[CALL TO ORDER ]
          [00:00:07]
          OF THE RICHARDSON CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER AT 6 P.M. AT THIS TIME, I'LL ASK COUNCIL MEMBER DORIAN TO LEAD US IN THE INVOCATION AND PLEDGES. JOIN ME IF YOU WILL. GOD GUIDE US. GUIDE US TO BE THE LEADERS THE PEOPLE NEED. I PRAY THAT YOU WILL BLESS US IN THIS MEETING AND ALLOW US TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS FOR OUR GREAT CITY AND TO BE GRACIOUS TO US. I PRAY THAT YOU FEEL YOUR PRESENCE BECAUSE YOU ARE WITH US WHEREVER WE GO. I PRAY THAT THIS MEETING FOCUSES UPON THE PLANS AS A BODY OF BELIEVERS. LET OUR ACTIONS IN THIS MEETING BE VALUABLE AND BUILD UP AND EDIFY ONE ANOTHER. FINALLY, WE ASK THIS WITH CONFIDENCE IN YOUR GOODNESS AND LOVE. AMEN. AMEN. JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. JOIN ME IN THE TEXAS FLAG. 
          HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE. TEXAS. ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER DORIAN. WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH ARE 
          [3. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS AND VISITORS FORUM ]
THE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS AND VISITORS FORUM. MR. MAGNER. THANK YOU. MAYOR, WE'RE IN RECEIPT OF ONE CARD IN ADVANCE OF THE 4 P.M. DEADLINE. IT'S FOR MISS PATRICIA GRIFFITH. 
          GRIFFIN, EXCUSE ME, A 441 VALLEY GLEN DRIVE. THE TOPIC IS AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN. AND THERE WAS NO POSITION PROVIDED. BUT WE WANT TO ENSURE, MISS GRIFFIN, THAT YOU. THE COUNCIL HAS RECEIVED HER COMMENTS FOR YOUR REVIEW IN ADVANCE OF THAT ITEM. WE ALSO HAVE ONE SPEAKER IN A PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT. SO, MAYOR, I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ INSTRUCTIONS FOR BOTH AT THIS TIME. IF YOU'RE HERE TO SPEAK AT A PUBLIC HEARING ITEM, PLEASE WAIT UNTIL THE PUBLIC HEARING IS OPEN. IF THERE'S TIME LEFT DURING THE INITIAL 30 MINUTES ALLOCATED AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MEETING, THE REMAINING TIME WILL BE PROVIDED AS A VISITOR'S FORUM OPEN TO ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON ANY TOPIC IN WHICH THE SUBJECT MATTER IS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY. IF THE FULL 30 MINUTES ALLOCATED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IS REACHED, THEN SPEAKERS WHO HAVE SUBMITTED A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD MAY SPEAK AT THE VISITORS FORUM SCHEDULED AT THE END OF THE MEETING. ALL SPEAKERS SHOULD COMPLETE A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD AND SUBMITTED TO THE CITY SECRETARY. SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN THE ORDER THEY ARE RECEIVED. WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED, PLEASE STEP TO THE PODIUM AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, ALL SPEAKERS WILL BE LIMITED TO A MAXIMUM FIVE MINUTES AS INDICATED BY THE TIMER. WHEN THE TIMER BEEPS, THE SPEAKER SHOULD CONCLUDE THEIR COMMENTS PROMPTLY. SPEAKERS MUST NOT PHYSICALLY APPROACH MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL OR STAFF, AND SHOULD REMAIN AT THE PODIUM DURING THE COMMENTS. SPEAKER HANDOUTS MUST BE PROVIDED TO THE CITY SECRETARY FOR DISTRIBUTION. SPEAKERS SUBMITTING COMMENTS ON THE SAME TOPIC ARE ENCOURAGED TO REDUCE REPETITIVE REMARKS BY INDICATING THEIR COMMENTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN ADDRESSED OR BY SELECTING A REPRESENTATIVE SPEAKER. THE TEXAS OPEN MEETING ACT PROHIBITS THE CITY COUNCIL FROM DISCUSSING OR TAKING ACTION ON ITEMS THAT ARE NOT POSTED ON THE AGENDA. CITY COUNCIL CITY STAFF WILL NOT AFFIRM OR OPPOSE ANY SPEAKER, COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS THE MAYOR OR CITY MANAGER MAY RESPOND WITH FACTS OF POLICY OR DIRECT CITY STAFF TO RESPOND TO THE SPEAKER. AFTER THE MEETING, THE AUDIENCE IS ASKED TO REFRAIN FROM APPLAUDING OR OTHER EXPRESSIONS OF SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION. A COPY OF THE COUNCIL RULES OF ORDER AND PROCEDURE, AND THESE GUIDELINES MAY BE FOUND ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE TO SILENCE THEIR CELL PHONE FOR THE DURATION OF THE MEETING, MISS BROWN. STEVEN BUTLER. GOOD EVENING. I USUALLY HAVE PREPARED REMARKS TONIGHT TYPEWRITTEN, BUT I DON'T. SO I'M JUST GOING TO SPEAK OFF THE CUFF AND ON. ANOTHER THING I'D LIKE TO SAY IS THAT I'M NOT HERE TONIGHT TO COMPLAIN OR TO MAKE SUGGESTIONS, BUT RATHER TO THANK THE CITY COUNCIL IN A TANGIBLE WAY FOR MOVING MISS BELL'S HOUSE. FINALLY, TO TO HUFFINES PARK LAST SUMMER AND FOR STARTING TO FIX IT UP THIS SUMMER. AND I'VE BEEN OBSERVING ALL THE PROGRESS THAT'S BEEN MADE SINCE LAST AUGUST. AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER HEARD OF A SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITE CALLED NEXTDOOR. I'M SURE A LOT OF YOU DO, AND I'VE BEEN POSTING ON THAT FROM TIME TO TIME ABOUT MISS BELL'S PLACE. 
          AND PEOPLE GET TO COMMENT ON POSTS. AND ONE OF THE COMMENTS I'VE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF IS, WHAT'S THAT OLD HOUSE DOING IN THE MIDDLE OF HUFFINES PARK? WHAT'S THE STORY ON THAT? AND 
          [00:05:01]
SO. I DECIDED TO WRITE IT. THE STORY OF MISS BELL'S PLACE. AND ALONG WITH SOME GLIMPSES INTO THE HISTORY OF RICHARDSON, TEXAS. AND THIS IS JUST COME OUT AND I HAVE BROUGHT COPIES THAT I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE COMPLIMENTARY TO THE MAYOR AND THE CITY MANAGER AND ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. AND IF I GIVE THESE TO THE SECRETARY TO YOU. WHEN YOU RECEIVE YOUR COPY, I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT INSIDE EACH COPY THERE'S A LITTLE PIECE OF PAPER THAT I'VE PUT IN THERE THAT POINTS OUT THAT THIS IS THE FIRST RUN. OKAY. AND LIKE IN ANY FIRST RUN, IF, IF ANY OF YOU ARE IN BOOK PUBLISHING BUSINESS, YOU, YOU KNOW THAT SOMETIMES IN THE FIRST RUN, YOU YOU NOTICE MISTAKES. YOU DIDN'T NOTICE WHEN YOU WENT TO PRESS. AND THERE AREN'T VERY MANY. IN FACT, THERE ARE VERY, VERY FEW, THANK GOODNESS. BUT THIS LITTLE PIECE OF PAPER IN THE IN THE FRONT DETAILS THOSE. SO THAT YOU WILL BE AWARE OF THOSE. I'VE ALSO INSCRIBED IT. AND SO AGAIN, THIS IS MY WAY OF SAYING THANK YOU TO THE THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION FOR GETTING THAT HOUSE INTO HUFFINES PARK AT LONG LAST AND FOR GETTING IT FIXED UP. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY WHEN WHEN I'LL BE ABLE TO GO INSIDE, ALONG WITH A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE. I'VE GOT GLIMPSES OF IT NOW. AND THEN WHEN THE PAINTERS LEFT THE DOORS OPEN OR UNCOVERED A WINDOW. BUT I'M REAL CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT THE INSIDE OF IT LOOKS LIKE. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I'VE BEEN IN RICHARDSON FOR OVER 40 YEARS, AND I NEVER WENT INSIDE IT WHEN IT WAS UP OVER HERE AT SPRING CREEK FARM. I SAW IT MANY TIMES. YOU CAN'T HELP BUT DRIVE RIGHT PAST IT. WHEN IT WAS UP THERE ON SPRING CREEK FARMS. BUT ANYWAY, OUR FARM RATHER NOT FARMS. IT'S ONLY ONE. ANYWAY, I WANTED TO SAY ONE MORE THING ABOUT THE BOOK. IT IS ILLUSTRATED WITH LOTS OF COLOR PICTURES THAT WERE GENERATED BY AI AND INCLUDING THE BACK COVER AND THE FRONT COVER, AND I WROTE IT WITH SEVENTH GRADERS IN MIND. 
          BUT DON'T WORRY, ANYBODY CAN READ IT. MY HOPE IS THAT MAYBE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT MIGHT WANT TO BUY SOME COPIES FOR THEIR SEVENTH GRADERS TAKING TEXAS HISTORY. ONE OF THE THINGS ONE OF MY PET PEEVES AS A FORMER TEXAS HISTORY PROFESSOR AND MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER, IS THAT WE DON'T TEACH MUCH ABOUT OUR THE HISTORY THAT'S ON OUR DOORSTEP. WE TEACH ABOUT OUR STATE. WE TEACH ABOUT OUR COUNTRY, MAYBE OUR REGION. BUT VERY FEW SCHOOLS EVER SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THEIR COMMUNITY. AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I DID THIS, NOT JUST TO ANSWER EVERYBODY'S QUESTIONS ON NEXT DOOR, BUT FOR THAT REASON AS WELL. AND THERE WAS ONE MORE THING I WANTED TO SAY, BUT I'M 77 YEARS OLD, AND I FORGET SOMETIMES WHY I EVEN GO INTO A ROOM. WHERE IS THIS PLACE? OH, SORRY. I REALIZE WHERE I AM NOW. 
          JUST JOKING. ANYWAY, SO I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE BOOK. OH, I DID WANT TO SAY ONE MORE THING. I'M CONSTANTLY RESEARCHING THE HISTORY OF RICHARDSON, AND I RECENTLY MADE SOME INTERESTING DISCOVERIES WHICH HAVE INSPIRED ME TO WRITE YET ANOTHER BOOK. I RECEIVED SOME MAPS OF RICHARDSON THAT I DON'T THINK ANYBODY SEEN FOR QUITE A LONG TIME. SO DOCTOR BUTLER, THAT IS A HECK OF A CLIFFHANGER AND I CAN'T WAIT TO READ YOUR NEXT BOOK. OKAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          AND I SINCE I HAVE AN EXTRA COPY, I THINK I WILL ALSO GIVE THIS TO THE CITY SECRETARY. 
          [00:10:02]
WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. GOOD. THANK YOU. GOOD NIGHT. GOOD NIGHT. NO MORE. IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WISHING TO SPEAK THIS EVENING? ALL RIGHT. WE'LL MOVE ON. MAYOR PRO TEM 
          [ 4. CONSENT AGENDA]
HUTCHENRIDER. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS FILED. 
          COUNCILMEMBER JUSTICE. SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION BY MAYOR PRO TEM HUTCHENRIDER, A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER. JUSTICE. ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY? I CAN'T RECALL WHEN WE HAVE SOMEONE REMOTE, ARE THEY THEY'RE ABLE TO VOTE IN THESE SITUATIONS. OKAY. THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH COUNCIL MEMBER BARRIOS JOINING US REMOTELY WITH HIS VOTE. OF 
          [5. REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE CITY MANAGER’S PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 2027  (Part 1 of 2)]
COURSE. COUNTING. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE, WHICH IS REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE CITY MANAGER'S PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 2027. MR. MAYOR, WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO MOVE UP THE ZONING CASE? OH, YOU WANT TO DO THAT BEFORE THE BUDGET? I THINK SO, IF YOU'RE AGREEABLE. SURE, SURE. THERE WAS A REQUEST TO MOVE UP ITEM NUMBER EIGHT. IS THAT CORRECT? THE CORRECT ITEM WE'RE SPEAKING OF? YES, SIR. OKAY. SO THERE WAS A REQUEST TO MOVE ITEM NUMBER EIGHT. I DIDN'T REALIZE WE WERE GOING TO MOVE IT ALL THE WAY TO THE FRONT, 
          [8. PUBLIC HEARING, ZONING FILE 26-15, AND CONSIDER ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE  CITY OF RICHARDSON, TEXAS, AMENDING THE COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE AND  ZONING MAP OF THE CITY OF RICHARDSON, AS AMENDED, BY GRANTING A CHANGE IN  ZONING FROM LR-M(1) LOCAL RETAIL WITH SPECIAL CONDITIONS TO PD PLANNED  DEVELOPMENT WITH A BASE ZONING DISTRICT OF LR-M(2) LOCAL RETAIL WITH AMENDED  USE AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR APPROXIMATELY 6.7 ACRES LOCATED AT 300 S.  PLANO ROAD, ON THE WEST SIDE OF S. PLANO ROAD, SOUTH OF E. BELT LINE ROAD]
BUT IT LOOKS LIKE WE WILL. ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IS PUBLIC HEARING ZONING FILE 26-15. AND CONSIDER ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE BY GRANTING A CHANGE IN ZONING FROM LRM ONE TO PLANNED DEVELOPMENT WITH A BASE ZONING DISTRICT OF LM TWO LOCAL RETAIL WITH AMENDED USE AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS. LOCATED AT 300 SOUTH PLANO ROAD. 
          MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ACCOMMODATING THE REQUEST. I THINK OUR APPLICANT HAS GOT SOME OTHER BUSINESS HE'S ALSO TRYING TO ATTEND TO TONIGHT. 
          MISS PETERS IS GOING TO STAFF THIS ITEM FOR US. AND SO DEREK I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU. THANK YOU. DON. COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE SUBJECT SITE IS LOCATED AT 300 SOUTH PLANO ROAD. THIS IS SOUTHWEST OF THE INTERSECTION OF BELTLINE AND PLANO ROAD. THIS IS A REQUEST TO REZONE THE PROPERTY FROM LOCAL RETAIL, ONE WITH SPECIAL CONDITIONS TO A PLANNED DEVELOPMENT FOR LOCAL RETAIL, TWO WITH AMENDED USE AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS. YOU SEE THE PROPERTY OUTLINED IN YELLOW HERE ON THE GRAPHIC. IT IS CURRENTLY DEVELOPED WITH A SINGLE STORY RETAIL BUILDING. 
          THE PROPERTY'S TO THE NORTH IS COMMERCIAL. TO THE EAST IS THE RAISING CANE'S DRIVE THRU RESTAURANT, SITTING BETWEEN THE SUBJECT SITE AND PLANO ROAD. TO THE SOUTH IS A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, AND TO THE WEST IS A CITY PARK. HERE ARE PHOTOS OF THE SITE TODAY. THE SITE WAS DEVELOPED IN 1983. TODAY IS OCCUPIED BY BURLINGTON COAT FACTORY STORE, SO THE EAST ELEVATION SHOWS THE FRONT ENTRANCE. THEN THE NORTH ELEVATION SHOWS ANOTHER ENTRANCE THAT'S NO LONGER USED. SAME GOES FOR THE SOUTH ELEVATION. HERE'S A FORMER ENTRANCE AND THEN THE WEST ELEVATION WHERE YOU SEE THE LOADING DOCK. THE APPLICANT HAS PROPOSED A PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT IN THE LRM TWO LOCAL RETAIL BASED ZONING DISTRICT. 
          FIRST, IN ORDER TO ALLOW ADDITIONAL USES THAT AREN'T ALLOWED IN LOCAL RETAIL. ONE, THOSE ARE LISTED HERE. THOSE ARE THOSE ARE REQUESTED TO GIVE THE PROPERTY OWNER MORE FLEXIBILITY WHEN SEEKING NEW TENANTS. WE HAVE LEARNED THAT BURLINGTON PLANS TO DOWNSIZE TO APPROXIMATELY HALF OF THE STORE, SO THE APPLICANT OR THE PROPERTY OWNER IS SEEKING NEW TENANTS TO FILL THAT SPACE. ONE IN PARTICULAR HERE I'LL CALL OUT IS A HEALTH CLUB OR A GYM THAT IS NOT ALLOWED IN LOCAL RETAIL ONE. SO THEY ARE SEEKING TO REZONE TO LOCAL RETAIL TWO TO ALLOW A HEALTH STUDIO BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL TENANTS THEY HAVE BEEN SPEAKING WITH, THAT IS ONE OF THEIR MORE FRONT RUNNERS FOR POTENTIAL TENANT. THEN IN ADDITION, THE APPLICANT IS ALSO FURTHER TAILORING THE USES TO PROHIBIT SOME USES. THOSE ARE LISTED HERE. THERE'S 12 LISTED HERE. SOME OF THESE ARE ALLOWED BY RIGHT AND LOCAL RETAIL TWO AND LOCAL RETAIL 1 OR 1 OR THE OTHER. BUT THEY ARE FURTHER PROHIBITING THEM BECAUSE THEY MAY BE MORE INTENSE THAN WHAT THE LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD OR WHAT THE PROPERTY OWNER DESIRES FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THESE ARE THE PROPOSED SITE DEVELOPMENT MODIFICATIONS. SO WHEN THE PROPERTY WAS FIRST DEVELOPED IN THE EARLY 80S, IT WAS DEVELOPED UNDER SPECIAL CONDITIONS. MOST OF THOSE WILL BE CARRIED FORWARD WITH THE NEW PLAN DEVELOPMENT. THOSE ARE LISTED HERE, THE FIRST FOUR LISTED HERE. THOSE ARE TO MAINTAIN THE LANDSCAPE SCREENING ALONG THE PERIMETER OF THE SITE. THAT'S ALONG THE NORTH PROPERTY LINE. THERE'S A ROW OF EVERGREEN SHRUB ROW. AND THEN ALONG THE SOUTH PROPERTY LINE THERE ARE LIVE OAK TREES. THERE'S ALSO AN EIGHT FOOT TALL MASONRY SCREENING WALL ALONG THE SOUTH PROPERTY LINE. THAT WILL BE MAINTAINED GOING FORWARD, AS WELL AS A STANDARD FOR BUILDING SETBACK FROM THE SOUTH. 
          PROPERTY LINE ADJACENT TO THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD IS A MINIMUM BUILDING SETBACK FOR 
          [00:15:03]
165FT MINIMUM. IN ADDITION, THE APPLICANT IS ADDING ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS TO THE PLANNED DEVELOPMENT TO THE SITE. SO ALTHOUGH THEY WILL NOT MEET THE CITY'S REQUIREMENT FOR THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUAL LANDSCAPE ISLANDS, THEY ARE ADDING TWO ADDITIONAL LANDSCAPE ISLANDS TO IMPROVE THE SITE THAT WILL BRING THE SITE'S LANDSCAPE COVERAGE UP TO MEETING THE MINIMUM PERCENTAGE. IN ADDITION, THOSE LANDSCAPE ISLANDS WILL BE PLANTED WITH A SHADE TREE, AND THE APPLICANT IS ALSO ADDING AN ADDITIONAL LIGHT IN THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE PROPERTY AT THE REQUEST OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR ADDITIONAL SECURITY, AND THE APPLICANT IS SEEKING A MODIFIED PARKING RATIO FOR A HEALTH STUDIO, REDUCING THE REQUIRED PARKING RATIO FROM 1 TO 100 TO, I'M SORRY, REDUCING IT FROM 1 TO 100 TO 1 TO 150 PARKING SPACES PER SQUARE FOOT OF ACTIVITY AREA. HERE'S THE CONCEPT PLAN. THE SITE PROVIDES 379 PARKING SPACES IN TOTAL. THE APPLICANT BELIEVES WHAT THEY HAVE PROVIDED WITH THE MODIFIED PARKING RATIO, AND WITH THE REMAINING RETAIL BUILDING, THAT THEY WILL HAVE MORE THAN ADEQUATE PARKING ON SITE. THE SITE 6.7 ACRES AND IS CONSTRUCTED WITH AN APPROXIMATELY 6300 ZERO SQUARE FOOT BUILDING. I'LL ALSO POINT OUT ON THE CONCEPT PLAN, WHERE THE NEW LIGHT WILL BE ADDED TO THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE SITE AT THE REQUEST OF THE LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD TO ADD ADDITIONAL LIGHTING SECURITY BACK THERE. AND THEN THREE ADDITIONAL SHADE TREES WILL BE ADDED. HERE'S A PHOTO OR A RENDERING OF THE PROPOSED BUILDING ELEVATIONS, WHERE YOU SEE THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING WILL BE DIVIDED IN HALF AND HAVE TWO STOREFRONTS. THE ENVISION, RICHARDSON COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND FUTURE LAND USE PLAN HAS IDENTIFIED AS THIS SUBJECT PROPERTY AS PART OF THE BELTLINE PLANO ENHANCEMENT AREA. AN ENHANCEMENT AREA IS AN AREA THAT IS A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR REDEVELOPMENT. THIS ENHANCEMENT AREA IS ENVISIONED AS MIXED USE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH NEIGHBORHOOD SERVING, RETAIL, OFFICE AND SERVICE USES, AND NEW COMMERCIAL USES THAT WOULD SERVE MORE THAN THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS, AS WELL AS NEW LOW INTENSITY RESIDENTIAL USES. 
          THE PRIMARY PLACE TYPES IDENTIFIED AS POTENTIAL CANDIDATES IN THIS AREA ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE PROPOSED USES. AT THE CITY PLAN COMMISSION MEETING, ONE INDIVIDUAL SPOKE NEUTRAL TO THE REQUEST. THE CITY PLAN COMMISSION VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE REQUEST, AND THE CITY COUNCIL MAY APPROVE THE REQUEST AND ORDINANCE AS PRESENTED TONIGHT WITH AMENDED CONDITIONS OR DENY THE REQUEST TONIGHT. AND THE APPLICANT IS HERE WITH A SHORT PRESENTATION AS WELL, AND I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. 
          ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? ALL RIGHT. WE'LL INTRODUCE THE APPLICANT, PLEASE. 
          MAYOR. COUNCIL. MY NAME IS MAXWELL FISHER WITH ZONE DEV. I LIVE AT 2502 GRANDVIEW DRIVE IN RICHARDSON, TEXAS, 75080, REPRESENTING PLANO. I'LL JUST GO OVER SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS HERE AS THIS SITE IS IS RELATIVELY AT A DISADVANTAGE COMPARED TO A LOT OF THE OTHER SITES. IT DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME VISIBILITY AS BEING AT THE HARD CORNER. AND SO WITH THAT, IT'S HARD FOR US TO RELY ON IMPULSE PURCHASES. WE NEED A DESTINATION TYPE USE, AND ADJUSTING THE ZONING WOULD ACCOMMODATE THAT, THAT NEED. WE HAVE ACTUALLY SIGNIFICANT INTEREST FROM A NUMBER OF FITNESS USERS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT. I KNOW THERE'S A NUMBER AT THAT INTERSECTION, BUT TYPICALLY THE MARKET HAS A WAY TO TO PUT THESE IN THE BEST LOCATION. THIS WOULD BE ONE THAT'S NOT IN THE SUBMARKET. IT'S A HIGHER END FITNESS FACILITY. WE THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE SPACE, PARTICULARLY SINCE BURLINGTON'S DOWNSIZING THE BUILDING. AS MENTIONED, WE MET WITH GLENVILLE PARK BOARD. WE'RE ADDING SOME ADDITIONAL TREES ALONG THE SOUTHERN PERIMETER, A LIGHT DUE TO SOME LOITERING ISSUES, WHICH I THINK WILL BE CLEARED UP WITH GETTING SOME ADDITIONAL ADDITIONAL USER. 
          THEY'RE CLOSING ENTRANCES, ADDING SOME ADDITIONAL PARKING. WE'VE ALSO. ONE OTHER THING IS THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO 90 DEGREE PARKING ALONG THE NORTHERN SIDE TO HAVE BETTER EFFICIENCY, MOVE THE ADA SPACES AROUND TO THE FRONT WHERE THEY ARE, WHERE THEY NEED TO BE NEAR THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING WE HAVE WE ARE ASKING FOR AN ADJUSTMENT TO PARKING. WE HAVE COMPLIMENTARY PEAK HOURS AND THAT THE BURLINGTON'S BUSY SATURDAY AFTERNOON. AND THEN THE FITNESS USER IS USUALLY BUSY MONDAY EVENING, TUESDAY EVENING. AND THEN I GUESS PEOPLE DON'T GO AS MUCH TOWARDS TOWARDS THE WEEKEND. THEY HAVE OTHER THINGS TO DO. SO AS STAFF MENTIONED, THERE'S GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS TO THE FACADE OF THE BUILDING. THERE'S ALSO GOING TO BE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE ROOF AND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT TYPICALLY ISN'T REALLY PART OF THE ZONING PROCESS. SO WE'D ASK YOU TO FOLLOW STAFF AND CPC 
          [00:20:01]
RECOMMENDATION. WE THINK THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE ADJUSTMENT TO THE ZONING. IT WILL TRIGGER IMPROVEMENT TO THE PROPERTY, AS WE'VE SEEN WITH ALL THE OTHER PROPERTIES IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? COUNCIL MEMBER DORIAN? I JUST HAVE ONE. THANK YOU. ON THE SIGNAGE. CURRENTLY, THERE'S A BURLINGTON SIGNAGE OUT NEAR PLANO. I GUESS THE INTERSECTION THERE ARE YOU ARE YOU REPLACING THE SIGNAGE OR IS THAT GOING TO JUST. YEAH. SO BURLINGTON IS THEY THEY WILL THEY'LL LIKELY HAVE SOME OBVIOUSLY HAVE SOME SIGNAGE UPGRADES. AND SO THEY'LL THAT'LL BE A SEPARATE PROCESS. I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY PLAN ON DOING WITH THE SIGN OUT ALONG THE FRONT. 
          OBVIOUSLY THEY PLAN ON MAKING SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO AND UPGRADING TO THEIR CURRENT MARKETING AND STORE BRANDING ON THE BUILDING, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING ALONG THE FRONT, BUT I'M SURE THEY'LL BE BACK UNDER SEPARATE REQUESTS IF THERE'S A NEED TO DO SO. OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'LL CALL YOU BACK UP IF THERE'S OTHER QUESTIONS. 
          THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING, AND SO WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND SEE IF THERE ARE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS, ANY SPEAKERS TONIGHT, NO SPEAKERS. IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT CARES TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE? ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE, MAYOR PRO TEM HUTCHENRIDER MAYOR, I'D MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. RIGHT. COUNCIL MEMBER DORIAN. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY MAYOR PRO TEUTCHENRIDER, A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER DORIAN. ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. I SUSPECT WE'RE ABOUT TO HAVE A MOTION, BUT JUST IN CASE, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION AT ALL BEFORE WE WANT TO. ALL RIGHT. MAYOR PRO TEM HUTCHENRIDER MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ZONING FILE 2615 AND ADOPT THE ORDINANCE AMENDING THE COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE AND ZONING MAP OF THE CITY OF RICHARDSON, AS AMENDED, BY GRANTING A CHANGE IN ZONING FROM LR M ONE LOCAL RETAIL WITH SPECIAL CONDITIONS TO PD PLANNED DEVELOPMENT WITH A BASE ZONING DISTRICT OF LR DASH M TWO LOCAL RETAIL WITH AMENDED USE AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR APPROXIMATELY 6.7 ACRES. 
          LOCATED AT 300 SOUTH PLANO ROAD ON THE WEST SIDE OF SOUTH PLANO ROAD, SOUTH OF EAST BELTLINE ROAD. COUNCIL MEMBER DORIAN SECOND THAT WE HAVE A MOTION BY MAYOR PRO TEM HUTCHENRIDER, A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER DORIAN. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? THAT PASSES 
          [5. REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE CITY MANAGER’S PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 2027  (Part 2 of 2)]
UNANIMOUSLY. ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'LL GO BACK TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING AND MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE, WHICH IS TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS CITY MANAGER'S PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2627. MR. MAGNER, THANK YOU, MAYOR. AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE FOR THE CONFUSION. I KNOW MAXWELL AND PROBABLY DEREK BOTH APPRECIATE THE RESCHEDULING OF OF THE REORDERING OF THE ITEMS. MAYOR COUNCIL, VERY EXCITED TO HAVE A CHANCE AGAIN TO FOLLOW UP AND NOW PRESENT THE BUDGET THAT I FILED THIS PAST FRIDAY IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR CHARTER REQUIREMENTS. I DO WANT TO MAKE SOME ACKNOWLEDGMENTS TONIGHT. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE CHIEF AND CHIEF TITO FOR BEING HERE. TODD GASSOFF, OUR DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, AND CAMERON SWANSEA, WHO IS AND OUR BUDGET OFFICE. ONE PERSON YOU DON'T SEE HERE TONIGHT, NOTICEABLY HOPEFULLY MISSING IS BUDGET. BOB. BUDGET BOB IS EXACTLY WHERE HE NEEDS TO BE. HE IS DROPPING HIS YOUNGEST OFF AT COLLEGE AND SO WE WANTED TO MAKE THAT ACCOMMODATION FOR HIM. BUT I KNOW HE'S TRACKING ALONG VERY CLOSELY HERE AND HE'S HELPED US PREPARE VERY WELL FOR THE BRIEFING TONIGHT. SO HERE WE FIND OURSELVES AGAIN MID-AUGUST. I MENTIONED I FILED THE BUDGET ON FRIDAY AND THE PRESENTATION THAT WE'LL MAKE TONIGHT LEADING INTO TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS. WHEN WE COME BACK FROM THE LABOR DAY BREAK. AND THEN ULTIMATELY, YOUR CONSIDERATION OF ADOPTING THE BUDGET FOR THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW HOW WE GOT HERE, I THINK IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE WORK THAT YOU'VE PUT IN OVER 15 HOURS OF BUDGET BRIEFINGS, INCLUDING ABOUT FIVE HOURS JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO IN THE FORM OF THE BUDGET WORKSHOP. AND SO AS AS MANY SHOULD BE ABLE TO TELL, THERE'S A A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY THAT GOES INTO THIS BY BOTH OUR CITY STAFF AND OUR CITY COUNCIL. IF WE'RE SPEAKING SOMETIMES IN SHORTHAND TONIGHT, IT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE SPENT SO MANY HOURS PREPARING FOR FOR THIS CONVERSATION AND FOR THE PUBLIC HEARINGS MOVING FORWARD. IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS FORMING OUR THINKING AROUND THIS BUDGET, NONE MORE SO THAN THE ULTRA IMPORTANCE OF TAKING A MULTIYEAR VIEW TO BUDGETING HERE, AND NOT ONLY THIS YEAR, BUT IN COMING YEARS. IT'S VERY WELL KNOWN THAT MANY OF THE FACTORS THAT DRIVE OUR REVENUES AND OUR EXPENDITURES ARE UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME. WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT IN A SECOND. BUT THE COMMITMENTS THAT WE OFTEN MAKE EXTEND OFTEN EXTEND WELL BEYOND A SINGLE FISCAL YEAR. THINGS LIKE STABILIZING CORE PLAN, TRYING TO BOLSTER OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND, TRANSITIONING 
          [00:25:02]
FROM OUR GSC, FROM THE 21 BOND PROGRAM TO A DIFFERENT APPROACH FOR THE 26 BOND PROGRAM, IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR FIRE MASTER PLAN, WHICH WE ARE EMBARKING ON ON YEAR ONE. BUT NO, WE HAVE A A ROBUST NEED IN YEAR TWO AWAITING US FOR CONSIDERATION, GROW IN OUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE FUND. AND THEN OF COURSE, YOUR COUNCIL TACTICS IMPLEMENTATION, OFTEN NOT ONLY TRAVERSING A SINGLE TERM BUT OFTEN SEVERAL TERMS, PARTICULARLY WITH SOME OF THE MORE AMBITIOUS TACTICS. AND THEN OF COURSE, ALWAYS ONGOING CONSIDERATIONS ARE OUR ORGANIZATIONAL EFFICIENCIES AND OUR SUCCESSION PLANNING. I THINK IT'S IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT WE'RE NO LONGER ABOUT TRYING TO PREDICT THE FUTURE WITH CERTAINTY AND MORE ABOUT TRYING TO PREPARE FOR MULTIPLE BUDGETS EACH YEAR, DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT ARE PRESENTED TO US, AND PARTICULARLY WHEN WE ARE ENTERING A YEAR THAT INCLUDES A LEGISLATIVE SESSION. AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT BRIEFLY AS WELL. AND SO WHAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO DO IS TAKE THIS MULTI YEAR VIEW TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PRESERVE OUR FINANCIAL STABILITY WHILE CONTINUING TO DELIVER WHAT I THINK ARE EXCEPTIONAL PUBLIC SERVICES. WE TALKED IN THE WORK SESSION MORE EXTENSIVELY ABOUT SOME OF THE EXTERNAL BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS THAT WERE AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR THINKING AND OUR TRACKING, AS WE NOT ONLY LOOKED AT THIS YEAR, BUT THE COMING YEARS. AND AND SO AS YOU SEE HERE, BOTH BOTH ON THE GLOBAL AND THE NATIONAL LEVEL, BUT AS WELL AS THE STATE. LET ME START AT THE THE GLOBAL AND NATIONAL ECONOMIC LEVEL AND JUST TALK ABOUT A FEW OF THE THINGS THAT ARE REALLY HELPING SHAPE OUR APPROACH. SO AS WE DISCUSSED, OVERALL, THE ECONOMY REMAINS STABLE, BUT GROWTH IS DEFINITELY MODERATING. AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE INDICATORS AND COST REMAIN ELEVATED. AND WE SEE THAT IN THE INFLATIONARY PRESSURES THAT WE WE FACE. THIS ABSOLUTELY REINFORCES THE NEED FOR DISCIPLINE AND CONSERVATIVE BUDGETING. THAT'S OUR WAY. AND IT'S PART OF OUR DNA NOTWITHSTANDING THESE FACTORS, BUT IT JUST MAKES IT THAT MUCH MORE IMPORTANT. NOW, INFLATION CONTINUES TO BE A REAL FACTOR. AT 3.5%. IT'S INCREASING THE COST OF LABOR CONTRACTS, FUELS, UTILITIES, EQUIPMENT, MATERIALS. I MENTIONED ALL THOSE BECAUSE ALL OF THOSE ARE EVIDENT IN THIS BUDGET. AND PARTICULARLY NOW THAT YOU HAVE THE LINE ITEMS, YOU'VE SEEN THAT IMPACT FIRSTHAND. AT THE SAME TIME, THE FEDERAL FUNDS RATE REMAINS AT HIGHER THAN WE ALL WISH IT WAS AT THREE AND A HALF TO THREE AND A HALF, 3.75%. THIS OBVIOUSLY HAS THE IMPACT MANY TIMES OF SLOWING PRIVATE INVESTMENT, BUT EQUALLY IMPORTANT FOR US, IT INCREASED THE COST OF FINANCING, FINANCING OUR FUTURE CAPITAL PROJECTS. AND WITH A 200 PLUS MILLION DOLLAR 2026 BOND PROGRAM AHEAD OF US FOR IMPLEMENTATION, IT'S NOTEWORTHY. UNEMPLOYMENT STANDS AT 4.2%. THAT'S WELL, THAT'S RELATIVELY LOW. AND IT CREATES A TIGHT LABOR MARKET. THAT'S A THAT'S INDICATIVE OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY. 
          IT ALSO CONTINUES TO CREATE RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, AND COMPRESSION PRESSURES NOT ONLY FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR, BUT FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR, AND IN PARTICULAR IMPACTS US WHERE WE COMPETE WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR. I WOULD SAY MANY THRIVING METROPLEXES IN THE UNITED STATES ARE FACING THIS, BUT I DON'T THINK ANY MORE SO THAN HERE IN NORTH TEXAS. WE ARE WE HAVE ONE OF THE MOST DYNAMIC, ROBUST ECONOMIES, WITH MORE PEOPLE MOVING HERE DAILY THAN ANY OTHER PART OF THIS COUNTRY AT THIS MOMENT. AND SO THIS IS EXASPERATED HERE WHEN IT COMES TO LABOR. AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT BOTH IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY REALM AND OTHERWISE. ON THE CONSUMER SIDE, RETAIL SALES WE'VE TALKED ABOUT CONTINUE TO GROW AT AT A SLOW RATE, JUST 0.2%, INDICATING INDICATING SLOWER SPENDING OVERALL. THIS IS IMPORTANT TO US, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE OF OUR SALES TAX IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT CITY REVENUE. THIS TREND WARRANTS AS AS YOU'LL SEE IN THIS YEAR, AN EVEN MORE CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO OUR SALES TAX FORECASTING THAN WE'VE TAKEN IN PAST YEARS. CONSUMER CONFIDENCE AT JUST 5.95.9, EXCUSE ME, REFLECTS A CONTINUED CAUTIONARY APPROACH BY CONSUMERS, PARTICULARLY REGARDING DISCRETIONARY SPENDING, AGAIN, WHICH CAN REALLY IMPACT OUR SALES TAX ON THE CONSTRUCTION FRONT, BOTH FROM A CITY STANDPOINT. OBVIOUSLY, WE'VE EMBARKED ON TWO LARGE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AS PART OF THE 21 PROGRAM. BUT RECALL, WE HAVE A FIRE STATION, SEVEN, AN AUXILIARY BUILDING AND A FIRE STATION, FIRE STATION SIX REMODEL CONSTRUCTION INFLATION REMAINS AT APPROXIMATELY 3%. THIS CONTINUES TO INCREASE OUR CAPITAL COST WHILE WE'RE REDUCING OUR PURCHASING POWER. ONE ENCOURAGING SIGN FOR SURE IN RICHARDSON, AND WE'RE VERY, VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THIS OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS IS OUR IMPROVING OFFICE MARKET. WE DEFINITELY ARE SEEING STRONGER LEASING ACTIVITY. THAT REFLECTS, I THINK, A RENEWED CONFIDENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND BUT ALSO SUPPORTS OUR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY VALUES AND AS DEFINITELY CONTRIBUTING TO OUR LONG TERM TAX BASE AS WE REBOUND. SO IN SHORT, ON AN ECONOMIC FRONT, THE ECONOMIC 
          [00:30:04]
OUTLOOK REMAINS STABLE. BUT CAUTION IS IS DEFINITELY WARRANTED. TURNING TO THE STATE LEVEL, NOT SO MUCH ON THE ECONOMIC FRONT, BUT ON THE LEGISLATIVE FRONT, SEVERAL PROPOSALS, YOU KNOW THEM AS WELL AS I DO, ARE BEING CONSIDERED RIGHT NOW TO PROVIDE RELIEF TO HOMEOWNERS. AND WHILE VERY WELL INTENDED, THEIR CUMULATIVE EFFECT COULD SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE OUR FINANCIAL FLEXIBILITY AND OUR ABILITY TO MAINTAIN MAINTAIN CURRENT SERVICE LEVELS. THIS IS THE SAME KIND OF UNINTENDED EFFECT THAT I WOULD SAY THE CUMULATIVE IMPACT OF SB TWO FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS HAS NOW HAD ON OUR ON OUR FINANCES. IN MY OPINION, FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGING LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCING HERE IN TEXAS, THINGS LIKE REDUCING THE ANNUAL HOMESTEAD APPRAISAL CAP FROM 10% TO 3% WOULD, WOULD, WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY SLOW GROWTH FROM A TAXABLE VALUE STANDPOINT ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES. AND OVER TIME, COULD, COULD REALLY CONSTRAIN OUR MUNICIPAL REVENUE, REQUIRING A VOTER APPROVAL FOR EVERY LOCAL PROPERTY TAX WOULD REQUIRE WOULD FURTHER LIMIT OUR ABILITY TO TO QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY RESPOND TO THINGS LIKE INFLATION OR EMERGENCIES, OR EVEN JUST CHANGING SERVICE DEMANDS. AND SO STATUTORY SPENDING CAPS LIMITING OUR SPENDING TO THE LESSER OF 3.5%, OUR POPULATION GROWTH PLUS INFLATION. NOW, AGAIN, THESE ARE SPENDING CAPS, NOT REVENUE CAPS. IT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT DYNAMIC. BUT WORKING IN CONJUNCTION IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE THE REVENUE CAPS COULD ALSO RESTRICT OUR ABILITY TO ADDRESS OUR LOCAL PRIORITIES OR UNFORESEEN COSTS. AND THEN FINALLY MOVING TO AN ANNUAL FIVE YEAR PROPERTY APPRAISAL RHYTHM VERSUS THE CURRENT ONE YEAR WOULD DEFINITELY MAKE FORECASTING MORE DIFFICULT AND COULD RESULT IN LARGER, LESS PREDICTABLE VALUE ADJUSTMENTS WHEN PROPERTIES ARE REAPPRAISED. 
          AND SO AT THE STATE LEVEL, THE KEY TAKEAWAY IS THAT EACH OF THESE PROPOSALS, WHILE HAVING MERIT AND MANY IN MANY WAYS AND IN MANY PEOPLE'S OPINION, CONSIDERED WHEN THEY'RE CONSIDERED INDIVIDUALLY, THEIR THEIR COMBINED IMPACT COULD CONTINUE TO SUBSTANTIALLY CHANGE THE WAY WE HAVE TO APPROACH OUR BUDGETING. SO LET'S GET RIGHT INTO THE GENERAL FUND, 83.8% OF THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE IS GENERATED BY PROPERTY TAXES, BUSINESS AND SALES TAX, AND FRANCHISE FEES. YOU SEE A TOTAL PROPOSED BUDGET HERE OF JUST OVER $190 MILLION. WITH RESPECT TO PROPERTY TAXES, WE'RE LOOKING AT AN ADDITIONAL $2.5 MILLION YEAR OVER YEAR. THAT'S A 2.72% GROWTH FROM FY 26 ON THE PRIOR TAXES, A LITTLE BIT LESS OF A OF A OF AN ESTIMATE COMPARED TO FY 26, ABOUT $157,000 DOWN THIS CONTINUE. 
          THIS ASSUMES A CONTINUED HIGHER THAN NORMAL PROPERTY VALUE DISPUTE, WHICH WE'RE SEEING. 
          AND YOU SEE THAT REFLECTED IN THE VALUES AND DISPUTES EVEN NOW THEN, THAN HISTORICALLY. 
          AND THEN A VERY SMALL INCREASE IN PENALTIES AND INTEREST ON THE FRANCHISE FEE SIDE PROJECTING $20 MILLION, $21 MILLION, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF ABOUT $814,000. YOU CAN SEE THE MAJORITY OF THAT COME FROM COMES FROM OUR WATER, SEWER AND SOLID WASTE FEES THAT ARE BASED ON A 5% OF THE SALES AND SERVICE FEES. AND AS WE LOOK AT INCREASED RATES FOR WATER, WASTEWATER AND SOLID WASTE, IT'S JUST NATURALLY RIPPLING THROUGH AND THEN SOME OTHER SMALL ADJUSTMENTS AND TELEPHONE AND GAS, AS WELL AS CABLE FRANCHISE FEES. AND THEN THE ONLY NEGATIVE LOOKING AT JUST ELECTRONIC ELECTRIC FRANCHISE FEES. AND AGAIN, ALL OF THESE ARE BASED ON OUR NORMAL WEATHER PATTERNS AND THEN TRENDS OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, SALES TAX IS PROJECTED AT $59.1 MILLION. THAT'S AN INCREASE OF A $4.1 MILLION RECALL. HERE WE ARE FACTORING IN A 1% INCREASE AFTER ADJUSTMENTS. AND REMEMBER, WITH SALES TAX, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO CONTROL FOR THESE STATE LEVEL ADJUSTMENTS OR THESE ONE TIME LARGE INFLUX OF DOLLARS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH NON-RECURRING PROJECTS. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE AND WE'VE CONTROLLED FOR THOSE THINGS. AND THEN WE'VE INCREASED THE PROJECTED SALES TAX BY 1%. THAT IS DOWN FROM OUR HISTORICALLY A 2% APPROACH THAT WE'VE GENERALLY USED. BUT HOPEFULLY SOME OF THE CONTEXT THAT I'VE PROVIDED JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO GIVES YOU CONFIDENCE THAT THAT THAT IS THE RIGHT LEVEL TO BE AT MIXED BEVERAGE TAX. AND BINGO'S REALLY NOT NOT ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE HERE. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE $58.3 MILLION, AGAIN, STILL NEARLY $4 MILLION OVER THE 26 BUDGETED NUMBER OF 54.2. BUT AND AND ALMOST EXACTLY WHERE WE WOULD ANTICIPATE IT BEING AFTER CONTROLLING FOR THE ONE TIME NON-RECURRING PROJECT DOLLARS OR THE STATE ADJUSTMENTS, OTHER REVENUES ARE ABOUT $30.7 MILLION, OR ABOUT 1.4 MILLION ABOVE PRIOR YEAR. YOU SEE LICENSE AND PERMIT FEES ANTICIPATING SOME. SOME OF THE LARGER PROJECTS THAT WE KNOW ARE COMING. AN INCREASE OF $376,000. YOU LOOK AT THE INCREASE OF $1 MILLION IN INTEREST AND YOU SAY, WELL, THAT'S GREAT, BUT REMEMBER, WE'RE WE'RE PAYING IT RIGHT BACK ON THE OTHER SIDE BECAUSE WE'RE PAYING MORE AS WE BORROW, 
          [00:35:04]
EVEN WITH A TRIPLE A BOND RATING, FINES AND FORFEITURES REFLECTING RECENT ACTIVITY LEVELS ANTICIPATED TO BE UP ABOUT $328,000. AND THEN THE G AND A CHARGES, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, ARE BASED ON OUR MOST RECENT UPDATE TO OUR CITY'S COST ALLOCATION PLAN AND THEN ADJUSTED FOR CPI. SO A SMALL INCREASE THERE, AND THEN RECREATION AND LEISURE FORECAST TO DECREASE BY $20,000. BUT RECALL, THAT'S A $300,000 REDUCTION IN THE WILDFLOWER FESTIVAL. SO IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR THAT. WE WOULD TOTALLY BE EXPECTING AN INCREASE IN RECREATION AND LEISURE FEES AS WELL. AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THAT FORECAST DECREASES ABOUT $95,000 FOR OTHER REVENUES, WHICH INCLUDE REDUCTIONS IN REVENUES FROM AMBULANCE SERVICES AND FROM RISD, AND REIMBURSEMENT FROM SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS. AND WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT JUST A SECOND AS AS WE TALK ABOUT A A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO THAT, AS THOSE WILL NOW BE RECORDED IN THE CHILD SAFETY FUND. I DO WANT TO JUST TAKE A SECOND AND POINT OUT TO YOU THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU A FULL LIST OF THE FEE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE SHARED WITH YOU PREVIOUSLY DURING THE WORK SESSION. THIS IS ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO SEE THIS VERSION. I DO WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION. LET'S SEE HERE TO PAGE. PAGE NUMBER 12. I'M SORRY. PAGE PAGE SIX, SLIDE NUMBER 12. YOU WILL SEE THAT THERE'S AN A LIST A LIFT ASSIST FEE THAT IS CURRENTLY REDLINED THROUGH. I RECALL THERE WAS SOME DIALOG AND DISCUSSION AROUND THIS FEE DURING THE WORK SESSION. LET ME LET ME FIRST SAY THAT THIS IS STILL VERY MUCH AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. THE GOOD NEWS IS, AFTER DISCUSSION AT THE WORK SESSION, SEVERAL OF THESE BUSINESSES HAVE REACHED OUT TO CHIEF POOVEY, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS INDUSTRY, AND SAID, LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN GET BETTER AT THAT. THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WASN'T HAPPENING PREVIOUSLY. AND SO WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND KIND OF HOLDING OFF ON THIS FEE AT AT THIS POINT IN TIME. LET CHIEF POOVEY NOW WITH A WILLING, BOTH INDUSTRY AND AND LOCAL OWNERSHIP HERE WILLING TO HAVE THIS DIALOG AND TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN ADDRESS THIS AND PERHAPS OTHER WAYS WE'D LIKE TO REALLY HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO FURTHER ENGAGE THESE STAKEHOLDERS IF YOU'RE AGREEABLE TO THAT. AND SO THAT'S THE ONLY CHANGE FROM THE WORK SESSION THAT WE WOULD PROPOSE ON THE FEE. IT DOES NOT HAVE A BUDGET IMPACT, AND IT DOES NOT NOT IMPACT THE BUDGET THAT I FILED, BECAUSE AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, WE WERE NOT INCLUDING ANY ADDITIONAL REVENUE FROM THE LICENSE AND PERMIT FEE CHANGES RECOMMENDED FOR FIRE. THOSE TEND TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER TO BETTER UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE. AND SO WE WERE GOING TO ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION AND NOT INCLUDE THOSE. YES, SIR. ONE QUESTION. 
          IF IF WE TAKE THIS OUT, DO YOU HAVE TO GO A FULL YEAR BEFORE YOU COULD BRING IT BACK IN THE EVENT THAT THERE'S NOT MOVEMENT BY THOSE FACILITIES? I MEAN, NO, SIR. WE WE WE WOULD WE WOULD NOT IF WE IF WE FELT WE CAME TO AN END OF THE ROAD AND THERE WAS NO PROGRESS BEING MADE, WE COULD BRING THIS BACK FOR CONSIDERATION AT ANY TIME, AT ANY TIME. OKAY. GREAT. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES HERE. THE STORY IS PEOPLE. 68% OF ALL GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES ARE TIED UP IN PERSONNEL SERVICES. WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO FROM THE GENERAL FUND? 40 JUST SHY OF 42% GOES TO PUBLIC SAFETY. GENERAL GOVERNMENT IS 12.5%. INFRASTRUCTURE AND MOBILITY IS 10%. AND THEN RECREATION AND LEISURE IS 9.2%. SO THAT'S 74% OF ALL OF OUR GENERAL FUND DOLLARS ARE DEDICATED TO THOSE THREE FUNCTIONS. LET'S TALK ABOUT THOSE IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL. FIRST, LET'S JUST REMIND THE COMMUNITY, BUT YOU AS WELL AS I TALK ABOUT OUR KEY FOCUS AREAS, THE THINGS THAT ARE DRIVING THOSE FOCUS AREAS ARE OUR CURRENT AND ANTICIPATED ECONOMIC FACTORS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT. YOUR GOALS AND STRATEGIES. OBVIOUSLY, AT THE FOREFRONT OF THAT, THE COUNCIL FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED DURING OUR DEEP DIVES HELPED SHAPE OUR FINAL BUDGET THAT WE FILE OUR MY, MY ONGOING ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENT. 
          YOU'LL SEE THAT COME THROUGH IN SEVERAL WAYS HERE. OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ARE VERY IMPORTANT. AND THE FEEDBACK THAT THEY PROVIDE, AS WELL AS OUR HOMEOWNER AND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, OUR INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS, BUSINESS AND DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY. 
          IMPORTANTLY, THE PLANS THAT YOU ADOPT, THOSE ARE NOT JUST PLANS THAT WE PUT ON A SHELF. WE ARE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT THOSE PLANS. YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THE FIRE MASTER PLAN. YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THE AQUATICS PLAN. YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THE PARKS MASTER PLAN AND ABSOLUTELY THE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PLAN ALL COMING THROUGH AND THESE RECOMMENDATIONS. AND THEN FINALLY, OUR OWN CITY ASSESSMENTS AND, AND EVALUATIONS THAT WE CONDUCT AS WELL AS THOSE BY OUR PARTNERS. SO OUR KEY FOCUS AREAS ARE REALLY, FOR THIS YEAR, THE FOCUS FIRST IS OUR PEOPLE, AS WE ALL BELIEVE, IF WE TAKE CARE OF OUR PEOPLE, EVERYTHING ELSE WILL TAKE CARE OF ITSELF. AND THAT'S DEFINITELY TRUE. I START WITH A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND 
          [00:40:05]
IN TERMS OF OUR VACANCY HISTORY HERE. YOU CAN SEE SUBSEQUENT TO COVID, IT'S BEEN A DIFFICULT TIME 2020 FOR A LITTLE BIT OF AN ANOMALY IN THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET BELOW THE 9% MARK, BUT OTHERWISE NOTWITHSTANDING, AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE, A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM YOU AND FROM PRIOR COUNCILS TO STRENGTHEN BOTH STRATEGIES TO BOTH RECRUIT AND RETAIN. IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN A DIFFICULT TIME IN TERMS OF FILLING POSITIONS. SO JUST SO YOU KNOW, 9.6%, 9.6% VACANCY MEANS WE HAVE OVER 100 VACANT POSITIONS IN THE CITY AT ANY GIVEN TIME. AND MOST OF THOSE IN KEY FRONTLINE POSITIONS THAT WE COUNT ON TO PROVIDE SOME OF OUR CORE SERVICES AND BE RESPONSIVE TO OUR CORE MISSIONS. IN ADDITION TO THAT, I GIVE YOU, FOR CONTEXT, JUST WHERE WE ARE AS AN ORGANIZATION. YOU SEE HERE, OVER 40% OF OUR CITY EMPLOYEES NOW HAVE LESS THAN FIVE YEARS WITH THE CITY. BLESS YOU. AND YOU CAN SEE AS IT AS IT AS IT GRADUATES THROUGH, AS YOU KIND OF LOOK AT THE 20 PLUS YEARS IT TAKES YOU TO THE CHART ON THE RIGHT, WHICH IS YOU ALSO LOOK AT THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE ELIGIBLE TO RETIRE TODAY AS OF LIKE 2026. AND YOU CAN SEE THERE YOU'VE GOT 58% OF OUR EXECUTIVES, OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM ARE ELIGIBLE TO RETIRE TODAY. 
          IN TERMS OF SALARIED EMPLOYEES, IT'S 28% HOURLY, 27%. THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO ME WITH A WITH A VERY YOUNG OVERALL GROUP OF EMPLOYEES. AND ON THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF OUR EXECUTIVES AND LEADERS ABLE TO RETIRE. I FEEL IT'S OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE THAT WE CREATE AN ORDERLY TRANSITION SO THAT WE DO NOT, AS WE DID RIGHT AFTER COVID, LOSE SIGNIFICANT INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND POTENTIALLY TAKE A STEP BACK AND OUR ABILITY TO DELIVER ON OUR CORE SERVICES AND MISSIONS. AND SO THIS IS WHY THESE THIS INFORMATION AND THESE KIND OF THIS KIND OF DATA IS WHY WE SAY PEOPLE FIRST, PEOPLE FALL INTO THREE CATEGORIES THIS YEAR. FIRST IS COMPENSATION. THIS IS WHERE WE CURRENTLY STAND IN OUR RANKINGS FOR A POLICE OFFICER AND FIREFIGHTER. AS YOU CAN SEE, MAXIMUM PAY WHERE TEN OUT OF 13 HERE IN NORTH TEXAS. AND FOR FIREFIGHTER WHERE NINE OUT OF 13. AND THAT'S NOT WITHSTANDING SOME REALLY STRONG SUPPORT THAT THE COUNCIL HAS PROVIDED IN PRIOR YEARS, PARTICULARLY IN FY 23 AND 24, WHERE THE COUNCIL APPROVED 6% INCREASES AND ROLLING THE PLANS BACK TO BACK YEARS. WHY DOES WHY DOES THIS CONTINUE TO HAPPEN? THIS IS A CHART THAT SHOWS BY DATE OUR RANKINGS. AND SO YOU CAN SEE ON TEN ONE OF 2022 WHEN THAT 6% WAS IMPLEMENTED, WE WERE NUMBER ONE FOR FIREFIGHTER AND NUMBER THREE FOR POLICE OFFICERS. SAME IN IN 2023 WHEN THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED, YOU CAN SEE VERY STRONG POSITIONS, BUT YOU CAN SEE JUST BY NINE MONTHS LATER, WE'RE FALLING TO NUMBER NINE OR NUMBER 11. AND IN REALITY, IT'S NOT NINE MONTHS LATER. IN REALITY, IT'S OFTEN MAYBE 30 TO 45 DAYS LATER BECAUSE AS WE'RE MAKING OUR TEN ONE ADJUSTMENTS, SO ARE OTHER CITIES. AND SO WHAT WE HAVEN'T DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB WITH IS NOT ONLY ANTICIPATE WHAT WE NEED AT A POINT IN TIME TO BE COMPETITIVE, BUT WE NEED TO BUT NOT TAKE ANTICIPATE ONE STEP BEYOND THAT IS WHAT ARE OTHER CITIES GOING TO DO? AND I THINK OUR GOAL IS TO PERMANENTLY SHIFT IN THE RANKINGS. AND I THINK IT'S POSSIBLE. AND SO THE GOAL WOULD BE MOVING FORWARD AS WE MAKE ADJUSTMENTS ON TEN ONE, TO ANTICIPATE WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THIS CHART, WE'RE TRYING TO RECRUIT POLICE OFFICERS FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE YEAR WHEN WE'RE RANKED NUMBER 11 OR NUMBER TEN OR NUMBER SEVEN OR NUMBER 11 OR NUMBER TEN. AND THAT'S DIFFICULT. IT'S DIFFICULT TO RECRUIT POLICE OFFICERS WHEN YOU'RE NUMBER ONE, 2 OR 3. IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO RECRUIT POLICE OFFICERS WHEN THEY SEE THESE KINDS OF RANKINGS, IT SENDS THE WRONG MESSAGE. AND SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS FUNDAMENTALLY RE REPOSITION OURSELVES IN THE RANKINGS. WHY IS THAT SO IMPORTANT? IF WE TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A DEEPER DIVE ON PD, YOU'LL SEE RIGHT NOW TWO KEY POSITIONS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. 911 DISPATCHERS. WE HAVE A 20% VACANCY AND POLICE OFFICERS, WE HAVE A 7.3% VACANCY. BUT RECALL, THERE'S ANOTHER TEN POLICE OFFICERS AND GARY CAN CHECK ME ON THIS. IT'S PLUS OR MINUS TEN POLICE OFFICERS THAT ARE IN THE ACADEMY OR IN SOME FORM OF TRAINING. SO REALLY, THAT MEANS WE HAVE 20 OUT OF 136 POLICE OFFICERS THAT CAN'T BE OUT ON THE STREET DOING THE JOB ON THEIR OWN. AND SO THIS REQUIRES SIGNIFICANT OVERTIME. IT PUTS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF STRESS ON, ON OUR STAFF. WHEN YOU TALK TO THE POLICE ASSOCIATION TODAY, PAY IS NOT ON THE TOP OF THEIR MIND. BENEFITS ARE NOT ON TOP OF THEIR MIND. WHAT'S ON THE TOP OF MIND IS THAT THEY FEEL THEY CAN'T SUSTAIN THIS AMOUNT OF OVERTIME WORK. THAT'S BEING THAT'S BEING EXPECTED OF THEM. 
          AND SO WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING TO BRING PEOPLE INTO DOOR AND TO GET THEM ONTO THE 
          [00:45:01]
ONTO THE STREETS SO THAT THEY CAN RELIEVE THESE OTHER OFFICERS. WHEN YOU LOOK AT POLICE OFFICERS YEARS OF SERVICE, WHY IS THE 41% IMPORTANT? BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THEY'RE STILL WITHIN STEPS, AND THAT'S WHEN POLICE OFFICERS AND THEY'RE NOT VESTED WITH THE CITY AT THAT TIME. IT'S CRITICAL FOR BOTH POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS, FIREFIGHTERS THAT WE DEMONSTRATE IN THESE EARLY YEARS THAT THEY HAVE THEY THAT THEY'RE VALUED AND THAT THEY'RE APPRECIATED HERE IN THE CITY OF RICHARDSON. IF NOT, WE'RE GOING TO SPEND OVER $100,000 TRAINING EACH OF THESE POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS JUST TO MOVE FOR MAYBE 2% OR 3%. BUT AT THIS POINT, THIS EARLY IN THEIR CAREER, NOT BEING INVESTED, NOT HAVING OTHER NOT HAVING OTHER STRONG COMMITMENTS, PERHAPS YET TO THE CITY. IT DOESN'T. IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. AND THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE RETIREMENT ELIGIBILITY, AGAIN, YOU TAKE A 20% VACANCY RATE, 911 OPERATORS. YOU THINK ABOUT A 20% OF THEM CAN RETIRE. AND IF ANY OF THEM ACTED ON THAT, WE FIND OURSELVES IN A VERY CRITICAL POSITION. AGAIN, 911 OPERATORS LIKE POLICE OFFICERS, SHIFT WORK VERY HARD, LONG HOURS, AND WHEN YOU REQUIRE MORE OVERTIME OF THEM, IT STARTS TO REALLY WEAR. SAME STORY FOR FIREFIGHTERS. COINCIDENTALLY, 41% FIREFIGHTERS NOW WITH FIVE YEARS OR LESS EXPERIENCE OR LESS TIME WITH THE CITY OF RICHARDSON, 19 OR 17% OF FIREFIGHTERS CAN RETIRE, ALMOST 30% OF SWORN. AGAIN, GETTING BACK TO WHY IS THIS SO CRITICAL? IT'S CRITICAL TO BE COMPETITIVE IN NORTH TEXAS. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT'S CRITICAL TO PROTECT OUR INVESTMENT. A A POLICE OFFICER BEFORE THEY ARE CUT LOOSE ON THE STREET TO DO THE JOB ON THEIR OWN. WE ARE INVESTING AT A MINIMUM OF $170,000 IN TRAINING THEM. THERE'S NOTHING MORE THAN ANY OF THESE CITIES LISTED HERE AT THE BOTTOM WOULD LIKE TO DO, BECAUSE WE DO A HELL OF A JOB TRAINING OUR POLICE OFFICERS, THEN TO COME RECRUIT THEM AND HAVE THEM MOVE OVER BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING JUST A SLIGHT BIT MORE, YOU KNOW, COMPENSATION IN THOSE EARLY YEARS. SAME THING FOR FIREFIGHTERS, $162,000. BUT 18 MONTHS OF TIME THAT WE HAVE TO DEDICATE AND INVEST IN THESE FIREFIGHTERS BEFORE WE CAN CUT THEM LOOSE, BEFORE THEY'RE THEY COMPLETE THE ACADEMY AND BECOME PARAMEDICS AND CAN AND BE OUT ON THE STREET. AND SO IT'S A IT'S A CRITICAL INVESTMENT. THE. 
          TO REMAIN AND TO FUNDAMENTALLY RESHIFT IN THIS RANKINGS, I BELIEVE IT'S A CRITICAL INVESTMENT TO PROTECT OTHER INVESTMENT THAT WE HAVE. TO THAT END, I'M RECOMMENDING A 5.5% MERIT BASED ADJUSTMENT FOR SWORN POLICE AND FIRE FOR FOR BOTH SWORN POLICE AND FIRE AND QUASI SWORN. THE STEPS THAT THEY'RE THAT THOSE THAT ARE ENTITLED TO STEPS. STEPS WOULD ALSO BE ELIGIBLE COMPENSATION. AND THEN A 3.5% INCREASE FOR CIVILIAN POSITIONS 96 IN PD AND 5% IN FIRE. IF YOU LOOK AT THAT AND YOU ANTICIPATE WHAT OTHER CITIES MIGHT DO BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE, EVEN WITH ASSUMING OUR 5.5, 5.5% INCREASE BY CORE, EVEN IF OTHER CITIES AS OF TODAY MOVE THEIR RANGES BY 3% BY SIX ONE OF NEXT YEAR, WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE RANKED THREE FOR POLICE OFFICER AND FOUR FOR FIREFIGHTER. THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO SET THE STAGE THIS YEAR, AND THEN WE NEED TO COMMIT TO CONTINUING WITH THAT KIND OF A APPROACH IN THE FUTURE. AND I'M VERY HOPEFUL IF THAT HAPPENS, THAT IN JUST A COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'LL SEE THE DIFFERENCE. I'VE BEEN CITY MANAGER FOR FOUR AND A HALF YEARS AND NOT FOR ONE DAY HAVE WE BEEN FULLY STAFFED AND SWORN POLICE OFFICERS, AND THAT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE. AND I THINK THIS IS GOING TO HELP WITH WITH YOUR SUPPORT. THIS IS GOING TO HELP FUNDAMENTALLY PUT US ON A NEW ROAD. LOOK AT WHAT THAT DOES IN TERMS OF ALL OF THE RANKS FOR MAXIMUM PAY FOR POLICE AND FIRE. IT POSITIONS US EXTREMELY WELL. SERGEANT HAS ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF THE POSITION THAT'S A LITTLE SEEMS TO BE OUT OF ALIGNMENT. GARY HAS EXPLAINED TO ME PREVIOUSLY THAT THAT'S BECAUSE A LOT OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS, THEIR SERGEANTS, AREN'T NECESSARILY EVEN RANKED EXACTLY WHERE OURS IS, BUT BECAUSE OF INTERNAL EQUITY REASONS. BUT THAT'S THE ONLY POSITION THAT IS RANKED BELOW THE FOURTH, AND THAT'S ONLY RANKED BELOW THE FOURTH AT ONE 1.5%. SO A VERY, VERY STRONG SHOWING HERE WITH WITH THESE PROPOSED CHANGES FOR GENERAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, YOU SEE SOME OUTLIERS, BUT OVERALL, WITH YOUR SUPPORT, THE WORK THAT THAT THAT WE'VE DON ON GENERAL EMPLOYEES OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAS POSITIONED US VERY WELL. I DON'T THINK THAT WE NEED TO ROLL THE PLAN RIGHT NOW WITH WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO ADJUST THE MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM SALARIES. THIS IS A 3.5% INCREASE THAT'S BEING PROPOSED INTERNAL TO OR WITHIN THE EXISTING RANGES. IN ADDITION, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE ON THE MINIMUM LIVING WAGE FOR OUR LOWEST PAID EMPLOYEES. AGAIN, WITH YOUR SUPPORT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'VE MADE GREAT STRIDES AT RAISING IT BY A DOLLAR EACH OF THE LAST THREE YEARS. THIS YEAR, I'M RECOMMENDING THAT WE RAISE IT BY $1.31, PUTTING US JUST $1 BELOW THE NEW LIVING WAGE OF 
          [00:50:03]
2331. I WOULD LOVE TO RECOMMEND PUSHING THAT ALL THE WAY UP TO THE 2331 THIS YEAR. HOWEVER, THAT WOULD CREATE COMPRESSION ISSUES BEYOND WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO KIND OF MANAGE FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT. SO I'M TAKING, AGAIN, A TWO YEAR VIEW AND HOPING THAT BY NEXT YEAR, I CAN BRING YOU A RECOMMENDATION THAT WOULD ACTUALLY GET US TO THE LIVING WAGE IF IT IF IT DOESN'T MOVE THAT MUCH IN THE DALLAS COUNTY, IF THE DALLAS COUNTY NUMBER DOESN'T MOVE THAT MUCH, I'M CONFIDENT WE CAN DO THAT. WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? 22% OF OUR FULL TIME JOB TITLES, THE MINIMUM SALARY FALLS BELOW THAT LIVING WAGE, AND SO CONTINUE TO MOVE TOWARDS THAT 52% OF OUR PERMANENT PART TIME EMPLOYEES. SO AS I MENTIONED, BASED ON THESE NUMBERS, I'M RECOMMENDING 3.5% MERIT BASED PAY RAISE FOR ALL GENERAL PERSONNEL. THAT'S MERIT BASED. 
          AND AGAIN, NOT, NOT ROLLING THE RANGES AND PRIMARILY NOT RECOMMENDING DOING THAT. 
          BECAUSE IF WE DID THAT, WE WOULD BE ROLLING UNNECESSARILY, ROLLING MANY MORE RATE RANGES THAN WE NEED TO TO ADDRESS THE RANGES THAT WE DO NEED TO. YOU SEE, AT THE VERY BOTTOM THERE, THERE'S ABOUT $70,000 FOR VERY STRATEGIC, ALMOST SURGICAL MARKET ADJUSTMENTS, AS WELL AS TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THE COMPRESSION ISSUES. I MENTIONED THE LIVING WAGE. AND THEN WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE CAREER LADDER PROGRAM THAT'S BEING PROPOSED HERE. THIS WILL ALLOW OUR ENTRY LEVEL EMPLOYEES TO HAVE VERY SPECIFIC MILESTONES FOR THEIR, THEIR, THEIR CAREER GROWTH. THIS WILL ALLOW THEM TO CROSS TRAIN. IT WILL ALLOW THEM TO BECOME MORE VALUABLE TO THE ORGANIZATION. I THINK IT'S ALSO GOING TO BE A GREAT RECRUITING TOOL BECAUSE WHEN YOU CAN SIT DOWN WITH A YOUNG PROFESSIONAL AND SAY, IF YOU DO THIS, THIS AND THIS, YOU WILL HAVE GROWN IN THESE WAYS AND YOU'LL BE REWARDED IN THIS WAY. IT'S GOING TO BE I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE EXCITING FOR THEM. AND SO WE'RE HOPING THAT, THAT THIS REALLY BENEFITS US, PARTICULARLY IN THE FRONT LINE POSITIONS. AND SO THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THE RANKINGS WILL LOOK LIKE AFTER THE 3.5%. SECOND AREA THAT I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IN TERMS OF PEOPLE IS CORE PLAN. WE ARE SELF-INSURED. OUR CORE PLAN STRUCTURE IS VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD. EMPLOYEES PAY PREMIUMS TO CITY CONTRIBUTES A PER DOLLAR AMOUNT PER EMPLOYEE PER MONTH. THAT CREATES THE REVENUE POOL, WHICH WE PAY OUR CLAIMS AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN FROM THIS IS CORE PLANS YEARLY SURPLUS OR DEFICIT EXCLUDING YEAR END TRANSFERS, PARTICULARLY EACH OF THE LAST TWO YEARS, YOU CAN SEE IN FY 17, AFTER WE, WHICH WAS THE LAST TIME WE INCREASED THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTION AS WELL AS INCREASE THE EMPLOYEE PREMIUM. 
          WE SITUATED OURSELVES VERY POSITIVELY. UP UNTIL COVID WE WERE DOING VERY WELL. AND THEN SUBSEQUENT TO COVID, WE HAVE HAD A SHARP DECLINE FROM FY 22 THROUGH FY 24. AND THEN FY 25 LOST $4.3 MILLION AND ARE ESTIMATING WE'RE GOING TO LOSE $3.7 MILLION THIS YEAR. THAT'S THAT'S OF HIGH CONCERN FOR US BECAUSE AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, JUST FY 24 HAD A FUND BALANCE OF OVER $15 MILLION. THAT'S THE HIGHEST I THINK IT'S EVER BEEN IN THE CITY'S HISTORY. BUT EACH OF THE LAST THREE YEARS HERE ARE SEEING THAT FUND BALANCE DRAW DOWN ULTIMATELY IN FY 2728. 
          IF WE DON'T MAKE CHANGES TO A NEGATIVE FUND BALANCE OF $2 MILLION, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE. WHY ARE WE SEEING THESE LARGE LOSSES IN CORE PLAN EACH OF THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS? TWO PRIMARY REASONS. THE FIRST IS INFLATIONARY PRESSURE. MEDICAL INFLATIONARY PRESSURE IN SOME CASES HERE TRIPLING OR QUADRUPLING WHAT WE'RE SEEING FROM INFLATION, JUST GENERAL INFLATION OR EVEN CONSTRUCTION INFLATION. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, YOU SEE THE PPO PLANS AVERAGING SIX, SEVEN, SEVEN NINE. NOW THESE ARE NOT THESE ARE NOT YEAR OVER YEAR. THESE ARE I'M SORRY, THESE ARE YEAR OVER YEAR. THESE ARE NOT CUMULATIVE. SO THAT'S 7% FOLLOWING THE FOLLOWING YEAR. ANOTHER 7% ANOTHER 9%. YOU SEE THE OUTPATIENT WHAT, FIVE YEARS IN A ROW WITH DOUBLE DIGIT INFLATION ON THE PRESCRIPTION SIDE. AND SO THAT'S LARGELY IMPACTING THE COST OF CLAIMS. BUT WAY MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT IS THE LARGE CLAIM TREND THAT WE'VE SEEN THIS PAST YEAR IN 2025, PAYING OUT $20 MILLION IN LARGE CLAIMS THE YEAR BEFORE THAT, $15 MILLION IN 2025. AND YOU TAKE 2024 AND 2025 AND YOU TOTAL THOSE. THAT'S MORE IN TWO YEARS THAN WE PAID. IF YOU CAN SEE THERE IN THE PRIOR FIVE YEARS OF CLAIMS OF LARGE CLAIMS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHY WE HAVE INSURANCE, WE'RE PROUD THAT WE CAN TAKE CARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES WHEN, WHEN THEY NEED IT THE MOST. BUT YOU CANNOT PREDICT WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SIX PEOPLE. FOR INSTANCE, LAST YEAR AT ONE TIME, YOU KNOW, BATTLING CANCER. AND AND SO YOU HAVE TO BE VERY NIMBLE AND FLEXIBLE IN THE WAY THAT WE APPROACH CORE PLAN. SO YOU SHOULD ASK WHAT INCREASE WOULD BE NEEDED TO BREAK EVEN. AND SO THAT WE'RE NOT CONTINUING TO EAT INTO THE FUND BALANCE YEAR OVER YEAR, WE WOULD NEED FOUR POINT JUST SHY OF $4.7 MILLION. 
          [00:55:06]
THAT'S THAT'S NOT DOABLE. IT'S NOT DOABLE ON THE CITY SIDE OR ON THE CITY ON THE EMPLOYEE SIDE. AND SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS, AGAIN, TAKE A TWO TO A THREE YEAR VIEW ON THIS, REALLY A THREE YEAR VIEW ON THIS. AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO RIGHT SIZE BOTH THE CITY CONTRIBUTION AS WELL AS THE EMPLOYEE PREMIUM. SO BY THE THIRD YEAR, WE ARE NO LONGER DRAWING DOWN ON CORE PLAN FUND BALANCE. WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT BY RESTORING THE $100 CONTRIBUTION, $100 PER MONTH PER EMPLOYEE THAT THAT WE CUT BACK IN FY, FY 2024. WE'RE GOING TO ADD TO THAT AN ADDITIONAL $150, $155 PER MONTH PER EMPLOYEE THAT WOULD BRING THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTION PER MONTH PER EMPLOYEE TO 1140. THAT'S STILL $105 SHORT OF WHAT WE NEED TO ACHIEVE, SO THAT WE DO NOT DRAW FUND BALANCE DOWN IN FUTURE YEARS. MY GOAL WOULD BE TO BRING YOU TO HOPEFULLY GET TO THAT 1245 NEXT YEAR, IF NOT AGAIN, TAKE ANOTHER TWO YEAR VIEW. ON THE EMPLOYEE SIDE, WE'RE RAISING EMPLOYEE PREMIUMS BY 7.5%. I ANTICIPATE THAT THAT WILL BE 7.5% FOR, FOR DEFINITELY FOR FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS, BUT MORE THAN LIKELY FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS, LOOKING AT PROBABLY RAISING EMPLOYEE PREMIUMS BY 20% OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS AND THEN CREATING ALREADY STARTING THROUGH MY TOWN HALL MEETINGS, INTERNAL TOWN HALL MEETINGS WITH THE WITH EMPLOYEES ALREADY SETTING THE EXPECTATION THAT EVERY YEAR WE SHOULD EXPECT A PREMIUM INCREASE ONCE WE GET THROUGH THIS FIRST THREE YEARS. AND SO MOVING FORWARD, REALLY CALIBRATING WITH OUR EMPLOYEES AND LETTING THEM UNDERSTAND THAT JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE INCREASES EVERY YEAR, EMPLOYEE PREMIUMS WILL LIKELY INCREASE EVERY YEAR AS WELL. WE'RE ALSO TAKING SOME ADDITIONAL STEPS. WE'RE DISCONTINUING GLP ONE WEIGHT LOSS DRUG COVERAGE WHEN IT'S FOR WEIGHT LOSS EXCLUSIVELY. IF YOU NEED THIS KIND OF A DRUG FOR SOME OTHER REASON, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES IN THAT WAY. ATI PHYSICAL THERAPY IS A GREAT PROGRAM. OUR HR DEPARTMENT DID A GREAT JOB NEGOTIATING A VERY COMPETITIVE PHYSICAL THERAPY RATE. AND SO IF AN EMPLOYEE IS INJURED, THEY HAVE A THEY HAVE A MOTIVATION TO GO TO THIS BECAUSE IT WILL ACTUALLY BE FREE TO THEM UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT IT WILL BE SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS FOR US AND IN SOME OF OUR POLICE FIRE PUBLIC SERVICES, THERE ARE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES THAT ARE INJURED. THE IRS REQUIRED A DEDUCTIBLE IS BEING RAISED TO $3,500, $3,500 FOR THE HSA, WHICH IS OUR GREEN PLAN JUST FOR THE INDIVIDUAL ONLY. I TALKED TO YOU PREVIOUSLY ABOUT OFFERING AN HMO PLAN THAT COULD SAVE US POTENTIALLY A FEW HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN YEAR ONE. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT PROVIDES OUR EMPLOYEES WITH AN OPTION FOR THOSE THAT ARE ON THE RED PLAN OR THE PPO THAT DON'T DON'T REALLY ENVISION WANTING TO TAKE ON 20% OR PLUS INCREASES OVER THE NEXT YEAR. 
          THE HMO IS GOING TO PROVIDE A VERY GOOD OPTION FOR THEM. AND THEN WE'RE INCREASING EMPLOYEE LIFE INSURANCE TO $200,000 AS PART OF THE CHANGES. AND SO THAT'LL BE A BIG PART OF THE STORY, THE INCREASE IN THE CORE PLAN CONTRIBUTION. ON BEHALF OF OUR EMPLOYEES, I MENTIONED ORGANIZATIONAL EFFICIENCIES AS OUR LAST KIND OF CATEGORY AROUND. PEOPLE. I TOLD YOU, I SHARED WITH YOU DURING THE BUDGET RETREAT THAT MY DIRECTION TO OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS, AS WE BEGIN THIS BUDGET PROCESS, WAS TO RETHINK EVERYTHING, TO ASK OURSELVES, DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO, YOU KNOW, GIVEN OUR CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES, DO OUR CURRENT STRATEGY SERVICES AND INVESTMENTS STILL ALIGN WITH TODAY'S REALITIES AND TOMORROW'S OPPORTUNITIES? TO THAT END, I'M RECOMMENDING THAT WE PERMANENTLY ELIMINATE 19 FULL TIME POSITIONS IN THE GENERAL FUND. THAT IS OFFSET WITH MOSTLY IMPLEMENTING YEAR TWO OF THE FIRE MASTER PLAN. SO ADDING FIVE TOTAL POSITIONS AND FOR AND FIRE AND CUSTODIAL SERVICES FOR A NET PERMANENT ELIMINATION OF 14 POSITIONS IN THE GENERAL FUND, AS WELL AS ONE POSITION IN WATER WASTEWATER IN THE METER SHOP. AGAIN BUILDING ON PLANS, THE SOLID WASTE MASTER PLAN AND SOLID WASTE ACTUALLY ADDING TWO BABIC LOADERS, TWO RECYCLING LOADERS AND A COMMERCIAL SOLID WASTE BUSINESS ANALYST. AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TAKING THIS, THIS ASSIGNMENT OF, YOU KNOW, SELF-REFLECTING AND ASKING OURSELVES, ARE WE DOING WHAT WE NEED TO DO TODAY TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE AND TO CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, MEET OUR GOALS, THE COUNCIL'S GOALS AND THE COMMUNITY'S GOALS? THINK THAT THIS IS A STRONG SIGNAL, IN MY OPINION, THAT WE ARE WE ARE DOING THAT VERY MUCH AND WE'RE TAKING THIS ASSIGNMENT VERY SERIOUS. IN ADDITION, SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONAL REORGANIZATIONS TO THAT END TALKED ABOUT OUR 
          [01:00:03]
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND RECLASSIFYING A ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER POSITION INTO A DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC INITIATIVES AND A MANAGEMENT ANALYST, ELIMINATING THE CULTURAL ARTS COORDINATOR COORDINATOR POSITION AS A AS A SOLE ASSIGNMENT AND RECLASSIFYING THAT AS A MANAGEMENT ANALYST SO THAT THE MANAGEMENT ANALYST CAN NOT ONLY DO THOSE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, BUT TAKE ON OTHER DUTIES AS WELL. AND THEN REASSIGNING THE PLACEMAKING MANAGER TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS A PROGRAM MANAGER AND MAKING THAT POSITION AGAIN, MORE DIVERSE AND VERSATILE TO DO MORE. ALL THOSE CHANGES ARE COST NEUTRAL. I ALSO MENTIONED MOVING THE CITY HALL RECEPTIONIST FROM PURCHASING TO THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AND THE NEW CITY HALL. THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE FOR AMY AND HER TEAM TO BE OVER THIS FUNCTION. THEY'RE GOING TO BE CO-LOCATED THERE WITH THEM ON THE FIRST FLOOR, RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND FROM THE COUNCIL CHAMBER. AND SO THAT'S A COST NEUTRAL AS WELL. IN ENGINEERING CAPITAL PROJECTS, WE ARE MOVING AND TRANSITIONING FROM THE GSE APPROACH THAT WE USE FOR THE 21 BOND PROGRAM TO A MORE OF AN INTERNAL FOCUS, WHERE WE WILL BE ALSO USING SOME ADDITIONAL CONSULTING SERVICES. WE ARE CREATING A NEW POSITION OF PROGRAM MANAGER POSITION THAT WILL BE OUR THIRD PROGRAM MANAGER POSITION. AND THEN TWO NEW POSITIONS RIGHT AWAY, INSPECTOR, AND A RIGHT OF WAY MANAGER. AND WE'VE SET ASIDE ABOUT $285,000 TO DO THAT. NOW, I'LL TELL YOU THAT THAT'S ABOUT 10% OF THE FEE THAT WE WERE PAYING ON AN ANNUAL BASIS D, E, C SO IN OTHER WORDS, THAT'S DIFFERENT BUCKETS OF MONEY. BUT WE'RE STILL NET TO THE CITY, SAVING ABOUT $1.75 MILLION A YEAR BY MAKING THIS APPROACH. HAVING SAID THAT, THE 285 IS WHAT WE THINK WE WE WILL NEED THERE. BUT EVEN IF WE MADE SOME SMALL TWEAKS TO THIS APPROACH, WE DECIDED THAT WE EVEN NEEDED ANOTHER POSITION. 
          WE'RE GOING TO SIGNIFICANTLY COME OUT BETTER THAN WE WERE. THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CURRENT GSE OR THE GSE APPROACH. THIS IS A MUCH DIFFERENT BOND PROGRAM, A LOT LESS VERTICAL AND MUCH MORE HORIZONTAL. AND WE DO THAT REALLY WELL AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HEADING IN THIS DIRECTION. AND SO FINALLY, I MENTIONED THE EDI. SOME RE RECLASSIFICATIONS TO TAKE ON SOME OF THE CVB AND THE PLACEMAKING RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED. AND THOSE ARE REFLECTED AS WELL. KEY KEY AREA NUMBER TWO IS PUBLIC SAFETY. YOU SEE HERE A CHANGE OF 7.7% IN ACROSS BOTH POLICE, FIRE AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. A LARGE PORTION OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH WITH THE COMPENSATION AND THE PAY PLAN ADJUSTMENTS YOU SEE HERE. PD AT 42.5 MILLION, FIRE AT 36.4, AND THEN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AT $770,000. YOU SEE SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY PAY PLAN ADJUSTMENTS. A BIG PART OF THAT. OTHER KEY INVESTMENTS FOR POLICE INCLUDES BOTH BOTH POLICE AND FIRE. THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL WELLNESS PROGRAMS THAT YOU'VE LOST OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. CONTINUED FUNDING IN PD AND FIRE, ACTUALLY. BUT HERE TALKING ABOUT PD FOR COMMUNITY, IMPORTANT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES, YOU NEED THOSE. THE DEPARTMENT MANAGER'S FAITH BASED CONFERENCE, SENIOR CRIME, CRIME AWARENESS AND AND BOTH CITIZEN AND YOUTH CITIZEN CITIZEN ACADEMIES. IT INCLUDES FUNDING FOR REAL TIME CRIME CENTER PROGRAM UTILIZING TWO DRONES THAT WILL BE ACTUALLY ULTIMATELY IN THE IT BUDGET WITH THE OTHER AXON SERVICES THAT WE RECEIVE. AND THEN YOU CAN SEE CAPITAL REPLACEMENT OF SEVEN PATROL VEHICLES, A PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER, VEHICLE FOR FOR INVESTIGATIONS, CRIME SCENE CAMERAS AND REPLACEMENT CHAIRS FOR DISPATCH AS WELL. THE RESTRICTED PURPOSE FUNDS, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT LATER. YOU SEE, THAT'S WHERE YOU'LL BE PAYING FOR THE AXON AI ERA PACKAGE. THIS IS THE LIVE TRANSCRIPT AND TRANSLATION FOR COMMUNICATIONS 911. THIS HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY HELPFUL IN THE FIELD ON THE BODY CAMERAS FOR OUR POLICE OFFICERS TO ESSENTIALLY CHIEF, I THINK, BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE IN REAL TIME WITH 80 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THERE'S THAT MANY LANGUAGES SPOKEN IN THIS CITY. 
          AND SO IT'S BEEN INCREDIBLY HELPFUL FOR OFFICERS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS IN THE FIELD. 
          IT'LL BE EQUALLY HELPFUL FOR OUR 911 DISPATCHERS ON THE FIRE SIDE. OBVIOUSLY, THE BIG, BIG NOTEWORTHY EXPENSE HERE IS THE FUNDING THAT'S INCLUDED FOR OUR 19 FIRE RECRUITS THAT STARTED BACK ON JULY 6TH. THEY'RE CURRENTLY IN THE ACADEMY. AGAIN. I MENTIONED THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL WELLNESS PROGRAMS THAT THAT YOU HAVE APPROVED RECENTLY. YOU SEE THE CAPITAL THERE FOR A COUPLE OF FIRE MARSHAL VEHICLES, THE MOCK ALERT FIRE STATION ALERTING SYSTEM THAT CHIEF POOVEY EXPLAINED DURING THE WORK SESSION AND THEN FIRE, FIRE MASTER PLAN, YEAR ONE. 
          [01:05:03]
AGAIN, CHIEF POOVEY EXPLAINED, THE EMS CAPTAINS, THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH COORDINATOR, WHICH IS PARTIALLY OFFSET BY DISCONTINUING CONTRACTUAL SERVICES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE TODAY, AS WELL AS A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT POSITION WHEN IT COMES TO SUCCESSION PLANNING. A PROJECTS APPLICATION SPECIALIST THAT WILL BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH CHIEFUNGER AND THEN THE REPLACEMENT OF AN AMBULANCE. THIS IS A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT SLIDE HERE. ANYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY, HOPEFULLY WOULD TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN THIS. AN INCREASE SINCE FY 2022 OF ALMOST 40% FUNDING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. AND SO THAT IS A STRONG STATEMENT. WHEN WE SAY IT'S A KEY FOCUS AREA, IT'S DEFINITELY COMES THROUGH IN THERE. THE OTHER KEY FOCUS AREA WHERE YOU SEE THIS KIND OF INVESTMENT IS PROJECTS AND INFRASTRUCTURE. THIS IS JUST A QUICK LOOK BACK OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS OR SO OF OUR WHAT WE CALL OUR TRANSFER OUT USED TO BE CALLED PENNY TAX. IT'S NOT CALLED THAT ANYMORE. IT'S MORE OF A TRANSFER OUT. BUT YOU CAN SEE THE RHYTHM OF THAT HERE IN FY 26. THIS CURRENT BUDGET YEAR 7.2IN STREETS, 623,000 IN PARKS AND FACILITY. LET'S TALK ABOUT STREETS BECAUSE YOU SEE THAT NUMBER GOING DOWN NEARLY $2 MILLION. THE REASON THAT'S GOING DOWN IS BECAUSE WE ARE REPLACING THAT $2 MILLION, WHICH IS FAIRLY FLEXIBLE DOLLARS COMING OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND WITH A $2.2 MILLION OF DART GMP FUNDS, WHICH IS FAIRLY RESTRICTED FUNDS. AND SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BUCKETS PREVIOUSLY AND REALLY MAXIMIZING AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE MAXIMIZING THE TYPE OF FUNDING THAT'S IN A BUCKET AND USING IT FOR THE MOST APPROPRIATE THINGS. THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THIS FUNDING FROM DART IS GOING TO INCREASE HERE OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS OF THE GMP. AND SO YOU CAN SEE AT A HIGH LEVEL OF PLAN, EVERYTHING BEYOND FY 27 IS A PLAN. BUT TO KIND OF GIVE YOU THE SENSE OF HOW MUCH WE CAN CONTINUE TO USE THE DART GMP TO OFFSET SOME OF THE GENERAL FUND DOLLARS THAT WE HAD BEEN CONTRIBUTING TO INFRASTRUCTURE, STREETS AND ALLEY LOCALIZED REPAIR. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE THE $5 MILLION FOR EACH OF THE NEXT FIVE YEARS FROM THE BOND PROGRAM FOR LOCALIZED REPAIR. 
          AND SO YOU CAN SEE A INCREDIBLY ROBUST $12.4 MILLION IN STREET AND ALLEY LOCALIZED REPAIR THAT WE'RE GOING TO EMBARK ON HERE STARTING ON OCTOBER 1ST. SO OVER $1 MILLION OF, OF WORK THAT WE'LL BE TRYING TO EXECUTE ON EVERY MONTH FOR 12 CONSECUTIVE MONTHS, $400,000 OF THAT GMP DOLLARS IS BEING SET ASIDE AND IS GOING TO BE DEDICATED TO AN INCREASE IN TRAFFIC MARKING SIGNS, SIGNALS AND STREET LIGHTS. SO IMPORTANTLY, ALLOWING US TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THE INFLATIONARY PRESSURES IN THOSE AREAS THAT WE'VE SEEN THAT OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE HAD BEEN WOULD HAVE HAD TO BE A BURDEN TO THE GENERAL FUND. SO PROJECTS AND INFRASTRUCTURE HERE AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE INCREASING PRETTY SUBSTANTIALLY. 
          CONTINUING WITH OUR STREET SCREENING, WALL MAINTENANCE AT $120,000, BRIDGE MAINTENANCE 125,000 INCREASING BY 85,000. OUR ASPHALT REPAIR DONE BY OUR STREETS DEPARTMENT. YOU SEE THE $150,000 THERE FOR AN INCREASE IN TRAFFIC SIGNALS AND STREET LIGHTS, AND THEN $250,000 OF THAT GMP BEING SET ASIDE FOR AN IMPORTANT PEDESTRIAN PROJECT UP AROUND UT DALLAS. WE'LL BE ADDING SEVERAL IMPORTANT CROSSWALKS. AND THEN YOU SEE THE TRANSFER OUTS THAT I'VE DESCRIBED TO YOU. THERE AGAIN, PARKS MAINTENANCE AND FACILITY MAINTENANCE BEING INCREASED TO $750,000, 120, $127,000 INCREASE EACH. THAT'S THE FIRST TIME IN THREE YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT. THE 26 BOND PROGRAM. CHARLES DID AN EXCELLENT JOB A FEW WEEKS AGO, SO I'M NOT GOING TO BELABOR THIS SLIDE EXPLAINING WHAT WAS INVOLVED, BOTH IN THE GEO WATER WASTEWATER AND THE DRAINAGE FUND. AND THEN YOU CAN SEE AT THE TOP RIGHT THE CAPITAL REPLACEMENT FUND AND WHAT IS BEING ASKED FOR, BOTH IN STREETS AND TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION. AND IN TERMS OF CAPITAL. AGAIN, HERE, ANOTHER VERY IMPRESSIVE INCREASE SINCE FY 22, INCREASING DOLLARS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE BY $7.6 MILLION, OR 113% COMPARED TO JUST A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. AND SO REALLY POSITIONING OURSELVES NOT ONLY TO NOT FALL BEHIND, BUT I THINK FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SINCE 2012 WHEN WE BEGAN THE ANNUAL MAINTENANCE FUNDS, I THINK TO ACTUALLY REALLY START MAKING UP GROUND 2 OR 3 YEARS OF AT THIS LEVEL OF FUNDING, WE SHOULD START SEEING THE CPI RATINGS REALLY START TO CHANGE, AND WE SHOULD. MORE IMPORTANTLY, AS WE DRIVE AROUND THE CITY, WE SHOULD START TO NOTICE IT. AND SO IT'S VERY EXCITING. THE FINAL KEY AREAS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. HERE AGAIN, YOU SEE A CHANGE, A LARGE CHANGE. 
          BUT MOST OF THAT DUE TO THE REORGANIZATION THAT I MENTIONED TO YOU HERE, THE MAIN THING I 
          [01:10:01]
WANT TO POINT OUT IS RECALL THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WILL LIKELY BE BRINGING BACK TO YOU AS WE WRAP UP FY 26. AND WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT YEAR END DOLLARS TO DEPLOY AS A RESULT OF SOME ONE TIME SALES TAX IMPACTS. POSITIVE IMPACTS LIKELY BE RECOMMENDING A ONE TIME INJECTION OF $3 MILLION INTO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, MOVING FORWARD, INCREASING THAT NUMBER ON AN ANNUAL BASIS BY $750,000. AND SO REALLY TRYING TO BOLSTER THAT ACCOUNT AND THAT, SORRY, THAT FUND AND PROVIDE SOME SOME ADDITIONAL POWER TO COMPETE HERE IN NORTH TEXAS, JUST A HANDFUL OF OTHER NOTEWORTHY BUDGET ITEMS I RECALL LIBRARY AND CITY HALL WILL BE REOPENING HERE. THAT WAS $480,000 MORE, TWICE AS MANY SQUARE FEET TO AIR, CONDITIONED TO HEAT TO CLEAN TO STAFF. SANTA'S VILLAGE IS RETURNING TO CITY HALL AND TO THE CITY HALL LIBRARY CAMPUS, AND SO IS THE PUBLIC SAFETY EXPO. AND THOSE. THOSE WILL HAPPEN IN. LET'S SEE HERE, 2027 DALLAS AND COLLIN COUNTY EARLY VOTING LOCATION WILL BE AT CITY HALL AGAIN LIKE IT WAS PRE FIRE. AND THEN OF COURSE, WE'LL ALSO HAVE ELECTION DAY VOTING, RETURNING CITY HALL. AT THIS TIME, EARLY VOTING WILL BE EXCLUSIVELY AT CITY HALL. 
          THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO FUND ON OF COURSE, ELECTION DAY. IT'S A DIFFERENT SCENARIO. 
          WE'LL HOST AT CITY HALL, BUT THE COUNTY WILL ALSO HAVE SOME OTHER LOCATIONS THAT WILL WORK WITH. AND THEN THERE'S SOME CONTINGENCY DOLLARS IN HERE IN THE NON-DEPARTMENTAL THAT WE TALKED ABOUT. YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL DYNAMICS AND WHAT THAT COULD DO TO FUEL. WE USE 300 PLUS OR -300,000 GALLONS OF FUEL A YEAR. SO A $1 CHANGE IN GASOLINE OR WELL, LIKE WE SAW EARLY ON IN THIS IRAN CONFLICT, ABOUT $1.50 CHANGE IN DIESEL CAN SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT US. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO HOLD THESE DOLLARS IN A RESERVE. 
          HOPEFULLY WE WON'T HAVE TO USE THEM. AND AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE CAN TALK ABOUT DEPLOYING THEM AND FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES WITH YOU. BUT WE'LL HAVE THEM IF WE NEED THEM. I'M GOING TO RUN THROUGH REAL QUICKLY HERE SOME OTHER KEY FUND HIGHLIGHTS, COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES. YOU SEE THERE AN INCREASE OF $524,000, BUT $256,000 OF THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE HOME IMPROVEMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM. OF COURSE, THAT HAS THAT CHANGES EACH YEAR. IT'S TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS THAT ARE COMING TO FRUITION HERE. I DO WANT TO POINT OUT, SINCE THE BUDGET WORKSHOP, $30,000 HAS BEEN ADDED FOR THE MOWING OF THE RAILROAD, AS WE TALKED ABOUT. AND SO 286 OF THAT, $524,000 ARE JUST THOSE TWO ITEMS ALONE. AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, AN INCREASE OF ABOUT $108,000 FROM THE FY 26 BUDGET. THAT'S LARGELY IN SUPPORT OF THE CPC AND ZBA, AND THEN ALSO SOME DEPARTMENT TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS, I THINK, A LITTLE BIT OF TURNOVER THAT WE'VE DEALT WITH AND BEEN RECRUITING COMPETITIVELY HERE RIGHT NOW FOR FOR AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, ACTUALLY IN FACILITIES AND FLEET SERVICES, AN INCREASE OF $696,000 FROM THE ADOPTED BUDGET LAST YEAR. YOU CAN SEE THE INCREASES THERE JUST IN SOME OF OUR FACILITY MAINTENANCE INCREASE OF $92,000 FOR ROUTINE. THESE ARE THINGS THAT THAT WE DO QUARTERLY OR MONTHLY CONTRACTUAL INSPECTION OF CRITICAL FACILITIES. SO THESE ARE THINGS LIKE ELEVATORS, FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS, FIRE ALARMS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. 
          THOSE ARE NON-NEGOTIABLE. THAT'S $135,000. AND THEN I MENTIONED THE PROPERTY TAX DEDICATION INCREASE INCREASED TO 750. AND THEN YOU ALSO SEE SOME DOLLARS FOR BOTH CUSTODIAL SERVICES, BOTH IN-HOUSE AND CONTRACTUAL. WE'RE STARTING TO AS WE REOPEN THE LIBRARY AGAIN, YOU SEE THERE THAT WE'RE RETHINKING AND ACTUALLY WE'RE GOING TO BRING SOME CUSTODIAL SERVICES IN-HOUSE FOR A SAVINGS OF ABOUT $95,000. SO AGAIN, RETHINK EVERYTHING ON THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT SIDE HERE, AN INCREASE OF $624,000. THAT'S ASSUMING A VACANCY RATE OF 7%, WHICH WE'VE USED EACH OF THE LAST FEW YEARS THAT SUPPORTS THE CAREER LADDER PROGRAM. 
          THAT'S WHERE IT SITS NOW. IT'LL ULTIMATELY BE DEPLOYED TO THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AS WE ADOPT THE BUDGET. A DRIVER AGAIN HERE, NOT HEALTH INSURANCE, BUT INSURANCE PREMIUMS. WHO HASN'T SEEN THAT IN THEIR OWN, YOU KNOW, IN THEIR OWN PERSONAL LIFE, IN A MICRO WAY. WE'RE SEEING IT IN A MACRO WAY. AND THEN ALSO OUR KEY PARTNERS IN THE NETWORK COUNSELING PLACE, RICHARDSON CHAMBER, ALL FUNDED AT THE SAME LEVEL. RICHARDSON ADULT LITERACY CENTER BEING INCREASED FROM $30,000 TO $60,000. THEY HAVE THEY THEY HAVE HAD SOME REORGANIZATION. YOU KNOW, THEY THEY PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES THAT OUR LIBRARY WOULD HAVE TO OTHERWISE PROVIDE IF THEY WEREN'T IN EXISTENCE. AND PROVIDING THOSE WITH BOTH PAID STAFF, BUT LARGELY WITH VOLUNTEERS. AND SO WE NEEDED TO CHEER THEM UP. THE ALTERNATIVE WAS TO PROBABLY HIRE TWO LIBRARIANS, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE THAN THE 
          [01:15:02]
ADDITIONAL $30,000 I MENTIONED THIS THE DOLLARS FOR THAT TRANSFER. AND THEN I JUST MENTIONED THE 485. IT IS A HUGE DRIVER. IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, YOU SEE AN INCREASE OF $1.4 MILLION, 466,000 OF THAT IS IN CLOUD BASED SERVICES, ANOTHER 532 IN SOFTWARE SERVICES. AND AND THEN YOU SEE AN ABOUT $250,000 EACH IN BOTH LEGACY SYSTEM REPLACEMENT INITIATIVE THAT'S NOW IN ITS FIFTH OR SIXTH YEAR, ANOTHER COUPLE OF YEARS BEFORE WE WRAP THAT UP. 
          AND THEN THE IT REPLACEMENT FUND IS PROGRAMED AT 1.7, WHICH WAS A $250,000 INCREASE. TOTAL BUDGET FOR THE LIBRARY IS INCREASING $263,000. AGAIN, THE MAJORITY OF THAT SUPPORTING THE RELOCATION BACK TO THE LIBRARY AFTER IT REOPENS. BUT. AND THE INCREASE FOR THE WRLC IN TERMS OF RECREATION, A DECREASE OF $356,000. BUT AGAIN, THAT'S ALL BEING DRIVEN BY THE CHANGES AND THE WILDFLOWER FESTIVAL THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AND THAT WE HAVE THAT YOU BLESSED. AND SO CHANGES IN THE WILDFLOWER FESTIVAL REALLY HELPING TO OFFSET MANY OF THE OTHER INCREASES THAT YOU SEE FROM AN OPERATING STANDPOINT. AND THEN THE TRANSFER OUTS, AGAIN, JUST QUICKLY HERE, THE STREETS, 2 MILLION LESS ALLEYS, UNCHANGED FACILITIES AND PARKS INCREASING BY 127,000 EACH TO 750, AND THEN THE FUND INCREASING BY $750,000. THE CAPITAL REPLACEMENT FUND. WE TALKED WE TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST YEAR THAT HAS DIFFERENT NEEDS EVERY YEAR. AND SO WE'RE MEETING THOSE NEEDS THISEAR. BUT THAT THAT BEING UP A TOTAL OF $800,000. SO IF IN TERMS OF THE GENERAL FUND, YOU TAKE A SIMPLE APPROACH TO THIS AND YOU LOOK AT THE NEW REVENUES, WE HAVE $8.7 MILLION IN NEW REVENUES. WE HAVE $12.6 MILLION IN NEW EXPENDITURES, THINGS THAT I WOULD KIND OF CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, NON-NEGOTIABLES OR ESSENTIALS IN THIS, IN THIS, IN THIS BUDGET THAT LEAVES A DELTA OF THAT THREE POINT ALMOST $4 MILLION. AGAIN, THE WAY WE WERE ABLE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET LARGELY IS BY DELETING 14 POSITIONS IN THE GENERAL FUND, REDUCING THE GENERAL FUND TRANSFER OUT FOR STREETS AND ALLEYS BY $2 MILLION. BUT AGAIN, OFFSNG THAT WITH THE $2.2 MILLION. SO ACTUALLY INCREASING IT NET AND THEN THE $750,000 DECREASE FROM THE WILDFLOWER FESTIVAL, AND THEN A LITTLE BIT OF FUND BALANCE DRAWDOWN. LET ME JUST MENTION HERE, THE FUND BALANCE DRAWDOWN IS REALLY A BYPRODUCT OF FUND BALANCE DAYS. AND SO WHILE ESSENTIALLY WE COULD HAVE EASILY REDUCED THE EXPENDITURES BY $73,000, BUT THAT $73,000 JUST WOULD HAVE ADDED TO A FUND BALANCE, WHICH IS ALREADY, YOU KNOW, ABOVE THE POLICY REQUIREMENTS AND REALLY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN OF ANY BENEFIT. THAT SAME STORY IS TRUE IN THE IN THE HOTEL MOTEL FUND. I'LL MENTION THAT WHEN WE GET THERE. IN TERMS OF THE TAX RATE DISCUSSION, YOU CAN SEE HERE JUST $26.8 BILLION IN CERTIFIED VALUE. THAT'S UP 4.3%. HOWEVER, WHEN YOU FACTOR IN THE TIFF, WHICH IS JUST SHY OF $3 BILLION, YOU NET THAT OUT AND YOU ADD IN VALUES IN DISPUTE. WE'RE ACTUALLY AT $24.5 BILLION. 
          AS I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, THAT'S A 2.72% INCREASE AND INCLUDES ABOUT $215 MILLION OF NEW CONSTRUCTION. AND SO IN TERMS OF THE AVERAGE HOME VALUES, THE MARKET VALUE INCREASED JUST SLIGHTLY TO 487 943. THE TAXABLE VALUE INCREASED ABOUT 3.16% TO $424,000. ABOUT 7% OF RESIDENTIAL MARKET VALUE INCREASE OF 10% OR MORE. 18% OF RESIDENTIAL COLONIES QUALIFIED FOR THE HOMESTEAD CAP, LIMITING TAXABLE INCREASES TO 10%. SO JUST THINK IF THAT WAS 3%, WHAT THAT MIGHT MEAN FOR US, THE CURRENT SENIOR EXEMPTION OF 160 EQUATES TO ABOUT A 32.5% PROTECTION AGAINST MARKET VALUE. RECALL, YOUR FINANCIAL POLICY TRIES TO ACHIEVE A 30%. SO WE'RE EXCEEDING THAT. AND AGAIN, I THINK THIS YEAR THE NUMBER OF ACCOUNTS THAT QUALIFY FOR THE SENIOR EXEMPTION ARE HAS RISEN TO 33.46%. WE TALKED ABOUT OUR COMMERCIAL VALUE AND LOOKING AT SOME OF THE KEY CHANGES. YOU SEE THE COMMERCIAL BPP IS DOWN AS WELL AS AS WELL AS AS THE REAL ESTATE. A TOTAL OF FOUR ACCOUNTS HERE WERE RECLASSIFIED, RECLASSIFIED BY CAD IN FY 27. TWO WERE RECLASSIFIED AS INDUSTRIAL, TWO WERE RECLASSIFIED AS INDUSTRIAL BPP. AND SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THE LARGE JUMPS IN INDUSTRIAL AND INDUSTRIAL BPP AND THE THE THE DECLINES IN COMMERCIAL BPP IS IS KIND OF EQUATING TO THAT ON THE REAL ESTATE MARKET SIDE, THE REAL ESTATE ROW THERE THAT'S PREDOMINANTLY NON COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE. SO THAT'S THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, RETAIL, OTHER OTHER ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. AND AGAIN, THAT GOES ALONG WITH WHAT WE'RE SEEING BOTH IN BOTH, IN SOME OF THE INDICATORS THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER, REAL RETAIL IS, IS, IS 
          [01:20:04]
SLOWING AND IS, IS STILL GROWING, BUT IT'S BEEN GROWING VERY MODESTLY AND IT'S BEING REFLECTED IN REAL ESTATE AS WELL. 59% OF OUR COMMERCIAL, I'M SORRY, 59% OF OUR TAXABLE VALUE IS COMMERCIAL, 41% RESIDENTIAL IN TERMS OF PROPERTY TAX RATE. AGAIN, THE JUST RECALL, THE THE PROPERTY TAX RATE IS IS BROKEN OUT INTO TWO PIECES M AND O OR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS, EXCUSE ME. AND DEBT SERVICE OR DEBT RATE. THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE WOULD BE THE THE RATE THAT YOU WOULD ADOPT THAT WOULD GENERATE APPROXIMATELY THE SAME REVENUES AS THE PRIOR YEAR. THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE IS THE IS THE RATE THE HIGHEST RATE THAT YOU CAN ADOPT WITHOUT A MANDATORY ELECTION. THIS ESSENTIALLY ALLOWS US TO COLLECT 3.5% MORE REVENUE FROM PROPERTY TAXES THAN IN THE PRIOR YEAR, CONTROLLING FOR NEW NEW CONSTRUCTION. WHAT YOU DECIDED TO DO BACK ON THE ON THE 4TH OF AUGUST WAS YOU ADOPTED THE CURRENT RATE, WHICH IS THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE OF, I'M SORRY YOU ADOPTED THE CURRENT TAX RATE, WHICH IS WHAT WAS RECOMMENDED AT 0.54218. AND THAT IS WHAT YOU SET YOUR PUBLIC HEARING, YOUR PUBLIC HEARING ON TAX RATE FOR. JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHERE THAT PUTS US, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE IT'S ABOUT ALMOST 2.8 CENTS BELOW THE AVERAGE. 
          AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT A HISTORIC STANDPOINT, WE HAVE NOT HAD A TAX RATE THIS LOW SINCE PRIOR TO 2007, WHICH WAS THE THE YEAR 2007 WAS THE YEAR THAT THE TAX RATE INCREASED FROM THE 2006 BOND PROGRAM WENT INTO EFFECT, AND SO HAVEN'T HAD A TAX RATE THIS LOW SINCE, ESSENTIALLY BEFORE THE 2006 BOND PROGRAM. IN TERMS OF ESTIMATED RESIDENTIAL TAX BILLS, YOU CAN SEE THE CITY'S PERCENT IN DALLAS COUNTY EQUATES FOR JUST ABOUT 29.4%, AND COLLIN COUNTY ABOUT 33.31%. AND THAT'S LARGELY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE HOSPITAL IN COLLIN COUNTY TO TO KIND OF OFFSET THAT A LITTLE. AND SO, MAYOR, THAT'S THAT'S THE GENERAL FUND. I'M A TRANSITION NOW INTO THE WATER AND SEWER FUND, AND THEN I'D BE HAPPY TO, AS WE WRAP UP THE OTHER FUNDS, BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. WATER AND SEWER FUND IS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD WHEN IT COMES TO REVENUES. JUST SHY OF 98% OF ALL REVENUES COME FROM WATER AND SEWER SALES. YOU SEE, IT'S AT JUST SHY OF $129 MILLION THIS YEAR. YOU DO SEE THAT ON THE WATER SIDE, WE HAVE A 4% RATE RATE, 4% RATE RATE INCREASE. EXCUSE ME. PROGRAMED. AND ON THE SEWER SIDE, WE HAVE A 12% RATE INCREASE PROGRAMED. YOU SEE ALSO ON THE REMAINING REVENUES. THEY'RE JUST PROJECTED AT $2.8 MILLION. IT INCLUDES THINGS LIKE INTEREST, EARNINGS, MISCELLANEOUS FEES AND CHARGES. BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW JUST DE MINIMIS IN TERMS OF THE BIG PICTURE. SO WHAT'S DRIVING THE NEED FOR THESE RATE INCREASES. OUR WATER AND WASTEWATER SYSTEM. YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT TO CONTINUE TO TO TRY TO KEEP PACE WITH THE INCREASING COSTS AND LONG TERM INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS. THIS PLAN IS REALLY BEING PROPOSED TO ADDRESS SEVERAL THINGS, ONE WHICH WILL SHOW A CHART ON HERE JUST IN A SECOND IS THE RISING WHOLESALE WATER COST AS WELL AS SEWER HIGHER OPERATING COSTS. RECALL WE RECEIVED THE WHOLESALE WATER, BUT THEN WE HAVE A DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN. WE HAVE TO OPERATE THAT, AND WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN IN THE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE. ALL ALL OF THIS WITH THE GOAL OF MAKING SURE THAT OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROVIDE A LONG TERM RELIABILITY AND DEPENDABLE SERVICE SO THAT WE CAN DELIVER WATER AT THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE QUALITY THAT WE CAN. IN TERMS OF THE RATES THAT I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NO SURPRISE AGENDA IN THE NORTH TEXAS TEAM WAS HERE ON JULY 22ND, I THINK YOU SEE HERE EACH OF THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS, WE'RE ANTICIPATING APPROXIMATELY A 7.5% INCREASE FOR THE COST OF WHOLESALE WATER YEAR OVER YEAR FOR A THOUSAND GALLONS. NOW, ONE THING THAT I DO WANT TO POINT OUT HERE IS THAT YOU DO SEE THE TAKE OR PAY VOLUMES START TO DECREASE AND START TO BETTER ALIGN WITH OUR ACTUAL USE. THAT IS BECAUSE THE PUC, THE METHODOLOGY THAT WAS ACHIEVED THROUGH THE PUC CASE BACK, I GUESS IT WAS AROUND 2015 OR SO. WE'LL START TO START TO MORE AND MORE BE FULLY IMPLEMENTED. RECALL IT WAS AN EIGHT YEAR ADJUSTMENT PERIOD, THEN A FIVE YEAR FULL IMPLEMENTATION TO GET TO A TRUE FIVE YEAR ROLLING AVERAGE. AND SO MY POINT TO SAYING THOUGH, THAT IS THIS RED LINE WOULD BE WAY HIGHER HAD WE NOT BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT, THAT NEW RATE METHODOLOGY IN TERMS OF OUR, OUR, OUR OPERATIONS AND OUR, OUR TAKING CARE OF OUR OWN INFRASTRUCTURE. YOU SEE HERE, THIS HAS TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR, ESSENTIALLY AN $80 MILLION, $84 MILLION CAPITAL PLAN OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. NOW, WE DID TAKE A GOOD, HARD LOOK AT THIS 
          [01:25:04]
PLAN BEFORE WE PROPOSED IT TO YOU. AND YOU'LL RECALL WE REDUCED THIS, I THINK IT WAS BY ABOUT $20 MILLION OR SO. AND SO WE REDUCED OUR CAPITAL PLAN BY ABOUT 20% TO HELP SMOOTH OUT, TO HELP MITIGATE SOME OF THE RATE INCREASES. SO WHAT'S BEING ACTUALLY PROPOSED? WE'RE ACTUALLY PROPOSED HERE TO TRANSLATE TO TRANSITION TO A METER EQUIVALENCY RATE STRUCTURE. ESSENTIALLY, THE BASE CHARGES WILL BE BASED ON THE METER SIZE THAT REFLECTS THAT EACH CUSTOMER'S POTENTIAL DEMAND ON THE SYSTEM IS REFLECTED BETTER IN IN THEIR BASE CHARGE, LARGER METERS ARE GOING TO HAVE HIGHER BASE CHARGES. SMALLER METERS WILL HAVE SMALLER BASE CHARGES BECAUSE THAT'S KIND OF THE DEMAND THAT THEY CAN POTENTIALLY GENERATE BASE CHARGES LIKE THE METER CHARGE HERE ARE FOR FIXED COSTS OF OPERATING AND MAINTAINING THE WASTEWATER SYSTEM, WHEREAS THE VOLUME CHARGES TEND TO BE SEEN AS ACTUAL WATER AND WASTEWATER USE. IF YOU LOOK AT OUR REGIONAL COMPARISON, WE ARE LATE TO THE GAME IN ADJUSTING FOR THIS. YOU SEE OUR BASE CHARGES OF $8 FOR BOTH WATER ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN AND AND WASTEWATER ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SCREEN ARE FAR, FAR BELOW THE AVERAGE BASE CHARGE FOR EACH OF THESE SERVICES, PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT CITIES. SO THE PROPOSED METER RATE SCHEDULE, THE IMPACT ON RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS. SO APPROXIMATELY 95% OF RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS HAVE A THREE QUARTER INCH METER. THE BASE CHARGE FOR THESE CUSTOMERS WOULD INCREASE THIS YEAR FROM $8 TO $9.60, AND THEN GRADUALLY INCREASE TO $20 BY YEAR 2030. BUT IF YOU GO BACK AND YOU THINK ABOUT WHERE THAT SETS US, LOOK AT IT, IT PUTS US ON THE WATER SIDE BETWEEN MESQUITE AND WYLIE, WHICH IS ON THE LOW END. BUT THAT'S IN FIVE YEARS. THAT'S JUST ASSUMING THAT THEY DON'T. NO ONE ON THIS CHART CHANGES FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. WE WILL STILL BE ON THE LOWER SIDE OF THE AVERAGE. THAT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. THESE THESE OTHER CITIES ARE GOING TO HAVE TO ADJUST TO. AND SO THIS $20 BY 2030 IS STILL A VERY COMPETITIVE BASE CHARGE, I GUESS IS MY POINT HERE WITH RESPECT TO SENIORS. QUALIFIED SENIORS WITH THAT STANDARD THREE QUARTER OR ONE INCH METER WILL CONTINUE PAYING THE $8 BASE CHARGE FOR BOTH WATER AND WASTEWATER. THE VOLUME RATES WILL APPLY, BUT THEY DO TODAY. SO SENIOR CUSTOMERS WITH METER METERS LARGER THAN AN INCH WILL PAY THE STANDARD BASE CHARGE FOR THAT METER SIZE. I THINK ERIC TOLD US THERE MIGHT BE 2 OR 3 OF THOSE IN THE WHOLE CITY, AND THEN CUSTOMERS ALREADY ENROLLED IN THE SENIOR SOLID WASTE DISCOUNT WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY ENROLLED FOR THIS DISCOUNT TO MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE. AND THEN SENIORS THAT ARE NOT CAN APPLY THROUGH OUR WATER CUSTOMER SERVICE. THIS IS WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN TERMS OF ALL THE METER SIZES MOVING FORWARD FOR FY 27. AND THEN YOU THE ACTUAL WATER RATES. SO THE CONSUMPTION PER THOUSAND GALLONS ON THE TOP OF WATER AND AT THE BOTTOM FOR SEWER RATES PER THOUSAND GALLONS AS WELL. 
          SO HOW DO WE COMPARE? IF YOU TAKE A AVERAGE CUSTOMER, AN AVERAGE CUSTOMER WOULD USE ABOUT 10,000 GALLONS OF WATER AND ABOUT 5000 GALLONS OF WASTEWATER. I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT'S WHAT THEY USE IN AUGUST. I'M SAYING IF YOU TOOK A 12 MONTH AVERAGE, THAT'S ABOUT WHAT THEY WOULD USE. YOU CAN SEE WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE RIGHT BETWEEN RIGHT BETWEEN ROCKWELL AND SALINA THERE. BUT ONLY ONE ONE NORTH TEXAS CITY WOULD BE LOWER THAN THE CITY OF RICHARDSON FOR THESE SERVICES. AND AND WE WOULD AGAIN BE BE ABOUT 121 COMPARED TO 125, THE NEXT HIGHEST CITY, AND THEN JUST MOVING ALL THE WAY UP TO $178 ON THE HIGH END. SO IN TERMS OF AN ADOPTION SCHEDULE, YOU SEE HERE IN THE SUMMER, WE REVIEWED AS PART OF THE 27 BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. AS WE'RE DOING NOW, CITY COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER YOUR FINAL APPROVAL DURING THE BUDGET ADOPTION. THIS WOULD BE AN ACTION THAT WOULD ASK YOU TO TAKE. THE NEW RATE WOULD TAKE EFFECT ON OCTOBER 1ST. THE FIRST TIME A CUSTOMER WOULD SEE THIS ON THEIR NEW BILL WOULD BE NOVEMBER. AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE'LL HAVE THE ADDITIONAL PHASES AS WE MOVE THROUGH OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. THE COMBINED IMPACT ON THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL USER OF THE IMPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT, WHOLESALE WATER AND WASTEWATER, AS WELL AS WHAT WE ANTICIPATE, YOU KNOW, OUR NEEDS BEING HERE LOCALLY. THIS IS KIND OF THE THE FIVE YEAR VIEW THAT WE SHARED WITH WITH YOU. 
          AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE SHARING WITH THE PUBLIC TO BE, YOU KNOW, AS TRANSPARENT AS WE CAN, BUT ALSO TO HELP FOLKS PLAN ACCORDINGLY AND, AND FOCUS ON CONSERVATION AS, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. ULTIMATELY, AS, AS WE'VE BEEN TOLD YEAR AFTER YEAR, CONSERVATION IS A BIG, SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE WATER DISTRICT AND THE STATE'S WATER PLAN. AND, AND THE MORE THAT WE CAN DO TO FACILITATE THAT, THE BETTER THESE NUMBERS WOULD ULTIMATELY BE. IN TERMS OF THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, 65% OF THE EXPENDITURES IN THE FUND. I'M SORRY, WATER AND SEWER TREAT WATER, WHOLESALE WATER AND SEWER TREATMENT REPRESENT ABOUT 65% OF THE EXPENDITURES IN THE FUND AND 95%, OR 99.5% OF THE CONTRACTUAL SPENDING. HERE YOU CAN SEE ON THE WATER SYSTEM 
          [01:30:08]
SIDE AN INCREASE OF $3.3 MILLION, $3 MILLION OF THAT IS FOR WHOLESALE WATER. SO ON SEWER SIDE, $1.4 MILLION FROM THE FY 26 BUDGET, 1.4 MILLION OF THAT IS FROM WHOLESALE SEWER TREATMENT COSTS. SO THAT THAT'S AN INDICATION THAT WE'RE NOT SPENDING A LOT OF ADDITIONAL DOLLARS TO MAINTAIN OUR SYSTEMS. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DID THIS YEAR TO REALLY TRY TO HELP MITIGATE WITH THE TRANSFER TO THIS NEW METHODOLOGY AS WELL AS THE WHOLESALE COST. BUT WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT MOVING FORWARD, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE OUR SPENDING TO DEAL WITH THE INFLATIONARY PRESSURES. WE HAVE TO WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN OUR WATER DISTRIBUTION AND SEWER CONVEYANCE SYSTEMS IN TERMS OF THE MAINTENANCE, NOT THE NOT THE NOT THE NECESSARILY REPLACEMENT, BUT THE MAINTENANCE. WE'RE ONLY INCREASING BY $167,000 YEAR OVER YEAR. AND YOU CAN SEE ON THE ADMINISTRATION SIDE, AGAIN, RETHINKING EVERYTHING. WE'RE ACTUALLY REDUCING COSTS BY $88,000 AGAIN, TO HELP OFFSET SOME OF THE COST OF ASSOCIATED WITH OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE. 
          IN TOTAL, THE WATER SEWER FUND PROVIDES ABOUT $11 MILLION IN DEBT SERVICE. THAT'S AN INCREASE OF $1.2 MILLION. IT'S IN LINE WITH WHAT WE SHARED WITH YOU WHEN ERIC DID HIS WATER WASTEWATER DEEP DIVE, 3.5% MERIT INCREASES ARE INCLUDED. INCREASE IN THE CORE PLAN TRANSFER IS INCLUDED AS WELL. SO WATER WASTEWATER TRANSFERS TO THE CORE PLAN ACCOUNT AS WELL. THE CAREER LADDER IS IN. AND OF COURSE IT MAINTAINS OUR 90 DAY FUND BALANCE ON THE SOLID WASTE SIDE, 96% 96.6% OF SOLID WASTE REVENUES ARE FROM JUST COLLECTION FEES. AND SO WE'RE PROJECTING RESIDENTIAL COLLECTION FEES AT $8.5 MILLION. 
          THAT INCLUDES A DOLLAR PER MONTH INCREASE, INCLUDING TAX, I'M SORRY, PLUS TAX INCREASE. 
          THE SENIOR RATE INCLUDES A 74 CENT PER MONTH PLUS TAX INCREASE THAT MAINTAINS THE 26% SENIOR DISCOUNT. ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, WE'RE PROJECTING $11.6 MILLION. THERE ARE VARIOUS MARKET BASED INCREASES, RATE INCREASES FACTORED IN. BABIC IS PROJECTED PROJECTED AT $372,000. THAT'S A TRANSFER IN TRANSFER IN FROM THE WATER AND SEWER FUND, AND THAT'S ACTUALLY DECREASED AND WILL BE PHASED OUT NEXT YEAR, HOPEFULLY. SO THEY EACH FUND IS COMPLETELY SELF-SUFFICIENT. AND THEN YOU SEE ABOUT $334,000 FROM INTEREST. AS I MENTIONED, THERE'S A $1 PER MONTH RATE INCREASE FOR GENERAL RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS AND A 74 CENT PER MONTH PLUS TAX INCREASE FOR SENIOR CITIZENS. THAT RAISES CITYWIDE $286,000 OF ADDITIONAL REVENUE. THE ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, WE'RE RAISING ABOUT $394,000 OF ADDITIONAL REVENUE AND ALL OF THAT REALLY DRIVING TO HELP OFFSET A 5.3% INCREASE IN THE DISPOSAL COST IN FY 27, WITH A PROJECTED INCREASE OF ABOUT 6% IN FY 28. RECALL, WE ARE ON A FIVE MEMBER CITIES OF THE NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT SOLID WASTE SERVICES, AND THESE ARE THE TIPPING FEES. TIPPING FEE INCREASES OVER 11% OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS. THE TIPPING FEE INCREASES THAT WE WILL SEE AT THE MELISSA LANDFILL. ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, ABOUT 2,021% OF ALL SOLID WASTE EXPENDITURES ARE FOR THOSE DISPOSAL FEES. YOU CAN SEE A TOTAL OF $4.5 MILLION, OR AN INCREASE OF $327,000, $218,000 OF THAT IS FOR LANDFILL FEES AGAIN. SO, YOU KNOW, JUST OVER $100,000 OF TOTAL INCREASES. OTHERWISE, ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, YOU CAN SEE, THOUGH, THAT WE ARE DEBT FUNDING THE CAPITAL REPLACEMENTS, CONTINUING TO, TO KEEP OUR FLEET FRESH AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ADEQUATE BACKUPS IN TERMS OF ROLL OFFS, CONTAINERS AND FRONT LOADERS. ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE, AN INCREASE OF $472,000, $118,000 OF THAT IS FOR LANDFILL. THE OTHER COMPONENTS OF THAT, OF THE TWO SOLID WASTE LOADERS AND AND TWO SOLID WASTE LOADERS AND RECYCLING TO KEEP UP WITH THE GROWTH THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING. 
          AND THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH A THE SECOND PHASE OF THE SOLID WASTE MASTER PLAN THAT WAS THAT YOU APPROVED SEVERAL YEARS AGO. AND AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE IN TERMS OF THE ADMINISTRATION AN INCREASE OF ABOUT $282,000. THAT'S ACTUALLY FOR PROVIDING FUNDING FOR. FOR EXPENDITURES LIKE INSURANCE PREMIUMS AND RADIO MAINTENANCE. SO THAT'S NOT ASSOCIATED WITH STAFF INCREASES, EVEN THOUGH IT SAYS ADMINISTRATION. SO TOTAL AND HIGHLIGHTS ABOUT $1.7 MILLION IN DEBT SERVICE. AGAIN, THE COMP, THE CORE PLAN, THE CAREER LADDER, ALL FACTORED IN IN TERMS OF THE GULF FUND, 98.8% OF THE GENERAL FUND, I'M SORRY, THE GULF FUNDS TOTAL REVENUES OR FROM COURSE REVENUES. GREEN FEES WERE PROJECTED AT $3.1 MILLION, CART FEES AT 1.1 
          [01:35:05]
MILLION, AND THEN THE REMAINING REVENUES AT $2.291 THOUSAND. THAT THE GREEN FEES AND THE CART FEES REFLECT THE FEE INCREASES THAT YOU WERE PRESENTED AND THAT THAT WE ASSUMED IN THE ESTIMATING FOR THIS BUDGET IN TERMS OF EXPENDITURES. SO YOU SEE ABOUT THE LARGEST CATEGORY, 32% FOR PERSONNEL SERVICES, THIS BUDGET IS AN INCREASE OF ABOUT $972,000 FROM THE PRIOR YEAR BUDGET. AGAIN, FACTORS, BOTH COURSES BEING OPEN AND AGAIN INCLUDES THE MERIT INCREASES IN THE CORE PLAN. TRANSFER FOR STAFF INCLUDES FUNDING FOR MAINTENANCE STAFF, LANDSCAPE SUPPLIES, IRRIGATION CART RENTALS, $70,000 FOR FENCE AND CART REPAIRS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, TO PARTICULARLY TO ADDRESS COMPLAINTS THAT HAPPEN TO BE ASSOCIATED. AND THEN YOU SEE HERE, $837,000 OF SUPPORT FOR FUTURE CAPITAL NEEDS WITH THE TRANSFER TO THE GULF CAPITAL RESERVE FUND. 
          THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HISTORICALLY, UP UNTIL JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, WE WERE DEPENDING ON THE GENERAL FUND FOR. SO WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO KEEP THIS WITHIN THE GULF FUND, EVEN JUST TRANSFERRING OUT TO THIS RESERVE FUND, THAT IS A BURDEN WE'RE NOT PUTTING ON THE GENERAL FUND ANY LONGER. SO THIS IS A VERY POSITIVE THING THAT WE'RE ABLE TO TRANSFER THAT OUT. AND YOU SEE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WILL BE REPLACED FROM A CAPITAL RESERVE STANDPOINT, HOTEL, MOTEL FUND. YOU SEE, TAX REVENUES ARE THE PRIMARY SOURCE HERE, MAKING UP 57% OF TOTAL REVENUES. AND THEN OF COURSE, REVENUES IS CONTRIBUTING ABOUT ANOTHER 40% TAX REVENUES. HERE ARE PROJECTION OF $5.2 MILLION, AN INCREASE OF ONLY ABOUT $66,000 FROM FY 26 BUDGET. ON THE PRESENT SIDE, I'M SORRY, EISEMANN CENTER EISEMANN CENTER SIDE, THE PROJECTION IS ABOUT $3.7 MILLION. THAT INCLUDES ABOUT $24,000 IN ADDITIONAL REVENUE FROM THE FEE CHANGES THAT YOU SAW IN YOUR PROPOSAL. AND THEN IN TERMS OF INTEREST, EARNINGS AND THINGS OF THAT, ABOUT $193,000. SO AN INCREASE OF $75,000, ONLY $75,000 YEAR OVER YEAR IN THE HOTEL MOTEL FUND. SO WHEN WE'RE PROVIDING THINGS LIKE MERIT RAISES AND INCREASING CORE PLAN, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A BIG OFFSET TO THAT. THE WILDFLOWER FESTIVAL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HELPING BALANCE THIS FUND. AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A DECREASE AND THIS FUND SUPPORT BY $306,000. AND SO THAT'S HOW WE WERE ABLE JUST TO INCREASE $75,000, BUT STILL ABLE TO STILL ABLE TO ACHIEVE MANYF THE GOALS WE HAD HERE. AGAIN, HERE, I THINK THERE'S A NOTE. I DON'T I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER IN FRONT OF ME, BUT LIKE THE GENERAL FUND, WE ARE USING A LITTLE BIT OF FUND BALANCE, BUT THAT FUND BALANCE DRAW DOWN IS GOING TO MAKE SOME KEY MAINTENANCE PROJECTS HAPPEN AT EISEMANN CENTER. AND WITH THE, YOU KNOW, WELL OVER LET'S SEE HERE, 116 DAYS OF FUND BALANCE BEYOND THE POLICY THAT YOU RECENTLY ADOPTED, WE FELT LIKE THAT WAS A PRUDENT WAY. THE DRAINAGE FUND IS PROPOSED A $1 INCREASE PER MONTH, RISING TO 7.25 PER MONTH FOR RESIDENTIAL USERS. THE INCREASE IN THE COMMERCIAL SIDE WILL BE ESSENTIALLY THE EQUIVALENT ON A 100 SQUARE FOOT BASIS. YOU CAN SEE PREDOMINANTLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE IS TO BE RESPONSIVE TO YOUR GOALS OF DOING MORE LARGE PROJECTS WITH THE DRAINAGE FUND, AS WE CONTINUE TO SEE SOME INFLATIONARY PRESSURES ON SOME OF THE OPERATION FUNCTIONS THAT ARE IN THAT DRAINAGE FUND, WE'RE HOPING TO BALANCE THAT OUT, BUT ALSO TAKE THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE FROM THIS INCREASE AND SOLELY PUT THAT TOWARDS PROJECTS, CAPITAL PROJECTS OR LARGER MAINTENANCE PROJECTS IN THE DRAINAGE FUND. 
          THE REMAINING OPERATING FUNDS YOU'VE BEEN PROVIDED. THEY WERE FILED THE INTERNAL REVENUE INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS, OR OUR CORE PLAN IS THE INSURANCE AND FLEXIBLE SPENDING FUND. 
          ESSENTIAL SERVICES FUND IS THE FUND FOR THINGS LIKE OUR INTERNAL WAREHOUSE, OUR MAIL SERVICES, AND THEN OF COURSE, THE TECHNOLOGY AND REPLACEMENT FUND IS OUR IT AND TRAFFIC FUNDS, THE RESTRICTED PURPOSE FUNDS. THESE ARE THINGS THAT THESE ARE FUNDS THAT GENERALLY HAVE STATE FEES, THAT ARE FEES THAT ARE ESTABLISHED BY STATE LAW, THAT ARE THAT THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THESE FUNDS. THEY ARE OFTEN THE ONLY REVENUE SOURCE FOR THE FUNDS, AND THEY HAVE VERY SPECIFIC USES THAT THEY CAN BE USED FOR. AND SO YOU SEE THE RESTRICTED SERVICES, I'M SORRY, THE RESTRICTED PURPOSE FUNDS, THEY'RE ON THE CAPITAL AND DEBT SIDE. THIS CAPITAL PLAN TIES OFF TO WHAT YOU'VE BEEN PRESENTED PREVIOUSLY. YOU SEE THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT TOTAL BEING 37.3 MILLION. AND THEN THE WATER AND SOLID WASTE BEING 54.4 MILLION. 
          I WANT TO REMIND YOU, I THINK IT'S ACTION ITEM NUMBER SIX, SB 1453. REVISE THE CALCULATION OF THE CURRENT DEBT RATE AND ESTABLISHES A NEW APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS WHEN ADOPTING A DEBT RATE HIGHER THAN THE MINIMUM NECESSARY TO PAY THE CURRENT YEAR DEBT SERVICE. IT'S EFFECTIVE WITH THIS BUDGET. IT REQUIRES THAT THE DEBT RATE BE PROPOSED BY MOTION. YOU NEED TO. 
          [01:40:04]
IT NEEDS TO. STATE MINIMUM DEBT RATE REQUIRED TO PAY CURRENT DEBT OBLIGATIONS IS 0.20626. 
          THE PROPOSED DEBT RATE IS 0.21779. THE DIFFERENCE. HOW THE ADDITIONAL TAX REVENUE WOULD BE USED. THE MOTION MUST BE APPROVED BY AT LEAST 60% OF THE GOVERNING BODY. WE SHARED THIS WITH YOU DURING THE BUDGET RETREAT, AND WE SCHEDULED IT FOR AN ACTION TONIGHT. AS YOU CAN SEE HERE ON THE 17TH. SO WHY ARE WE WHY ARE WE PROPOSING A RATE HIGHER THAN IS REQUIRED TO SERVICE THAT DEBT? IT'S BECAUSE WE WILL THE FEES. I THINK YOU SAID ABOUT $2.8 MILLION AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, WHICH WILL SAVE US $557,000 OF INTEREST, AS WELL AS PRESERVE THE SAME CAPACITY THAT WE'VE SHARED WITH YOU IN PRIOR MODELING FOR FUTURE DEBT CONSIDERATIONS. AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE PUNCHLINE OF WHY WE WE'RE PROPOSING WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING. WE'RE GOING TO SAVE OVER A HALF $1 MILLION BY DEFEATING ABOUT $2.8 MILLION OF DEBT SOONER THAN WE WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE BEEN ABLE TO, HAD WE REDUCED THE RATE TO EXACTLY WHAT IT NEEDS. WE HAVE A HISTORY HERE OF NOT ONLY DEFEATING THE DEBT SOONER THAN AS REQUIRED, BUT ALSO OF REFUNDING, AND I THINK IT'S BEEN PRUDENT FOR US. SO THE TOTAL FY OPERATING BUDGET IS $432 MILLION 226 829. IT'S AN INCREASE OF $13 MILLION, OR 3.3%, FROM FY 26. YOU CAN SEE THE INCREASE IN THE GENERAL FUND IS 4.83%. WATER SEWER 3.24 SOLID WASTE 2.64%. THE GOLF FUND SMALL NUMBERS, BUT UP A LARGE 28%. AND THEN THE COMBINED INTERNAL SERVICES FUNDS, WHICH AGAIN, THAT IS THE CORE PLAN FUND IS THE MAJORITY OF THAT 11.3% PERCENT. THE DEBT FUNDS. AS WE'VE PREPARED AND SHARED WITH YOU PREVIOUSLY, LESS THE INTERFUND TRANSFERS, ALL TOTAL UP TO THAT $432 MILLION FOR OUR TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET. SO WHAT DOES THAT TRANSLATE TO FOR OUR STAKEHOLDERS IN TERMS OF A TYPICAL TAXPAYER? THE IMPACT STATEMENT PROPERTY TAXES. THEY CAN SEE THEY CAN EXPECT TO SEE AN ANNUAL DOLLAR CHANGE OF $70 WATER CHARGE IF THEY'RE USING ESSENTIALLY WHAT OUR AVERAGE THAT YOU SEE DESCRIBED THERE ON THE RIGHT HAND COLUMN, ABOUT $61 A YEAR, $74 FOR SEWER, $12 FOR DRAINAGE, $12 FOR SOLID WASTE, FOR A TOTAL OF ABOUT $230 A YEAR OVER YEAR. FOR THOSE FIVE VERY IMPORTANT SERVICES THAT WE DELIVER IN TERMS OF NEXT STEPS, AFTER WE HAVE OUR DISCUSSION TONIGHT, OBVIOUSLY I WILL TAKE A SHORT BREAK WITH THE AUGUST 34TH BEING THE FIFTH, FIFTH MONDAY AND THEN THE LABOR DAY HOLIDAY, AND THEN WE'LL BE BACK ON SEPTEMBER 14TH FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON A TAX RATE. AND THEN ON SEPTEMBER 21ST, YOU'LL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET, AS WELL AS A SERIES OF ACTION ITEMS THAT WOULD ULTIMATELY RESULT IN YOU APPROVING THE BUDGET THAT I PRESENTED. SO, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION DURING THIS BUDGET. I THINK IT'S THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER IMPORTANT BUSINESS GOING ON, BUT THIS IS A, THIS IS A, OUR LARGEST BUDGET THAT THAT WE'VE EVER ADOPTED WITH A LOT OF, I THINK, VERY IMPORTANT MOVING PARTS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND AND SO APPRECIATE THE CHANCE TO, TO KIND OF, ONCE AGAIN, JUST SHARE, SHARE THIS IMPORTANT INFORMATION. VERY IMPRESSIVE, MR. MAGNER, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS I SEE COUNCIL MEMBER CORCORAN. GO AHEAD. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, I DON IT'S A VERY STRONG BUDGET. AND BEFORE I ASK MY THREE QUESTIONS, I JUST WANT YOU AND THE REST OF THE STAFF TO KNOW THAT I APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'VE PUT INTO IT. AND AS FAR AS THE FUNDAMENTALS AND THE NUTS AND BOLTS, I'M ALL ON BOARD WITH WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING. YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A LOT OF GOOD WORK THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS WITH SOME REALLY TOUGH BUDGETS. SO, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT YOU'D MENTIONED IN KIND OF ALONG THAT SENTIMENT, THOUGH, SOMETHING YOU'D MENTIONED A COUPLE TIMES DURING LAST YEAR'S BUDGET CYCLE THAT I DON'T HEAR THE SAME SENTIMENT THIS TIME IS LAST YEAR. YOU MADE IT A POINT TO TELL US, WELL, I KNOW IT'S A TIGHT BUDGET. I KNOW THE PROPERTY TAX WE'RE COLLECTING IS NOT AS MUCH AS WE WANT IT TO BE, BUT THERE'S SORT OF THIS LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL. THERE'S A LOT OF NEW DEVELOPMENT COMING ONLINE YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO. I DON'T HEAR THAT SAME MESSAGE AS MUCH IN THIS BUDGET. I'M WONDERING IF THAT'S BY DESIGN OR IF IT'S BECAUSE WE'D ALREADY HEARD IT LAST YEAR, OR WHAT THE REASONING BEHIND THAT IS. NO, THAT'S A VERY, VERY GOOD QUESTION. IF YOU RECALL, LAST YEAR I DID HAVE A CHART THAT I THINK LOOKED OUT ALL THE WAY TO LIKE 2030 THIS YEAR. AND IT WAS ESSENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE DATE THAT THE PROJECT WAS APPROVED. AND WHEN WE ANTICIPATED THE FULL IMPACT OF THAT PROJECT TO BE REALIZED ON THE TAX ROLLS, AND THIS JUST HAPPENED TO BE A GAP YEAR. THERE WASN'T A LOT COMING ONLINE. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO ANNOUNCE IN 24 AND 25 IS, IS REALLY STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION. I CAN GIVE YOU SOME GREAT EXAMPLES. I MEAN, THE, THE JBL PROJECT RIGHT THERE AT RENNER IN 75, THE JBL PROJECT AT CITY LINE, YOU KNOW, SO THEY'RE IN THE WORKS. YOU KNOW, WE TALKED LAST YEAR ABOUT THE FACT THAT A LOT OF THESE ARE ON THE SHORT END 18 MONTHS. 
          [01:45:05]
A LOT OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE 24 TO 30 MONTHS. AND SO I FULLY ANTICIPATE THAT NEW THAT NEW CONSTRUCTION NUMBER THAT I THINK WAS 215 THIS YEAR WILL BE MORE ROBUST IN THE COMING YEARS, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE AGAIN, THAT DOESN'T COUNT AGAINST SB TWO. SO IT WASN'T IT WASN'T BY DESIGN, NOT NECESSARILY. IT WASN'T BY DESIGN. MAYBE NOT TO MENTION IT AS MUCH AS WE'RE JUST IN THAT WEIRD TIME WHERE A LOT OF THE PROJECTS ARE STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND WE HAVEN'T REALIZED THE FULL BENEFIT ON THE TAX ROLL YET. IT'S STILL ENCOURAGING TO KNOW THE SENTIMENT FROM LAST YEAR HOLDS TRUE. THIS IS JUST THAT GAP PERIOD OF TIME WHERE WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR IT ALL TO COME ONLINE. ABSOLUTELY. SO MY NEXT QUESTION WITH THE SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT FEE INCREASE IN THE PLAN DEVELOPMENT FEE, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL HAD COME BACK TO US WITH RESEARCH ON WAS THE IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORING CITIES. IT WAS VERY COMPARABLE. BUT WHEN I WENT BACK AND DID SOME RESEARCH ON SORT OF YOU SKIP TO THE NEXT ROW OF CITIES, RIGHT? MCKINNEY, FRISCO, MESQUITE, ON THE FARTHER SOUTH SIDE, THEIR FEES WERE ACTUALLY STILL LESS THAN $5,000. AND SO I'M NOT SAYING THAT I DISAPPROVE OF THE $5,000 FEE. ALL OF OUR IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORS HAVE A FEE THAT'S SIMILAR IN IN VALUE. BUT I THINK MY REAL QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS WHO ARE WE COMPETING AGAINST WITH THAT FEE? I MEAN, DOES IT REDUCE OUR LEVEL OF COMPETITIVENESS OVERALL? OR IS IT REALLY ARE WE ANTICIPATING THAT SOME OF THOSE OTHER CITIES ARE GOING TO RAISE THEIR FEES AND THEIR BUDGETS TOO? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO I WOULD SAY SO. IN MY OPINION, THE CITIES THAT YOU DESCRIBED ARE NOT DOING THE SAME KIND OF WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, BECAUSE A LOT OF OUR WORK IS REDEVELOPMENT OR IT'S, IT'S INFILL. AND, YOU KNOW, WE HEAR ALL THE TIME THAT THE DEVELOPER PROPERTY OWNER STAND UP THERE AND SAY, HOW MUCH TIME TINA AND ERICA AND CHRISTINE AND OTHERS HAVE TO PUT IN WITH THEM BECAUSE IT'S OFTEN IT'S, IT'S NOT JUST TAKING A GREENFIELD AND PLANNING THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE PROJECT. AND SO I THINK THE CITIES THAT YOU DESCRIBED, THE PLANO'S AND THE IRVINE'S, THEY ARE MORE LIKE US THAN THEY ARE LIKE CITIES IN COLLIN COUNTY, FAR NORTH, COLLIN COUNTY, THAT ARE JUST GREENFIELD AND JUST DEVELOPING. AND SO I THINK THAT. SO I THINK THAT THAT'S PART OF THE REASON I THINK IT'S THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE HAVE TO SPEND WORKING WITH DEVELOPERS TO WORK THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THE DEVELOPMENT ENGINEERING THROUGH OFTENTIMES THE WATER WASTEWATER, THE SOLID WASTE SERVICES, BUT, BUT ALSO ALL OF THE PLANNING WORK THAT GOES INTO IT. NOW, TO YOUR POINT DURING THE BUDGET RETREAT, IF THAT IF WE IF I ENVISION THAT BEING AN OBSTACLE, YOU KNOW, I DO HAVE THE ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY TO WAIVE THAT OR PARTIALLY WAIVE IT. AND SO I WILL ASSURE YOU, I WILL, YOU KNOW, ASSURE YOU WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET THAT BE. YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET THAT BE AN OBSTACLE OR AN OBSTRUCTION TO, YOU KNOW, BRINGING YOU A PROJECT. BUT I REALLY I THINK IT'S THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT'S GOING INTO REDEVELOPMENT. YOU KNOW, IT TAKES SO MUCH JUST TO GET TO A GREENFIELD IN A CITY LIKE RICHARDSON, WHEREAS THEY JUST START WITH GREENFIELD. AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY THE MAIN DRIVER FOR THE DIFFERENT APPROACHES CHOSEN. YEAH, YEAH. NO THAT'S FAIR. THE FEE SHOULD REFLECT THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT OUR STAFF PUT IN WITH 22 SECONDS. I'LL COME BACK FOR MY THIRD QUESTION AFTER THE NEXT ROUND. COUNCIL MEMBER JUSTICE. THANK YOU MAYOR. I'M GOING TO DIVE INTO THE BUDGET. AND SO THE PRESENTATION, AS USUAL, GOT ALL MY FUN LITTLE TABS HERE. JUST AN OVERARCHING COMMENT. 
          WHEN I WAS REVIEWING THIS. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S EVEN POSSIBLE TO DO THIS FOR FUTURE BUDGETS, BUT IT WOULD BE REALLY INTERESTING AND HELPFUL, I THINK, TO HAVE A CHART OF TRANSFERS IN AND OUT, JUST SORT OF A SPREADSHEET SHOWING POINT A TO POINT B, JUST TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT BETTER, BECAUSE AS YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET AND LOOKING AT ALL THE FUNDS, I THINK THAT THAT'S YOU'RE LIKE, OKAY, THIS, THIS RANDOM RESTRICTED FUND HAS A TRANSFER IN OR OUT. AND LIKE, WHERE IS THAT GOING? AND WHERE DID IT COME FROM? SOME SORT OF A MAPPING, I THINK WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL AS AN OVERVIEW. AND WHAT SORT OF SET THAT QUESTION UP IS JUST ON PAGE TWO OF THE BUDGET, THE OPERATING AND OTHER TRANSFERS OUT IS 72 MILLION. LAST YEAR IT'S UP 42 MILLION FROM THE 2526 BUDGET. AND SO AGAIN, I CAN GO THROUGH AND FIND ALL OF THEM MYSELF AND FIGURE OUT WHERE IT'S COMING FROM. BUT IT JUST SORT OF STOOD OUT TO ME THAT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE A RESOURCE LIKE THAT UP FRONT TO REALLY REFERENCE. I WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT. WE'LL LET US SEE IF EVEN FOR THIS BUDGET, WE CAN WE CAN PROVIDE IT IN ADVANCE, HOPEFULLY OF THE THE 14TH. OKAY. YEAH. THAT'S GREAT. I MEAN, I DON'T HAVE THAT EXPECTATION UNLESS IT'S SOMETHING EASY FOR YOU TO PUT TOGETHER. I WAS JUST THINKING FUTURE THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL. I THINK FOR MYSELF AND FOR THE PUBLIC. ON PAGE SEVEN OF THE BUDGET, WHAT IS DRIVING THE THE VARIANCE IN THE COLLIN COUNTY CERTIFIED VALUES IS THAT ALL AMOUNTS IN DISPUTE? THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT VARIANCE. DO WE KNOW? IF YOU'RE 
          [01:50:10]
TALKING ABOUT PAGE PAGE SEVEN, WHERE IT'S SHOWN FROM 15 TO 10.9. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? CORRECT. YEAH. I THINK OUR NUMBERS ARE FLIPPED THERE. SO IF YOU LOOK AT DCAD BY COMPARISON, THAT 10.7 FOR DCAD LAST YEAR SHOULD REALLY BE CAD. LAST YEAR, THE 15 BILLION FROM LAST YEAR. SO THOSE ARE FLIPPED. THAT'S THAT'S AN ERROR. OKAY. SO IT'S IT'S AN INCREASE. 
          YEAH. YEAH. IT'S IT'S NOT GOING FROM 50 FOR CAT. IT'S NOT GOING FROM 15 BILLION DOWN TO THE TEN. 
          YEAH THAT WAS NO THAT'S A BETTER NEWS STORY. THANK YOU. JUST A COMMENT ON PAGE 21. I KNOW THAT ALL OF THE FUNDS SORT OF HAVE A DEFINITION WITHIN THEM ON THE SPECIFIC PAGES. I LIKE THIS UP FRONT DESCRIPTION OF WHAT ALL THESE FUNDS WERE. I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS A REALLY USEFUL TOOL. AGAIN, IT'S ALREADY IN THERE, BUT THIS IS SORT OF TWO GOES TO THE COULD WE HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS FOR THE TRANSFERS WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL. OKAY. ON PAGE 32 ON THE CERTIFIED TAX LEVY ANALYSIS, I ASKED THIS QUESTION LAST YEAR WITH RESPECT TO THE HOMESTEAD CAPPED VALUE DIFFERENCE. THIS NUMBER OF ACCOUNTS HAS JUST LIKE CHANGED WILDLY. IN 23, IT WAS 4700 ACCOUNTS AND 24 WAS 18, ABOUT 18,000. THEN IT WAS 11.2. NOW WE'RE BACK DOWN TO 47. DO WE KNOW WHAT'S CAUSING THIS BIZARRE SORT OF ROLLER COASTER IN NUMBER OF ACCOUNTS? SO IF I CAN JUMP IN ON THAT ONE. SO RECALL DURING THE PRESENTATION, DON WENT OVER HOW VALUES ARE PRETTY LEVEL ON THE MARKET SIDE, TAX VALUE FOR THE AVERAGE HOME WAS GOING ABOUT 3%. SO HOMES THAT HAD STORED VALUE FROM PRIOR YEARS BECAUSE OF LARGER INCREASES, THE NUMBER OF ACCOUNTS THAT HAVE THAT STORED VALUE HAS DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY. SO LAST YEAR, 11,000 WERE STILL ABOVE THAT 10% CAP. YEAH. A LOT OF THOSE WITH MINIMAL VALUE INCREASE THAT HAS DROPPED OFF TO WHERE ONLY 4700 OF THEM ARE NOW STILL HITTING THAT CAP. PERFECT. YEAH. NO, THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. THANK YOU. ON THAT SAME PAGE ON THE BPP VALUE EXEMPTION ARE IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 25 AND THE 26 AMOUNT DUE TO THE STATE CHANGE FROM 2500 TO 125,000 OR COMPLETELY. WOW. YEP. FOLKS, GO LOOK UP THIS PAGE, PAGE 32. YOUR STATE LEGISLATURE DECIDED TO CHANGE THE BPP EXEMPTION FROM $2500 TO $125,000, AND THE VALUATION CHANGE WENT FROM 859,000 TO 200. I'M SORRY. YEAH. 859,000 TO 282 MILLION. THAT IS ONE CHANGE THAT YOUR STATE LEGISLATURE MADE. WITHOUT CITIES IN MIND. I WILL LET COUNCILMAN CORCORAN OR SOMEBODY ELSE ASK MORE QUESTIONS, BUT I HAVE A FEW MORE. COUNCILMEMBER. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. WELL, THANK YOU AGAIN, DON, FOR ALL THE HARD WORK. AND WE HAVE PASSED ANOTHER YEAR. I THINK I WAS KIND OF NERVOUS THIS YEAR, BUT WE DID PRETTY GOOD. I DO HAVE ONE REQUEST. MAYBE THAT'S WHAT THE FUTURE BUDGET PRESENTATION. THEN YOU HAVE A TYPICAL TAXPAYER IMPACT STATEMENT. AND IF WE CAN HAVE A CHART THAT SHOWS THE TREND YEAR OVER YEAR, JUST TO SEE THAT, HOW THAT'S CHANGING. I MEAN, OF COURSE WE CAN GO BACK AND CHECK LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, BUT IF WE HAVE A CHART THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. AND I KNOW I APPRECIATE THAT YOU HAVE SHOWN SOME EFFORT TO CUT THE COST, OUR OWN COST. AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IT SHOWS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE REALLY TRYING OUR BEST TO MANAGE THE BUDGET AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT AFFECTING THE SERVICES AND OTHER THINGS. BUT STILL, BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WHAT'S GOING ON, WE JUST CAN'T STAY WITH THE SAME BUDGET THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR. SO BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THIS, YOU KNOW, INCREASING THAT TAX AND ALL THIS, DEFINITELY I SEE THE PRESSURE AMONG FAMILIES. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CHART. SO WE CAN'T REALLY DO MUCH OR ANYTHING, ALMOST ANYTHING. SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR THINGS. 
          APPRECIATE. COUNCILMEMBER CORCORAN. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. SOMETHING THAT I FOCUSED ON LAST YEAR AND I WANT TO BRING BACK BECAUSE I WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE STRATEGIC DIRECTION THAT THE DEBT PART OF OUR BUDGET IS GOING TO. AND REALLY, AS FAR AS IT'S A CITY WIDE THING, THE STRATEGIC DIRECTION OF THE CITY, I ALWAYS FIND IT REALLY INTERESTING THAT THE TOTAL BONDED AMOUNT OF DEBT THAT WE HAVE GOES UP SOMEWHAT SUBSTANTIALLY. IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY SINGLE YEAR. BUT THEN OCCASIONALLY, LIKE IN 2020, THE BUDGET, WE HAD A PRETTY BIG DIP 
          [01:55:06]
IN THAT AMOUNT. AND THEN IT GOES UP AGAIN. AND THAT'S FOR THE GENERAL FUND. THEN FOR THE WATER, THE WATER FUND. LIKE THE PAST COUPLE BUDGETS, IT'S BEEN A PRETTY FLAT LINE AMOUNT. AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT THE THE STRUCTURAL THINGS DRIVING THAT GROWTH OR NON-GROWTH ARE FOR EACH OF THOSE FUNDS. AND THEN WHAT KIND OF THE FOLLOW UP QUESTION IS, WHAT CAN WE EXPECT IN THE FUTURE IF PROPERTY VALUES CONTINUE JUST TO STAY A LITTLE MORE FLAT? I MEAN, DOES THAT CHANGE WHAT THAT TOTAL GROWTH LOOKS LIKE? EVEN IF WE HAVE PERMISSION TO BORROW MORE? SO I'LL ANSWER THE SECOND QUESTION. THEN I'LL LET TODD TAKE A SECOND AND THEN HE CAN ANSWER THE FIRST QUESTION. SO IN TERMS OF IN TERMS OF OUR MODELING, WE ASSUME VERY LOW GROWTH. I THINK WE MAYBE DO 1%, 1%, ZERO ZERO OUT FROM THAT POINT. AND SO IF WE HAD NO GROWTH AFTER YEAR 1 OR 2, IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE MATCHING OUR MODEL. AND SO OBVIOUSLY GROWTH IS GROWTH IS BENEFICIAL AND ALLOWS US TO HAVE MORE OPTIONS WHEN IT COMES TO FUTURE DEBT PROGRAMS LIKE FUTURE BOND PROGRAMS, FOR INSTANCE. BUT IF WE IF WE IF WE LEVELED OUT ON GROWTH OR HAD LITTLE TO NO GROWTH EACH OF THE NEXT FEW YEARS, IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE IN LINE WITH OUR MODEL. AND, AND WE ASSUME ALMOST NO GROWTH. AND WE ASSUME HIGHER THAN WE ANTICIPATE INTEREST RATES. AND SO WE. ERROR ON COST. YOU KNOW, WE'RE CAUTIOUS ON BOTH ENDS. 
          AND THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, WE WERE GENERALLY PLEASED WHEN WE, WHEN WE GO OUT FOR SALE AND WE, WE GET THE RESULT. SO BUT LET ME LET TODD TALK ABOUT THE EBBS AND FLOWS OR THE SPIKES. IT'S LARGELY BASED ON OUR MULTI-YEAR, OUR MULTI-YEAR PLANS. AND WHEN WE SCHEDULE WORK WITHIN THOSE PLANS. BUT TODD, WON'T YOU MAYBE ELABORATE ON THAT A LITTLE BIT? SURE. SO TAKING THE GENERAL FUND TO START WITH, OBVIOUSLY. SO AS DON MENTIONED, WE WE PLAN OUT MULTIPLE YEARS. 
          SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE 26 BOND PROGRAM THAT WAS JUST APPROVED, WE'RE PLANNING OUT SELLING THAT DEBT OVER A PERIOD OF SIX YEARS TO ALIGN WITH THE NEEDS OF THE WORK. WE CAN OBVIOUSLY ADJUST THAT. IT IS A PLAN. WHAT WOULD BE IN THE FY 27 BUDGET AND WHAT WE WOULD PLAN TO SELL THIS COMING SPRING WOULD ALIGN WITH WHAT WE'RE PRESENTING TODAY, UNLESS THERE'S SOME MAJOR CHANGE THAT OCCURS. BUT MOVING FORWARD, WE COULD IT ALWAYS ADJUSTED DEPENDING UPON THE NEEDS OF THE PLAN. OR TO YOUR POINT, IF THERE'S SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN VALUES. BUT AGAIN, REITERATING DON'S POINT, WE ARE PROJECTING 0% GROWTH THE FIRST FEW YEARS AND THEN 1% FOR THE YEARS GOING OUT. AND SO AS WE PAY OFF DEBT EVERY YEAR, IT OPENS UP CAPACITY, EITHER PAY DOWN NEW DEBT EARLIER OR TO ACCOUNT FOR SELLING THE NEW DEBT THAT'S ALREADY BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE VOTERS THROUGH THE BOND PROGRAM WITHOUT IMPACTING OUR TAX RATE. 
          SO OUR PLAN, JUST TO ASSURE EVERYONE OUR PLAN BUILDS OUT THAT WE DON'T ANTICIPATE NEEDING TO INCREASE THE TAX RATE ON THE DEBT SIDE ABOVE WHAT IT IS TODAY. SO THAT'S FOR THE GENERAL FUND SIDE ON THE WATER SEWER, AS MENTIONED DURING THE WATER, THE WATER SEWER RATE DISCUSSION, A LOT OF THAT IS GOING TO BE DRIVEN BY THE NEEDS OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS. RIGHT. AND SO THAT AS WELL, AGAIN, A PLAN WE CAN ADJUST EVERY YEAR AS THE NEEDS OF THE SYSTEM REQUIRE IT. ON THE SOLID WASTE SIDE, WE ALSO HAVE SOME EQUIPMENT THAT WE'RE SELLING THERE. SO EQUIPMENT AS WELL AS CONTAINERS. SO THAT'S GOING TO DRIVE THE DEBT NUMBERS FOR THE SOLID WASTE SIDE. BUT THOSE ARE FULLY SELF-FUNDING THEMSELVES AND JUST BACKED BY PROPERTY TAX AS A BACKSTOP. YEAH. AND THE OTHER THE OTHER THING I MENTIONED IS THAT, YOU KNOW, AND WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION, I THINK WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE 26 BOND PROGRAM. THE OTHER THING IS WE NEVER WE NEVER MAXIMIZE OUR CAPACITY. I MEAN, PARTICULARLY LIKE IN WATER AND SEWER, I MEAN, YOU COULD HAVE MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES THAT DEVELOP OVERNIGHT OUT OF EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. BUT EVEN IN THE GENERAL FUND WE CALL, WE HAD, WE, WE, WE, WHEN WE HAD THE CONVERSATION AROUND THE BOND PROGRAM, I THINK, TODD, WE WITH WE RESERVED MAYBE 40 OR $50 MILLION OF CAPACITY JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OVER A 5 OR 6 YEAR SALE, OUR BOND PROGRAM, I MEAN, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT KIND OF NEEDS COULD ARISE. AND SO THAT'S THE OTHER THING THAT I THINK THAT ANOTHER, ANOTHER CONSERVATIVE ELEMENT TO OUR CONSERVATIVE APPROACH, IT'S REALLY I'LL JUST END ON IT'S REALLY INTERESTING AND SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS HELPFUL TO HAVE EXPLAINED, BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT THE NUMBERS IN 2017, WE WERE AT HALF THE AMOUNT OF TOTAL BONDED DEBT THAT WE'RE AT NOW, RIGHT? BUT THE CAPACITY THAT WE HAVE TODAY VERSUS THEN IS SO MUCH DIFFERENT THAT IT'S IT'S STILL A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH. IT JUST REQUIRES A LITTLE MORE EXPLANATION. YEAH, I'LL JUST MENTION ONE OTHER THING IS COUNCILMAN KIRK AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LOT. THE OTHER THING THAT I'LL TELL YOU IS, YOU KNOW, SINCE FY 23, WE HAVE NOT SOLD ANY DEBT AT SALE 
          [02:00:05]
TIME THAT WASN'T APPROVED IN THE BUDGET. SO THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY SUPPLEMENTAL DEBT THAT'S BEEN ADDED TO THE PROGRAM EVERY EVERY YEAR SINCE 2023. WHAT YOU APPROVE IN THE SUMMER HAS BEEN WHAT WE'VE APPROVED OR WHAT WE'VE WHAT WE'VE GONE TO, TO THE MARKET WITH IN TERMS OF THE SALE. AND SO I THINK THAT'S HELPED A LOT TO BECAUSE, I MEAN, THE PLAN IS MODELED AND WE'VE STUCK TO THE MODEL, YOU KNOW, FOR THE FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS AND NOT NOT EATING UP A LOT OF THE THE CAPACITY THAT WAS WITHHELD BY SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPLEMENTAL DEBT. 
          YEP. COUNCILMEMBER JUSTICE, THANK YOU. ON PAGE 44 ON THE WATER SALES AND SALES AND CHARGES, HISTORICALLY, WE'VE BROKEN THOSE CATEGORIES OUT BY RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL. 
          THEY WERE COMBINED THIS YEAR. I THINK I WOULD ASK GOING FORWARD THAT WE BREAK THAT OUT AGAIN, JUST SO WE HAVE A PICTURE OF, OF WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS. OKAY. AND THEN ON PAGE 68, ON THE HOTEL MOTEL TAX FUND, WE BREAK OUT REVENUES FOR HOTELS. ARE WE GOING TO START TRACKING OR ARE WE TRACKING IN THIS BUDGET HOT TAX FROM SHORT TERM RENTALS. WE ARE GOING TO START TRACKING IT. 
          WE DID NOT WANT TO MAKE ANY ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHAT THAT MIGHT RESULT. SO ANY, ANY REVENUE FROM FROM SHORT TERM RENTALS WOULD JUST BE ADDED REVENUE. NEXT YEAR. WE'LL ACTUALLY HAVE A LINE ITEM WHERE WE GO AHEAD AND TRY TO ESTIMATE THAT. GREAT. YEAH, FANTASTIC. I HAVE A BUNCH OF RANDOM, TICKY TACKY QUESTIONS THAT I WILL SEND TO STAFF AHEAD OF THE PUBLIC HEARING IN CASE THERE'S ANY THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS THEN. BUT I'LL STOP HERE FOR TONIGHT. AND I JUST WANT TO ECHO COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN CORCORAN'S COMMENTS ABOUT THIS IS A REALLY GREAT BUDGET. YOU'VE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB AND A TOUGH ENVIRONMENT AND NOT KNOWING WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE HANDED BY THE LEGISLATURE NEXT YEAR. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS. THANK YOU. YEAH. GREAT QUESTIONS. THEY COVERED ACTUALLY A FEW OF MINE. SO I'M I'M GOOD TO GO AT THIS POINT AS WELL. PROCEDURALLY, DO YOU WANT US TO 
          [6. CONSIDER PROPOSING A DEBT SERVICE TAX RATE OF $0.21779 PER $100 VALUATION FOR  FISCAL YEAR 2026-2027.]
MOVE ON TO READING OUT NUMBER SIX, WHICH IS THE WHICH IS AN ITEM OF ACTION? OKAY, SO AT THIS POINT WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM SIX, WHICH IS TO CONSIDER PROPOSING A DEBT SERVICE TAX RATE OF 0.21779 PER $100, VALUATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2627. MAYOR PRO TEM HUTCHENRIDER MAYOR. I MOVE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL PROPOSE AN INTEREST IN SINKING DEBT SERVICE TAX RATE THAT EXCEEDS THE CALCULATED MINIMUM DEBT SERVICE TAX RATE, THE BASELINE MINIMUM DEBT SERVICE TAX RATE, CALCULATED UNDER EXISTING BOND AMORTIZATION SCHEDULES, IS 0.20626 PER $100. EVALUATION. OUR PROPOSED DEBT SERVICE TAX RATE IS 0.21779 PER $100 VALUATION, RESULTING IN A MATHEMATICAL DIFFERENCE OF 0.01153 PER $100 VALUATION ABOVE THAT BASELINE MINIMUM. THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE FOR WHICH THE EXCESS DEBT REVENUE COLLECTED FROM THIS PROPOSED RATE WILL BE USED IS TO REDEEM FUTURE PRINCIPAL TO ACHIEVE INTEREST SAVINGS IN THE AMOUNT OF $557,196 OVER THE LIFE OF THE DEBT, AND MAINTAIN THE CITY'S FUND BALANCE POLICY IN ACCORDANCE WITH CITY FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT POLICIES. 
          COUNCILMEMBER FEENEY SECONDED. I HAVE A MOTION BY MAYOR PRO TEM HUTCHENRIDER, SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER. ARE ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL 
          [7. REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE INTERVIEW PROCESS AND SELECT APPLICANTS TO BE  INTERVIEWED FOR APPOINTMENT TO FILL A VACANCY FOR CITY COUNCIL PLACE 3]
MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE INTERVIEW PROCESS AND SELECT APPLICANTS TO BE INTERVIEWED FOR APPOINTMENT TO FILL A VACANCY FOR CITY COUNCIL. 
          PLACE THREE. MR. MAGNER, THANK YOU, MAYOR, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I WANT TO JUST REFRESH EVERYONE'S MEMORY WITH RESPECT TO THE APPOINTMENT PROCESS THAT WAS APPROVED ON JULY 20TH. 
          WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THE APPLICATION PERIOD. WE HAVE RELEASED THE LIST OF APPLICANTS FOR PUBLIC REVIEW. TODAY IS AUGUST 17TH. THE PURPOSE OF TODAY'S MEETING WAS TO FOR THE COUNCIL TO SELECT APPLICANTS TO BE INTERVIEWED. ON AUGUST THE 24TH. THEN ON AUGUST I'M SORRY, SEPTEMBER THE 14TH, THE COUNCIL WOULD ANNOUNCE A MAXIMUM OF THREE FINALISTS. AGAIN ON THE 21ST. THOSE THREE FINALISTS WOULD BE INTERVIEWED AND A LONE FINALIST WOULD BE NAMED TO BE SWORN IN ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 28TH. JUST QUICKLY REMINDING YOU WHAT WAS SHARED PREVIOUSLY AS A POTENTIAL FIRST BLUSH AT AN APPLICANT REVIEW PROCESS, KNOWING THAT TIME WOULD BE OF THE ESSENCE. THAT NIGHT WAS PROPOSING TO START POTENTIALLY AT 530. APPLICANTS WOULD ARRIVE BY 5 P.M. REPORT TO A DESIGNATED WAITING AREA WHERE THEY WOULD REMAIN UNTIL THE INTERVIEW. THE ORDER OF INTERVIEWS THAT NIGHT WOULD BE DETERMINED BY RANDOM DRAWING AT 
          [02:05:03]
515, AND THEN THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER KEY COMPONENTS TO THAT. THE INITIAL INTERVIEW, THE DURATION WOULD BE 20 MINUTES WITH TWO MINUTES FOR AN OPENING STATEMENT, SEVEN QUESTIONS FROM EACH ONE, QUESTION FROM EACH OF YOU, AND THEN A CLOSING STATEMENT. THE FINALIST INTERVIEWS. THE THREE FINALIST INTERVIEWS WERE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME, HOWEVER, STARTING AT SIX, THE DRAWING AT 615 WITH 30 MINUTE, 30 MINUTE DURATION INTERVIEWS. BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT YOU. FEEDBACK AND DISCUSSION, I SHOULD SAY THAT YOU HAD. I WANTED TO OFFER UP JUST AS A STARTING POINT FOR THE CONVERSATION TONIGHT, A SCENARIOS, IF YOU WILL. AND SO AGAIN, FOR THE FIRST ROUND OF INTERVIEWS. SO THE, THE INTERVIEWS THAT YOU'LL BE HOPEFULLY DECIDING ON TONIGHT, JUST AS A COMPARISON, IF YOU DO DECIDE TO INTERVIEW ALL 13 APPLICANTS AND SHORTEN THE DURATION OF THOSE INTERVIEWS FROM WHAT I ORIGINALLY PROPOSED, 20 MINUTES TO 15 MINUTES, ALLOWING 90S FOR AN OPENING AND CLOSING STATEMENT, THEN ESSENTIALLY 90S FOR EACH OF THE STATEMENTS. THAT WOULD TOTAL ABOUT THREE HOURS. IF IF YOU WERE TO TO DO THAT OVER THE COURSE OF ONE EVENING, IF TONIGHT YOU SELECT, LET'S SAY EIGHT APPLICANTS AND STAY WITH THAT SAME DURATION OF 20 MINUTES AND THE TWO MINUTES EACH, THAT WOULD TOTAL ABOUT 2.5 HOURS. AND SO I GUESS THE, THE, THE POINT HERE WAS JUST TRYING TO GIVE SEVERAL VARIATIONS. ONE, YOU KNOW, ACHIEVING, BEING ABLE TO SPEAK TO ALL 13 APPLICANTS, MAYBE SPENDING A HALF AN HOUR, MAYBE EVEN 45 MINUTES LONGER THAN YOU WOULD IF YOU PICKED, YOU KNOW, EIGHT APPLICANTS. OBVIOUSLY, SIX APPLICANTS WOULD BE LESS. 
          BUT BUT THE DIFFERENCE BEING ESSENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, A HALF AN HOUR TO PERHAPS 45 MINUTES, BUT YOU WOULDN'T SPEND THAT TONIGHT TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, NARROW DOWN THE 13 APPLICANTS TO 8 OR 6. AND SO AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A COMPARE AND CONTRAST ONLY FOR THAT PURPOSE, JUST TO KIND OF COMPARE AND CONTRAST APPROACHES. I HAD SET THE TONE WITH THE 20 MINUTES, BUT 20 MINUTES WAS JUST MY THING, FRANKLY. YOU KNOW, I'VE SCHEDULED A LOT OF BOARD AND COMMISSION INTERVIEWS FOR YOU AND WE DO 15 MINUTES. AND GENERALLY SPEAKING, YOU EACH GET TO ASK A QUESTION. AND SO I THINK, I THINK THAT WE COULD WE COULD WORK WITH THIS, PARTICULARLY IF WE WERE GOING TO ADHERE TO THE, THE 90S LIKE WE'RE DOING. SO I'LL STOP THERE JUST AGAIN, JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT IN TERMS OF HOW YOU MIGHT APPROACH THIS DISCUSSION. 
          YEAH. SO I KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF COMMENTS. I JUST WANT TO START BY SAYING A COUPLE OF THINGS. FIRST AND FOREMOST, I THINK, YOU KNOW, YAY US 13 CANDIDATES. IT'S A BIG DEAL. IT'S EXCITING TO SEE THIS MANY PEOPLE KIND OF WANTING TO STEP UP AND WANTING TO LEAD IN OUR CITY. AND WHETHER IT'S APPOINTMENT OR ELECTION, I'M JUST ALWAYS ENTHUSED WHEN WE SEE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE WILLING TO STEP UP AND THAT WANT TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY. AND SO THIS IS JUST, I THINK, AN EXCEPTIONAL SIGN THAT WE'VE GOT THAT MANY, AS I PERSONALLY WAS KIND OF REVIEWING THE APPLICATIONS. AND I, I KNOW ALL OF US EACH WENT THROUGH THAT PROCESS OVER THE LAST WEEK. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OBVIOUSLY JUMPED OUT AT ME IS ALTHOUGH I WAS OVERALL VERY IMPRESSED WITH WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT, I'D HAVE TO ADMIT THAT THERE WERE A GOOD NUMBER OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT I'VE NEVER MET BEFORE THAT I DON'T REALLY KNOW, AND IT STARTED TO FEEL A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO KIND OF PUT ASIDE THE FACT THAT I'VE ACTUALLY HEARD A CERTAIN NUMBER OF THESE PEOPLE SPEAK AND THAT I'VE INTERACTED WITH THEM WHERE A NUMBER OF THEM I HAVE NOT. AND IT REALLY KIND OF STARTED DRIVING HOME THIS IDEA OF, DO WE CONSIDER GIVING ALL 13 OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ABOUT MIDWEEK THIS WEEK? I APOLOGIZE, I DIDN'T START MY TIMER, AND I'LL DO MY BEST TO FINISH WELL BEFORE THE FIVE. ABOUT MIDWEEK THIS WEEK, I CONTEMPLATED CALLING OUR CITY MANAGER AND ASKING IF HE WOULD CONSIDER REACHING OUT TO ALL 13 APPLICANTS AND ASKING THEM IF THEY WOULD BE OPEN TO GIVING STATEMENTS TODAY IN FRONT OF COUNCIL, BECAUSE THERE WASN'T TIME TO PUT IT IN AN AGENDA. 
          BUT I ALSO FELT LIKE MAYBE THE COUNCIL WOULD FEEL LIKE I WAS DOING SOME SORT OF WORK AROUND, WHICH WAS NOT THE INTENT, JUST THE INTENT TO ACTUALLY HEAR THESE PEOPLE'S VOICES. SO THE MORE I THOUGHT ABOUT IT, AND THE MORE I LOOKED AT KIND OF WHAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, WHICH IS THE POSSIBILITY, WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY CODIFY IT, BUT THE POSSIBILITY OF DOING TWO MINUTE PER, REMEMBERING THAT A NUMBER OF OUR FORMS WERE 92ND ANSWER FORMS. I THINK LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS DID 92ND, WHICH IS PROBABLY THE GOLD STANDARD AMONG OUR FORUMS. THIS FELT LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT KIND OF OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY HEAR ALL THESE PEOPLE INVEST 30 MINUTES VERSUS WHAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE 30 MINUTES TO AN HOUR AND A HALF OF US DISCUSSING WHICH EIGHT OR WHICH SIX THAT WE'RE GOING TO INTERVIEW AND GO THROUGH THAT ENTIRE PROCEDURE TONIGHT. SO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S WHY I'D BE PUSHING FOR AND HOPING THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER LISTENING TO ALL 13 APPLICANTS. KEEP IN MIND, AS YOU SAW ALREADY A SLIDE BEFORE, WE ARE STILL GOING TO HAVE THE THREE FINALISTS OR UP TO THREE FINALISTS THAT WILL HAVE EVEN A 
          [02:10:05]
DEEPER DISCUSSION WITH. SO IF YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT LOSING THOSE 30S PER ANSWER, WE'LL HAVE DEEPER DISCUSSION WITH THOSE FINAL FINALISTS. BUT THIS CHECKS THAT FINAL BOX, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF DO ALL THOSE THINGS PROBABLY OVERALL NET EVEN TO SAVING TIME, DOING IT THIS WAY VERSUS DEBATING WHICH PEOPLE WILL OR WON'T BE ABLE TO BE INTERVIEWED IN THIS FIRST ROUND. THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT. I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER DORIAN HAS HIS LIGHT ON, SO I'LL LET HIM GO NEXT. THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND I APPRECIATE THOSE COMMENTS AS WELL. I HAD A SUGGESTION I'D LIKE TO MAKE FOR TONIGHT'S ACTIVITIES. WE POTENTIALLY WE NEED TO SELECT THE CANDIDATES. AND I CAME UP WITH A SCENARIO THAT I POTENTIALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF ANYONE'S INTERESTED. IF, IF THE MAYOR COULD, YOU KNOW, PUT START UP THE TOP OF THE LIST WITH THE FIRST CANDIDATE OR FIRST APPLICANT. AND IF WE COULD ALL VOTE ON THAT APPLICANT, YOU WON'T HAVE TO VOTE AGAINST ANYTHING BUT VOTE FOR IF WE WANT TO INTERVIEW THEM. AND I WOULD SAY EITHER OUR STANDARD, OUR STANDARD VOTING PRACTICES, OR WE COULD BUMP IT UP TO A TOTAL OF FIVE, POTENTIALLY, WHERE WE COULD VOTE FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL AND SEE HOW MANY THAT WE END UP GETTING THE MAJORITY TO COME IN FOR AN INTERVIEW. AND AGAIN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE OR ANYTHING AT ALL. WE JUST VOTE TO TONIGHT, WHICH I FEEL LIKE IS A VERY, YOU KNOW, SPEEDY APPROACH TO GET THAT DONE. AND, AND WE'RE VOTING FOR. AND SO THAT'S A SUGGESTION I'D LIKE TO HEAR BACK FROM THE COUNCIL AS WELL. THANK YOU FOR THE SUGGESTION. I'M GOING TO CALL ON COUNCIL MEMBER BARRIOS NEXT, JUST FOR EVERYBODY'S KNOWLEDGE, COUNCIL MEMBER BARRIOS IS ACTUALLY CALLING IN REMOTE, IN CASE YOU DIDN'T NOTICE, HE JUST LIKE BUDGET. BOB JUST DELIVERED HIS ONE AND ONLY CHILD TO COLLEGE AND SO HE. HE'S IN THE RIGHT SPOT, BUT HE'S ALSO PRESENT FOR OUR MEETING. SO COUNCIL MEMBER BARRIOS, THANKS FOR JOINING US AND PLEASE FEEL FREE TO MAKE YOUR COMMENTS. 
          I'VE GOT A TIMER STARTING, BUT HOPEFULLY YOU'LL HAVE A VIRTUAL CLOCK IN YOUR HEAD. GO AHEAD. 
          THANK YOU MAYOR. AND YEAH, I CANNOT SEE YOUR CLOCK. SO IF YOU'LL JUST KIND OF RAISE YOUR HAND AT ONE MINUTE, I WILL SHUT IT DOWN. BUT I DON'T THINK I SHOULD GO THAT LONG. MAYOR, I REALLY LIKE YOUR SUGGESTION. LAST WEEK, AFTER THE COUNCIL MEETING, A RESIDENT IN THE AUDIENCE DID BRING THE IDEA OF A TWO MINUTE SPEECH. AND I, YOU KNOW, TO BE HONEST, I FELT LIKE A LIGHT WENT OFF. SAID, WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT? BECAUSE THAT THAT SEEMS LIKE A A FAIR THING TO, TO LISTEN TO EVERYBODY BECAUSE A LOT LIKE YOU, I PROBABLY DON'T KNOW, I'M ASHAMED TO SAY PROBABLY 60% OF THE LIST, I DO NOT KNOW. AND GOING AND I'VE NEVER HEARD THEM TALK OR HAVEN'T HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING. IF I HAVE, I DON'T REMEMBER. PERHAPS IT WAS IN PASSING, BUT I WOULD BE OPEN TO HEARING EVERYBODY. I'M TRYING TO LOOK AT SLIDE TWO THAT SHOWED KIND OF THE DATES, AND I'M TRYING TO I'M STRUGGLING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WOULD WORK. I WAS COMING IN TODAY THINKING I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST WE, WE ALL, YOU KNOW, GO THROUGH THE LIST A LOT LIKE COUNCILMAN DORIAN SUGGESTED. BUT I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST WE ALL MAYBE TAKE FROM, YOU KNOW, SAY WE'RE ONLY GOING TO VOTE FOR FOUR LIKE THAT. WE KIND OF SEE WHO ARE THE ONES THAT KIND OF GET THE MOST VOTES THERE SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER VOTING FOR EVERY SINGLE PERSON THROUGH THAT KIND OF THING. BUT I'M OPEN TO THAT. I LIKE THE IDEA OF LISTENING TO EVERYBODY, AND I'M I'M STRUGGLING TO SEE HOW THAT MAY WORK, BUT I PERHAPS IT JUST HASN'T CLICKED YET, BUT I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM OTHERS BECAUSE I LIKE THAT IDEA. MAYOR. PERFECT. JUST REAL QUICK, THE NOTHING ELSE CHANGES. WE STILL DO INTERVIEWS. WHAT WE WHAT WE WERE ALL ALWAYS GOING TO DO, WHICH IS OUR FIRST ROUND OF INTERVIEWS NEXT WEEK. THERE WOULD STILL BE TWO WEEKS OFF, AND THEN THE FOLLOWING WEEK IS WHEN WE WOULD BE MAKING OUR DECISION ON THE THREE FINALISTS OR UP TO THREE FINALISTS. SO NOTHING WOULD CHANGE IN TERMS OF THE DATE. THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD CHANGE POTENTIALLY IS AN EXTRA HALF HOUR ON THAT NIGHT. FROM AN ESTIMATED 2.5 HOURS TO AN ESTIMATED THREE HOURS. OTHERWISE, THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY OTHER CHANGE. COUNCILMEMBER BARRIOS, THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION. I YEAH, I SEE THAT NOW. I WOULD SUPPORT THAT, MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER GRIFFIN. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. YES, I, I DID SUPPORT 13 CANDIDATE LAST TIME. 
          ALL RIGHT. I THINK SOMEONE NEED HEARING AID. I DID SUPPORT THAT. YOU KNOW, HE'S PRETTY YOUNG SO HE DOESN'T NEED THAT. I DID SUPPORT 13 CANDIDATE TO INTERVIEW LAST TIME. AND I, I I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. AGAIN. YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED ALL THE GOOD REASONS FOR THAT. SO I THINK WITHOUT FURTHER STRETCHING MY TIME AND 
          [02:15:03]
GOING OVER TONIGHT, I'D RATHER SPEND MORE TIME ON THAT NIGHT. WE HAVE SPENT MANY, MANY HOURS FOR MANY OTHER THINGS. THIS IS ONE OF THE TIME THAT WE DON'T SEE THAT MANY TIMES THIS KIND OF THINGS HAPPENS. SO I'D BE VERY HAPPY TO EVEN STAY MIDNIGHT THAT NIGHT IF NEEDED. 
          SO I'M OKAY WITH THAT. THANK YOU. THE EXPECTATION IS 30 MORE MINUTES. DEFINITELY NOT MIDNIGHT, BUT NO THANK YOU. I'M JUST I'M JUST STRETCHING MYSELF TO. ABSOLUTELY. NO, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY FOR ANYBODY WHO MIGHT WANT TO KNOW. COUNCIL MEMBER JUSTICE. THANKS, MAYOR. 
          I SPENT MY TIME OVER THE WEEKEND REVIEWING THE APPLICATIONS AND HAD SOME OF THE SIMILAR COMMENTS THAT YOU ALL DO. I DON'T KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THIS LIST. I DO KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THIS LIST, AND SO I WANTED TO COME UP WITH OBJECTIVE WAYS TO LOOK AT THESE APPLICATIONS. AND SO FOR ME, I, I CREATED A GRADING SCALE OF THINGS THAT WERE IMPORTANT FOR ME FOR A CANDIDATE TO SERVE ON THIS COUNCIL. BASED ON OUR DISCUSSION LAST WEEK, I CAME PREPARED TONIGHT TO DISCUSS THAT BECAUSE I THINK WHEN WE DO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, WE MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS ABOUT WHO WE'RE GOING TO INTERVIEW. WE DON'T JUST INTERVIEW EVERYONE THAT APPLIES TO BE ON A BOARD OR COMMISSION. SO FOR ME, I WAS PREPARED TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION TONIGHT, AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD HAVE THAT DISCUSSION. WE WANTED TO BE OPEN AND TRANSPARENT ABOUT OUR PROCESS. THIS FEELS A LITTLE BIT LIKE A PUNT. WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE A TOUGH DECISION TONIGHT, SO LET'S JUST HEAR FROM EVERYBODY. BUT I CAME PREPARED TO TO TALK ABOUT THESE PARTICULAR APPLICATIONS, YOU KNOW, AND, AND FOR THE SOUNDS LIKE MAYBE WE'RE GOING TOWARDS THIS ROAD OF HEARING FROM ALL 13 APPLICANTS. AND SO I WILL JUST SAY MY CRITERIA WAS, HAVE YOU PARTICIPATED IN ANY SORT OF A RICHARDSON PROGRAM? HAVE YOU VOLUNTEERED ELSEWHERE IN RICHARDSON, AND DID YOU SPEND A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME AND, AND THOUGHT PUTTING THIS APPLICATION TOGETHER AND JUST SORT OF CREATED A GRADING SYSTEM THAT WAY? AND I CAME UP WITH EIGHT CANDIDATES THAT, THAT I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, FIT 2 OR 3 OF THOSE CATEGORIES. SO MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE FOR US TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION. THAT'S WHAT WE TOLD THE PUBLIC WE WERE GOING TO DO, AND THAT WE WERE GOING TO MAKE THIS DECISION. 
          INSTEAD. WE ARE, I THINK, TRENDING TOWARDS JUST HEARING VERY SHORT SNIPPETS FROM 13 PEOPLE VERSUS HEARING A LITTLE MORE SUBSTANCE FROM A FEWER PEOPLE. JUST A QUICK THOUGHT. I DON'T THINK ANYTHING HAS CHANGED IN TERMS OF WHAT WE SAID WE WERE GOING TO DO TONIGHT. TONIGHT WE WERE GOING TO PLAN ON DECIDING HOW MANY APPLICANTS WE WOULD INTERVIEW. 
          THAT'S THE DISCUSSION GOING ON RIGHT NOW AND AND WHAT THE PROCESS IS. AND IF IF WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING, WHICH BY THE WAY, I LIKED YOUR SUGGESTION. IF WHAT YOU WANT TO SUGGEST IS EACH OF US TALK ABOUT THE CRITERIA WE'RE GOING TO USE WHEN WE LISTEN TO THE APPLICANTS, WHATEVER THE NUMBER IS, 13, 12, THREE, WHATEVER WE DECIDE. BUT TONIGHT IS FOR DECIDING AND THEN WHAT OUR PROCESS IS, AND I'M OKAY WITH WITH THAT PROCESS IN TERMS OF HAVING THE CRITERIA BEING MENTIONED. AND WE CAN WE CAN DEBATE THE THE NUMBER IS NOT FOR THE INTERVIEW ITSELF. IT WAS FOR NARROWING DOWN THE APPLICANT LIST. BUT OKAY, FAIR ENOUGH. MAYOR PRO TEM HUTCHENRIDER THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MAYOR. FIRST QUESTION IS DON, NEXT WEEK, AUGUST 24TH? WHAT ELSE BESIDES THIS DO WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA? THIS WILL BE IT. OKAY. ALRIGHTY. WE'RE STARTING AT 530. I GUESS MY I CAN GO EITHER WAY. MY ONLY FRUSTRATION IS I SPENT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TIME THIS PAST WEEK BECAUSE WHAT I HEARD WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS INITIALLY WAS WE WOULD NARROW IT DOWN TO A NUMBER OF APPLICANTS THAT WE WOULD INTERVIEW. AND I SPENT A LOT OF TIME GOING THROUGH, MUCH LIKE WHAT COUNCILWOMAN JUSTICE SAID, I WENT THROUGH, I READ THIS IN DETAIL, I LOOKED ONLINE, I, I TRIED TO SEEK OUT INFORMATION AND I NARROWED IT DOWN AS WELL. AND SO MY ONLY FRUSTRATION IS I FELT LIKE WE HAD VERY STRONG MARCHING ORDERS WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROCESS TO SAY TONIGHT WE WOULD NARROW DOWN TO A NUMBER THAT WE WOULD INTERVIEW. AND NOW I FEEL LIKE THE TABLE HAS BEEN FLIPPED OVER. SO THAT'S VERY FRUSTRATING TO ME BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE NOT IF IF THE IF THE INFORMATION WAS, WE'RE GOING TO JUST INTERVIEW ALL 13 AND GIVE THEM AND 90S FOR EACH OF US TO ASK A QUESTION, I WOULD HAVE NOT SPENT ALL THAT TIME. SO I'M VERY FRUSTRATED THAT WE'RE. NOW, AGAIN, I FEEL LIKE WE FLIPPED THE PROCESS AGAIN AND THAT'S A REAL FRUSTRATION OF MINE. I ALSO DON'T THINK. I MEAN, I WOULD MUCH PREFER BECAUSE WE GO ONCE WE DO THIS 13 AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO THEN NARROW DOWN TO OUR FINAL THREE. I WOULD MUCH RATHER SPEND MORE TIME WITH LESS APPLICANTS, SO I CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WANT TO BE ON COUNCIL, WHAT THEY WANT TO ACCOMPLISH. ET CETERA. ET CETERA. RATHER THAN JUST HAVING 13 PEOPLE COME THROUGH AND THEY GET, YOU KNOW, EACH OF US ONLY GET 90S TO ASK OUR QUESTION AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S IT. AND I JUST, IT, IT JUST FEELS LIKE A FLIP 
          [02:20:02]
FLOP. AND I JUST, I FEEL LIKE WHEN WE SET SOMETHING IN PLACE, WE SHOULD STICK TO THAT AND NOT FLIP IT. AND THAT'S JUST A FRUSTRATION. AND I JUST WANT TO VOICE IT. BUT AGAIN, I'M ONLY ONE VOTE. I WOULD I WOULD LEAN WITH COUNCILWOMAN JUSTICE THAT WE NARROW DOWN. I THINK THAT'S WHAT I HEARD FROM HER. PLEASE, I DON'T WANT TO I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR YOU, BUT NARROW DOWN AND COME UP WITH OUR THE STRONG APPLICANTS THAT WE THAT WE FEEL LIKE WE WANT TO INTERVIEW MORE IN DEPTH THAN JUST A QUICK 90S. BECAUSE I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, WE DON'T WE DON'T ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING IN 90S. I MEAN, LET'S BE REAL. SO IT'S JUST A REAL FRUSTRATION. THANK YOU. 
          UNDERSTOOD. COUNCIL MEMBER DORIAN. YES, THANK YOU. MAYOR, I JUST I JUST WANT TO REITERATE AGAIN AND ELABORATE MORE. YOU KNOW, I, I LISTENED I'VE LISTENED TO EVERYONE'S COMMENTS. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, I TOO, TOOK A WEEK TO GO THROUGH AND LOOK UP EVERYONE ONLINE. THERE'S SOME PEOPLE ON THE LIST. I DO NOT KNOW. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE LIST THAT I DO KNOW. AND ONE OF THE REASONS I CAME UP WITH THE SUGGESTION TONIGHT IS IF WE GO THROUGH FROM TOP TO BOTTOM AND ALL OF US VOTE THAT, DO WE WANT THAT CANDIDATE OR THAT APPLICANT TO BE INTERVIEWED, THEN YOU RAISE YOUR HAND. YES. IF THE MAJORITY RULES, THEN WE MOVE FORWARD. 
          NOW DURING THAT PROCESS, IF ANYONE WANTS TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THAT APPLICANT, YOU CAN FEEL FREE TO DO SO. YOU'RE NOT OBLIGATED TO DO SO. YOU CAN SAY ANYTHING POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE. 
          IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER. ASK QUESTIONS OR STATE YOUR STATE YOUR CASE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. 
          BUT I STILL THINK TO, YOU KNOW, TO KEEP IT SINCE WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER A PROCEDURE HERE, TO GO FROM TOP TO BOTTOM AND JUST SAY, OKAY, WHO, WHO VOTES FOR THIS CANDIDATE HERE? RAISE YOUR HAND. IF THE MAJORITY RAISES THEIR HAND, THEY WANT THE CANDIDATE, THEN GREAT. ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO SPEAK ON THAT BEHALF CAN, BUT THAT WILL NARROW IT DOWN TO HOWEVER MANY CANDIDATES THAT COME OUT OF THIS TONIGHT. AND THAT WAS WHAT I WAS SUGGESTING. I WAS HOPING THAT EVERYONE KIND OF PICKED UP ON THAT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I'LL JUST SAY BRIEFLY TWO THINGS. LAST WEEK WE TALKED ABOUT SHOULD WE LAST WEEK MAKE A DECISION ON HOW MANY PEOPLE WE WANT TO NARROW THIS DOWN TO THE ANSWER BY THE COUNCIL AT THAT TIME. NO FLIP FLOP. THE ANSWER TO TO THAT QUESTION WAS WE WANT TO REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS BEFORE WE DECIDE HOW MANY WE WANT TO NARROW IT DOWN TO. SO NOTHING HAS CHANGED. WE ALL LOOKED AT THE APPLICATIONS. I JUST CAME TO YOU WITH. WHAT MY FEEDBACK IS, IS THAT AFTER I LOOKED AT THE APPLICATIONS, I WONDERED, WOULDN'T IT BE GOOD IF I HAD A CHANCE TO ACTUALLY TALK TO ALL THESE PEOPLE? I CAN'T VIOLATE THE RULE THAT WE MADE, WHICH IS THAT WE CAN'T REACH OUT TO THE PEOPLE AFTER THE APPLICATIONS. WE MADE THAT RULE. SO I DIDN'T WANT TO CHANGE THAT. I DIDN'T WANT TO BREAK TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT BY REACHING OUT TO EVERYONE AND SAYING, HEY, WOULD YOU GUYS BE OKAY IF I INVITED EVERYONE TO COME OUT HERE AND SPEAK BEFORE TODAY'S MEETING? I JUST THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE A BLIND SIDE. SO I COULDN'T DO THAT. AND SO THIS IS THIS IS THE TIME WHERE I GET TO SAY WHAT I THOUGHT. AFTER LOOKING AT THE APPLICATIONS, I WILL SAY AGAIN, THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, OUT OF ALL OF THE DIFFERENT FORUMS WE DO, IS CONSIDERED THE GOLD STANDARD. AND AT THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS. TOWN HALLS AND FORUMS, THEY HAVE 92ND ANSWERS. I'M NOT SURE IF THEY EVEN DO A 92ND OPENING. I THINK THEY SAY YOU GET NO OPENING BECAUSE THEY ALREADY READ YOUR APPLICATION. WE CAN WE CAN KNOCK THAT PART OUT IF YOU GUYS LIKE, AND GET RID OF THE OPENING STATEMENT, GIVE A FEW MORE SECONDS TO THE REST OF THE THINGS IF YOU LIKE. AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF THIS IS AN ISSUE OF TIME, IT'S A HALF HOUR OR MORE. I UNDERSTOOD THAT SOME PEOPLE REALLY WENT DEEP DOWN, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT NUMBER YOU WERE CALLING IT DOWN TO, BUT SINCE WE DIDN'T HAVE A NUMBER, I DON'T KNOW WHAT NUMBER YOU WOULD HAVE GOTTEN IT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO BE THAT MUCH MORE PREPARED FOR THOSE QUESTIONS. I ALSO REVIEWED THESE PRETTY HEAVILY. I'M READY. 
          IF YOU GUYS TOLD ME I NEED TO PICK THREE, I SUPPOSE I COULD GET TO A POINT OF PICKING THREE. 
          BUT WHAT I CAME OUT OF ALL THAT PROCESS WAS WE'VE GOT AN AMAZING, EXCITING NUMBER OF CANDIDATES THAT HAVE DECIDED TO PUT THEIR NAMES IN THIS, AND TO ME, IT JUST FEELS REASONABLE WITH A 30 MINUTE ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT AND HOWEVER LONG IT TAKES FOR US TO MAKE THE DECISION TONIGHT, THAT'S ALL IT REALLY TAKES. AND WE ACTUALLY GIVE VOICE TO ALL 13 APPLICANTS. 
          AND WE'RE GOING TO GET DOWN TO MAYBE, LET'S SAY, THREE OR NO MORE THAN THREE FINALISTS. 
          THOSE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GET THREE MINUTE ANSWERS ON EACH OF THE QUESTIONS WE ASK. SO WE DO GET TO DO A DEEP DIVE ON THOSE FINAL THREE APPLICANTS. COUNCIL MEMBER SERAFINI. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. YES. WE DID NOT AGREE ON THE NUMBER THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE CHOOSING TONIGHT. SO YOU'RE RIGHT ON THAT. AND I DID SPEND MORE THAN THREE DAYS OF FULL TIME, EVEN INCLUDING THE NIGHT TIME, AND PREPARED MYSELF VERY MUCH HEAVILY BECAUSE THIS IS ONE I DON'T THINK WHEN THIS IS 
          [02:25:01]
GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT TIME. THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN THAT OFTEN. SO THIS WAS NOT THAT. I'M JUST HIRING. ONE OF MY ENGINEER IS HIRING JUST ONE ENGINEER IS MUCH EASIER THAN PICKING A CANDIDATE THAT APPLIES. SO WHEN I WAS GOING THROUGH LIKE ALL THOSE 13 APPLICATIONS, YOU KNOW, MORE OR LESS, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO REALLY CHOOSE WHO TO CHOOSE, EVEN THOUGH SOME OF YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME HEAVY EXPERIENCE ON ONE SIDE. THE OTHER SIDE IS, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER PERSON HAS IS A WONDERFUL I'M SO HAPPY THAT WE HAVE SO MANY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES IN OUR CITY. SO THIS IS, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, BASED ON I DO HAVE MY CRITERIA, BUT AGAIN, ALL THE TIME, MY CRITERIA IS NOT GOING TO BE ALWAYS LIKE VOTER CHOOSE. SO YOU MIGHT CHOOSE SOMEONE. THE BEST CANDIDATE IS GOING TO VOTE FOR SOMEBODY ELSE, YOU KNOW, LIKE MAJORITY VOTE. SO WE ARE NOT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS LIKE COUNCIL IS DOING THE SELECTION. SO I THINK IT'S NOT FAIR. YOU KNOW, IF WE HAD SOME OBVIOUS CANDIDATE THAT WE CAN RULE OUT TONIGHT, I WOULD REALLY GO PROPOSE THAT. BUT I SEE THAT ALL 13 CANDIDATES DESERVE SOME KIND OF TIME, AT LEAST TO SPEAK, SO THAT EVERYBODY KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE PICKING THE RIGHT PERSON. I'M WITH 13%. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO COUNCIL MEMBER CORCORAN, I HATE PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT YOU ARE THE LAST PERSON TO SPEAK. SO I AM I, I MEAN, HONESTLY, I DON'T I DON'T HAVE A PREFERENCE EITHER WAY. I FEEL LIKE ON ONE HAND IT'S WE'RE CAUGHT BETWEEN A QUESTION OF POTENTIAL FAIRNESS TO THE APPLICANTS VERSUS FAIRNESS TO OUR COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE SPENT A TON OF TIME DOING THE RESEARCH ON THIS. I THINK THINKING ABOUT IT AND HEARING EVERYONE I MEAN, I AGAIN, WITH THE CAVEAT THAT I'M, I'M REALLY OKAY WITH EITHER DIRECTION. I DO THINK THAT WE HAVE SOME REALLY STRONG APPLICANTS IN HERE, THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS AHEAD. AND SO THE ADDITIONAL TIME WITEACH APPLICANT, JUST FROM A PRACTICAL STANDPOINT OF REALLY BEING ABLE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THEM, MAY BE MORE HELPFUL TO US THAN INTERVIEWING ALL. 13. SO, I MEAN, I LEAN TOWARDS THAT DIRECTION, MR. MAYOR, BUT I'M YOU KNOW, I'M OKAY WITH EITHER. SO THEN LET'S GO ON TO THE NEXT TOPIC, WHICH IS HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE WE GOING TO INTERVIEW? AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER DORIAN HAS COME UP WITH ONE SOLUTION, WHICH IS WE START AT THE TOP, AND THEN WE START GOING ALL THE WAY DOWN AND EACH OF US RAISE OUR HANDS. IF WE DO OR DON'T WANT TO INTERVIEW THIS PERSON. 
          WE COULD DO IT THAT WAY, OR WE COULD ACTUALLY HAVE THE DISCIPLINE OF SAYING WHAT NUMBER WE WANT. AND THEN WHETHER IT'S 10 OR 8 OR HOWEVER MANY, THEN LET'S JUST GO AHEAD AND AND GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS. BUT DO WE KNOW EVEN WHAT NUMBER WE WANT TO INTERVIEW? WE'VE GOT WE'VE GOT THREE OF US THAT HAVE 13 IN MIND, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT ANYONE ELSE HAS IN MIND. 
          MY PREFERENCE IS WE GO WITH THE EIGHT OPTION IF WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, BUT I'D SAY IF WE WANT TO PUT A NUMBER ON IT RIGHT NOW, WHY DON'T WE JUST TAKE A VOTE FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM AND SEE WHAT THAT COMES OUT? IF IT COMES OUT TO BE A GREAT IF IT COMES OUT TO BE SIX FIVE, I MEAN, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW. I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD SIT HERE AND CONSIDER BECAUSE WE'RE ALL THINKING DIFFERENTLY AND WE ALL HAVE OUR NOTES AND WHO WE'RE GOING TO POTENTIALLY VOTE TO INTERVIEW. SO I SUGGEST I THOUGHT THE SUGGESTION I HAD BEFORE WAS A GOOD ONE. IT'S LIKE, DO WE WANT TO INTERVIEW THIS PERSON? THE MAJORITY RAISES THEIR HAND. YES. THEN THAT THAT IF THAT TURNS OUT TO BE A GREAT, IT TURNS OUT TO BE THREE FINE, JUST WHATEVER IT IS, BUT AT LEAST VOTE ON IT. AND I THINK THAT'S AN EASIER WAY TO GET THROUGH IT VERY QUICKLY. 
          AND THAT GETS THE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WE'LL PICK THAT. THAT WILL ACTUALLY SOLIDIFY THE TIME WE SPEND WITH THEM AND THE ACTUAL INTERVIEW. SO IF WE END UP CHOOSING 5 OR 6, THAT MEANS WE POTENTIALLY WOULD HAVE MORE TIME TO SPEND WITH THEM AND ASK MORE SERIOUS QUESTIONS IN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS. COUNCILMEMBER BARRIOS, THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO IN RESPONSE TO COUNCILWOMAN JUSTICES AND MAYOR PRO TEM POINT, I'M PREPARED FOR 4 TO 6 PEOPLE. I, I DID DO MY HOMEWORK AND A LOT LIKE COUNCILWOMAN JUSTICE. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO FIND SOME PEOPLE AND DID A LITTLE BIT OF FACEBOOK CONTENT AND A LITTLE BIT OF, OF SEEING WHAT I COULD FIND BY GOOGLING AND THAT KIND OF STUFF. I HAVE FOUR SOLID AND TWO I WOULD POTENTIALLY, IF WE SAID SIX, I DO THINK WE NEED TO SET A NUMBER AND THEN SAY, LOOK, IF WE SET, IF WE SAY WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH 5 OR 6, THEN COUNCILMAN BARRIOS GETS SIX VOTES OUT OF THE 13, YOU KNOW, AND EVERY COUNCILMAN GETS THAT AMOUNT OF VOTES LIKE THAT. WE BY PROCESS OF WHOEVER GETS THE MOST AMOUNT OF VOTES ARE THE 5 OR 6 TO GO THROUGH. AND BY SETTING A SPECIFIC NUMBER, WHETHER IT'S FIVE, SIX, WHATEVER, AND WE STICK TO THAT NUMBER, THEN IT KIND OF ELIMINATES AND NATURALLY DRAWS THAT NUMBER DOWN. BUT I, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR EVERYBODY SPEAK, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I'LL BE HONEST, I, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M A BIG FAN. I'M A FAN OF 
          [02:30:01]
HEARING EVERYBODY'S OPENING STATEMENT. I'M NOT A FAN OF NECESSARILY DOING THE 92ND QUESTIONS, BUT A LOT LIKE COUNCILWOMAN JUSTICE AND MAYOR PRO TEM, Y'ALL KNOW I'M A PROCESS PERSON, SO A LOT LIKE MAYOR PRO TEM. ONCE WE CREATE A PROCESS, LET'S STICK TO IT. SO I, I, I LIKE HIS ARGUMENT AND HE HAS A POINT THERE. MAYOR PRO TEM YOU HAVE A VERY STRONG VALID POINT. AND I, I AM PREPARED TO GO 4 TO 6. COUNCILMEMBER. FINE. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. YOU KNOW, ONE THING I WOULD DISAGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST SIMPLE RAISING HAND FOR CANDIDATE. I DON'T THINK THAT'S THAT'S FAIR FOR A CANDIDATE. YOU'RE PICKING SOMEONE AND NOT PICKING SOMEONE AND YOU SHOULD GIVE SOME REASON YOU SHOULD DO THAT PUBLICLY. AND THAT'S WHAT WE DISCUSSED IN THE PAST. I THINK, I THINK I WOULD I WOULD JUST GO, YOU KNOW, IF WE PICK, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN NUMBERS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU PICK LIKE, OKAY, I THINK IF WE WANT TO HAVE A CUTOFF NUMBER, THEN WE CAN DO THAT. BUT LIKE, YOU KNOW, AS IF YOU WANT TO GO THROUGH THE APPLICATION, IT'S LIKE WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKS LIKE MAYBE IT SEEMS TO BE THAT WE ARE JUST PARTIALLY LIKE ELIMINATING SOME CANDIDATE. SO IT'S NOT FAIR FOR A PARTICULAR CANDIDATE. BUT I WOULD, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE, WE DO GIVE SOME REASON THAT WHY YOU ARE PICKING AND WHAT WAS THE CRITERIA? NOT JUST I LIKE HIM, I LIKE HER SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
          THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER JUSTICE. THANK YOU. YEAH, I THINK IT'S A GOOD POINT. SO I'LL JUST REITERATE WHAT MINE WERE WHEN I WENT THROUGH TO TRY AND DIFFERENTIATE SORT OF MY CRITERIA WAS AGNOSTIC TO WHO YOU WERE, YOU KNOW, YOUR BACKGROUND, ALL THAT SORT OF STUFF. IT IS. HAVE YOU PARTICIPATED IN ANY CITY PROGRAMS? HAVE YOU VOLUNTEERED IN THE CITY OF RICHARDSON, AND DID YOU PUT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF THOUGHT INTO YOUR APPLICATION ABOUT REALLY WHAT THIS ROLE IS AND WHAT YOU WOULD BRING TO IT? THOSE ARE MY THREE CRITERIA. I LITERALLY GAVE POINT VALUES TO IT. SO AGAIN, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE, WHERE YOU CAME FROM, THAT THAT'S HOW I RANKED. SO THOSE ARE MY REASONS. IF WE GO THE VOTING ROUTE, I JUST WANT TO PUBLICLY STATE WHAT IT IS. THOSE ARE THE REASONS THAT MY VOTES WILL BE WHAT THEY ARE. OKAY. SO LET'S JUST BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT PROCESS HERE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A CHANCE OF BEING DONE WITH THIS IN LESS THAN AN HOUR. WE HAD A SUGGESTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER DORAN TO GO FROM NUMBER ONE DOWN THROUGH NUMBER 13 AND JUST RAISE OUR HANDS SO YOU CAN COMMENT OR NOT COMMENT ON WHY YOU WANT TO RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU'RE UP TO IT, BUT THAT'S UP TO YOU. SO I WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF HEAR IS THAT THE PROCESS THAT WE ALL ARE COMFORTABLE WITH? IS THAT THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE GOING WITH BEING A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS? I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS COMFORTABLE WITH THE PROCESS. OKAY. FAIR ENOUGH. 
          YES. COUNCIL MEMBER BARRIOS, ANYTHING ABOUT THE PROCESS? YES, MAYOR, I DO A LOT LIKE COUNCILMAN JUSTICE. I WANT TO STATE THAT TWO MAIN THINGS. ONE, WHILE I DIDN'T PUT ANY WEIGHT INTO THE PROGRAMS AS MUCH, I DID PUT A LOT OF WEIGHT INTO THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH PROGRAMS OR VOLUNTEERING IN OTHER MEANS, AND ALSO WEIGHT TOWARDS HOW MUCH EFFORT THEY PUT INTO ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS. AND THEN I ALSO CONSIDERED, YOU KNOW, WHAT WERE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT OBVIOUSLY I'M THE ONE STEPPING DOWN AND IT IS THE SEAT. I THINK THE PEOPLE OF RICHARDSON VOTED FOR ME FOR, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS DIFFERENT REASONS, BUT UNIQUE VOICE, WHATEVER. AND SO I TRY TO SAY, OKAY, WHO HAS A SIMILAR KIND OF VOLUNTEER ON THE GROUND EXPERIENCE AND WHO IS REALLY SO THAT THAT WEIGHED HEAVILY. IS THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN NECESSARILY THE CITY INVOLVEMENT BRINGING THE NUMBER BACK TO CITY? I THINK IT WAS COUNCILMAN SHAMSUL QUESTION ABOUT KIND OF WHY I THINK THE NUMBER SHOULD BE SIX. AND I THINK THE NUMBER SHOULD BE SIX IS BECAUSE WHILE 13 IS TECHNICALLY SIX IS TECHNICALLY NOT HALF OF 13. I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLOSE TO IT. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO TAKE IT DOWN TO THREE. SO WE CUT IT EVEN FURTHER BY THREE. I PERSONALLY THINK OUR PROCESS I DON'T LIKE COUNCILMAN DORIAN'S SUGGESTION. 
          NOT THAT IT'S HORRIBLE. IT'S JUST I THINK THERE'S A STRONGER WAY OF DOING IT. I THINK WE SAY, LOOK, SIX IS THE NUMBER. IT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE IT CUTS IT IN HALF. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO FURTHER CUT IT IN HALF WHEN WE PICK THE FINAL THREE. IF WE STICK TO SIX AND SAY, EVERY PERSON ON THIS COUNCIL IS GOING TO VOTE FOR THEIR TOP SIX, WHEN WE MENTION THEIR NAME, THEN WE'LL SEE HOW MANY WHO GETS THE TOP SIX VOTES. CAN I JUST SAY ONE MORE THING? I UNLESS SOMEBODY SEES A HOLE IN THAT PROCESS AND THINKING I'M OPEN. BUT PERSONALLY, I THINK THAT'S. 
          [02:35:02]
WE CAN DISCUSS THAT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER. COUNCILMEMBER DORIAN, THANK YOU. AND I WANT TO KEEP REITERATING. BUT, YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN BARRIOS, JUST JUST SO YOU KNOW, THE THE POINT IS YOU'RE MAKING THE EXACT SAME POINT AS I AM. WE'RE TRYING TO GET IF WE'RE GOING TO SIT HERE AND SAY SIX, WE STILL HAVE TO VOTE ON EVERYONE TO SEE WHO THAT SIX IS. I CAME UP WITH A SOLUTION THAT ALLOWS US TO GO FROM TOP TO BOTTOM TO VOTE. AND IF WE END UP WITH SIX, GREAT. 
          IF WE END UP WITH EIGHT, GREAT. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE NUMBER IS. THE POINT IS, IS WHAT IS THIS ENTIRE COUNCIL THIS BODY WANTS TO VOTE ON? WHO DO THEY WANT TO INTERVIEW? AND THE ONLY WAY TO DO IT IS TO VOTE. THE OTHER WAY FOR ME TO SAY, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO DO SIX, THEN WE HAVE TO GO BACK THROUGH AND PICK ALL OF THEM AGAIN AND VOTE. WHICH ONE? I MEAN, WE STILL HAVE TO DO THE SAME PROCESS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS FOUR VOTES IS FOUR VOTES SUFFICIENT SINCE THIS IS A BODY OF SEVEN. OKAY, WELL THEN WE'LL JUST START AT THE TOP AND WORK OUR WAY DOWN. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER OR GET A FEW OTHER THOUGHT PROCESSES, BUT I'M, I'M IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS THAT WAY, THEN I'M HAPPY TO MOVE FORWARD THAT WAY. 
          MAYOR PRO TEM HUTCHENRIDER I WAS JUST GOING TO RESPOND TO COUNCILMAN COUNCILMAN BARRIOS, I, I AGREE WITH LOOKING AT. SIX. I THINK THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE TO. IN ESSENCE, WE HAVE. 
          13 TAKE IT IN HALF, WHICH IS. SIX AND THEN WE TAKE IT DOWN TO THREE. TO ME, THAT'S VERY, VERY PROCESS. THAT'S WHAT WE. I BELIEVE WE HAD A LOT OF A LOT OF FEELINGS ALONG THOSE LINES. 
          SO I WOULD, I WOULD SIMPLY SAY, I SUPPORT WHAT COUNCILMAN DORIAN IS SAYING. I WOULD JUST SAY WE EACH GET SIX VOTES AND WE SEE WHERE WE WHERE WE GET TO AT THE END OF THAT TIME, IF WE EACH SAY WE'RE GOING TO VOTE FOR OUR OUR TOP SIX CANDIDATES, THEN THAT NARROWS IT DOWN. THAT WOULD BE WHERE I WOULD TRY TO FIND A KIND OF A JOINING OF THE TWO TWO THOUGHTS THERE. THANK YOU. YEAH. SO WE'VE GOT TWO PEOPLE THAT ARE ASKING NOW TO REDUCE THE NUMBER TO A NUMBER OF SIX. I PERSONALLY THINK IF WE CAN GET FOUR VOTES THAT WE OUGHT TO LISTEN TO THEM. AND I THINK THAT COUNCILMAN DORIAN, I THINK, SAID THAT HE WAS FINE WITH. FOUR COUNCIL MEMBER CORCORAN, YOU'VE GOT A THOUGHT ON THAT. I AGREE WITH. OKAY. SO FOR FOR YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          FINE. ARE YOU OKAY WITH FOUR? FOUR. YEAH, FOUR. PEOPLE SAY THEY WANT TO HEAR FROM THE PERSON. THEN WE'LL HEAR FROM THE PERSON, OKAY, IN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS AND WHATEVER THAT NUMBER COMES OUT TO, THAT'S WHAT WE END UP WITH. YES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMEMBER BARAJAS, ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD BEFORE WE START WITH? YEAH. I'D LIKE TO HEAR OTHERS THOUGHTS. I DON'T KNOW IF I CAUGHT EVERYBODY'S THOUGHTS BECAUSE UNDER THIS PROCESS WE CAN STILL END UP WITH 13. YES WE CAN. AND, AND I THINK THAT'S A BIG I DON'T KNOW IF THAT THAT REALLY HELPS THE PROCESS ALONG Y'ALL. I THINK IT ADDS, IT GIVES EVERYBODY THE ABILITY TO NOT STICK TO US. WHAT WE COMMITTED TO DO. SO I THINK IT RAISES QUESTIONS SIMILAR TO WHAT COUNCILMAN JUSTICE SHARED A BIT AGO. SO I REALLY THINK WE SHOULD SET A NUMBER AS AN IMPORTANT PART. SO THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. I THINK WHAT HE SUGGESTED IS, IS THE PERFECT COMBINATION. WE COMBINE THE TWO. I THINK THAT SHOULD BE IT. I DON'T WANT TO. AND I'D LIKE TO HEAR THE OTHERS. I HAVEN'T HEARD COUNCILMAN JUSTICE OR I DON'T KNOW IF I DID. I MISS COUNCILMAN CORCORAN'S THOUGHTS ON THAT. SO I'LL JUST SAY A COUPLE THINGS REAL QUICK. WHAT I DID WAS ASK EACH PERSON IF FOUR VOTES WAS SUFFICIENT TO BE ABLE TO PROCEED. AND THUS FAR, I THINK THE VAST MAJORITY, AT LEAST FOUR PEOPLE AT LEAST SAID THAT FOUR VOTES WOULD BE GOOD ENOUGH, UNLESS WE HAVE JUST A DEEP DESIRE TO CUT IT TO A SPECIFIC NUMBER. DOING FOUR VOTES GETS US TO A POINT WHERE WE CAN GET OUR OUR FEELINGS OUT, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE FINAL NUMBER IS. IF IT STILL ENDS UP WITH 13, WELL THEN WE CAN DECIDE WHETHER WE WANT 92ND OR WE WANT TO GO TO TWO MINUTE OR WHATEVER WE WANT TO DO AS FAR AS THAT'S CONCERNED. SO THAT'S THAT'S MY FEELING ON IT. IF ANYONE ELSE HAS ANY OTHER FEELING THAT WE WANT TO DISCUSS, HAPPY TO DISCUSS IT. OTHERWISE WE CAN JUST GET GOING WITH WITH THE PROCESS. COUNCIL MEMBER FINE. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. WELL, IF WE CHOOSE, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A STATEMENT. IF WE START CHOOSING CANDIDATE BEFORE THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO I, I DID PREPARE SOME STATEMENT. I WOULD LIKE TO READ THAT. SURE. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THAT WHEN YOU. THE PROCEDURE THAT COUNCILMAN DORIAN SUGGESTED. I THINK THERE IS A FLAW IN IT BECAUSE IF YOU RAISE HAND, THEN BASICALLY YOU ARE. YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHO IS VOTING FOR WHOM. AND THEN BASICALLY THERE COULD BE SOME ENGINEERING BEHIND THE SCENE. PEOPLE COULD COMPLAIN. SO I THINK THERE SHOULD BE, I DON'T KNOW THE BETTER WAY. WE CAN'T DO A BLIND BALLOT AND NO, NO, WE CAN'T DO A BLIND BLIND. BUT YOU COULD WRITE DOWN AND YOU COULD READ DOWN. THAT'S STILL A BLIND BALLOT TO SOME DEGREE. YOU CAN READ WHAT I WROTE, OKAY, AND WHAT EACH CANDIDATE WROTE. 
          OTHERWISE THERE COULD BE. I DON'T KNOW IF LIKE PEOPLE COULD INFLUENCE BY SOMEONE ELSE'S 
          [02:40:05]
RAISING HAND. ANYWAY, THAT'S MY THOUGHT, BUT I'M OKAY. WHATEVER YOU GUYS DECIDE, I DON'T HAVE ANYROBLEM. I JUST WANTED TO CLEAN MY HEART WHAT I HAD IN MY MIND. BUT I WOULD LOVE LOVE TO READ ONE STATEMENT BEFORE. SURE, SURE. LET'S DO THAT AS SOON AS WE GET TO THE. OH, GO AHEAD. DO YOU WANT TO READ IT RIGHT NOW, OR DO YOU WANT TO READ IT BEFORE EACH PERSON THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONSIDER? NO, I WOULD READ ONE. GO AHEAD AND READ IT NOW. ALL RIGHT, MAYOR AND RESPECTED COUNCIL MEMBERS, I WANT TO BRIEFLY EXPLAIN MY THOUGHT PROCESS IN SELECTING THIS 13 CANDIDATES TO MOVE FORWARD FOR INTERVIEWS INSTEAD OF SELECTED SPECIFIC NUMBERS. 
          FIRST, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK EVERY APPLICANT WHO STEPPED FORWARD TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY. ALL OF THEM APPLICANTS. ALL OF THE APPLICANTS MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS APPOINTMENT, AND I SINCERELY APPRECIATE THEIR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE. RICHARDSON. THIS WAS A VERY DIFFICULT DECISION, PARTICULARLY BECAUSE WE ARE MAKING THIS INITIAL SELECTION BASED ONLY ON THE WRITTEN APPLICATIONS. IF WE HAVE TO CHOOSE SPECIFIC NUMBERS LOWER THAN THE TOTAL APPLICANTS, I ACTUALLY WISH WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM EACH APPLICANT, EVEN FOR JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES, BEFORE NARROWING THE FIELD. I BELIEVE HEARING DIRECTLY FROM THEM WOULD HAVE GIVEN US A BETTER OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND WHO THEY ARE, WHY THEY WANT TO SERVE, AND WHAT THEY COULD BRING TO THE COUNCIL. I ALSO KEPT IN MIND THAT THIS APPOINTMENT IS FOR A RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD, APPROXIMATELY THE NEXT SEVEN AND A HALF MONTHS OR SO. SO IN REVIEWING THIS, THE APPLICATIONS, I PLACED PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON THREE THINGS THAT I. I DID, WHICH WAS DEMONSTRATED INVOLVEMENT IN RICHARDSON AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF OUR COMMUNITY, WHETHER THROUGH BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, NEIGHBORHOOD INVOLVEMENT, LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS, CIVIC ORGANIZATION OR OTHER COMMUNITY SERVICE, PROFESSIONAL AND PUBLIC SERVICE EXPERIENCE THAT COULD BRING VALUABLE KNOWLEDGE AND DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES TO THE COUNCIL. THE ABILITY TO STEP INTO COUNCIL ROLE QUICKLY, WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH COUNCIL AND STAFF, AND UNDERSTAND COMPLEX ISSUES, AND MAKE THOUGHTFUL AND INDEPENDENT DECISIONS FOR RICHARDSON AS A WHOLE. AGAIN, THIS WAS NOT AN EASY DECISION THAT I DID LOOK AT EACH INDIVIDUAL APPLICATION AND MY SELECTION OF THOSE SEVEN OR EIGHT OR 9 OR 13 SHOULD NOT BE INTERRUPTED, INTERPRETED TO MEAN THAT THE OTHER APPLICATIONS APPLICANTS ARE NOT QUALIFIED, THEY ARE QUALIFIED, AND THEY ARE GOOD CANDIDATES THROUGHOUT THIS APPLICANT POOL BASED SOLELY ON THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO US IN THE APPLICATIONS. AND THESE THREE CONSIDERATION, THESE ARE THE 7 OR 13 CANDIDATES I BELIEVE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD TO THE INTERVIEW PROCESS. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN. OKAY. SO WE WILL. GO FROM ONE THROUGH 13 AND WE'LL BEGIN THE PROCESS. SO WE HAVE CANDIDATE NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS RICHARD ROY BELL. DO WE WANT TO JUST RAISE OUR HANDS? I GUESS WE'LL RAISE OUR HANDS AND THEN WE CAN GO FROM THERE. 
          ALL RIGHT. WE'VE GOT FOUR. SO HE WILL BE INTERVIEWING WITH US. MAYOR. YES. I'LL ASK THE COUNCIL'S OPINION. I WAS GOING TO HAVE KRYSTAL AND I ARE GOING TO TAG TEAM. DO YOU WANT IN CASE THERE'S ANY IN CASE WE GET LESS THAN FOUR. YEAH. DO YOU WANT TO TAKE A. I THINK WE'LL SEE. WANT US TO. OH GO AHEAD. DO YOU WANT US TO LOG WHO'S VOTING WHICH WAY YOU. IT PROBABLY FOR THE MINUTES. IT'LL BE SAFE. COUNCILMEMBER BARRIOS I WE I THINK WE'RE UNANIMOUS HERE ON ON THAT APPLICATION WHERE YOU ALSO PART OF THAT UNANIMOUS. COUNCILMEMBERS. OKAY. 
          PERFECT. I WAS UNANIMOUS. ALL RIGHT. SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO CANDIDATE NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS MADISON AND BLUMENTHAL. APPLICANT NUMBER TWO, MADISON AND BLUMENTHAL. OKAY, THERE'S TWO TWO THAT WANT TO HEAR FROM MADISON. ALL RIGHT. SO THAT'S TWO OUT OF SEVEN. AND THAT IS COUNCIL MEMBER ARFEEN AND MYSELF. NEXT UP IS CANDIDATE NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS DANIEL EVAN BURDETTE. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER BARRIOS IS THE ONLY ONE THAT DID NOT VOTE THERE. THE 
          [02:45:10]
NEXT APPLICANT IS COLIN LANCASTER. CHRIST. ALL RIGHT. WE'VE GOT THREE PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR THAT COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER BARRIOS AND MYSELF. THE NEXT APPLICANT IS JEFFREY ALLEN DAVIS. LOOKS LIKE A UNANIMOUS VOTE THERE. THE NEXT PERSON IS DARRELL KIRK DE. 
          ALL RIGHT. THAT'S JUST TWO OF US. THE NEXT ONE IS YES. SORRY, ARE WE GOING TOO FAST? COUNCILMEMBER BARRIOS, DID YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP? CURTIS I DID NOT. DID YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP? OH, SO WE HAD THREE UP. OKAY. MY APOLOGIES. THAT WAS THREE UP ON MR. DE. AND THAT INCLUDED COUNCIL MEMBER DORIAN. I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT SEEING YOUR HAND. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT PERSON IS ALEXIS R DRYER. OKAY. WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE, COUNCIL MEMBER ARFEEN AND MYSELF. THE NEXT PERSON IS JEFFREY DAVID GRIFFIN. ALL RIGHT. IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE GOT UNANIMOUS ON THAT ONE. OUR NEXT APPLICANT IS PATRICK SEAN MURPHY. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE THREE. IT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S COUNCIL MEMBER BARRIOS ARFEEN AND MYSELF. OUR NEXT APPLICANT IS JORDAN RAYMOND NORAT. THAT IS SIX OF US. COUNCIL MEMBER DORIAN HAS VOTED OR HAS NOT VOTED ON THAT ONE. OUR NEXT PERSON IS LAWRENCE SCOTT. ALL RIGHT. IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE FIVE WITH MAYOR PRO TEM HUTCHENRIDER AND COUNCIL MEMBER DORIAN NOT VOTING ON THAT ONE. 
          OUR NEXT APPLICANT IS GINEVRA, ELAINE THOMAS. WE HAVE FOUR THAT HAVE SAID YES. THAT WOULD BE COUNCIL MEMBER, JUSTICE COUNCIL MEMBER CORCORAN COUNCIL MEMBER ARFEEN AND MYSELF. OUR NEXT APPLICANT IS ERIC JAMES WILLARDSON. WE HAVE. LOOKS LIKE SIX WITH COUNCIL MEMBER BARRIOS ABSTAINING ON THAT ONE. ALL RIGHT. WE WENT THROUGH THAT PROCESS FAIRLY QUICKLY. HOW MANY DID WE END? WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO REPEAT? SURE. PLEASE DO. OKAY, SO YESES ARE RICHARD RAY BELL, DANIEL, EVAN BURDETTE, JEFFREY. ALAN DAVIS, JEFFREY. DAVID. GRIFFIN. JORDAN. RAYMOND, LAWRENCE. SCOTT. RICK. MOORE, JENNIFER THOMAS, AND ERIC WILSON. SO ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, 5678, THAT'S EIGHT. OKAY. SO WHILE WE'RE STILL IN THIS ITEM, DO WE HAVE DO WE HAVE ANY LEVEL OF COMFORT OR DISCOMFORT WITH EIGHT? DO YOU GUYS WANT TO GO TO THE TWO MINUTE SCENARIO THAT WE HAD OUT THERE? OR DO YOU HAVE SOME OTHER SCENARIO SINCE WE DID NOT LAND ON THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CORCORAN MAYOR, I SO I'LL START ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION. A LOT OF COMFORT WITH THE TWO MINUTE SCENARIO. I'LL ALSO JUST TAKE A COUPLE SECONDS AND SAY THAT WITH ALL THESE APPLICANTS, I MEAN, HAVING READ THROUGH THEM, MY VIEW IS VERY MUCH IN LINE WITH SOME OF THE OTHER COMMENTS ABOUT SERVICE, NONPROFIT SERVICE, CITY SERVICE. ET CETERA. ET CETERA. I'D ALSO JUST LE TO SAY THAT WHEN WE GET TO THE INTERVIEW PORTION, SOMETHING I'LL REALLY BE PAYING ATTENTION TO AND WEIGHING IS, DO WE HAVE APPLICANTS THAT WANT TO JUST SERVE OUT A THE DURATION OF THE TERM, OR DO THEY WANT TO SERVE PAST THAT? MY PERSONAL PREFERENCE IS TO CHOOSE SOMEONE JUST TO SERVE THE DURATION OF THE TERM, JUST TO HAVE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR THE RACE IN THE FUTURE. JUST MY PERSONAL PREFERENCE. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I MEAN, I WANT I ALSO WANT SOMEONE REALLY STRONG IN THE SEAT AND I'LL BE WEIGHING THOSE TWO THINGS AGAINST EACH OTHER. PERFECT. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER STATEMENTS THEY WANT TO MAKE? WE'RE. IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE STAYING WITH THE TWO MINUTES EACH COUNCIL MEMBER JUSTICE. 
          YEAH. I MEAN, WE HAVE 30 MINUTES TO PLAY WITH HERE. SO I MEAN, IF WE WANTED TO, I'D BE 
          [02:50:04]
OPEN TO ADDING A MINUTE OR TO AN OPENING STATEMENT OR CLOSING STATEMENT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, JUST TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME WITH EIGHT CANDIDATES, WE COULD ADD ONE MINUTE TO THE OPENING STATEMENT AND ONE MINUTE TO CLOSING STATEMENT. AND WE'D BE ADDING, YOU KNOW, IS IT ABOUT 30 MINUTES? OKAY, SO THERE'S A SUGGESTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER JUSTICE TO TAKE THIS FORMAT, BUT ADD A MINUTE TO THE OPENING AND CLOSING. COUNCIL MEMBER BARRIOS. THANK YOU. MAYOR, I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN JUSTICE. I THINK IT TAKES TIME DURING THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL TO KIND OF FOCUS IN YOUR MESSAGE. AND OBVIOUSLY, THIS THIS IS A DIFFERENT SITUATION. SO I THINK ADDING WOULD BE WOULD BE FAIR TO THE TO THE CANDIDATES. OKAY. 
          MAYOR PRO TEM HUTCHENRIDER JUST A CLARIFYING QUESTION. ARE WE AFTER? BECAUSE THE LAST SENTENCE IS SAYS FOLLOWING THE INTERVIEW, THE CITY COUNCIL MAY CONVENE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR DELIBERATION. I JUST WANT TO TONIGHT, I WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS. WE ARE. WE ARE GOING TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR DELIBERATION NEXT MONDAY NIGHT. 
          IS THAT ARE WE IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT? I JUST I JUST WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE PROCESS. SO SOMETHING WE SHOULD DEBATE PERHAPS BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE HAVE IT. IT'S IT'S A MAY AND NOT A HAVE TO. MY PERSONAL PREFERENCE IS HOWEVER MANY WE INTERVIEW. IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'LL BE INTERVIEWING EIGHT THAT WE COMPLETE THOSE INTERVIEWS. WE WAIT THE TWO WEEKS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE OFF ANYWAY. WE GIVE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REACH OUT TO YOU DURING THOSE TWO WEEKS. AND TO MYSELF, WE GET PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BEFORE THE NEXT THAT FOLLOWING COUNCIL MEETING, AND THEN WE WOULD GO INTO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT DECISION OF CALLING THAT EIGHT DOWN TO THREE. OR WE COULD DO IT IN OPEN SESSION, DEPENDING ON WHAT OUR HEART'S DESIRE IS AT THAT TIME. BUT I'D LIKE TO GIVE SOME TIME TO BREATHE. 
          AFTER THE APPLICANT APPLICANTS GET INTERVIEWED SO THAT WE CAN TAKE IN WHATEVER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WE WANT TO CONSIDER VERSUS GOING STRAIGHT INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. THAT'S MY THAT WOULD BE MY PREFERENCE, MAYOR. SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THE THE PLAN I ENVISIONED AS WELL. ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH, WE WOULD HAVE THE. YOU WOULD YOU WOULD HAVE VISITORS FIRST. 
          AND ANYONE WHO WANTED TO SPEAK ON THE BUDGET OR THE PLACE. THREE APPOINTMENT ON AT THE START OF THE MEETING ON THE 14TH. THEN YOU WOULD HAVE YOUR TAX HEARING. THEN YOU COULD GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND DELIBERATE. IF THAT'S WHAT YOU CHOSE TO DO, THEN YOU COULD COME OUT AND SELECT THE THREE FINALISTS. OR TO YOUR POINT, YOU COULD DELIBERATE IN PUBLIC AND SELECT THE THREE FINALISTS, BUT YOU CAN YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE THE TAX HEARING. IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO BEFORE YOU WOULD ANNOUNCE THE THREE FINALISTS. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMEMBER BARRIOS. THANK YOU. MAYOR, JUST JUST TO FOLLOW UP, I THINK WHAT COUNCILMAN CORCORAN MENTIONED, OR I WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS PEOPLE WHO TRULY SHOW THEIR VAST ARRAY OF EXPERIENCE IN THE COMMUNITY, THEIR HEART FOR SERVICE. NOW, AS FAR AS EXECUTIVE SESSION, I AM STRONGLY OPPOSED TO THAT. I THINK IT KIND OF GOES AROUND WHAT WE JUST DID BY, I MEAN, WHY WOULD WE GO INTO THEN AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE DIDN'T GO INTO IT NOW? LIKE IT SEEMS LIKE, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, IT SEEMS LIKE A COP OUT TO NOT TO DO IT THEN AND NOT NOW. AND WHAT WE JUST DID. SO NAIL IT, NARROWING IT DOWN TO THREE SHOULDN'T BE A WHOLE LOT. NOW, IF WE WANT TO GIVE OURSELVES A 1015 MINUTE RECESS TO PROCESS EVERYBODY, I DON'T THINK GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO NARROW IT DOWN TO THREE, I WOULDN'T COMEK AND ARGUE AGAIN. I'M SORRY. I'M. THAT'S OKAY. GO AHEAD, I MISS IT. I DIDN'T FINISH YOUR THOUGHT. FINISH YOUR THOUGHT AND FINISH YOUR THOUGHT. AND THEN WE'LL GO ON TO THE NEXT COMMENT. BUT WE'LL MAKE I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE AN ANSWER TO THAT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I'LL THAT'S THE THOUGHT IS I DON'T SEE WHY WE WOULD GO INTO IT WITHOUT ONE AFTER WHAT WE JUST DID IN THE IN THE SPIRIT OF TRANSPARENCY, IF WE WANT TO CONTINUE THE SPIRIT OF TRANSPARENCY, I DON'T SEE HOW WE COULD DO THIS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. ALL RIGHT. SO I THINK WHAT WAS ASKED FOR AND OF COURSE, I'LL ALLOW YOU TO CLARIFY IF YOU LIKE AS WELL, MAYOR PRO TEM, BUT I THINK HE WAS JUST ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION AS TO WHETHER THE DECISION TO NARROW DOWN TO THREE WOULD HAPPEN. RIGHT AFTER THE APPLICATIONS APPLICANTS GOT INTERVIEWED. OR HYPOTHETICALLY, WOULD WE WAIT TILL THE NEXT MEETING TO DO IT? I THINK WHAT THE CITY MANAGER HAS JUST SHOWN IS THAT THERE IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT ALL. ON THE 14TH, I, I, AS MUCH AS I DON'T DISAGREE WITH WHAT YOU SAID ON WHETHER IT'S AN EXECUTIVE SESSION OR NOT, THAT CAN BE A DECISION THAT WE WAIT UNTIL THEN TO DO. BUT I KNOW AS A COUNCIL, WE DID MAKE THE DECISION THAT THAT WOULD BE THE LIKELY OUTCOME THAT WE WOULD GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THOSE THREE. ALTHOUGH IF THERE'S A CHANGE OF HEART WHEN THAT TIME COMES, I'D BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN IT. AT THAT TIME. 
          [02:55:04]
MAYOR PRO TEM, WAS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANTED TO CLARIFY? ALL I'M TRYING TO DO IS I WANT TO MAKE SURE I, I WANT TO COME INTO A MEETING, KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS IS. SO IF IF WE'RE GOING TO IF WE'RE MEETING ON THE NIGHT OF THE THE. 20 IF WE'RE SAYING ON THE NIGHT OF THE 24TH, WE'RE GOING TO COME IN RIGHT AFTER THE INTERVIEWS AND MAKE THE SELECTION OF. THREE GREAT. IF WE'RE SAYING WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT ON THE 14TH, THAT'S GREAT. 
          I JUST WANT TO I DON'T WANT TO GET BACK INTO THIS DISCUSSION LIKE WE GOT IN TONIGHT. I'D LIKE TO JUST I FEEL LIKE WE HAD A PROCESS SET. I'D LIKE TO STAY WITH THAT PROCESS AND JUST UNDERSTAND WHEN WE COME IN ON THE 24TH, WHAT IS OUR WHAT ARE WE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH? MY UNDERSTANDING IS, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, WE'RE GOING TO DO THE INTERVIEW OF THE EIGHT OF THE EIGHT PEOPLE THAT WE SELECTED TONIGHT, AND THENE WILL STEP AWAY UNTIL THE 14TH AND THE NIGHT OF THE 14TH. THEN WE'LL CHOOSE THE THREE FINALISTS. THAT'S WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING. THAT'S THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE UNDERSTANDING SO FAR. UNLESS THERE'S A DIVERSION OR SOME OTHER FEELING. BUT THAT IS WHAT YOU'RE UNDERSTANDING SO FAR. COUNCILMEMBER. I JUST WANT CLARIFICATION. THAT'S ALL THAT'S I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT. BUT LET'S JUST NAIL IT ALL THE WAY DOWN. COUNCILMEMBER CORBIN, I'M ON THAT. I DO THINK THAT IT WOULD BE. I WANT TO THROW OUT THE IDEA. DO WE WANT TO DECIDE NOW IF WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, OR IS THAT SOMETHING WE SHOULD ABSOLUTELY WAIT ON? I JUST I THINK WE ALREADY DECIDED. SO UNLESS THERE'S JUST AN OVERWHELMING OVERRULING. YEAH. FAIR ENOUGH. ALL RIGHT. 
          COUNCILMEMBER BARRIOS, SORRY, I DIDN'T CATCH THAT LAST. THE LAST QUESTION WAS, SHOULD WE MAKE A DECISION NOW ON WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION ON THE 14TH? MY ANSWER WAS THAT AS A COUNCIL, WHEN WE DID COME UP WITH ALL THESE DATES AND ALL THESE DIFFERENT STEPS AS A COUNCIL, THERE WAS SOME DISAGREEMENT. BUT AS A COUNCIL, WE DECIDED THAT THE THREE FINALISTS SHOULD BE MADE IN AN EXECUTIVE SESSION COME THE 14TH. IF THERE IS A STRONG DESIRE TO MOVE IT FROM EXECUTIVE TO OPEN, WE CAN ALWAYS DISCUSS IT AT THAT TIME. 
          BUT AT THIS POINT, THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR PROCESS. OKAY. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I IN MY LAST STATEMENT, I WAS NOT TRYING TO IMPLY THAT MAYOR PRO TEM WAS TRYING TO GET AROUND THAT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. BUT I DO AGREE WITH WHAT MAYOR PRO TEM WAS SAYING THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS AND FINALIZE THIS PROCESS TODAY. I AGAIN, I'LL RESTATE I AM STRONGLY OPPOSED TO MAKING THIS DECISION IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. WE DID IT TONIGHT. WE COULD DO IT AGAIN. MAYOR, CAN I MAKE AN IMPORTANT POINT OF CLARIFICATION? THE DECISION WILL NOT BE MADE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. THE VOTE. IT HAS TO BE IN PUBLIC. YEAH. THE DISCUSSION WOULD ONLY THE THE THE POLICY YOU ADOPTED SAID YOU COULD DELIBERATE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION IF YOU CHOSE TO, BUT THE VOTE WILL BE IN PUBLIC. YEAH, I STILL THINK THAT GOES AROUND THE SPIRIT OF WHAT WE'VE DISCUSSED ALL THE WAY AROUND. AND THAT IS MAKING AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE WHY THE MOST CRUCIAL DISCUSSION OF THIS ENTIRE PROCESS, WHY THAT WOULD BE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, IS BEYOND ME. I THINK THAT THAT THAT'S THAT WOULD BE A BIG MISTAKE ON OUR PART. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER BARRIOS. I WHETHER OR NOT I AGREE WITH YOU, THE COUNCIL AS A GROUP MADE A DECISION. AND RIGHT NOW THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING. AND WE CAN ALWAYS HAVE THIS DISCUSSION. IF THERE'S JUST AN OVERWHELMING CHANGE OF THOUGHT BY THE 14TH. 
          BUT THIS IS WHAT WE DECIDED, AND I JUST WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH WHAT WE DECIDED. SO JUST FOR 1,000% CLARITY, WE HAVE EIGHT APPLICANTS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT WE ARE GOING TO INTERVIEW IN OUR NEXT MEETING. AT THAT MEETING, WE'RE GOING TO DO THREE OPENINGS, THREE MINUTE OPENING STATEMENTS, THREE MINUTE CLOSING STATEMENTS. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR EVERY QUESTION THAT GETS ANSWERED. I AM GOING TO ADD THE CAVEAT THAT I'M GOING TO HAVE A 32ND TIMER FOR THE QUESTION ITSELF. SO I WOULD ASK EACH OF US TO PRACTICE OUR QUESTIONS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET THEM OUT OF OUR MOUTHS IN 30S, OR WE WILL ALSO BE CUT OFF AT THAT POINT. WE'LL FINISH THAT MEETING AND THEN TWO WEEKS LATER ON THE 14TH, IS WHEN WE WILL DELIBERATE AND CHOOSE WHICH THREE PEOPLE WILL BE OUR FINALISTS AT THAT POINT, WHICH GIVES RESIDENTS A LOT OF TIME TO BE ABLE TO REACH OUT, WEIGH IN, DO WHATEVER THEY WANT TO DO. 
          AS IT RELATES TO THOSE EIGHT APPLICANTS, IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTION? I THOUGHT I'D MADE IT CRYSTAL CLEAR, BUT COUNCIL MEMBER DORIAN, YOU MADE IT VERY CLEAR. I JUST WANT TO ADD ONE THING, PLEASE. DISCUSSED A COUPLE MEETINGS AGO. I THINK WE JUST TALKED ABOUT HAVING SOME PRESET QUESTIONS. SO WE'RE NOT ALL ASKING THE EXACT SAME QUESTIONS. SO HOW DO WE WANT TO HANDLE THAT? DO WE WANT CITY OR CITY MANAGER OR CITY STAFF TO COME UP WITH THOSE QUESTIONS? OR DO WE EMAIL THE QUESTIONS THAT WE WANT TO ASK TO THE CITY STAFF AND THEN ALLOW THEM TO COMPILE IT? SO WE YOU HAVE A QUESTION TO ASK? I MEAN, HOW DO WE WANT TO MANAGE THAT? I TAKE ANY SUGGESTIONS YOU HAVE. SURE. MR. WAGNER. WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND IS THAT WE PROVIDE YOU WITH A BANK OF QUESTIONS THAT YOU COULD DRAW FROM. I WOULD I WOULD IMAGINE THAT SOME 
          [03:00:05]
OF THE QUESTIONS MIGHT BE UNIQUE TO THE APPLICANT. THEIR PARTICULAR BACKGROUNDS, EXPERIENCES, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. SO WE CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH A, A, A LIST OF QUESTIONS. 
          AND IF YOU WERE PLANNING TO ASK A QUESTION AND I GUESS SOMEBODY ELSE DOES BEFORE YOU, YOU HAVE A BACKUP QUESTION THAT YOU CAN ASK. BUT I THINK THE, THE, THE IDEA IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER QUESTION YOU DO ASK IN THAT ORDER, YOU'RE GOING TO ASK ALL THE APPLICANTS JUST THAT WAY IN THAT SAME ORDER. SO WE'RE HAPPY TO PROVIDE A BANK OF, YOU KNOW, SEVEN OF YOU. WE CAN PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, 14 QUESTIONS. AND BUT THERE'S THERE CAN'T BE ANY DIALOG AHEAD OF TIME ABOUT WHO IS GOING TO ASK WHAT QUESTION. AND I DON'T THINK I DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR US TO ASSIGN YOU A QUESTION. SO I THINK YOU'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A QUESTION THAT YOU INTEND TO ASK. AND IF THAT QUESTION GETS ASKED BY SOMEONE ELSE, YOU JUST HAVE A DEFAULT QUESTION THAT YOU GO TO. I AGREE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL MEMBER ARFIN YEAH, I DO AGREE. I MEAN, I THINK WE SHOULD ALSO HAVE OUR ADDITIONAL QUESTION. BACKUP QUESTION. AND IF SOMEBODY ALREADY ASKED THAT QUESTION, WE CAN JUST GO TO MY I'LL GO TO MY SECOND QUESTION AND THIRD QUESTION AND SO ON. OH, WONDERFUL. FOR THE SAKE OF 30S, I'M JUST GOING TO REPEAT AGAIN BECAUSE WE WANT TO TRY AND KEEP THIS TIGHT. PERHAPS WE CAN JUST AUTOMATICALLY PUT A BLANKET STATEMENT OUT THERE THAT WE ARE ALL VERY HAPPY THAT EACH APPLICANT APPLIED. WE'RE ALL THRILLED ABOUT THE APPLICATION STATUS AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THEY DID, AND THAT WE ARE JUST SO EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO THEM SO WE CAN GET ALL THAT OUT OF THE WAY AND JUST GET RIGHT TO A QUESTION 30S EACH, AND THEN WE'LL GIVE THEM TWO MINUTES TO ANSWER. WE'LL HAVE PROBABLY TWO DIFFERENT TIMERS. IF YOU THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE, MR. MAGNER, PERHAPS WE'LL ASK THE CITY SECRETARY TO GIVE THE TIMER TO THE SPEAKER TIMER, THE TWO MINUTE TIMER THERE. AND THAT WAY THEY CAN SEE THE CLOCK BECAUSE I BELIEVE THEY'VE GOT A CLOCK AT THAT PODIUM FOR US. I'LL BE TRACKING THE 30S ON THIS OTHER CLOCK, JUST SO WE ALL UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT TO EXPECT. ALL RIGHT. I THINK WE SOMEHOW GOT THROUGH THAT. SO WE 
          [9. REPORT ON ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST  ]
WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER NINE, WHICH IS REPORT ON ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST. ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING INTERESTING? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER JUSTICE. THANK YOU. MAYOR. LAST WEEK, THE COMMUNITY INCLUSION AND ENGAGEMENT COMMISSION WENT ON. A SUBSET, WENT ON A BIT OF A FIELD TRIP UP TO THE FRISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY, WHERE WE MET AND PRESENTED TO THE MULTICULTURAL COMMITTEE IN FRISCO. THEY HAD COME TO RICHARDSON TO PRESENT TO OUR COMMISSION. WE RETURNED THE FAVOR AND IT WAS GREAT. VICE CHAIR KRISTIN KEYSER DID A FANTASTIC JOB PRESENTING AND REPRESENTING THE COMMISSION AND OUR CITY VERY WELL, ALONG WITH COMMISSIONERS GIL ZAFRA AND VICTORIA HORTMAN. THEY DID A FANTASTIC JOB. IT WAS REALLY GREAT, GOOD INFORMATION SHARING. BOTH COMMITTEES ARE ABOUT THE SAME AGE, IF YOU WILL, SLIGHTLY SET UP DIFFERENTLY ABOUT HOW THEY'RE APPOINTED AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS. SO A GOOD INFORMATION EXCHANGE AND GREAT TO SEE THE COMMISSION GETTING OUT AND SHARING IDEAS AND BRINGING BACK GREAT IDEAS FOR RICHARDSON TO IMPLEMENT AS WELL. AWESOME. MAYOR PRO TEM HUTCHENRIDER, JUST WANT TO REITERATE, SCHOOL IS STARTING AND HAS STARTED FOR ALL OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THEN ALSO VERY MUCH WANT TO CONGRATULATE BUDGET BOB AND COUNCILMAN BARRIOS FOR BEING EXACTLY WHERE THEY ARE RIGHT NOW, MOVING THEIR CHILDREN UP. I ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE, BECAUSE I NOTED THAT OUR IASD A MAJOR CONGRATULATIONS TO TABITHA, SUPERINTENDENT AND THE ENTIRE DISTRICT THAT THEY MOVED FROM A C TO A B AND JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT. NOTE THAT I KNOW THERE'S BEEN BEING ON THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE AND SEEING ALL OF THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE BY RICHARDSON ISD. THEY'VE. THEY'VE POURED A TON OF EFFORT, AND TABITHA HAS DEFINITELY TAKEN THAT ON HER SHOULDERS. AND I JUST AM VERY PROUD THAT THAT THEY'VE MOVED FROM THAT C TO A B. SO JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE THEM TONIGHT ON THAT. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CORCORAN. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. SOMETHING VERY EXCITING FOR ME THAT HAPPENED RIGHT BEFORE THIS MEETING IS NOBODY ELSE FILED FOR THE COLLIN CENTRAL DISTRICT. 
          WOW. IN PLACE THREE. SO YOU KNOW RICHARDSON APPRAISAL DIRECT ELECT. IS THAT WHAT IS THAT WHAT WE SHOULD CALL YOU GOING FORWARD IN THIS MEETING? OKAY. BUT OBVIOUSLY THE POSITION ISN'T UNTIL JANUARY. YEAH. FIRST ONE IT'S SWORN IN. BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT IT IS IT IS REALLY INTERESTING THAT RICHARDSON HAS RICHARDSON HAS HAD A PLACE WITH WAYNE MAYO ON THAT BOARD FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. BRIEF BLIP WITHOUT A RICHARDSON INDIVIDUAL. AND NOW I'M EXCITED TO BE SORT OF PART OF THAT CONTINUED LEGACY. T.I. IS THE SINGLE LARGEST TAXPAYER IN COLLIN COUNTY. WE HAVE A COUPLE OTHER PEOPLE, A COUPLE OTHER ENTITIES ON THAT LIST. 
          AND SO EVEN THOUGH OVERALL, WE'RE A SMALL PORTION OF THE VOTES FOR THE CITY AND TAXING 
          [03:05:02]
ENTITY APPOINTED SEATS, I STILL THINK IT'S REALLY SPECIAL THAT RICHARDSON HAS A SPOT ON THAT BOARD, AND I'M HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THAT. SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE THAT WONDERFUL LITTLE ANNOUNCEMENT. CONGRATULATIONS, COUNT. WOW. BREAKING THE RULES AND APPLAUDING COUNCILMEMBER BARRIOS. THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU, MAYOR AND MAYOR PRO TEM FOR YEAH, IT'S BEEN AN EMOTIONAL COUPLE OF DAYS, NEEDLESS TO SAY. BUT THANK YOU FOR FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE AND ALSO FOR BEING A PART OF THE THE MEETING. AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, I COULD IMAGINE IT'S BEEN A MONTH OR TWO OF SOME GOODBYES AND FINAL THANK YOUS. THIS PAST WEEK WAS NO DIFFERENT. 
          THE LAST FOUR YEARS, I'VE HAD THE HONOR OF SERVING AS THE LIBRARY BOARD LIAISON, AND THIS LAST WEEK I MET WITH THE LIBRARY BOARD FOR THE LAST TIME, AND I WANTED TO SHARE A COUPLE OF THINGS, AS THE LIBRARY WAS JUST RECENTLY KIND OF CLOSED UP THEIR SUMMER ACTIVITIES, AND OUR LIBRARY DIRECTOR, JENNY, SHE SHARED OUT SOME NUMBERS AND I WAS QUITE IMPRESSED. I WANTED TO SHARE A COUPLE SHOUT OUTS TO THE AMAZING WORK OUR LIBRARIANS ARE DOING EVERY DAY WITH. AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, WH WITH YOUNG PEOPLE. THIS SUMMER, THE SUMMER READING CLUB READ 1.1 MILLION 508,384 MINUTES. READ. THIS SUMMER BY ALL AGES, THE TEEN LIBRARIAN JEN VISITED RICHARDSON, JEN, KENDALL, SORRY, VISITED RICHARDSON, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS TO ENCOURAGE TEENS TO JOIN THE SUMMER READING CHALLENGE. AND OF COURSE, WE SAW THE RESULTS. PARTICIPATION MORE THAN DOUBLED WITH THE NUMBER OF TEAMS COMPETING COMPLETING THE CHALLENGE, WHICH WAS TEN HOURS OF READING, EACH JUMPING FROM 37 AND 2025 TO 78 AND 2026. SO INCREDIBLE PARTICIPATION. BY REACHING OUT TO LOCAL SCHOOLS FOR SUMMER PROGRAMS AND OUTREACH. WE HAD 215 PROGRAMS FOR ALL AGES, FOR A GRAND TOTAL OF 7245 ATTENDEES. SO AMAZING WORK BY OUR LIBRARY DIRECTOR AND OUR ENTIRE STAFF. SO IT WAS A BUSY SUMMER. ONE THING FOR SURE, RICHARDSON CONTINUES TO READ AND CONTINUES TO INCREASE THE READING. AND THANK YOU FOR STAFF ALWAYS THINKING OUT OF THE BOX AND FINDING WAYS TO CONTINUE TO ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY. SO HATS OFF TO THE LIBRARY, AND IT'S BEEN AN HONOR SERVING WITH THEM AS THE LIAISON TO THAT BOARD. 
          THANK YOU EVERYBODY. COUNCIL MEMBER, DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT DOGS AND POOLS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, OR DO YOU WANT TO JUST LEAVE IT UNSAID? NO, NO. I THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME THAT. 
          SURE. WELL, ONE THING I WOULD I WOULD SAY THAT I HAVE NEVER SEEN SO MANY DOGS DISCIPLINED IN ONE PLACE. I HAVEN'T SEEN THE HUMANE EVEN BEHAVING LIKE THAT. SO THAT WAS AMAZING. I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER DAY THAT I THINK. WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT EXACTLY? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE SPLASH DAY? OH I'M SORRY. YES. YOU JUST MENTIONED THE DOG SPLASH DAY. YES, THAT'S WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT. JUST TRYING TO I'M STILL BACK IN THAT NUMBER EIGHT VERSUS NUMBER 13. SO. YOU KNOW I'M HEARTBROKEN BY THE WAY. YEAH. THAT WAS YEAH. I MEAN, I'M TALKING ABOUT DOGS DAY. AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO INVOLVED. AND THEY'VE BEEN DOING THAT CONSISTENTLY EVERY YEAR, EVERY YEAR. AND THE WEATHER WAS PERFECT FOR THEM. 
          THANK YOU. YEP. IT WAS AN EXCEPTIONALLY INTERNATIONAL WEEK OR EVEN WEEKEND, I THINK MOSTLY TASTE OF TAIWAN GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO HANG OUT WITH SOME OF THE FOLKS FROM THE TAIWANESE CHAMBER. INDIAN INDEPENDENCE WAS CELEBRATED, PAKISTANI INDEPENDENCE WAS CELEBRATED. THE NEPALESE CHAMBER HAD A GALA. I GOT A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE NATIONAL CHARITY LEAGUE AS MANY DEBATES AND FORUMS AND THINGS THAT WERE INTIMIDATING TO ME. 400 MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS LOOKING AT ME AS I SPOKE WAS CONSIDERABLY MORE INTIMIDATING THAN ANY OF THOSE DEBATES. BUT SOMEHOW I MADE IT THROUGH. AND THEN TODAY, AS WE WERE DOING THIS, THEY WERE CELEBRATING THE BEST OF RICHARDSON AWARDS. I GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO JUST GIVE A QUICK WELCOME BEFORE I CAME BACK TO THE COUNCIL MEETING FOR OUR MEETING TONIGHT. BUT JUST CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THOSE WINNERS. AND THEN FINALLY, IT'S A LITTLE OVER A WEEK AWAY, BUT ONE OF OUR SIGNATURE EVENTS, RICHARDSON REAL HEROES, HAPPENS ON THE 26TH. IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY MADE PLANS TO ATTEND, IT'D BE REALLY AWESOME. IF YOU HAVEN'T EVER DONE ONE AND BEEN TO ONE. I THINK IT'S ALWAYS AN INSPIRING EVENING AND THEY SEEM TO GET BETTER EVERY YEAR, SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THAT. ALL RIGHT. WITH NO FURTHER BUSINESS, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.