERLAY PURPOSES, UM, THAT PEGO, THOSE PAYGO DOLLARS BEING RELEASED BECAUSE WE NOW HAVE THESE BOND PROGRAM DOLLARS DEDICATED TO THAT COULD VERY WELL BE AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION, UH, FOR YOU ON SIDEWALKS HERE.
UH, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS, UH, REALLY LISTENING TO YOU AND SOME OF THE PUBLIC FEEDBACK, INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING TO ADDRESS THE SIDEWALK GAPS FROM, UH, WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS NOW TO $6 MILLION.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, THE TWO RESIDENTIAL ZONES AND, UM, COMMERCIAL ZONES FOR THE SIDEWALK, UH, REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT BUILDING ON, UH, SEVERAL BOND PROGRAMS WORTH OF WORK NOW, UH, BUT ALLOWING, UH, REALLY FOR THE, UM, GAPS, UH, IN THE SIDEWALK, UH, UH, THE SIDEWALK GAP, UH, UM, PROGRAM TO BE REALLY ELEVATED, UH, BY, AGAIN, ANOTHER MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS RECALL.
MY RECOMMENDATION TO YOU PREVIOUSLY WAS NOT TO BE TOO PRESCRIPTIVE, UH, IN, IN THIS, UH, PROPOSITION.
UM, WE WOULD BRING YOU AN ANNUAL WORK PLAN BACK FOR CONSIDERATION AS WE SELL THESE, UH, $6 MILLION OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL SERIES.
UM, AND SO, UH, THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO BE FLEXIBLE.
UH, HOPEFULLY SOME OF THESE ARE TAKEN CARE OF THROUGH NEW DEVELOPMENT, THROUGH REDEVELOPMENT, THROUGH GRANTS, AND SO ALLOW US FOR MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY ON THE DRAINAGE, UH, RECOMMENDING TO YOU A LOWEST BRANCH, PHASE ONE AND TWO.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT HIGHLAND TERRACE PROJECT THAT, UM, HAS, UH, BEEN ON THE, UM, DISCUSSION FOR, UH, SEVERAL BOND PROGRAMS. NOW, UM, YOU CAN SEE THE PHASE ONE IS FROM LOWEST FROM IS THE LOWEST BRANCH CHANNEL IMPROVEMENTS, ESSENTIALLY 600, UH, FEET DOWNSTREAM OF SPRING VALLEY TO ABOUT 200 DOWNSTREAM OF PITMAN.
PHASE TWO WOULD BE A CONTINUATION OF THAT FROM PITMAN TO HIGHLAND.
YOU SEE THE BENEFITS HERE, AND, AND, AND THEY MIGHT INITIALLY SAY, WOW, THAT'S, THAT, THAT MAYBE IS A LITTLE BIT A MODEST FOR AN $11.5 MILLION PROJECT, BUT RECALL THIS WAS PHASES ONE OF TWO AND THREE OF THREE AND FOUR, REALLY, WE'VE GOT TO GET, WE'VE GOT TO LAUNCH ON THIS PROJECT IN SOME WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM, TO EVENTUALLY, UM, HAVE IT, UM, HAVE IT COMPLETED AND REALLY START TO SEE THE BENEFITS COME THROUGH IN PHASES THREE AND FOUR.
AND SO, UM, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PROJECT.
AGAIN, MISS HAS MISSED SEVERAL BOND PROGRAMS. UM, THE OTHER, THE OTHER, UH, NOTE HERE IS THE ADDITION OF $1.5 MILLION, UH, FOR, UH, POTENTIAL GIAN, UH, WALL OR EROSION PROJECTS.
THIS ALLOWING US TO GET A LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO THAT PRIORITY LIST, AND PROBABLY STARTING, UM, TO GET DEEP ENOUGH INTO THAT LIST THAT WE MAY START ADDRESSING SOME OF THE MORE HIGH PROFILE, UH, SITUATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO THE COUNCIL'S ATTENTION, ATTENTION RECENTLY, UM, AROUND, UH, FOR INSTANCE, THE, UH, MAYBE THE TAM SHANTER AREA WHERE, UH, THAT PREVIOUSLY WASN'T, UM, WASN'T PROBABLY GONNA MAKE IT AS A RESULT OF, UH, JUST THE PRIORITY LIST, UH, FACILITIES.
IT'S THE APPARATUS BUILDING FOR, UH, FIRE JUST NORTH OF FIRE STATION FIVE FOR $8 MILLION, $2.1 MILLION TO, UH, RENOVATE, UH, FIRE STATION SIX, UH, AND A SMALL ADDITION THERE.
AND THEN THE DESIGN FOR FIRE STATION SEVEN IN THE FORM OF $2.4 MILLION.
AND YOU SEE HER FIRE STATION SEVEN CONSTRUCTION.
SO WHAT THIS BOND PROGRAM WOULD BE DOING IS ASKING FOR THE AUTHORIZATION TO EVENTUALLY ISSUE THE $23.5 MILLION THAT WOULD BE NEEDED, UH, FOR THE CONSTRUCTION.
HOWEVER, THE ACTUAL SALE OF THAT DEBT WOULD NOT BE SCHEDULED TO FY 32, WHICH AGAIN, WOULD BE THIS QUOTE YEAR SIX OR YEAR ONE OF THE NEXT BOND PROGRAM.
BUT I, I FEEL LIKE THE COUNCIL'S FEEDBACK WAS CLEAR THAT YOU WANTED TO HAVE THE AUTHORIZATION TO MOVE ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS PROJECT BEFORE WE WOULD INVEST TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS, UM, IN, IN ITS DESIGN.
AND SO THAT'S WHY IT'S, UH, IT'S SITUATED THAT WAY.
UM, IN TERMS OF PARKS AND, AND RECREATION, UH, AND LET'S START WITH THE AQUATICS.
THERE'S $11.5 MILLION SET ASIDE FOR THE COTTONWOOD POOL REMOVAL.
AND IN ADDITION OF A SPRAY GROUND AT 2.7 MILLION,
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THE CANYON CREEK POOL RENOVATION PROJECT AT 2.3 MILLION.AND THEN FOR BRECKENRIDGE AT THE COMPLEX B SPRAY, GROUND RESTROOM, AND PARKING LOT AT $5.6 MILLION.
UH, I'M HAPPY TO, TO REPORT TO YOU THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING ALL OF THE PLAYGROUNDS.
I RECALL YOU HAD SOME CURIOSITY AROUND, UM, I THINK THERE WERE FOUR PLAYGROUNDS THAT WERE KIND OF RIGHT ON THE BORDER THERE IN TERMS OF THE, UH, TIMELINE.
THIS, UH, TAKES AWAY ALL THAT, UM, UM, KIND OF UNCERTAINTY AND INCLUDES ALL OF THE, UH, THE PLAYGROUND, UH, REBUILDS, ALLOWING US TO KEEP ON OUR, OUR RHYTHM, UM, THAT WE DESCRIBED FOR YOU PREVIOUSLY.
UM, AND THEN THAT IS DEFINITELY NOT CORRECT ON PART DEVELOPMENT.
UM, LET ME, UH, YEAH, I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
UM, UM, WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING HERE IS ACTUALLY TO, UH, FURTHER EXECUTE THE BRECKENRIDGE, UH, STRATEGIC IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
UH, THIS WAS A PLAN THAT WAS, UH, DEVELOPED AROUND 2020, AND THEN ULTIMATELY FINALIZED IN 21 AND INCLUDES SEVEN, UH, PROJECTS, UH, LOOP TRAIL COMPLETION OF THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE, UH, PLAYGROUND LEAGUE RELOCATION, WHICH WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH THE 21 BOND PROGRAM, UH, SIGNAGE THAT WE HAVEN'T EXECUTED ON YET.
UH, THE BALLPARK PARKING RESURFACING, UH, A MAINTENANCE FACILITY, UM, UPGRADE.
UH, THIS IS KIND OF IN THE PIT, IF YOU WILL, WHICH YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD PREVIOUSLY.
THERE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT WORK THERE COMPLETED, BUT NOT ALL.
UM, AND THEN SOME EROSION CONTROL AT THE EXISTING BRIDGE.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE EXECUTE, WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING HERE FOR THE $5 MILLION, AND AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE FOR THIS, UH, THIS IS 100% ON ME, UM, IS, UM, THE LOOP TRAIL AND THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE THAT YOU SEE PICTURED HERE ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND SIDE, UM, OF THE PROJECT.
AND AGAIN, UH, WITH, IN THE SPIRIT OF, UH, OF, OF ONE OF OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES, WHICH, WHICH WAS TO BUILD ON PROJECTS AND PLANS THAT HAVE BEEN LAUNCHED.
UM, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION TO YOU.
UM, SO HOW DOES THIS RECOMMENDED BOND PROGRAM, UH, COMPARE, UH, TO PRIOR, UH, UH, PRO PROGRAMS IN TERMS OF THE PERCENTAGE YOU'LL SEE HERE, AGAIN, UH, GROWING TO THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE EVER, UM, DEDICATED TO STREETS? NOW RECALL, WHEN WE ACTUALLY TAKE THIS TO THE PUBLIC, BOTH TRANSPORTATION, MOBILITY AND STREET PROJECTS WILL ALL BE LUMPED INTO A STREET PROPOSITION THAT HAS BEEN OUR PRACTICE.
UH, PUBLIC BUILDINGS, AGAIN, A $36 MILLION, BUT IN THE FIVE YEAR WINDOW, UM, UH, JUST, UH, UM, JUST A FRACTION OF THAT BECAUSE THE $23.5 MILLION, UH, WILL AGAIN, REMAIN, UH, AUTHORIZED BUT NOT EXECUTED INTO FY 32 PARKS IS AT 22.2 MILLION SIDEWALKS, 16.5 MILLION, AND THEN DRAINAGE AT 16.5 MILLION FOR A TOTAL OF $223.4 MILLION.
NOW, YOU MAY ASK, DON, YOU PRESENTED AN AWFUL LOT MORE NEED THAN THAT, AND SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO ADDRESS THE REMAINING PROJECTS, PARTICULARLY THOSE PROJECTS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED, UM, AS, UH, NEEDING IMMEDIATE ATTENTION? AND I REALLY WANT TO HARKEN BACK TO THE FACILITIES DISCUSSION, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE YOU SAW THE MOST.
UM, ONE THING I'LL TELL YOU IS, IS THAT, UM, AS WE LOOK OUT BEYOND, UH, YEAR FIVE HERE TO YEAR, UH, SIX AND 10, UH, THERE REMAINS, UH, UM, UH, A LOT OF CAPACITY THAT'LL COME BACK ONLINE.
AND SO FOR SOME OF THE BIGGER PROJECTS LIKE, UH, THE LOWEST, UH, UH, LOWEST DRAINAGE PROJECTS, THREE AND FOUR, FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE FUTURE CAPACITY.
UM, AND SO THAT'S ALWAYS, THAT'S ALWAYS AN OPTION, UH, OUR ANNUAL MAINTENANCE STRATEGIES.
AND SO SOME OF THE SMALLER PARKS, SOME OF THE SMALLER, UM, UH, FACILITIES, PROJECTS CAN BE WRAPPED INTO OUR ANNUAL MAINTENANCE STRATEGIES, UH, FAR AND FEW BETWEEN NOWADAYS, UH, COMPARED TO LATTER, UH, YEARS.
BUT, UH, FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAMS AND GRANTS, AS WELL AS COUNTY GRANTS FOR THINGS LIKE OPEN SPACE, UH, UH, MOBILITY PROJECTS ARE STILL AVAILABLE.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE JUST NOT AS PLENTIFUL.
UH, AND THEN OUR SPECIAL MAINTENANCE RESERVE, UM, THAT, UH, YOU HAVE HELPED, UM, WITH YOUR SUPPORT BUILD OVER THE YEARS, UH, IS A, IS AN OPTION.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE BETTER WE CAN DO, UH, WITH FAVORABLE BIDS AND PROJECT SAVINGS, THE MORE WE CAN TURN THEIR SA SAVINGS INTO, UH, ADDITIONAL PROJECTS.
AND SO, UM, WHAT I'VE GOT FOR YOU HERE IS A RECOMMENDATION.
UH, AGAIN, YOU'LL HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE HAVE ACHIEVED THIS YEAREND SAVINGS, UH, FOR FY 25, BUT I WANNA RECOMMEND TO YOU THAT, UH, AS, AS BOB PRESENTS IN JUST A SECOND, THAT WE CONSIDER USING $2 MILLION OF OUR, UH, F FFY 25 YEAR END SAVINGS TO FACILITATE THE SERVICE CENTER FUEL ISLAND PRO ISLAND PROJECT.
LIKEWISE, UH, H HVACS, UH, OF, OF HIGH PRIORITY HERE AT FIVE, REALLY IMPORTANT, UM, UH, FACILITIES.
AND I, I PROPOSE WE USE AN, AN ADDITIONAL $2 MILLION, THE YEAREND SAVINGS, UH, FOR THOSE PROJECTS.
I WANNA GO BACK TO OUR SPECIAL PROJECT INITIATIVE FUNDING, WHICH IS EXISTING FUNDING, UH, AVAILABLE TODAY, UH, WITH YOUR APPROVAL.
AND I PROPOSED TO YOU THAT WE ADDRESS THE ROOFS AND THE, UH, BUILDING ENVELOPE, UM, UM, AT, UH, AT THE, UH, FOUR LOCATIONS YOU SEE HERE WITH $1.6 MILLION OF SPECIAL PROJECT INITIATIVE FUNDING, AND THEN ALSO FACILITATE THE DETENTION CENTER, UH, CELL RENOVATION PROJECT.
UM, AS YOU'RE GONNA SEE FROM BOB HERE IN JUST A SECOND, WE HAVE ABOUT
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$700,000 IN YEAR END SAVINGS FROM IN OUR SOLID WASTE FUND.I WANNA PROPOSE USING, UH, 500 OF THOSE, UH, 500,000 OF THOSE DOLLARS TO, UH, FACILITATE THE DUMP, RE THE DUMPSTER LOCATION, UH, AND SITE PREP PREPARATION, UH, WORK THAT WOULD BE NEEDED TO RELOCATE THE DUMPSTERS FROM NORTH OF FIRE STATION FIVE OVER TO LOOKOUT BY THE TRANSFER STATION, THEREBY FREEING UP, UH, THAT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE APPARATUS PROJECT IN THE BOND PROGRAM.
RECALL, THE NUMBER WAS ACTUALLY 8.5 THAT I SHARED WITH YOU PREVIOUSLY.
UH, THIS NUMBER IS EIGHT, UH, AS A RESULT OF THIS STRATEGY, IF THAT WOULDN'T BE SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD FIND, UM, ACCEPTABLE, THEN WE WOULD, WE WOULD NEED TO INCREASE THE EIGHT, THE NUMBER, THE EIGHT, $8 MILLION NUMBER TO $8.5 MILLION.
UM, BUT I BELIEVE THIS IS, THIS IS AN EFFECTIVE STRATEGY.
SO AS I WRAP UP HERE, I'M ANXIOUS TO HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK AND, AND ANY, UM, QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, WE DO, AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE A JANUARY 5TH MEETING, UH, AVAILABLE TO US IF, IF NECESSARY.
UM, ONE IMPORTANT STEP THAT WE WANNA MENTION TO YOU HERE IS, AS, AS YOU FINALIZE THE PROPOSITION, KENT NEEDS TO GET WITH OUR BOND COUNSEL AND MAKE SURE, UH, CONFIRM THAT THE FINAL PROPOSITIONS, UH, ARE GONNA BE ACCEPTABLE AND IN THE EYES OF, UM, OF, OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND, AND, AND OTHERS.
AND SO THAT'S A STEP THAT WE STILL NEED TO BUILD INTO THE PROCESS.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, UH, YOU'LL NEED TO CALL THIS ELECTION AND YOUR CHARTER AMENDMENT ELECTION BY FEBRUARY THE NINTH.
UH, ONCE YOU DO THAT, WE, UH, WE EXIT THE PREPARATION, UH, MODE AND, AND START THE EDUCATION, UH, EFFORT, UH, THROUGH, UH, MAY 2ND, WHICH IS ELECTION DAY.
MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR, UH, THE TIME TO PRESENT TONIGHT, AND I, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO ANY FEEDBACK AND DISCUSSION YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE.
THANK YOU, MR. MAGNER, COUNCILWOMAN JUSTICE.
UM, I THINK THIS IS REALLY RESPONSIVE, UH, AND BALANCES WELL.
UM, ALL OF THE FEEDBACK WE GAVE YOU,
THE DRAINAGE IN PARTICULAR, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT SORT OF THE FLASHIEST, BUT IT'S SUPER, SUPER IMPORTANT THAT WE DO IT, AND THAT WE'RE REALLY PUTTING A LOT OF EFFORT BEHIND THAT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR, UH, THE AQUATICS AND THE BRECKENRIDGE, UM, UM, UH, ENHANCEMENTS.
A QUESTION ON THE, UM, FIRE STATION, YOU SAID IT'S EITHER YEAR SIX OR YEAR ONE OF THE NEXT BOND PROGRAM.
CAN WE BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS? WE ARE GONNA SEND THAT OUT TO THE VOTERS NOW, RIGHT? THAT WOULD BE THE INTENTION.
THE AUTHORIZATION WILL BE PROVIDED VIA THIS BOND PROGRAM THROUGH THE 26 BOND PROGRAM.
BUT WE, UM, EVERYTHING FROM OUR FIRE MASTER PLAN THAT WE PRESENTED TO YOU, TO JUST OUR OWN, UM, UH, CONFIDENCE AND, AND, AND AROUND AND SECURITY AROUND WHEN WE WOULD WANNA SELL THAT ADDITIONAL $23 MILLION, WE'RE COMMITTING HERE PUBLICLY NOT TO SELL THAT BEFORE WHAT WE'RE CALLING YEAR SIX, UM, OF, OF WHICH IS THE SIXTH YEAR FROM THE LAUNCH OF THIS BOND PROGRAM.
BUT THE REASON I SAID IT COULD BE A YEAR ONE IS IF, IF, AGAIN, FOR, IF IT'S A NO TAX RATE INCREASE, KIND OF A BOND PROGRAM, AND YOU CONTINUE ON WITH THE RHYTHM, IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE YEAR ONE OF THE NEXT BOND PROGRAM.
SO, UM, THE AUTHORIZATION, AND AGAIN, I WAS QUEUING OFF OF WHAT I THINK I HEARD FROM THE COUNCIL, WHICH WAS, WE'RE NOT INTERESTED IN SPENDING TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS TO DESIGN SOMETHING THAT'S NOT BEEN YET AUTHORIZED.
AND SO, UM, OUR PLAN MOVING FORWARD THROUGH THE EDUCATION PORTION OF THIS BOND PROGRAM WOULD BE TO, TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE COMMITTING THAT THE 23 5 WOULD BE, UM, AT THE EARLIEST, THE SIXTH YEAR FROM, UH, THE BOND PROGRAM PASSING SIXTH YEAR OF THIS PROGRAM.
IF YOU WANNA THINK OF LIKE THAT FIRST YEAR OF THE NEXT, WHICHEVER.
YEAH, NO, THAT, THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL.
I JUST WANNA MAKE, MAKE CLEAR THAT THE VOTERS WOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE CALL THIS, THE VOTERS WOULD BE VOTING ON THIS PARTICULAR THING.
BUT FOR YEAR SIX, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME, IT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU.
I THINK WE, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE MAY NOT BE ON THE COUNCIL THEN.
UM, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE, UH, GET FUNDED.
SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
OTHERWISE, I, I THINK IT'S REALLY GREAT, AND I THINK YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB OF BALANCING.
SO, I, UH, JUST DUE TO THE TIMING OF THE BOND PROGRAM PRESENTATIONS, WE WERE ACTUALLY PRESENTED THE PARKS PROGRAM BEFORE THE PARKS COMMISSION WAS, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO RELAY, UM, A LOT OF THEIR FEEDBACK TO THE COUNCIL FROM THAT COMMISSION.
JUST WHAT, I MEAN, THE, THE PROPOSAL, THERE'S SOME THINGS IN HERE THAT ARE VERY ALIGNED WITH THE FEEDBACK AND SOME THINGS THAT AREN'T.
UH, AGAIN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JUSTICE, YOU MADE A GREAT POINT.
WE'RE NOT ALL GONNA GET EVERYTHING WE WANT OUT OF THIS.
I CERTAINLY WANTED TAM O SHANTER DONE FOR DRAINAGE.
I KNOW OTHERS PROBABLY HAD PROJECTS THEY WANTED, THE PARKS COMMISSION DIDN'T GET EVERYTHING THEY WANTED, BUT I THINK THE FEEDBACK IS STILL REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT, I MEAN, SOME THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING THAT THE PARKS COMMISSION IS VERY ALIGNED WITH.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEY SAID THE GALLATIN FOUNTAIN IS NOT NECESSARILY A PRIORITY OVER SOME OF THESE OTHER PROJECTS.
UH, THEY ALSO WERE VERY ALIGNED WITH KEEPING THE CANYON CREEK
[00:25:01]
POOL OPEN INSTEAD OF CONVERTING THAT TO A SPRAY GROUND AND TURNING CONWOOD INTO A SPRAY GROUND.UM, THEY JUST SAID THAT THE NUMBERS, THE NUMBERS TO THE PARKS COMMISSION WERE VERY INDISPUTABLE ON THE USAGE.
UM, YOU KNOW, SOME THINGS THAT THEY, THAT WERE GONNA BE PROPOSING IN THIS PACKAGE THAT THEY DIDN'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH WAS THE TIMING OF THE ITEMS IN BRECKENRIDGE PARK, UM, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY WITH THE BRIDGE.
BUT THAT SAID, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY DID, THEY DID UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, I THINK THEIR, THEY THOUGHT WAS WITH THE SOCCER FIELDS, SPECIFICALLY WITH, YOU KNOW, THE APOLLO PHASE TWO.
THEY REALLY WANTED TO TAKE SOME OF THE PRESSURE OFF OF THAT AND FELT THAT THE DIFFICULT DECISION BETWEEN BRECKENRIDGE PARK AND THOSE, AND WITH THOSE, THEY WOULD'VE PREFERRED THE SOCCER FIELDS.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, FINALLY, JUST IN THE LIGHT AND SORT OF THE, THE DISCUSSION AT BRECKENRIDGE PARK, UH, ONE MEMBER, GREG K IN PARTICULAR SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU MADE A GOOD POINT.
AT SOME POINT, WE DO NEED TO MAKE A LONG-TERM DECISION ON WHAT IS HAPPENING AT BRECK BRECKENRIDGE, VIS-A-VIS WHETHER LIKE A FULL BLOWN AQUATIC CENTER IS GONNA BE THERE OR IN THE SOUTH.
AND WITH EVERY DECISION WE MAKE AT BRECKENRIDGE, WE HAVE TO ALSO CONSIDER THAT THAT IS A HUGE DECISION WE HAVE TO MAKE FOR THAT PARK.
AND IT'S COMING UP, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEXT DECADE OR SO.
AND THEN JUST FINALLY, UH, OUR CHAIR, NANCY CROW WAS ALSO, UM, SHE HAD A VERY INDIVIDUAL CONCERN ABOUT NOT ADDING PICKLEBALL COURTS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, LIKE I SAID, I MEAN, THIS IS, THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PROJECTS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WANTED.
AND SO, UM, I JUST FELT LIKE I WOULD NEED TO RELAY THOSE DISCUSSION POINTS FROM THE PARKS COMMISSION TO THE REST OF THE COUNCIL.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR PROAM, AND, AND, UH, DON FOR, YOU KNOW, BRINGING THESE THINGS WITH, UH, I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY THE BEST POSSIBLE, DEFINITELY WAY TO ADDRESS THE LIMITED BUDGET.
UH, YOU KNOW, I HOPE THAT THE MISSING THING THAT WE HAVE ON THE LIST, WE CAN GET IT SLOWLY, EVENTUALLY.
UH, I'M ALSO VERY HAPPY THAT, UH, SOME OF THE STREET THAT WAS, THAT IS ON THE LIST NOW.
IT DID FINALLY, IT IS FINALLY MADE, MADE IN THE LIST, ESPECIALLY SOME OF THE ROAD LIKE MARTHA MANOR.
UH, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, IF I, IF WE HAD THAT BUDGET, DEFINITELY, I'M SURE THAT WE WOULD'VE ADDRESSED THAT MANY YEARS AGO.
UH, I FEEL REALLY BAD GOING OUT THERE DRIVING, BUT I'M GLAD THAT IT'S ON THE, IT'S ON THE LIST RIGHT NOW.
UH, AND ALSO THE DRAINAGE PROJECT THAT YOU HAVE FOR THE LOUIS BRANCH, UH, PROJECT.
I'M GLAD THAT FINALLY WE ARE DOING IT.
UH, WE DID NOT, IT DID NOT MAKE THE LIST PREVIOUSLY, BUT AGAIN, IF YOU KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THE MORE YOU GO FORWARD, THE ODDS ARE GONNA BE VERY HIGH.
SO WE DID NOT HAVE THAT MUCH, UH, FLOOD ISSUE SO FAR, UH, IN A SENSE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE THAT KIND OF RAIN AND FLOOD, THIS WOULD GET, UH, NOT ONLY THE PROPERTY GET FLOODED, BUT ALSO IT'S DANGER TO THE PUBLIC WHEN THEY DRIVE OVER THOSE STREET.
SO I THINK, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I FEEL REALLY GOOD THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ON THE LIST.
UH, AND, UH, AND OTHER THAN THAT, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT THAT WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT, I GUESS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JOE CORKER MENTIONED ABOUT THE COTTON NOTE PARK, UH, POOL THAT, UH, THE PARK DEPARTMENT AGREE WITH THAT.
UM, UH, I HAD SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD ALSO THAT SAYING THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE POOL, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, REMOVING VERSUS, UM, KEEPING IT COST.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT, IF THE COST IS NOT THAT MUCH, I THINK KEEPING IT PROBABLY THE SAFEST ROUTE STILL, I WOULD SAY, BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE A SERVICE AND YOU TAKE THE SERVICE OUT, SOMETIMES THAT'S, UH, THAT'S VERY DISCOMFORTING.
BUT OTHERWISE, I THINK SO FAR, I SEE THAT IT'S REALLY GOOD BUDGET, UH, GOOD PROGRAM, BOND PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE.
I THINK STILL WE'RE GONNA BE NEEDING BOND PROGRAM MOVING DOWN THE ROAD, SOMETIMES MAYBE FOUR, FIVE YEARS.
BUT I THINK WE ARE ADDRESSING, UM, OUR ISSUE VERY FAST, UH, COMPARED TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST.
UH, YOU KNOW, UM, FINALLY, WE'RE CATCHING UP.
I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
MAYOR OR MOORE? UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I JUST WANTED TO, UH, KIND OF SECOND SOME OF WHAT I'M HEARING.
I THINK THIS IS SUPER RESPONSIVE.
I DO APPRECIATE, UH, DON AND THE TEAM, YOUR WORK ON THIS.
UM, AND I, I APPRECIATE ALSO KIND OF THE FOCUS ON MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE NOT ADDING TOO MUCH ON OPEX SIDE, ESPECIALLY WITH SO MUCH UNKNOWN, UH, UH, THAT COULD BE COMING IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO, UH, FROM, UH, FROM AUSTIN.
SO, UM, AND I THINK FINALLY, THE, THE CONTINUED EMPHASIS ON INFRASTRUCTURE IS REALLY GONNA GIVE US OUR REALLY BEST
[00:30:01]
CHANCE TO FINALLY MAKE JUST BIG INROADS.UM, I KNOW IT WAS A CONCERN THAT WAS BROUGHT UP, UH, UH, A FEW MEETINGS AGO, BUT, UH, SEEING THIS LEVEL OF, OF FOCUS ON ESPECIALLY STREETS AND ALLEYS, I THINK IS REALLY GONNA MOVE THE NEEDLE AND, AND THE ADDITIONAL ELEMENT THAT WE ADDED, UH, FOR CONCRETE REPAIRS, ALSO GONNA DO A BIG, A BIG, MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
SO, THANK YOU, UH, FOR, FOR EVERYTHING YOU DID HERE TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THE REQUESTS, AND, UH, I THINK IT'S A PRETTY GOOD BALANCE.
COUNCIL MEMBER, DORIA, THANK YOU.
I, UM, WANTED TO ALSO KIND OF REITERATE THE SAME THING.
I, I WANNA THANK EVERYONE FOR ALL THEIR INPUT.
I KNOW EVERYONE'S WORKED VERY HARD TO ESTABLISH, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS, UH, THE MOST IMPORTANT ITEMS TO, TO, UH, WORK ON OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF, A LOT OF FEEDBACK I GOT FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS AND OUR RESIDENTS IS, YOU KNOW, STREETS AND ALLEYS.
I THINK STREETS AND ALLEYS ARE ALWAYS THE NUMBER ONE, UH, PART OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND AS I'VE ALWAYS SAID IN MANY OTHER MEETINGS PRIOR, THAT WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO ADDRESS OUR INFRASTRUCTURE FIRST BEFORE WE START BUILDING ON TOP OF THAT.
SO I REALLY LIKE THE ALLOCATIONS HERE AND THE DIRECTION OF HOW WE'RE, UH, MOVING THAT NEEDLE.
AND, UH, ALSO FOR THE, UH, THE LOWEST, UH, BRANCH, UH, PHASE ONE AND TWO, I THINK I'VE HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE, UH, YOU KNOW, COMMENT ON THAT.
I THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA MAKE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAPPY, SO REAL HAPPY WITH THE DIRECTION OF THIS AND, UM, LOOKING FORWARD TO IMPLEMENTATION.
I SAW ONE MORE NOTE ON HERE THAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR CONTEXT TO THE PARKS COMMISSION'S, UM, DELIBERATIONS, AND JUST, JUST THE COMMENT THAT, AND I'LL ADD MY SPIN ON THIS AT THE END.
UM, THE COMMENT THAT WITH IMPROVING SOCCER FIELDS, THERE'S A CITYWIDE BENEFIT VERSUS, VERSUS WITH BRECKENRIDGE, THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE THE NARROW BENEFIT IN THE PANHANDLE AS FAR AS USAGE WAS THEIR OPINION.
NOW, MY SPIN ON THAT IS I AGREE WITH THAT, BUT ALSO I UNDERSTAND IF WE TAKE THAT APPROACH EVERY SINGLE BOND PROGRAM IN PERPETUITY, THEN THE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AT BRECKENRIDGE WILL JUST NEVER GET DONE.
RIGHT? AND I THINK THAT'S THE POINT, BOTH COUNCIL MEMBER JUSTICE AND MR. MAYOR YOU BOTH MADE WHEN WE HAD THAT DISCUSSION.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S A VERY UNDERSTANDABLE POSITION.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY.
AND THEN JUST, JUST A QUICK CLARIFICATION, IT'S JUST FOR ANYONE WHO'S MAYBE LISTENING OR TAKING, TAKING NOTES, I MEAN, IT'S MA UM, COUNCIL MEMBER SAMSEL, YOU SAID PARKS DEPARTMENT, IT'S PARKS COMMISSION, PARK PARKS, RIGHT? THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN VERY, VERY NEUTRAL THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
I, I WAS THINKING, DID I SAY COMMISSION OR DEPARTMENT? YES.
UM, JUST TO ADD ON, UM, ONE THING THAT I'LL MENTION VERY QUICKLY, BECAUSE WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT IT, UM, COMING UP IN THE, UM, CONSENT AGENDA, WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE, UM, GALLATIN FOUNTAIN.
SO I WON'T STEAL YOUR THUNDER, BUT I'LL JUST SAY THAT IS THAT DISCUSSION IS COMING UP IN THAT SECTION.
SO IF ANYONE'S CURIOUS AS TO WHAT'S GOING TO OCCUR, YOU'LL HAVE AN ANSWER.
UM, I JUST WANNA ADD ON MY, MY, MY THOUGHTS AS WELL.
I TH I THINK THAT, UM, THIS IS EXTREMELY BALANCED.
UM, FEEL LIKE THAT WE'VE, WE'VE, UM, EVERYONE'S VOICE HAS BEEN HEARD, AND YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB, AS USUAL, UM, MR. MAGNER WITH PUTTING THIS ALL TOGETHER.
SO JUST WANNA THANK YOU AND, AND EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS, I KNOW THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK FROM EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS TO PULL ALL OF THIS TOGETHER.
AND SO, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, FOR BEING RESPONSIVE TO OUR THOUGHTS, TAKING ABACK, HAVING DEPARTMENTS WORK ON IT, PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER.
IT, UM, SOMETIMES SAUSAGE IS A LITTLE MESSY, BUT IT DOES ULTIMATELY COME OUT IN A VERY GOOD WAY.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE HERE.
[6. REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE YEAR-END FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE FY 2024-2025 OPERATING BUDGET]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UM, WE WILL NOW REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE YEAR YEAREND FINANCIAL FINANCIAL REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR 20 20, 20 24, 20 25 OPERATING BUDGET.MR. MAGNUM, UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
OUR, UH, BUDGET OFFICER BOB KLEIER IS HERE TONIGHT TO PRESENT THIS, UH, VERY IMPORTANT FOURTH QUARTER REPORT.
UH, AS WE WRAP UP, UH, FY 25, UM, YOU'LL HEAR, UH, SOME OF, UH, BOB'S COMMENTS WILL BE RESPONSIVE TO, UH, WHAT WE JUST PRESENTED WITH RESPECT TO THE YEAR END SAVINGS IN GENERAL FOOT AND SOLID WASTE.
UH, AND THEN MAYOR, UH, AS, UH, AS WE CONCLUDE THIS BRIEFING, UH, TONIGHT, UH, BOB'S GONNA HAND IT BACK OVER TO ME.
AND, UM, I'D LIKE TO JUST, UH, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, TAKE A LITTLE BIT, UM, OF A PREVIEW OF, UM, SOME MODELING WORK THAT WE'VE DONE, UM, AND EXPLAIN ONE, WHY WE'RE DOING IT, UH, BUT TWO MORE IMPORTANTLY, UM, I THINK HOW WE NEED TO GO INTO THE NEW YEAR, BEING RESPONSIVE TO, UH, AND, AND JUST CONTINUOUSLY AWARE OF SOME OF THE DYNAMICS, UH, UH, MERRIL MAR MENTIONED, UH, UH, THE LEGISLATION, UH, THAT'S, UH, BEEN PASSED IN RECENT YEARS AND, AND, AND THE LEGISLATION THAT'S, UM, UH, ON THE, ON THE TIP OF THE TONGUE OF MANY OF THE, UH, HIGHEST ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE STATE AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
UH, THESE THINGS HAVE REAL, UH,
[00:35:01]
IMPLICATIONS FOR MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS.AND I'D LIKE TO CONCLUDE THE PRESENTATION BY SHARING SOME OF THOSE THOUGHTS WITH YOU, AND, UH, REALLY SETTING THE TONE FOR, UM, UH, OUR CITY STAFF AS WE EMBARK, UH, AS WE COME BACK FROM THE HOLIDAY.
QUICKLY EMBARK ON THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS OF OUR FLY, UH, 27.
SO BOB, THANKS SO MUCH FOR PUTTING ALL THIS, UH, GOOD INFORMATION TOGETHER.
ALRIGHT, UH, GOOD EVENING, UH, COUNSEL.
UH, AS DON MENTIONED, THE PURPOSE OF TONIGHT'S, UH, BRIEFING IS TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UPDATE ON THE YEAR END, UH, PERFORMANCE OF OUR FIVE MAIN OPERATING FUNDS AS OF THE END OF FY 25.
UH, THE FIRST FUND WE'LL DISCUSS IS THE GENERAL FUND, OUR LARGEST FUND, UH, TOTAL REVENUE OF $183.6 MILLION IS $2.9 MILLION ABOVE THE ORIGINAL BUDGET OF 180.7.
AND YOU CAN SEE TWO OF THE VARIANCES THERE WITH, UH, TWO OF OUR LARGEST REVENUE SOURCES, PROPERTY TAXES AND SALES TAX, PROPERTY TAX, UH, END OF THE YEAR, 3.2 MILLION, UM, BELOW THE ORIGINAL BUDGET.
UM, THE LARGEST SUBCATEGORY OF THAT IS, UH, THE, UH, CURRENT YEAR TAXES, WHICH ENDED THE YEAR 3.5 MILLION BELOW THE ORIGINAL BUDGET.
THIS IS THE, UH, CATEGORY THAT, UH, WAS IMPACTED BY THE TWO, UH, SITUATIONS WE DISCUSSED EARLIER THIS YEAR.
UM, THE, UH, LARGE ABATEMENT THAT WAS LEFT OFF THE CERTIFIED ROLE BY, UH, CA AS WELL AS THE CHANGE IN THE TAXABLE STATUS OF THE, UH, RESIDENTIAL PORTION OF THE UTD, UH, NORTHSIDE DEVELOPMENT.
THE PRIOR YEAR, TAXES AND PENALTY AND INTEREST MAKE UP THE REMAINDER OF THAT, BUT TO FINISH ABOUT 215,000 ABOVE THE ORIGINAL BUDGET SALES TAX, UH, THREE POINTS, UH, SALES AND OTHER BUSINESS TAXES, 3.7 MILLION ABOVE THE ORIGINAL BUDGET OF 53.2.
THE LARGEST CATEGORY IS THE TRADITIONAL 1 CENT SALES TAX.
EVERYBODY THINKS ABOUT, UH, THAT FINISHED 3.7 MILLION ABOVE THE ORIGINAL BUDGET OF, UH, 52.4 MILLION.
AS A REMINDER GOING INTO THE FY 25 BUDGET, UH, WE, WE DECIDED, OR WE WERE DETERMINED TO STAY CONSERVATIVE IN OUR, UH, DEVELOPMENT OF THE, UH, BUDGET FOR THIS CATEGORY AS A RESULT OF THE, UH, DECLINE WE SAW IN FY 24.
AND I THINK THAT, UH, THAT ACTUALLY, UH, HELPED OUT THIS YEAR WITH THE DECLINE IN IN PROPERTY TAXES.
UH, LICENSE AND PERMITS FINISHED THE YEAR EIGHT, UH, 684,000 ABOVE THE ORIGINAL BUDGET.
LARGEST, UH, PART OF THAT IS BUILDING PERMITS, WHICH FINISHED AT, UH, $2.4 MILLION, UH, OR, UM, 582,000 ABOVE ITS ORIGINAL BUDGET, ROUGHLY 350,000 OF THAT AS A RESULT OF THE TIMING OF A, A LARGE MULTIFAMILY PERMIT THAT WE ANTICIPATED RECEIVING BY THE END OF FY 24, BUT WAS RECEIVED IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF FY 25.
AND THEN AGAIN, THIS WAS ANOTHER AREA WHERE WE TOOK A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE REVENUE, UH, ESTIMATE AS A RESULT OF THE HIGH INTEREST RATES AND WITH THE UNCERTAINTY OF WHAT THAT WAS GONNA DO TO, UH, CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES.
THE REMAINING SUBCATEGORIES FINISHED 101,000 ABOVE THE ORIGINAL BUDGET, STRONGER THAN ANTICIPATED REVENUES AND CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION AND OTHER LICENSE AND PERMITS.
AND THEN, UH, THE ANIMAL, UH, REVENUE FROM THE ANIMAL SHELTER AND, UH, ANIMAL LICENSES WAS DOWN SLIGHTLY AND WAS IMPACTED SLIGHTLY BY THE, THE REMODEL OUT AT THE, UH, ANIMAL SHELTER.
OTHER REVENUES, UH, 1.1 MILLION ABOVE THE ORIGINAL BUDGET OF 5.8 MILLION.
UH, THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY IS THE LARGEST OF THOSE, UM, FINISHED AT 2.9 OR $2.2 MILLION, OR 1.4 MILLION ABOVE THE ORIGINAL BUDGET.
THIS IS WHERE WE RECORDED ABOUT $1 MILLION IN A REPAYMENT OF, UH, AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT RELATED TO THAT NORTHSIDE PROPERTY.
UH, AS A RESULT OF THE CHANGE IN TAXABLE STATUS, IT ALSO, UH, INCLUDES 359,000 RELATED TO CITY, UH, DAMAGE TO CITY PROPERTY AND INSURANCE SETTLEMENTS.
THIS IS A CATEGORY THAT WE, WE DON'T BUDGET VERY HIGH.
WE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A VERY UNRELIABLE REVENUE SOURCE.
WE TRY TO TAKE INTO SOME HISTORICAL LEVELS ON THAT, BUT 359,000 ABOVE OUR BASE LEVEL AMBULANCE REVENUES FINISHED, UH, 694 BELOW A THOUSAND BELOW THE ORIGINAL BUDGET.
AND THEN INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES FINISHED, UH, 492 AT FOUR NINE 2000 OR 391,000 ABOVE THE ORIGINAL BUDGET.
IT WAS, AGAIN, ANOTHER CATEGORY THAT WE BUDGET ON THE LOW END.
UH, WE ONLY BUDGET FOR THINGS WE KNOW ARE GONNA COME, UH, THIS YEAR, THIS PAST YEAR, UH, WE RECEIVED STATE REIMBURSEMENTS FOR STATEWIDE ASSISTANCE RELATED TO WILDFIRES AND FLOODING, UH, IN SOUTH TEXAS.
UM, THOSE KIND OF GO TO OFFSET SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT USE AND OVER TIME THAT OUR DEPARTMENTS, UH, IN, UH, INCUR BECAUSE OF THOSE, UH, STATEWIDE DEPLOYMENTS.
TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF FIVE, UH, $5.7 MILLION BELOW THE ORIGINAL BUDGET OF 180.3 MILLION.
UM, ONE OF THE LARGEST, UH, AREAS OF SAVINGS IS PERSONNEL 2.5 MILLION BELOW THE ORIGINAL BUDGET.
THIS BUDGET DID INCLUDE ABOUT 5% SAVINGS FROM NON-PUBLIC SAFETY VACANCIES.
UH, ON AVERAGE WE AVERAGE ABOUT 11% VACANCIES, SO ABOUT A LITTLE OVER TWICE THE AMOUNT THAT WE ANTICIPATED.
THAT'S ALSO IMPACTED BY PUBLIC SAFETY VACANCIES THAT WERE NOT PART OF THAT.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FINISHED 1 MILLION BELOW THE ORIGINAL BUDGET OF 16.1 MILLION.
[00:40:01]
IS RELATED TO TIMING.637,000 IS RELATED TO, UH, AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT WAS PLANNED FOR AND BUDGETED FOR AN FY 24, BUT WAS PAID AN FY 24.
IT WAS PLANNED FOR 25, BUT WAS RECORDED IN FY 24, AND THEN 349,000 WAS RELATED TO THE NORTHSIDE DEVELOPMENT.
THAT WAS NOT PAID DUE TO THE CHANGE IN TAXABLE STATUS APPLIES OF MISCELLANEOUS, UH, FINISHED THE YEAR $2.6 MILLION BELOW THE ORIGINAL BUDGET.
THE ORIGINAL BUDGET FOR THIS CATEGORY DID INCLUDE, UH, $1 MILLION FOR MID-YEAR RESTORATIONS, BUT IT WAS NOT REACTIVATED DUE TO SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE, UH, PROPERTY TAX REVENUE.
AND I'LL TOUCH ON THAT IN, IN, UH, IN A SECOND ON, ON THAT $1 MILLION, UH, AND DOES INCLUDE 383,000 FROM PLANNED SALES TAX.
UM, UH, BASED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.
THESE ARE TIED DIRECTLY TO SALES TAX RECEIPTS THAT WE RECEIVE, AND WE'RE ADJUSTED TO MATCH THAT.
UH, AS A RESULT OF SOME WORK DONE BY, UH, THE, OUR, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE WERE ABLE TO GET A FEDERAL GRANT THAT'S COVERING OUR 9 1 1 SERVICE FEES THROUGH JANUARY, UH, 2026.
THAT SAVED, UH, THE GENERAL FUND ABOUT $206,000 ELECTRIC, UH, EXPENSES FINISHED 159,000 159,000 BELOW THE ORIGINAL BUDGET, MAINLY AS A RESULT OF ADJUSTING TO THIS NEW SPACE THAT WE'RE IN CURRENTLY.
AND THEN FUEL COSTS WERE OVERESTIMATED BY 524,000.
ALL OF THE TRANSFERS OUT FOR OUR MAINTENANCE INITIATIVES, STREET AND ALLEY REHAB, PARKS, FACILITY MAINTENANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, END OF THE YEAR AS BUDGETED.
AND THEN THERE WAS 779,000 ACROSS THE FUND THAT'S STILL ENCUMBERED AND WILL ROLL INTO THE NEW YEAR.
UH, THIS WILL BE COVERED BY A RESERVE OF FUND BALANCE, WHICH IS REMOVED FROM THE, THE MINIMUM, UH, FUND BALANCE CALCULATION, UH, AS A RESULT OF THE SAME TWO, UH, PROPERTY TAX ISSUES THAT THE GENERAL FUND FACED.
THIS, THE GENERAL DEBT SERVICE FUND FACES THE SAME, UH, ISSUES.
ROUGHLY 99.7% OF ALL REVENUE IN THAT FUND IS SALES TAX OR PROPERTY TAX RELATED.
UH, SO THAT WAS GONNA REQUIRE A $2.3 MILLION INFUSION TO MEET THE MINIMUM FUND BALANCE IN THAT, UH, FUND.
AND THEN, UH, AFTER MEETING THE 90 DAY REQUIREMENTS, THAT LEAVES ROUGHLY $6 MILLION, UH, FOR, UH, SPECIAL INITIATIVES.
UH, PART OF THAT IS $1 MILLION BEING TRANSFERRED TO THE INSURANCE FUND TO HELP INSULATE, UH, THAT FUND FROM INCREASING HEALTHCARE COSTS.
UH, THAT MILLION DOLLAR RESERVE WE HAD IN THE SU, UH, SUPPLIES OF MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY, ONE OF THE FIRST LIENS ON THAT WAS THIS TRANSFER.
WE WERE JUST WAITING TILL THE END OF THE YEAR TO DO THAT.
AND THEN, UH, AFTER MEETING THAT FUND BOUNCE OR, UH, AFTER THAT, THERE'S ROUGHLY 5 MILLION, WHICH DON COVERED.
UH, THE 4 MILLION OF THAT IS GOING TO, UH, COVER, UH, FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS THAT MOST LIKELY WON'T MAKE THE, THE FINAL, UH, BOND PROGRAM LIST.
BUT A MILLION DOLLARS OF THAT WILL BE ADDED TO THE, UH, RESERVE FOR THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE, UH, WOULD BRING THE TOTAL RESERVE FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE, UH, TO $2 MILLION.
WITH THAT, UH, THE GENERAL FUND FINISHES AT 54.6 MILLION OR 90.99 DAYS, WHICH IS ABOVE THE MINIMUM POLICY OF 90 DAYS.
UH, THE WATER AND SEWER FUND, UH, IT'S OUR, UH, LARGEST UTILITY FUND.
UH, TOTAL REVENUE FINISHED 2.8 MILLION BELOW THE ORIGINAL BUDGET OF 113.5 MILLION.
AND YOU SEE THERE, THE, THE ALMOST ENTIRELY DUE TO, UH, UH, DECREASED, UH, A DECREASE IN WATER SALES.
UM, THROUGH THE FIRST, I GUESS, UH, NINE MONTHS OF THE YEAR, WE WERE ACTUALLY TRACKING SLIGHTLY ABOVE OUR TARGETED SALES WITH DECLINES COMING, UH, STARTING IN JULY, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER.
MAJORITY OF THAT'S RELATED TO, UH, IRRIGATION, AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY HOW MUCH IT RAINS, BUT THE TIMING OF THAT RAIN.
AND, UH, FROM THE INFORMATION WE CAN SEE THAT MAJORITY OF THAT DECLINE IS RELATED TO IRRIGATION.
THERE WAS SOME DECLINE AS WELL, THOUGH IN, IN SOME OF THE OTHER CATEGORIES, BUT MOSTLY IRRIGATION RELATED.
HOW DOES THAT RELATE TO REVENUE? YOU'LL SEE THROUGH JUNE, WE ARE ACTUALLY UP ROUGHLY ABOUT 900,000.
AND IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS OF THE YEAR, UH, WE MISSED OUR TARGET BY ROUGHLY 3.9 MILLION.
AGAIN, RELATED TO THE ACTUAL WATER SALES, UH, UH, SEWER SALES IS A LITTLE BIT, UH, MORE CONSTANT THOUGH.
WE DID SEE A, A SLIGHT DECLINE THERE IN SEPTEMBER, MOSTLY ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE.
UH, IT'S TOTAL REVENUE FROM, UH, SEWER SALES, ABOUT 181,000 ABOVE OUR TARGET, UM, WHICH, UH, UH, HELPS A LITTLE BIT THERE.
TOTAL, UM, EXPENDITURES 3.9 MILLION BELOW THE ORIGINAL BUDGET OF 111.2 MILLION, UH, WITH SAVINGS PRETTY MUCH ACROSS ALL CATEGORIES.
PERSONNEL SAVINGS OF 1.1 MILLION.
THIS FUND WAS BUDGETED AT FULL STAFFING.
AVERAGE, UH, UH, VACANCY RATE WAS ROUGHLY 18% IN THIS FUND.
UM, NOW SOME OF THAT WAS USED TO COVER OVERTIME, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, WE DID HAVE SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS AS A RESULT.
UH, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FINISHED 1.2 MILLION BELOW THE ORIGINAL BUDGET OF FIVE OR 4.7 MILLION.
UH, 1.5 IS STILL ENCUMBERED AT YEAR END, SO ROUGHLY, UH, EVEN WITH BUDGET.
AND THEN THE CAPITAL CATEGORY SIX, 9,000 IS 611 BELOW THE ORIGINAL BUDGET, BUT THAT, AGAIN, IS A RESULT OF AN ENCUMBRANCE FOR A HYDRO
[00:45:01]
EXCAVATING VEHICLE THAT IS ORDERED, BUT JUST HASN'T BEEN RECEIVED YET.UM, CONTRACTS, THIS WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A, A MIXED BAG FOR US.
UH, TOTAL CONTRACTS FINISHED 533 BELOW THE ORIGINAL BUDGET OF 71.5 MILLION.
UH, YOU'LL SEE THERE IN THE, UM, UH, TABLE THERE.
UH, WE HAD ABOUT $2 MILLION IN SAVINGS FROM THE WATER CONTRACT, UH, THROUGH OUR DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
IN THE SUMMER, WE RECEIVE A PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE FROM THE, UH, UH, APPRA, UH, WATER DISTRICT, AND THEN WE RECEIVE THE FINAL NUMBER, UH, LATER, WHICH HAPPENED TO BE 1.7 BELOW WHAT THEY GAVE US THAT SUMMER.
THAT NUMBER'S RECEIVED AFTER THE BUDGET'S FINALIZED, UH, AND THAT'S WHY YOU'LL SEE THAT VARIANCE THERE.
NOW, WE DID HAVE, UH, INCREASED COST ON THE SEWER SIDE.
A LOT OF THAT IS A RESULT OF, UM, NORTH TEXAS, UM, UNDERESTIMATING THE SEWER FLOWS SPECIFICALLY ON THE, UH, MANUFACTURING SIDE OF THINGS.
UH, BUT TOTAL WITH DURING THOSE, UH, FOUR OR FIVE ITEMS, $630,000 IN SAVINGS, UH, WITH THAT, UH, TOTAL FUND BALANCE OF 30.7 MILLION, IT'S, UH, 104.39 DAYS, WHICH IS ABOVE OUR TARGET OF 90.
AS WE DISCUSSED THIS SUMMER, WE'RE PLANNING ON LEAVING THAT EXCESS FUND BALANCE IN THE FUND TO HELP COVER THE RATE INCREASE OR TO HELP BUFFER THE RATE INCREASE, UH, THAT WAS GONNA BE NEEDED IN FY 26.
UH, THIS PROVIDES A KIND OF A TWO YEAR APPROACH TO THAT, THAT RATE NEED, UH, SOLID WASTE FUND, 411,000 ABOVE ITS ORIGINAL BUDGET, UH, UH, REVENUE BUDGET OF 19.4 MILLION.
UH, MOST OF THAT IS DUE TO THE STRENGTH OF OUR COMPACTOR, UM, UH, CATEGORY AS WELL AS, UH, FROM TEMPORARY OPEN TOPS.
AGAIN, THAT'S A CATEGORY WE DON'T TRY TO OVERHEAT BECAUSE IT'S, AS IT SAYS, TEMPORARY.
AND WE, WE DON'T WANT TO, UH, BALANCE THE BUDGET ON THAT.
OTHER REVENUE CATEGORIES I SAW HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED REVENUES FROM THE RE THE SALE OF RETIRED CONTAINERS.
UH, THOSE CONTAINERS ARE TAKEN OUTTA SERVICE WE THEN SELL, AND THAT ACTUALLY GOT US A LOT MORE REVENUE THAN WE ANTICIPATED.
AND THEN THE TRANS OR THE, UH, TRANSFER IN FROM THE WATER FUND FOR, UH, FOR THE BAIC PROGRAM, UH, IT IS INDEXED TO HALF OF THE TOTAL COST OF THE BAIC PROGRAM, THE SOLID WASTE FUND.
UH, SO WE SAW A REDUCTION OF 92,000 WITH BAIC SEEING, UH, SAVINGS FROM VACANCIES AS WELL AS LOWER THAN EXPECTED.
UH, COMPOSTING COSTS, UH, TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF SAVINGS, 121,000.
UH, WE SAW SAVINGS IN THE PERSONNEL SERVICES ABOUT 50,000.
THIS FUND AVERAGED ABOUT 12% VACANCIES.
A LOT OF THAT, UH, SAVINGS WAS, UH, NEEDED TO, UH, COVER CONTRACTUAL SERVICES, UH, CONTRACTUAL LABOR TO, UH, HELP COVER THAT MINIMUM STAFFING ON OUR VEHICLES.
UM, UH, SO THE TOTAL SAVINGS, THERE WAS $50,000.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FINISHED 68,000 BELOW THE ORIGINAL BUDGET OF, UH, 939,000.
AGAIN, SAVINGS FROM, UH, INSURANCE PREMIUMS AND THE COST OF, UH, PROCESSING RECYCLABLE MATERIALS.
AND THEN 90 DAYS, UH, WAS THE TARGET.
AND WE ACHIEVED THAT AND STILL ALLOWED 706,000 TO BE TRANSFERRED TO OUR, UH, SPECIAL PROJECTS FUND OR CAPITAL RESERVE FUND.
UH, THIS IS AN INCREASE OF 453,000 ABOVE THE PLAN.
THIS IS WHERE DON MENTIONED THE $500,000 FOR THE RELOCATION OF THE SALT WASTE CONTAINER STAGING AREA.
UH, AND IT WILL BE COVERED FROM THIS, THE RE REMAINDER, THAT 254,000 REMAINDER OR 206,000 REMAINDER, UH, WILL JUST BE RESERVED FOR, UH, THE RESULTS OF THE, UH, SALT WASTE MASTER PLAN AND SUPPORT OF THE SALT WASTE MASTER PLAN.
UH, TOTAL, UH, FUND BALANCE, 90.99 DAYS OR 4.8 MILLION, AGAIN, EXCEEDS OUR TARGET OF 90 DAYS.
UH, SO IT'S FINISHING IN, IN GOOD SHAPE THERE.
UH, GOLF FUND, UH, 196,000 ABOVE, UH, IN REVENUE ABOVE ITS TARGET OF 3.3 MILLION.
UH, THIS FUND, UH, DID ANTICIPATE AN EARLIER O REOPENING, OF COURSE TWO, BUT EVEN WITH THAT, UM, DELAYED REOPENING, WE WERE ABLE TO EXCEED THE TARGETED ROUNDS BY ABOUT 10,000, UH, EACH OF THE YEAR, EACH OF THE MONTHS.
THAT WAS, UH, WITH COURSE TWO OPEN, WE EXCEEDED SIGNIFICANTLY, AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, WITH THE BLUE BAR ABOVE THE TARGET FOR THOSE, UH, MONTHS.
SO RONNIE'S GROUP IS REALLY KILLING IT OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S CHERYL PARK, UH, TOTAL EXPENDITURES, UH, 77,000 ABOVE THE ORIGINAL BUDGET OF ROUGHLY $3 MILLION.
A LOT OF THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE REOPENING, OF COURSE, TOO, AND SOME OF THE EXTRA OVERTIME REQUIRED, UH, TO, UH, SUPPORT THAT.
UM, BUT WITH THAT, WE STILL WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE OUR TARGET OF, UM, 30 DAYS BUILDING TO 60.
UH, WITH THAT, WE'RE STILL ABLE TO TRANSFER OUT $550,000, UH, TO THE GULF CAPITAL RESERVE FUND IN SUPPORT OF EQUIPMENT AND, UH, FACILITY IMPROVEMENT NEEDS OUT THERE.
UH, HOTEL MOTEL FUND, $1.5 MILLION IN REVENUE BELOW THE TARGET, UH, ORIGINAL BUDGET OF 9.8 MILLION.
YOU'LL SEE THERE, UH, TAXES FINISHED, UH, 376,000, BLOW ITS ORIGINAL BUDGET OF 5.3 MILLION.
[00:50:01]
KIND OF A SLOWDOWN ACROSS THE BOARD, AS WELL AS SOME CLOSURES FOR SOME REMODEL, AS WELL AS, UM, SOME REPAIRS.UH, WE DID SEE THE BIGGEST PART THERE IS THE EISMAN CENTER REVENUE FINISH A MILLION DOLLARS OFF OF OUR, UM, TARGET OF $3.8 MILLION.
UH, HERE YOU'LL SEE THE, UH, THE, THE TREND FOR OUR HOTEL, UH, OCCUPANCY TAXES.
THIS SHOULD TIE OFF, I BELIEVE IT'S PAGE 28 OF YOUR FUND SUMMARY PACKET THAT YOU RECEIVED RECEIVED, WHERE YOU'LL SEE THE DETAIL BY HOTEL, UH, FOR THE YEAR IN COMPARISON TO THE BUDGET, AS WELL AS THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
UH, TOTAL EISMAN CENTER OPERATIONS REVENUE DECLINED 388,000 FROM THE ORIGINAL BUDGET OF 2.2 MILLION.
AND THEN EISMAN CENTER PRESENTS REVENUE, UH, MISSED ITS TARGET BY 612,000.
AGAIN, AS WE DISCUSSED THIS SUMMER, UH, THE, UH, THE ASSUMPTIONS FOR FY 25 FOR THE REVENUE IN THIS FUND WAS OVERTLY OPTIMISTIC AND HAS BEEN RIGHT SIZED FOR FY 26, UH, AND WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT AS THE YEAR GOES ON.
UH, TOTAL EXPENDITURES, A REDUCTION OF 584,000 EISMAN CENTER OPERATIONS FINISHED 327,000 BELOW THE ORIGINAL BUDGET, 4.6 MILLION.
AGAIN, THE, AS A RESULT OF THE REDUCED REVENUE THERE, THE EISMAN CENTER DID THE BEST THEY COULD TO, UM, REIGN IN THEIR COSTS WHERE THEY COULD.
UH, THEY KEPT A LOT OF POSITIONS OPEN WITH THE SAVINGS, ABOUT $211,000 TO HELP OFFSET THAT LOWER REVENUE EISEN CENTER PRESENTS FINISHED, UH, AT 2.1 MILLION OR 1.2 MILLION 369,000 BELOW THE ORIGINAL BUDGET.
AND THEN THE, UH, CAPITAL EXPENDITURES OF 276,000 WAS ACTUALLY RELATED TO A PRIOR YEAR ENCUMBRANCE, AND WAS COVERED BY A RESERVE OF FUND BALANCE, UH, TOTAL FUND BALANCE IN THIS FUND, 4.5 MILLION.
THERE IS NOT AN OFFICIAL FUND BALANCE POLICY, UH, BUT IT, IT IS CONTINUING TO, TO MAINTAIN ITS STRONG POSITION.
UH, SO BEFORE WE THROW IT BACK TO DON FOR THAT ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION, UH, OPEN IT UP FOR SOME QUESTIONS.
YOU DID A GREAT JOB BUDGET, BOB.
DO WE NEED TO BRING THIS BACK TO YOU? UH, YES, PLEASE.
UH, WELL, UH, AGAIN, BOB, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
UM, I FEEL LIKE, UH, IT'S, UH, VERY, UH, IMPORTANT CONTEXT AS WE HEAD INTO, I THINK YOU, SIR, HEAD INTO THIS, UH, NEXT DISCUSSION.
AS I MENTIONED TO YOU, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, WHAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO DO TONIGHT, UM, IS UH, LAY AN IMPORTANT FOUNDATION, UM, UH, FOR OUR, UH, FY UH, 27 BUDGET DISCUSSION.
UM, LET ME JUST PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT.
UH, SOME OF THIS IS, IS OLD NEWS, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT CONTEXT.
RECALL, SB TWO OR SENATE BILL TWO, OFFICIALLY KNOWN AS THE TEXAS PROPERTY TAX REFORM AND TRANSPARENCY ACT OF 2019, UH, WAS ENACTED IN JUNE OF, OF, OF 19, UH, SB TWO, UH, EFFECTIVELY REDUCED THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT.
UH, A LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR LOCAL TAXING UNIT COULD INCREASE THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE BY ANNUALLY WITHOUT A VOTER APPROVAL TO 3.5, UH, PERCENT.
PRIOR TO, UM, UM, SB TWO, THAT RATE WAS 8%.
UM, SB TWO MANDATES, UH, THAT IF A CITY COUNCIL WANTS TO ADOPT, UH, A TAX RATE GREATER THAN THREE POINT A HALF PERCENT, THAT, UH, IT MUST GO TO VOTERS, UM, AND BE OFFERED ON, UH, THE NOVEMBER UNIFORM ELECTION DATE.
UH, SB TWO ALSO REQUIRED THINGS LIKE, UH, PROPERTY TAX NOTICES AND RATE INFORMATION BE POSTED ONLINE, EXPANDED DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS, AND ALSO REQUIRED APPRAISAL DISTRICTS TO MAINTAIN DATABASES, UH, OF PROPERTY TAX INFORMATION.
UM, AND SO OTHER TRANSPARENCY RELATED THINGS.
BUT THE MAIN THING I WANNA FOCUS ON IS THE REDUCTION OF THE PROPERTY TAX CAP FROM EFFECTIVELY 8% TO 3.5%.
UM, THE MAJORITY OF SB TWOS PROVISIONS TOOK EFFECT IN JANUARY OF 2020.
THEREFORE, THE FIRST YEAR, UM, THAT, UH, FIRST BUDGET YEAR THAT, UH, WE REALLY SAW THE IMPACT OF THAT WAS FY 21.
UM, AFTER SIX YEARS OF SB TWO, WHAT WE HAVE SEEN ACROSS TEXAS AND WHAT WE ARE SEEING HERE LOCALLY, UM, IS WHAT I'VE CALLED, UH, SIX YEARS, SIX CONSECUTIVE YEARS OF A COMPOUNDING EFFECT OF THIS THREE AND A HALF PER THIS, UH, THREE AND A HALF PERCENT CAP.
UM, THAT I THINK, WITHOUT BEING TOO DRAMATIC, HAS FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGED MUNICIPAL FINANCE IN TEXAS, BUT HERE LOCALLY HAS FUNDAMENTALLY ALTERED OUR LONG-TERM BUDGET OUTLOOK.
UM, AND LET ME SHOW YOU JUST A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES WHY, UM, IF THIS IS ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE CHART.
UH, ON OF THE SLIDE IS A CHART.
UH, LOOKING AT THE SIX YEARS PRIOR TO SB TWO AND THE SIX YEARS SUBSEQUENT, UH, UH, TO, UH, SB TWO BEING ENACTED, YOU CAN SEE ON AVERAGE, UH, THE SIX YEARS PRIOR, ON AVERAGE, UH, THE CITY WAS GENERATING ABOUT $4.7 MILLION OF NEW TAX REVENUE, OF NEW PROPERTY TAX REVENUE EACH YEAR.
SO, ON AVERAGE, SINCE SB TWO'S BEEN ENACTED, THAT NUMBER HAS DROPPED TO 2.35%.
NOW, WHAT'S IRONIC ABOUT THIS IS THAT INFLATION WAS AT ITS LOWEST, UH, PRIOR TO COVID.
AND AT ITS HIGHEST SUBSEQUENT, OR SUBSEQUENT TO COVID RECALL, WE WERE
[00:55:01]
EXPERIENCING INFLATION TO THE TUNE OF 8% BACK IN 22 AND 23.UM, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE COMPOUNDING EFFECT THAT I MENTIONED? THE CHART ON THE RIGHT, UH, IS A COMPARISON OF WHAT THE CITY, ESSENTIALLY, THE REVENUE THE CITY HAS LOST SINCE SB TWO IS ENACTED, AND THE 3.5% CAP BECAME THE NEW STANDARD.
SO YOU SEE THERE IN THE FIRST YEAR, HAD WE BEEN ABLE TO MAXIMIZE THAT UNDER THE OLD, UH, ROLLBACK RATE OF 8%, WE WOULD'VE GENERATED $2.7 MILLION MORE.
BUT IN SIX YEARS, WE HAVE, UH, ESSENTIALLY LOST $21 MILLION OF NEW REVENUE, UH, AS A RESULT OF SB TWO.
UM, THIS COMPOUNDING EFFECT IS IMPACTING DIFFERENT CITIES AT DIFFERENT TIMES.
THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS THAT GO INTO THIS COMPOUNDING EFFECT.
UM, BUT WE ARE AT A, I BELIEVE, RICHARDSON'S AT A CROSSROADS, AND I WANNA DEMONSTRATE WHY, UH, THE MODELING YOU SEE HERE.
UM, AND, AND I'M GONNA COME BACK TO THIS, WHY THIS MODELING IS SO IMPORTANT, UH, NOT ONLY TO US, BUT I THINK POTENTIALLY TO, TO, TO MAYBE IMPACTING SB TWO.
UH, BUT THESE ASSUMPTIONS IN THIS MODEL, UM, ON THE REVENUE SIDE, WE'VE TAKEN VERY AGGRESSIVE ASSUMPTIONS.
FOR INSTANCE, YOU SEE HERE, WE HAVE ASSUMED YEAR AFTER YEAR THAT WE MAXIMIZE THE THREE AND A HALF PERCENT, UM, PROPERTY TAX REVENUE.
SO IT'S NOT POSSIBLE FOR US IN THAT FIRST COLUMN TO GENERATE MORE REVENUE YEAR OVER YEAR FOR SIX STRAIGHT YEARS.
IN THE SECOND OR THIRD COLUMN FROM THE LEFT, WE'VE ESTIMATED THAT WE WOULD BRING ON $200 MILLION OF NEW CONSTRUCTION, WHICH WE RECALL.
NEW CONSTRUCTION DOES NOT COUNT AGAINST YOUR CAP.
$200 MILLION OF NEW CONSTRUCTION YEAR OVER YEAR IS THE ASSUMPTION HERE.
AND THEN WE'VE ESTIMATED 2% GROWTH IN SALES TAX YEAR OVER YEAR, NOT TO BE REDUNDANT, BUT THESE ARE GR THESE ARE GR UH, VERY AGGRESSIVE REVENUE ASSUMPTIONS.
ON THE FLIP SIDE, ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, WE'VE, UH, ESTIMATED VERY CONSERVATIVE ASSUMPTIONS.
WE'VE ONLY ASSUMED A 2% INCREASE, UM, UH, ACROSS THE BOARD FOR EMPLOYEES YEAR AFTER YEAR.
WE HAVEN'T DONE A 2% INCREASE IN PROBABLY SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS BECAUSE OF HOW COMPETITIVE THIS, THIS MARKET IS, PLUS PUBLIC SAFETY STEPS.
SO THAT WOULD ASSUME, FOR INSTANCE, COMPARED TO THIS YEAR, GENERAL EMPLOYEES WOULD'VE RECEIVED A HALF PERCENT LESS PUBLIC SAFETY WOULD WOULD'VE RECEIVED 2.5% LESS.
JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, WE HAVE INCLUDED THE COST OF INDEXING, UH, ON THE, UM, TRANSFER OUT.
SO THAT'S YOUR ALLEYS, YOUR STREETS, YOUR, UM, PARKS, MAINTENANCE FACILITY MAINTENANCE, BECAUSE WE KNOW INFRASTRUCTURE'S IMPORTANT TO YOU.
AND THEN FOR ALL OTHER EXPENDITURES, ALL NON STAFFING EXPENDITURES AND THE GENERAL FUND, WE'VE ONLY ASSUMED A 2% INCREASE FOR INFLATIONARY PRESSURES.
UH, AGAIN, INFLATIONARY PRESSURES, EVEN TODAY WHEN INFLATION IS AT ITS LOWEST SINCE, UH, SINCE COVID IS DOUBLE THAT, IT'S ACTUALLY FOUR 4.2 TO 4.3%.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE ASSUMING HALF THE PER PERCENT, HALF THE INCREASE THAT WE WOULD REALLY NEED IN INFLATIONARY PRESSURES.
IF YOU, AND, AND, AND BY THE WAY, WE'RE ASSUMING NO CHANGE IN THE PROPERTY TAX RATE, AND WE'RE ASSUMING THAT YOU DON'T INCREASE THE SENIOR TAX EXEMPTION YEAR AFTER YEAR.
IF YOU DO, IF YOU, IF YOU TAKE THOSE VERY BASIC ASSUMPTIONS, WHAT THE RIGHT HAND COLUMN SHOWS YOU IS HOW MUCH NET NEW REVENUE THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO WORK WITH FOR THINGS LIKE NEW PROGRAMS OR NEW SERVICES.
SO YOU CAN SEE NOT EVEN A MILLION DOLLARS ALL THE WAY OUT TO FY 23.
NOW, WHAT WE, WHAT I WANNA DO FOR YOU IS I WANNA LAYER JUST ONE CONSIDERATION, CONSIDERATION, CONSIDERATION.
I SAID I WOULDN'T BE DRAMATIC.
I WANNA LAYER ONE CONSIDERATION FOR YOU, UM, INTO THIS MODEL.
AND THAT IS JUST THE FIRE MASTER PLAN.
NOW, I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH THIS BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THIS IS THE FIRE MASTER PLAN, AND YOU SEE HOW WE TAKE IT OUT THROUGH 2032.
SO IN EVERY YEAR, AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS FIRE MASTER PLAN, THERE'S AN OPERATIONS IMPACT.
SO WHAT I'VE DONE IS I'VE PLUGGED THAT OPERATION IMPACT INTO THIS MODEL.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE THE THIRD COLUMN FROM THE LEFT IS THE NET NEW REVENUE UNDER THREE, THE 3.5% CAP.
SO THAT WAS YOUR FAR RIGHT COLUMN ON THE PRIOR CHART, WHAT YOU SEE IS THE COST OF WHAT I'VE CALLED THE FIRST LIENS OR THE RESTORATION YEAR BY YEAR RECALL, WE STILL HAVE AND HAVE HAD NOW FOR TWO YEARS, 26 FROZEN POSITIONS.
SO UNLESS WE'RE READY TO ELIMINATE THE, ELIMINATE THOSE POSITIONS, WHICH THERE ARE OPERATION IMPACTS TO THAT, UM, WE EVENTUALLY NEED TO RESTORE THAT.
SO THE COST OF THAT RESTORATION RIGHT NOW IS $1.1 MILLION.
SO, FOR INSTANCE, IF THAT WAS THE ONLY THING WE ADDED NEXT YEAR IN FY 27, WE WOULD BE AT A DEFICIT.
WE WOULD, WE WOULD HAVE A DEFICIT BUDGET OF $300,000.
THE NEXT YEAR IS THE FIRE MASTER PLAN.
THE YEAR AFTER THAT IS PERMANENTLY RESTORING THE MILLION DOLLARS TO THE GENERAL FUND.
[01:00:01]
A BALANCING TOOL EACH OF THE LAST THREE YEARS, THE MILLION, MILLION DOLLAR TRANSFER FROM CORE PLAN, AND THEN THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS OF FIRE MASTER PLAN.THE MAIN POINT HERE IS THIS, BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF FY OR, BUT NOW IN THE END AND FY 32, WE WILL, WE WILL HAVE ALMOST A $3 MILLION DEFICIT THAT WE WILL BE TRYING TO WORK WITH.
AND THAT'S, AGAIN, WITH ADDING NO NEW PROGRAMS OR SERVICES, NOT ONE NEW DOLLAR FOR A NEW PROGRAM OR SERVICE, UH, IN THIS MODELING.
IN LIGHT OF THAT, THERE'S SEVERAL, SEVERAL, SEVERAL CONSIDERATIONS I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU.
UM, ONE IS THAT, UM, IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US, INTERNALLY STAFF, I BELIEVE, TO, TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF OUR CURRENT PROGRAMS AND POLICIES AND CURRENT, UH, PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, EXCUSE ME.
UM, AND HAVE YOU CONFIRM FOR US THAT THE SCOPE OF THOSE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, UH, ARE ALIGNED WITH YOUR CURRENT PRIORITIES AS WELL AS THE, THE, THE EXPENDITURES, UM, THAT ARE CURRENTLY ASSIGNED TO, TO THAT SCOPE.
AND SO THIS IS EVERYTHING FROM COMMUNITY EVENTS, UM, TO, UH, UM, UH, RECREATION PROGRAMS. UM, REALLY IT RUNS THE GAMUT.
AND THAT'S WHY IF YOU GO BACK TO THE TACTICS THAT I PRESENTED TO YOU, UM, BACK IN, IN, UH, EARLY, MID, EARLY TO MID-SEPTEMBER, EVERY ONE OF THESE ARE A TACTICS THAT WILL GET TO THAT GOAL THAT I JUST, THAT FIRST BULLET THAT I JUST DESCRIBED TO YOU, EVERY ONE OF THESE TACTICS HAS SOME, WILL HAVE SOME IMPACT, UH, ON THE, UM, ON THE, ON THAT FIRST CONSIDERATION.
THE SECOND CONSIDERATION IS, AS, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED IT, UH, I THINK, UH, COUNCILMAN CORCORAN MENTIONED IT EARLIER, GIVEN THE ONGOING STATE LEVEL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT TAXES, AND ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TURN IT ON YOUR PHONE OR LOOK ON ONLINE.
RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE THE, THE HIGHEST LEADERS IN THIS STATE ARE TALKING ABOUT ADDITIONAL TAXES.
WE NEED TO PREPARE FOR THE VERY PROBABLE EFFECT THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE NEW REVENUE AND OR NEW EXPENDITURE LIMITS THAT ARE GONNA BE PLACED ON US, AS WELL AS THERE COULD BE NEW MANDATES AS THERE HAVE BEEN BOTH IN THE 88TH AND 89TH AND THE 88TH LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS.
UM, SO LET ME JUST TAKE THAT MODELING ONE STEP FURTHER.
LET'S JUST ASSUME THAT THE THREE AND A 5% TAX CAP WAS REDUCED TO TWO POINT A HALF PERCENT.
NOW, RECALL ON THE 89TH SESSION, THERE WAS LEGISLATION TO REDUCE IT TO 1%, BUT LET'S JUST ASSUME WE ONLY REDUCE IT BY 1% TO 2.5%.
WE WILL, IF THAT GOES INTO EFFECT, AND FY 29 WOULD BE THE FIRST YEAR, IT WOULD BE, UH, POSSIBLE COMING OUTTA THE NEXT LEGISL LEGISLATIVE SESSION WITH THESE VERY ROBUST REVENUE ASSUMPTIONS AND THESE VERY MODEST EXPENDITURE ASSUMPTIONS, WE WILL RUN A DEFICIT, UM, IN, IN FY 28.
NOW, IT'S NOT A HUGE DEFICIT, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S NOT ASSUMING AN AWFUL LOT OF THINGS, LIKE NOT INCREASING, UH, THE SENIOR TAX EXEMPTION, NOT CHANGING THE TAX RATE, UH, NOT ADDING ANY ADDITIONAL NEW PROGRAMS OR SERVICES BETWEEN NOW AND THEN.
SO ANY YEAR WE ADD, EVEN IF WE ADD ONE PROGRAM BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, THAT NUMBER INCREASES AND IT INCREASES AND WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE, UM, ALL THE WAY OUT THROUGH FY 32.
SO WHERE ARE WE AT? UM, I BELIEVE THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT STATEMENT, NOT ONLY FOR CITY STAFF AND FOR THE COUNCIL, BUT ALSO FOR THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND.
IF WE BELIEVE THAT OUR CORE MISSIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE, FOR INSTANCE, ARE OUR, ARE OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY, THEN I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT PROPOSALS FOR EXPANDED PROGRAMS AND NEW INITIATIVES IN THE FUTURE ARE GONNA HAVE TO BE EVALUATED WITH A CLEAR VALUE PROPOSITION FRAMEWORK.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT THE BENEFITS, THE COST, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT THE TRADE-OFFS BECAUSE IN MY OPINION, THE NEW SB TWO REALITY IS THIS.
TO INTRODUCE A NEW PROGRAM OR SERVICE IN THE FUTURE WITH MODELING WE JUST DESCRIBED, UH, WE WILL NEED TO EITHER IDENTIFY NEW REVENUE SOURCES OR WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REDUCE FUNDING FOR EXISTING PROGRAMS OR SERVICES.
NOW, YOU MAY SAY, SO WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT THIS? UM, I ALSO WANNA, I ALSO WANNA SHARE JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THIS MODELING BEGAN AND HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT.
UM, I'VE BEEN, UH, BEEN, BEEN, UH, UM, HONORED AGAIN, I, I GUESS YOU'D SAY
AND THIS MODELING, UM, IS, UH, ONE OF THE VERY FIRST THINGS THAT WE DID, UH, WHEN WE RECONVENED THIS TASK FORCE IN ADVANCE OF THE 90TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
THIS MODELING REPLICATED ACROSS DOZENS, IF NOT HOPEFULLY, HUNDREDS OF CITIES, WILL HOPEFULLY PAINT A PICTURE FOR THE STATE LEGISLATORS THAT CANNOT BE IGNORED.
UM, BECAUSE WE BELIEVE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE A REALLY, UM, EFFECTIVE JOB ON PREVIOUSLY IS SHOWING,
[01:05:01]
UM, THE REAL IMPACT OF THESE PROPERTY TAX, OF THE, OF THE PROPERTY TAX CAP.UM, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE'VE GOTTA SHOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THEY EVEN TAKE IT FARTHER, BECAUSE THAT IS, THAT IS ON THE MINES.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYONE ON THIS COUNCIL THAT DOESN'T BELIEVE THAT THAT'S A REA THAT'S A REAL POSSIBILITY IN THE 90TH SESSION.
AND IF IT IS, THOSE RED NUMBERS GROW, UM, AND IT BECOMES MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO SET POLICY AND FOR US AS STAFF TO IMPLEMENT THAT POLICY THAT'S RESPONSIVE TO THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF THIS COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S AT THE CRUX OF WHAT THIS IS REALLY ABOUT.
IT'S ABOUT OUR LOCAL CONTROL BEING EVERY SESSION TAKEN MORE AND MORE AWAY FROM US.
AND SO I APPRECIATE THE, THE CHANCE TO SHARE THIS, UM, THIS, THIS INFORMATION WITH YOU.
UM, I, I HOPE THE COMMUNITY'S PAYING ATTENTION, UM, BECAUSE THIS HAS, HAS THE POTENTIAL TO HAVE REAL IMPACT ON THE WAY THAT WE HAVE TO DO BUSINESS MOVING FORWARD.
AND SO, MAYOR, I AGAIN, APPRECIATE THE CHANCE TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU AS WE WRAP UP OUR FOURTH QUARTER BUDGET REPORT.
UM, I CAN PROMISE YOU THIS, THIS MESSAGE HAS BEEN THOROUGHLY COMMUNICATED INTERNALLY TO OUR TEAM.
AND AS WE COME BACK FROM THE HOLIDAY AND WE LAUNCH ON THE FY 20, UM, SEVEN BUDGET PROCESS, THIS WILL BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.
AND I, I HOPE YOU CAN BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF, OF EVERY STAKEHOLDER IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER JUSTICE.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO HEAR.
WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT SB TWO SINCE IT PASSED.
UH, EVERYBODY WONDERED IF IT WOULD BE THE SORT OF BOOGEYMAN THAT THEY, THAT WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE, AND IT'S TURNED OUT TO BE.
UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO JUST SORT OF REITERATE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
THIS ISN'T A RICHARDSON ISSUE.
IF YOU CAN PULL UP A LOT OF HEADLINES, PLANO JUST HAD TO INCREASE THEIR TAX RATE.
UH, ARLINGTON, I THINK, INCREASED THEIRS 3 CENTS.
MESQUITE WENT OUT TO ITS VOTERS RECENTLY TO INCREASE THEIRS.
UM, SO, SO THIS IS A, A REGIONWIDE STATEWIDE, UM, ISSUE, UH, THAT IS IMPACTING MUNICIPALITIES.
AND WE'RE FINALLY SEEING THE TRENDING OF, OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
UM, AS YOU RECALL, OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR WAS, YOU KNOW, OUR GENERAL FUND WENT UP BY 0.67%.
THAT'S, IT'S, WE'RE REALLY SEEING THE IMPACT OF WHAT THIS IS DOING.
UM, AND, AND AGAIN, THIS ISN'T, UH, A RICHARDSON ISSUE.
THIS IS, THIS IS THE RESULT OF LAZY GOVERNANCE.
QUITE FRANKLY, OUR STATE LEGISLATORS WANTED TO BE ABLE TO CHECK A BOX AND TELL YOU ALL THAT THEY GAVE YOU PROPERTY TAX RELIEF.
AND THAT'S NOT WHAT REALLY HAPPENED HERE.
WHAT THEY'VE DONE IS THEY'VE GOT THE CITIES THAT YOU CHOOSE TO LIVE IN.
UM, THERE ARE MANY WAYS THAT THEY COULD HAVE PASSED BETTER LEGISLATION HERE.
THEY COULD HAVE DONE A PUBLIC SAFETY CARVE OUT, THEY COULD HAVE DONE AN INFRASTRUCTURE CARVE OUT, THEY COULD HAVE MADE THIS APPLICABLE TO ONLY COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, BUT INSTEAD, THEY JUST PASSED SOMETHING THAT HAD A FLASHY HEADLINE AND A GOOD TITLE, UM, TO TRY AND TELL YOU THAT THEY GAVE YOU PROPERTY TAX RELIEF.
SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE WHO'S LISTENING TO GO TALK TO THEIR STATE LEGISLATORS.
IF SOMEBODY IS RUNNING FOR A STATE SEAT, GO TALK TO THEM.
SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU LOVE COULD BE IMPACTED, OR WE MAY HAVE TO MAKE HARD DECISIONS TO DO AWAY WITH THEM BECAUSE OF WHAT YOUR STATE LEGISLATORS ARE DOING.
THIS IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT, THAT YOU REALLY FOCUS ON, UH, WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE STATE LEVEL.
UH, 'CAUSE AS YOU JUST HEARD TONIGHT, IT'S, IT'S NOT JUST THREE AND HALF PERCENT.
NOW, IT COULD BE TWO AND HALF PERCENT OR 1%, AND WE'RE JUST NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO BE THE RICHARDSON THAT YOU'VE ALL COME TO LOVE.
AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT YOUR COUNCIL OR THAT YOUR CITY MANAGEMENT IS DOING.
IT IS A RESULT, UH, REALLY OF, OF WHAT YOUR STATE LEGISLATORS HAVE DONE TO BE ABLE TO SORT OF, UH, GIVE YOU A, A SUPERFICIAL WIN ON PROPERTY TAX.
IT'S LAZY GOVERNANCE, AND YOU SHOULD GO TELL 'EM AS MUCH.
YOU KNOW, I THINK SOMETHING THAT I WAS GOING THROUGH MY MIND ON WHEN WE WERE GOING, YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THESE, THESE SLIDES, WAS SORT OF, YOU KNOW, WHEN, 'CAUSE I'M SURE THIS IS A QUESTION YOU'LL BE ASKED, IS SORT OF, HEY, WELL, WHEN DOES IT END? RIGHT, RICHARDSON, WHEN ARE YOU GUYS TOTALLY BUILT OUT, NOT HIRING NEW STAFF, NOT, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT DOING ANYTHING ELSE BESIDES JUST MAINTAINING ROADS AND, AND INCREASING COMP, RIGHT? AND I THOUGHT THROUGH SOME ANSWERS THAT IF I WERE IN YOUR SHOES, I WOULD ANSWER THAT QUESTION WITH LOOKING AT THE NET NEW REVENUE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO ASK YOU A COUPLE QUESTIONS JUST TO GIVE MORE CONTEXT, RIGHT? SO FOR THE UPGRADES ON THE STATUS SYSTEM AFTER THE WATER QUALITY ISSUE, WE HAD, UM, AF YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH DID THOSE UPGRADES COST AND THE STAFF THAT WE NEED TO SORT OF BEEF UP AND KEEP THAT SYSTEM UNDER CONTROL.
HOW MUCH DID ALL OF THAT COST? BALLPARK, IT, IT WAS ABOUT $650,000.
SO THAT WOULD BE ALMOST EVERYTHING.
I MEAN, THAT'S THE, THE LOWEST NUMBER ON HERE FOR THIS NET NEW REVENUE FY 20 27, 798.
THAT'S ALMOST ALL OF THAT, RIGHT? RIGHT.
THAT'S A, UM, AND WHAT ABOUT MOVING MS. BELL'S HOUSE FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER? THAT WAS A COUPLE HUNDRED, RIGHT? YES.
SO A COUPLE OF HUNDRED TIMES, MAYBE TWO AND A HALF
SORT OF ONE ISSUE CAN WIPE OUT ALMOST ALL
[01:10:01]
OF THE NEW REVENUE IN ONE YEAR, RIGHT? RIGHT.ACCOUNTING FOR ESSENTIALLY UNDER MARKET RAISES FOR OUR STAFF.
I MEAN, QUITE FRANKLY, RIGHT? AND SO, I DON'T KNOW.
I MEAN, I THINK FROM THE AUDIT COMMITTEE PERSPECTIVE, THE SCARIEST PART TO ME IS IF WE LOSE VERY SPECIFIC STAFF IN OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENTS, RIGHT, WHO HAVE VERY SPECIALIZED SKILLS BECAUSE WE CONTINUE TO JUST GIVE THEM THE 2% RAISES, WELL THEN THAT JUST PUTS US MORE AT RISK OF BEING BEHIND ON THE AUDIT, WHICH THEN PUTS US AT THAT SORT OF MANDATORY, NO NEW REVENUE RATE, RIGHT? IF WE DON'T GET THAT DONE, AS WE'VE SEEN, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS BEING EXCEPTIONALLY PROACTIVE IN ENFORCING THAT TOO.
I MEAN, I THINK OVER A HUNDRED CITIES NOW, HE'S TRIED TO ISSUE SOME SORT OF WARNING TO, UM, OUTSIDE OF JUST THE ORIGINAL THREE.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY CRAZY.
SO, YOU KNOW, JUST, I JUST WANTED TO GO THROUGH THAT TO KIND OF MENTION SOME OF THE, PUT SOME REAL LIFE CONTEXT IN SOME OF THE SITUATIONS THAT COULD HAPPEN.
AND THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU'D MENTIONED MY NAME AND I, I, I, YOU AND I HAD SAID, MAYBE SAID SOMETHING IN LIKE ONE OF OUR ONE-ON-ONES ABOUT THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T KNOW.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT WITH 2027 KIND OF COMING UP QUICKLY, I DON'T KNOW.
I MEAN, IT MAY BE WE, WE'VE HAD OVER A DECADE OF NO TAX INCREASE ON THE PROPERTY TAX SIDE.
MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING WE CONSIDER JUST PROACTIVELY DOING, JUST IN CASE.
I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE WE'VE PLAYED BY THE RULES THIS WHOLE TIME AND IT HASN'T REALLY GOTTEN US ANYWHERE.
UH, NOW, YOU KNOW, WE ALL TALK ABOUT THIS ASB TWO AND ALL THIS, UH, THESE ARE COMING, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, THE REALITY IS THAT THIS IS THERE AND, UH, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO OUR HOMEWORK AND WE DO UPDATE OUR HOMEWORK ON CONSTANT BASIS.
AND I'M, I'M HAPPY THAT, UH, YOU BROUGHT, UH, THE FIRST HOMEWORK TODAY, THE MODEL.
AND, UH, THIS IS, THIS IS IMPORTANT.
UH, AND, YOU KNOW, FOR MULTIPLE REGION, THAT WHEN WE HAVE OUR OWN FINANCE, PERSONAL FINANCE, WE DO MANAGE THIS THING, PROJECTING THE BUDGET MOVING FORWARD FIVE YEARS, 10 YEARS.
I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY DOES THAT, BUT I DO HAVE TO MANAGE MY MA MONEY, YOU KNOW, LIKE IN THE PAST, EVEN TO THE DOLLAR.
UH, SO, AND THIS IS ALSO IMPORTANT THAT SO THAT WE COMMUNICATE WITH OUR RESIDENTS BUSINESS.
AND, UH, WE ARE DOING OUR BEST.
I THINK NOT ONLY JUST SHOW THEM THAT WE ARE DOING OUR BEST, WE REALLY DO OUR BEST.
AND I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE DOING OUR BEST.
YOU ARE DOING YOUR BEST, UH, MANAGING THE BUDGET.
WE DON'T, UH, I DON'T SEE WE ARE WASTING MONEY ANYWHERE.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO KEEP UP, UH, WITH EVERYONE SO THAT EVERYONE KNOW THAT WHERE WE ARE GOING, HOW WE ARE GOING, AND WHY THESE ARE HAPPENING, UH, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT NEXT, UH, UNTIL WE SEE SOME OTHER PICTURE.
BUT, UH, SOMETIMES CUTTING TEXT IS VERY EASY, WAY, QUICK, CHEAP WAY.
GET SOME, UH, SCORE, SOME POLITICAL SCORE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST, UH, BLINDLY TAKING OUT THINGS FROM, YOU KNOW, FROM THE TEXT IS, IS NOT RESPONSIBLE THINGS.
UH, BUT THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING.
SO, UH, SO I THINK THIS IS, I THINK WE HAVE TAKEN THE FIRST IN IMPORTANT STEP TODAY.
I THINK WE NEED TO JUST KEEP IT UP MOVING FORWARD.
I, I, I'LL JUST KIND OF REITERATE WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS TALKING ABOUT.
I MEAN, THIS REALLY NEEDS TO BE ALL HANDS ON DECK.
AND I, I, FIRST AND FOREMOST WANNA SAY, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR DON FOR HIS CONTINUED LEADERSHIP FROM A REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE, AND IN THIS CASE, UH, A PROBLEM FOR ALL OF TEXAS AS OPPOSED TO JUST A REGIONAL PROBLEM.
UH, SO I'M THRILLED, UM, THAT, THAT YOU'RE TAKING THE LEAD.
I REALLY LIKE YOUR APPROACH, APPROACH HERE IN TERMS OF THE WAY YOU'RE SHOWING REAL LIFE EXAMPLES, THE WAY YOU'RE LAYERING IN, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS WITH INFLATION AND HOW THAT IMPACTS THINGS.
UM, ALL ALL OF THAT JUST REALLY HELPS CRYSTALLIZE WHAT AN INCREDIBLY AWFUL, UH, UH, POLICY THIS HAS BEEN BY, BY THE STATE.
AND, UH, I KNOW AS I GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH OTHER MAYORS, UM, MORE AND MORE, THEY'RE VERY, VERY FOCUSED ON THIS AS WELL.
UM, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING, THERE ARE VERY FEW CITIES THAT THIS DOES NOT IMPACT.
OBVIOUSLY, CITIES THAT HAVE PLENTY OF GREEN SPACE AND CONTINUE TO EXPAND OUT THOSE ONES, I GUESS, UH, DON'T HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.
UH, BUT THERE ARE NOT THAT MANY OF THOSE CITIES OUT THERE RELATIVE TO THE REST.
SO ALL THAT SAID, THANK YOU, DON.
UH, AND, AND FOR ALL OF US, AND
[01:15:01]
I THINK, I THINK, UH, MANY OF YOU ALREADY SPOKEN.I THINK THE BEST THING WE CAN DO IS WHEN WE GET OPPORTUNITIES TO SPEAK TO RESIDENTS, BUT ALSO WHEN WE GET OPPORTUNITIES TO SPEAK TO OUR FELLOW COHORTS IN OTHER, UH, CITIES AROUND TEXAS, WE ALL NEED TO BE ENCOURAGING EACH OTHER TO FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT, UM, SO THAT THIS VOICE IS AS LOUD AS POSSIBLE, UH, AT THE STATEWIDE LEVEL.
SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU, DON, FOR THE PRESENTATION AND, AND FOR YOUR CONTINUED LEADERSHIP.
UM, I'D JUST LIKE TO TAG ONTO THAT AS WELL.
I THINK NUMBER ONE, DON, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR GREAT WORK, UM, ON THIS.
I, I THINK MY TWO THOUGHTS ARE IS NUMBER ONE, I'LL, I'LL MAKE MY REQUEST THAT I'VE MADE A COUPLE OF TIMES, WOULD LOVE TO GET OUR STATE REPS IN THIS DAIS AND, AND SHOW THIS, SHOW THEM THIS INFORMATION.
UM, HOPEFULLY WE COULD DO THAT EARLY NEXT YEAR AND SHOW THEM WHAT THE EFFECTS THAT WE ARE HAVING.
AND, AND I GUESS I WOULD ALSO ASK, AND I KNOW THIS IS, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE WE, WE WOULD ALL HAVE THOUGHTS AS TO WHAT WE WOULD HAVE TO CUT, BUT IF YOU COULD JUST GIVE US, YOU KNOW, TOP 20 THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD REALLY HAVE TO TAKE A REALLY HARD LOOK AT.
I MEAN, I'M NOT, I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION LIST.
JUST SOMETHING THAT WE COULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, FROM A MEAT PERSPECTIVE, THAT WE COULD SAY TO OUR CONSTITUENTS TOO WHEN WE TALK TO STATE REPS.
UM, YOU KNOW, LOOK, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UH, REAL WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, OR MAYBE SOMEONE ELSE WOULD CONSIDER VERY LIGHTWEIGHT THINGS.
WE, WE START TO GET INTO REALLY THE, YOU KNOW, WE GO PAST THE FAT, WE GET, WE START TO GET INTO THE MUSCLE, IF YOU WILL, OF THE CITY AS WE, WE WALK THROUGH THESE THINGS FROM JUST SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE ALL HAD.
AND SO I THINK IT'D BE VERY HELPFUL IF WE COULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, A TOP, TOP 20 LIST THINGS OF NOT NECESSARILY WHAT WE WOULD YOU WOULD PROPOSE, BUT JUST WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THESE TOP 20 THINGS.
SOMETHING THAT WE COULD, WE COULD REALLY PUT INTO THEIR HANDS AND SAY, IS THIS REALLY WHAT YOU WOULD WANT US TO DO FROM A STATE PERSPECTIVE AT THE CITY LEVEL? AND, AND BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO THOSE ARE JUST MY THOUGHTS.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON THIS? OKAY, GREAT.
[7. CONSENT AGENDA]
NOW MOVE INTO OUR CONSENT AGENDA.BEFORE I ASK FOR A MOTION, I'M GONNA ASK, UM, MR. MAGNER TO, TO TALK JUST A MOMENT ABOUT, UM, ITS ITEM B ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
WELL, UM, AS YOU MAY RECALL, WHEN, UH, YVONNE, UH, F FGO DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION PRESENTED THE DEEP DIVE FOR THE BOND PROGRAM, THERE WAS SOME CONSIDERATION AROUND THE GALLATIN FOUNTAIN.
AND WE WERE AT THAT TIME WAITING ON AN ASSESSMENT.
UM, UM, THERE WAS A, UH, ONE PATH FORWARD WAS GOING TO BE, UM, TO REALLY NEED TO COMPLETELY REPLACE ALL THE MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT, ESSENTIALLY BUILD THE FOUNTAIN ANEW.
THE OTHER WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A REPAIR STRATEGY.
AND, UH, WHAT YOU SEE, UH, THANKFULLY ON THE AGENDA IS THAT REPAIR STRATEGY AS WELL AS A, UH, MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT THAT WE BELIEVE WILL RESULT IN, UH, MORE FREQUENT PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE.
UM, IT WILL, WILL HELP US GET ON A REGULAR ROUTINE THAT, UM, AFTER WE MAKE THE IMPROVEMENTS, UH, TO REALLY, UM, GET THE FOUNTAIN BACK OPERATING, UH, IN A REALLY EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE WAY, WE'LL BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THAT.
AND SO THIS IS GREAT NEWS, UH, FROM THE STANDPOINT OF NOT NEEDING TO BURDEN THE BOND PROGRAM WITH IT.
UM, AND SO THAT'S YOUR ONE ACTION ITEM TONIGHT.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? OKAY, PERFECT.
THEN I'D ASK FOR A MOTION FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS NOTED.
OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? ALRIGHT, THAT PASSES SIX TO ZERO WITH COUNCILMAN BARRIOS OUT.
[8. REPORT ON ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST]
INTO REPORT ON ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST.I DIDN'T SEE WHOSE LIGHT WENT ON FIRST, SO DID YOURS.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW, BUT I'M CLAIMING IT.
THERE WAS A VERY EXCITING CITYWIDE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE.
I, I AGREE A HUNDRED PERCENT
IT SHOULD HAVE JUST BEEN THEIR WEDDING BECAUSE IT WAS STUNNING AND SHE WAS SURPRISED AND LOVELY, AND JUST THE WHOLE THING WAS WONDERFUL.
IT WAS A SURPRISE ENGAGEMENT FOR HER ALL, YOU KNOW, FAMILY, FRIENDS, SISTER IN FROM FRANCE.
I MEAN, HE JUST DID IT UP REALLY RIGHT? AND IT WAS JUST SO, SO SPECIAL TO BE INVITED AND BE A PART OF THAT MOMENT IN YOUR LIFE.
UM, AND SHE'S LOVELY AND I'M SO EXCITED FOR BOTH OF YOU.
COUNCILMAN CORLAND, WOULD YOU LIKE TO
UM, YOU GUYS DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT YOU'VE
[01:20:01]
MADE IN BOTH OF OUR LIVES AND HOW REALLY JUST IMPORTANT IT IS TO ME THAT Y'ALL LOVE HER AND GET TO KNOW HER.AND, AND YOU GUYS HAVE ALL DONE THAT SO MUCH.
AND I THINK WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT THIS CITY GOVERNMENT IS JUST HOW, NO MATTER WHAT DISAGREEMENTS WE HAVE UP HERE, WE ALL SHOW UP FOR EACH OTHER.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, LIKE, WE'RE ALL THERE FOR EACH OTHER AND Y'ALL HAVE JUST BEEN THERE FOR US.
AND THIS FRIDAY NIGHT WAS NO EXCEPTION AND IT WAS VERY SPECIAL TO THELMA.
AND I JUST CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH WE BOTH REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF Y'ALL.
UM, MY COLLEAGUES ARE THE BEST.
ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WANTED TO? YEAH, THE CHAMBER HAD A, UH, GRAND OPENING ON THURSDAY NIGHT.
UH, THE CHAMBER LOOKS AWESOME AND IT, IT WAS A REALLY SPECIAL PARTY THERE TOO.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT, IT IS A HUGE UPGRADE AND I KNOW THEY PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO IT AND WE'RE HONORED TO BE INVITED TO SUPPORT THEM.
UH, WELL, I MEAN, COUNCILMAN UH, JENNIFER JUSTICE, YOU KNOW, SHE, SHE EXPLAINED, SHE TELLS VERY CLEARLY NICELY, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN BEAT THAT, BUT I CAN'T REALLY STOP SAYING CONGRATULATIONS TO JOE.
THIS IS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JOE
UM, YOU KNOW, I WAS VERY, VERY EXCITED SEEING THAT NOT, YOU KNOW, HE WAS HAPPY.
UH, THELMA WAS HAPPY, BUT ALSO, UH, YOU KNOW, THEIR FAMILY WAS, WERE THEY, THEY'RE ALL GENUINELY HAPPY.
I SAW THE EXCITEMENT EVERYWHERE.
SO, UH, IT WAS, IT WAS REALLY, YOU KNOW, WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE AND THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING ME WITH THAT, UH, UH, WITH YOUR SPECIAL MOMENT, MEMORABLE MOMENT.
AND, UM, DEFINITELY I'LL BE, I'LL BE PRAYING FOR YOUR, UH, NEXT JOURNEY AND IT'LL BE EXCITING.
UH, YOU KNOW, NO MATTER WHAT, IT'S GOING TO BE EXCITING THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
UH, WHAT'S THAT? LEAVE THAT ALONE.
I'M, I'M, I'M GOING TO COUNCIL MEMBER DORIAN.
YEAH, I, I JUST WANT, YOU KNOW, I, I'M GONNA JUST TAG ONTO THAT AS WELL.
I THINK YOU SAID SOMETHING THAT WAS IMPORTANT, JOE, ABOUT OUR COUNCILMAN, UH, CORCORAN.
AND THAT IS THAT THIS IS FINE.
IT'S, I THINK, UH, YOU'RE RIGHT WHEN, WHEN IT'S, WHEN THE COUNCIL AND HAS TO COME TOGETHER AND BE, YOU KNOW, STANDARDS ONE AND SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER, I THINK WE DO A VERY GOOD JOB DOING THAT.
ALL OF US DO, INCLUDING STAFF AND COUNCIL AND MAYOR.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT, AND I'M REALLY HAPPY FOR YOU, AND I'M, I'M HAPPY THAT YOU MADE US A PART OF THIS, UH, NEW COMMITMENT AND YOUR NEW JOURNEY.
I ALSO WANT TO SAY IN ADDITION TO, UH, THE, UH, CHAMBER, WHICH IS A BEAUTIFUL, UM, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OF, UH, SORT OF SHARING SOME TIME WITH THE DALLAS, UH, CHINESE COMMUNITY CENTER ON SATURDAY MORNING.
I ACTUALLY, EVEN BEFORE I WAS, UH, ELECTED, UM, UH, I WENT TO THIS EVENT AND I WAS ABLE TO SEE THE CHILDREN.
IT'S NICE BECAUSE THEY HAVE, UH, THEY HAVE THIS AGES LIKE, YOU KNOW, FROM LIKE EIGHT ALL THE WAY UP TO TEENAGE YEARS, BUT THEY HAVE CALLI CALLIGRAPHY COURSES AND AWARDS, AND IT'S NOT JUST PART OF THE CHINESE AND ASIAN COMMUNITY, BUT IS PART, IT'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT, UH, CULTURES THERE.
SO IT'S JUST REALLY GOOD TO SEE THEM AND HOW EXCITED THEY ARE.
SO ONE OF THE GIRLS CAME UP TO ME AS I WAS GETTING READY TO HAND HER HER CERTIFICATE, AND BEFORE WE EVEN SHOOK CAN, SHE JUST CAME UP AND GAVE ME A BIG HUG.
AND IT KIND OF GOT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF TOUCHES YOU IN A CERTAIN WAY.
BUT, UM, THEY WERE VERY HAPPY AND, UM, IT WAS A VERY NICE EVENT.
AND OF COURSE, THEY ALWAYS HAVE A LUNCHEON AFTERWARDS, WHICH THEY, THEY PREPARE ALL THIS FOOD.
IT'S, IT'S ENORMOUS AND IT'S ALWAYS, UH, DELICIOUS.
BUT I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, THAT IS A GREAT COMMUNITY AND, AND I, AND I LOVE SUPPORTING IT.
MARK, UH, GOSH, I, I, I'LL, I'LL JUST FOR THE SAKE OF, OF REPEATING, ALTHOUGH I HATE, UH, UH, DOING TOO MUCH, REPEATING ON, ON ITEMS, COMMUNITY INTEREST, COULDN'T BE MORE THRILLED, UH, FOR COUNCILMAN CORCORAN AND, UH, THELMA.
JUST, IT WAS, UH, THERE, THERE'S, I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYONE ELSE CAN BEAT, UH, WHAT THAT PRESENTATION OF A, UH, PROPOSAL AND PARTY AFTERWARDS THAT WAS JUST, UH, AMAZING AND BEAUTIFUL AND, AND JOB WELL DONE.
UH, UH, I, I'VE NEVER SEEN IT DONE THAT WELL BEFORE, AND I DON'T THINK I EVER WILL.
UM, WE HAD A REALLY BUSY WEEK LAST WEEK.
UM, SO I JUST WANT TO HIT ON A COUPLE THINGS.
UM, UH, BOTH, UH, CITY MANAGER, UH, DOM MAGNER AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, I GUESS TWICE LAST WEEK TO DO SOME, UH, UH, DOUBLE TEAMING ONE AT
[01:25:01]
HEXA WITH A DELEGATION OUT OF THE UK THAT HAD A BUNCH OF SMALL BUSINESSES, UH, THAT WERE HERE, UM, UH, PITCHING, UH, UH, THEIR STUFF, UH, UH, PITCHING THEIR, THEIR, UH, INNOVATIONS AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING AS A COMPANY.AND WE GOT TO PITCH OUR CITY BACK, WHICH WAS, UH, REALLY FANTASTIC.
UM, WE ALSO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO, UH, DO A, UM, UH, UH, I BELIEVE IT'S CALLED LET'S WORK INCLUSIVELY, WHICH WAS, UM, THE DALLAS DISABILITY CHAMBER HAD A, UH, VIDEO PODCAST, UH, THAT WE GOT A CHANCE TO RECORD TOGETHER, WHICH WAS KIND OF A NEAT EXPERIENCE AND, AND WE HOPE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN SHARE OR I CAN SHARE IN THE NEXT, UH, FEW DAYS WHENEVER THEY FINALLY GO TO, UH, GO PUBLIC WITH THAT.
UH, WE ALSO HAD JUST AN, A WONDERFUL, UM, ANNUAL, UH, CHRISTMAS PARTY THAT GETS TO, UM, YOU KNOW, CELEBRATE A LOT OF THE FOLKS THAT WORK IN OUR CITY, UH, AS WELL AS KIND OF OTHER PLAYERS THAT WE DON'T RECOGNIZE IN OTHER WAYS.
UH, THIS LAST WEEK, I, I WAS JUST, COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE IMPRESSED WITH WHAT CITY STAFF DID TO, UM, MAKE THE ROOM THAT YOU GUYS ARE IN RIGHT NOW.
UH, ONE OF THE MOST FESTIVE ROOMS I'VE SEEN IN SOME TIME.
UH, SO FOR THAT, I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, THE ENTIRE TEAM.
AND THEN FINALLY, UH, ALTHOUGH THERE WERE, GOSH, SO MANY DIFFERENT, UH, UH, CHRISTMAS PARTIES AND GATHERINGS, UH, I DID WANT TO, UM, GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO INTELLICHOICE.
UM, THEY ARE AN ORGANIZATION THAT REALLY FOCUSES ON, UH, MATH TRAINING TO THE UNDERPRIVILEGED.
UM, I GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO KEYNOTE, UH, FOR THEM YESTERDAY EVENING, UH, THERE AT THE UT DALLAS CAMPUS.
UM, THEY GAVE AWAY SOMETHING LIKE 60 SCHOLARSHIPS, $30,000, UH, TO STUDENTS, UH, HOPING TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO GO TO EITHER TWO YEAR OR FOUR YEAR, UH, SCHOOLS.
UH, BUT JUST AMAZING WORK DONE BY A DR.
GIL LEE, WHO IS A PROFESSOR THERE, AND, UM, HAS BEEN DOING THIS NOW FOR 30 YEARS.
SO, UH, JUST A, A, A WONDERFUL HONOR AND, AND A AND A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO, TO CELEBRATE WITH THEM AND TO HELP THEM, UH, RAISE A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY FOR, FOR THAT WORTHY CAUSE.
THERE'S, THERE'S NO OTHER WAY TO SAY IT.
UM, IT'S WONDERFUL WHEN TWO PEOPLE, TWO PEOPLE COME TOGETHER AND, AND LIKE Y'ALL HAVE, AND SO JUST CONGRATULATIONS.
UM, ON THAT NOTE, I ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY ON FRIDAY TO BE THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT THE GRADUATION FOR COLIN COLLEGE.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY SO MANY TIMES, YOU KNOW, WE TURN ON THE EVENING NEWS OR WE, WE COME IN THIS ROOM AND WE TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND, YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES, ESPECIALLY ON THE EVENING NEWS, ALL WE EVER HEAR ABOUT IS THE, THE BAD AND, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE ARE WE HEADED, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
SAID IN THE, IT WAS THE, IN THE ALLEN FIELD HOUSE WHERE THE, THE HOCKEY IS.
AND IT WAS COMPLETELY, IT WAS OVER 760 GRADUATES, UM, WITH ALL OF THEIR FAMILY'S FRIENDS AND EVERYONE.
AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, IT, IT, IT GAVE ME SO MUCH HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR, OF OUR COMMUNITY, FOR OUR STATE, FOR OUR COUNTRY, AND FOR OUR WORLD.
SEEING ALL OF THOSE GRADUATES COME ACROSS THE STAGE IN MANY CASES, FIRST TIME, UM, COLLEGE GRADUATES, FIRST TIME, UM, UM, BEING, BEING A PART OF SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UM, WHERE THEY'RE ABLE TO GRADUATE AND, AND MOVE FORWARD.
AND IT WAS JUST, IT WAS AN INCREDIBLY MOVING, UM, EXPERIENCE.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE WHO GRADUATED, UM, FROM COLLEGE COLIN COLLEGE.
IT WAS AGRA, IT WAS THEIR LARGEST BACCALAUREATE GRADUATION CLASS SO FAR.
UM, AND I'M GONNA SAY SO FAR, 'CAUSE I THINK THEY'LL THOROUGHLY ECLIPSE IT, UM, OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS.
I ALSO WANNA, SINCE THIS IS THE, THE FINAL, UH, MEETING FOR THE YEAR, I WANNA WISH EVERYONE VERY, VERY HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
HAPPY HANUKKAH, MERRY CHRISTMAS, UM, AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.
AND MY GREATEST WISH FOR ALL OF US IS PEACE ON EARTH AND GOODWILL TO ALL WITH THAT, IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE WITH NO FURTHER BUSINESS, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT EIGHT 14.