[00:00:02]
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
EVENING.TODAY IS MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2024.
WE'LL NOW CALL THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING TO ORDER AT 6:30 PM AND NUMBER TWO, OUR ROLL CALL.
WE DO HAVE A COURT OF COUNCIL I, NUMBER THREE IS OUR PLEDGE.
SO IT'LL BE LED BY THE GIRL SCOUT TROOP.
SHE IS LIKE, NO, GOTTA COME ON UP HERE.
ALL THE PARENTS, YOU CAN COME UP AND TAKE PICTURES.
ORGANIZED WOULD'VE BEEN LIKE YES, LATE.
ALRIGHT, WHENEVER YOU GUYS READY.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH JUST STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
ALL RIGHT, SO THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO SINCE YOU GUYS CAME UP HERE.
ALL THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE GONNA COME DOWN AND TAKE A PICTURE WITH YOU.
HOW'S THAT COUNCIL? YOU THE ONLY ONE THAT GOT THE CUTE, OH, IS THAT RIGHT? HERE US AGAIN.
LET THE, THE FRONT AND THE MIDDLE GIRLS LOOK AT THE FANCY CAMERA FIRST.
[(a) Proclamation - National Preparedness Month]
ITEM NUMBER FOUR, OUR PRESENTATIONS AND RECOGNITION.NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH WILL BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DISTRICT C ANTHONY, ME, AND IKA IKA.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY DIDN'T BRING GIRL SCOUT COOKIES.
WELL, I WAS VOLUNTOLDS TO DO THIS
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
UH, THIS IS NATIONAL, THE PROCLAMATION FOR NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH.
WHEREAS NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH OBSERVED EACH SEPTEMBER IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROMOTE AWARENESS AND ENCOURAGE ALL INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO
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DEVELOP AND PRACTICE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, PLANS AND PREPAREDNESS, EMPOWERS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES TO BETTER RESPOND TO AND RECOVER FROM DISASTERS.NOW I KNOW WHY YOU SENT THIS TO ME, MAYOR
WHETHER THEY ARE NATURAL TECHNO, NATURAL TECHNOLOGICAL, OR MANMADE OR FOSTERS A CULTURE OF RESILIENCE THAT STRENGTHENS OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND WHEREAS THE THEME OF NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH 2024 START A CONVERSATION UNDERSCORES THE IMPORTANCE OF TAKING PROACTIVE STEPS TO PREPARE FOR A RANGE OF POTENTIAL EMERGENCIES AND CRISES.
WHEREAS IT IS CRUCIAL THAT WE ALL WORK TOGETHER TO INCREASE AWARENESS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PREPAREDNESS, TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE HAS THE KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES NECESSARY TO TAKE ACTION.
NOW, THEREFORE, I COUNCIL MEMBER MARLIS, ALONG WITH MAYOR ALLCAT AND ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE CITIZENS OF MISSOURI CITY DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THIS MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, 2024 AS NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH IN THE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY.
I'M IKA JUT THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR.
AND WE HAVE CASEY JIMENEZ, OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST WITH US.
WE JUST WANTED TO CONTINUE TO REMIND CITIZENS.
ONE, WE ARE IN P HURRICANE SEASON AND WE HAVE OTHER, UM, HAZARDS THAT WE DO THAT IMPACT US IN THE AREA.
REMEMBER TO STAY PREPARED AND CONSTANTLY PREPARED 'CAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THAT NEXT EMERGENCY IS GOING TO BE AND KNOW HOW TO RECEIVE INFORMATION.
SO WE HAVE IT ON OUR CITY WEBSITE, HOW TO GET INFORMATION IN TIMES OF EMERGENCY, INCLUDING OUR TEXT MESSAGE SYSTEM, WHICH IS, UM, TEXTING 3 8 2 7 6 TO MCTX.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK IT BARRELED.
ITEM NUMBER FIVE ARE, ITEM NUMBER FIVE ARE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
CITY SECRETARY, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS OR IS THE PUBLIC COMMENTS RELATED TO ITEM AP? UH, THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, SIR, ARE RELATED TO AGENDA ITEMS. AGENDA ITEMS? YES, SIR.
SO DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER THAN AGENDA ITEM COMMENT? NOTHING.
[(a) City Manager Report - Provide an overview of Consent Agenda items and ...]
TO ITEM NUMBER SIX.SO THOSE OF YOU THAT WHEN THE ITEM COME UP, THEN WE WILL HAVE THAT PUBLIC HEARING SO YOU'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
SO THOSE OF YOU SIGNED UP, HOW MANY WE HAVE? UM, WE HAVE, UH, ONE PERSON THAT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TWICE.
AND THERE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
ITEM NUMBER SIX, OUR STAFF REPORT.
UH, SIX SAYS, CITY MANAGER'S REPORT.
UH, THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF ALL THE CONSENT ITEMS BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.
UM, THE FIRST ITEM BEING ITEM B.
UM, THIS PROVIDES AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH DELTA FIRE AND SAFETY FOR THE PURCHASE OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE CLOTHING, NOT TO EXCEED $250,000.
UH, THE NEXT ITEM, UH, SEEK APPROVAL FOR THE WRITE OFF OF ABOUT 5,000 DELINQUENT REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES AS REQUIRED BY THE STATE.
THE NEXT ITEM, ITEM D, UM, AUTHORIZES THE PARKLAND DEDICATION FOR WESTON RIDGE FOR $2,800 CASH IN LIEU OF LAND FOR TWO PARCELS OR TWO DWELLING UNITS.
I'LL SAY, UH, THE NEXT ITEM, ITEM E.
UM, THIS ITEM AUTHORIZES THE PAYMENT FOR THE PURCHASE OF LAND NEEDED FOR THE LONG POINT CREEK DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT ITEM F UH, THIS IS THE SECOND AND FINAL READING FOR AN ORDINANCES TO APPROVE AND RATIFY A MEET AND CONFER AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION FOR THREE YEARS.
ITEM G UM, THIS IS AN ITEM THAT AUTHORIZES THE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF A LEASE AGREEMENT WITH MURPHY
UH, THE NEXT ITEM, ITEM H UH, THIS ACTION WOULD AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE A SANITARY CONTROL EASEMENT REQUIRED BY THE STATE, OR REQUIRED BY THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, OR A PORTION OF THE CITY'S HIGHLINE LAKES DRIVE RIGHT OF WAY TO PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF CERTAIN WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE OPERATED BY THE THUNDERBIRD UTILITY DISTRICT.
AND THE LAST CONSENT ITEM, ITEM I, UM, THIS PROVIDES AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH KING DADDY FOR TENNIS COACHING NOT TO EXCEED 125,000.
UH, THIS CONTRACT INCLUDES A REVENUE SPLIT AND HOURLY COACHING FEE TO HELP OFFSET THE COST.
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OVERVIEW.[7. CONSENT AGENDA]
WE HAVE A MOTION? OKAY.I DON'T SEE WHO MADE THE MOTION, BUT I'M SEEING WHO MADE THE SECOND ER, MADE THE MOTION.
MEMBER KLAUSER, UH, MAYOR PRO TIM KLAUSER MADE THE MOTION AND IT WAS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN MARSHALL.
AM I THE ONLY ONE THAT SIGNED? IT'S THERE.
UM, I, LET'S GO AHEAD AND VOTE EM, EMERY.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
[(a) Public Hearing - To receive comments for or against the approval and a...]
EIGHT A.IT'S A PUBLIC HEARING AND A RELATED ACTIONS, UM, TO RECEIVE COMMENTS, UH, FOR OR AGAINST THE APPROVAL AND ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET, UH, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2024, AND ENDING ON SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025.
WE HAVE A, A PRESENTATION BY BERTHA ALEXANDER, ARE WE TAKING THE THIS IS JUST THE PUBLIC.
THIS IS JUST THE PUBLIC HEARING, SIR.
SO WE'LL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM EIGHT A.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? YES, MR. MAYOR, WE DO.
MR. SOAY, PLEASE, UH, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AND THEN PLEASE ADHERE TO THE THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT.
UH, GUY SOAY 35 14 CROSS CREEK COURT, MISSOURI CITY.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA START OFF BY THANKING CITY MANAGER ALEX, UM, ANGEL JONES, CHIEF BUDGET PERFORMANCE OFFICER BERT ALEXANDER AND COUNCILMAN FLOYD EMERY FOR MEETING WITH ME A COUPLE WEEKS AGO AND SPENDING TIME ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS ON THE BUDGET AND HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE, THE PROCESS MORE.
HOWEVER, I DO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE BUDGET AS IT STATES PRIMARILY WITH THE FACT THAT THE, UH, EXPENDITURES FOR PERSONNEL EXPENSES FOR NEXT YEAR OVERSTATED SUBSTANTIALLY.
UM, THEY DO NOT REFLECT WHAT WILL ACTUALLY BE SPENT.
THEY REFLECT AN IDEAL POSITION, WHICH EVERY POSITION FILLED ON OCTOBER THE FIRST AT POSSIBLY A HIGHER RATE THAN, THAN, UH, MIGHT BE STATED.
UM, THE STATED PAY INCREASE FOR 2025 IS STATED AT 5% FOR STAFF AND 6% FOR, UH, CIVIL SERVICE.
BUT THE OVERALL COST PER EMPLOYEE IS INCREASING 11% OVER THE 2024 BUDGET.
WHY IS THAT? UH, MUCH IS, IS LIKELY DUE TO THE BUDGET POLICY OF BUDGETING OPEN POSITIONS AT MIDPOINT WITH FULL, UH, WITH FULL BENEFITS IF YOU BRING THAT COST DOWN TO AN AVERAGE OF 6%, $2.7 MILLION IN SAVINGS.
SECONDLY, UH, THE OPEN POSITIONS ARE BUDGETED AS IF THEY'RE FILLED, UH, ON OCTOBER THE FIRST, AS OF SEPTEMBER THE FIFTH.
I BELIEVE THERE WERE 56 OPEN POSITIONS ON SEPTEMBER THE FIRST.
THERE'LL BE 21 MORE UNDER THIS BUDGET, ASSUMING A 10% TURNOVER RATE THAT THE CITY WILL HAVE TO HIRE 115 PEOPLE OVER THE NEXT YEAR TO GET TO THAT POINT.
ASSUMING, UM, THAT MEANS HIRING TWO AND A HALF PEOPLE PER WEEK.
AND EVEN IF THAT'S THE RATE THAT'S DONE, THERE'LL STILL BE A SUBSTANTIAL SAVING.
YOU'LL AVERAGE ALMOST, UH, 50 OPENINGS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
NOW, I UNDERSTAND, UH, POLICE AND FIRE IS, IS A SUBSTANTIAL PART OF THAT.
'CAUSE IT'LL, THOSE, THOSE HOURS STILL NEED TO BE WORKED.
THEY'LL BE WORKED AT OVERTIME.
BUT IF YOU ADD THAT BACK, MY ROUGH ESTIMATE IS, IS ABOUT $5 MILLION TO BE SAVED THERE AS WELL.
UM, AND AGAIN, STAFF'S GOT A LOT BETTER DATA THAN I HAVE.
I'M SURE THEY CAN COME UP WITH THE NUMBER OF WHAT WILL ACTUALLY BE SPENT BASED ON THESE LARGE NUMBER OF OPENINGS THAT WE HAVE, INFLATING THE BUDGET CAUSES AND OVERAGE AND ENDS UP IN THE, IN THE, UH, IN THE FUND ACCOUNT.
AND I UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WORKS AT THE NEXT YEAR THAT GETS SPENT ON SPECIFIC PROJECTS.
BUT IF CITY COUNCIL REALLY WANTS TO SPEND THAT MONEY ON THOSE SPECIFIC PROJECTS, LET'S BUDGET 'EM AND BE UPFRONT ABOUT IT.
UM, SO I'D REQUEST THAT COUNCIL REJECT THE PROPOSED BUDGET INSTRUCT STAFF TO DEVELOP THE PERSONNEL BUDGET THAT REFLECTS THE ACTUAL PLANNED EXPENDITURES FOR 2025.
LAST THING I WILL SAY IS I SENT YOU GUYS AN EMAIL EARLIER.
I'M SORRY IT WAS SO LATE, BUT IF YOU WANT MORE DETAILS, I COED THAT IN THE EMAIL ALONG WITH A SPREADSHEET WITH, UH, WHERE I GOT MY NUMBERS FROM.
THEY'RE ALL FROM THE BUDGET BOOKS FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS, SO THANK YOU.
THAT, UH, CONCLUDES THE COMMENTS.
UH, THERE'S NO FURTHER COMMENTS.
WE'LL NOW GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM EIGHT A.
[(b) Consideration and Possible Action - First and Final Reading - An ordin...]
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY, TEXAS, APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY, TEXAS GENERAL BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2024, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025, MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE CITY FOR SUCH FISCAL YEAR AS REFLECTED IN SAID BUDGET, ADOPTING A PROJECTION FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM SPENDING BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2024, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2029,[00:15:01]
MAKING CERTAIN FINDINGS AND CONTAINING CERTAIN PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE SUBJECT.UM, IS THERE ANY MOTION, BERTHA? YES.
OH, YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION? YES.
PRIOR, PRIOR TO, UM, OUR CHIEF PERFORMANCE, UH, BUDGET AND PERFORMANCE OFFICER SPEAKING, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, GIVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
UM, AS YOUR CITY MANAGER, IT IS MY HONOR TO SERVE MISSOURI CITY AND PRESENT A BALANCED BUDGET THAT ALIGNS WITH COUNCIL'S STRATEGIC GOALS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025.
I'M PLEASED TO PROPOSE A TOTAL BUDGET OF 242.4 MILLION ACROSS ALL FUNDS.
I WANT TO THANK THE CITY COUNCIL, OUR DEDICATED STAFF, AND ESPECIALLY OUR BUDGET AND PERFORMANCE OFFICER, MS. B BERTHA ALEXANDER, WHO WILL SPEAK AFTER ME.
A SPECIAL THANK YOU ALSO GOES OUT TO OUR RESIDENTS FOR THEIR VALUABLE INPUT AND ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THIS BUDGET PROCESS.
THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET PRIORITIZED BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE THROUGH KEY INVESTMENTS IN PUBLIC SAFETY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, INFRASTRUCTURE, MAINTENANCE, AND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY.
THESE EFFORTS ARE DESIGNED TO SUPPORT OUR RESIDENTS WHILE MINIMIZING FINANCIAL IMPACT.
THIS BUDGET YEAR REPRESENTS A SHIFT TOWARDS A PROGRAM BASED BUDGETING APPROACH WHERE RESOURCES ARE ALLOCATED DIRECTLY TO CORE SERVICES RATHER THAN THROUGH SUPPLEMENTAL REQUESTS.
THIS CHANGE ENHANCES TRANSPARENCY AND ENSURES THAT BUDGET DECISIONS ARE MORE CLOSELY TIED TO THE OUTCOMES OF COMMUNITY VALUES.
IN RESPONSE TO SOME OF THE COMMENTS WE RECEIVED TONIGHT, AS WELL AS IN, UM, IN EMAIL, IT IS IMPORTANT TO CLARIFY THAT MUNICIPAL GROWTH IS NOT SOLELY DRIVEN BY POPULATION INCREASES.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BUSINESS ATTRACTION, AND RETENTION, INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS AND TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS ARE CRITICAL FACTORS IN OUR CITY'S SUCCESS.
BY FOCUSING ON THESE AREAS, MISSOURI CITY CAN SUSTAIN THE GROWTH AND IMPROVE RESIDENTS QUALITY OF LIFE, EVEN DURING PERIODS OF SLOWER POPULATION GROWTH.
ALSO, ADDRESSING CONCERNS ABOUT PERSONNEL COSTS.
WHILE THE BUDGET INCLUDES A 5% PAY INCREASE FOR STAFF AND A 6% FOR CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES, THE TOTAL 11% INCREASE IN PER EMPLOYEE COST IS NOT DRIVEN BY SALARY ALONE.
RISING HEALTHCARE, WORKERS' COMPENSATION RETIREMENT BENEFITS PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THESE COSTS.
THESE ARE NECESSARY TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE AND RETAIN SKILLED TALENT IN TODAY'S JOB MARKET.
ADDITIONALLY, BUDGETING OPEN POSITIONS AT THE, AT THE MIDPOINT WITH FULL BENEFITS IS ESSENTIAL FOR EFFECTIVE LONG-TERM PLANNING.
WE DO NOT FUND COMMITMENTS IN PARTICULAR SALARIES WITH CASH.
WE SET ASIDE RECURRING FUNDING TO COVER OUR OBLIGATIONS.
THIS ENSURES THAT WHEN CRITICAL ROLES ARE FILLED, FUNDING IS ALREADY AVAILABLE.
WHILE VACANCIES ARE EXPECTED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE MUST, WE MUST BUDGET FOR THE FULL COST TO AVOID SHORTFALLS AND DISRUPTIONS.
PARTICULARLY IN AREAS LIKE PUBLIC SAFETY WHERE STAFFING IS CRITICAL.
THE SUGGESTION THAT BUDGET IS OVERSTATED BY ABOUT $5 MILLION DUE TO VACANCY MANAGEMENT DOES NOT FULLY ACCOUNT FOR THE COMPLEXITIES OF RECRUITMENT TIMELINES OR THE REAL COST OF MAINTAINING ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO MINIMIZING GAPS IN STAFFING, ESPECIALLY IN DEPARTMENTS THAT DIRECTLY IMPACT PUBLIC SAFETY AND SERVICE LEVELS, WHICH IS WHY OUR BUDGET REFLECTS THESE PRIORITIES.
TO FURTHER PUT IT IN CONTEXT, THE BUDGET REPRESENTS A SNAPSHOT IN TIME WHEN IN MAY THIS BUDGET WAS DEVELOPED, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD FOUR VACANCIES.
SO AGAIN, THIS BUDGET IS A PERIOD IN TIME AND IS ONE BASED ON OUR OBLIGATION, NOT BASED ON A CASH BASIS OF WHEN WE EXPECT TO INCUR THE FUNDS.
AGAIN, THIS BUDGET IS DESIGNED TO MEET OUR COMMUNITY'S CURRENT NEEDS WHILE ENSURING MISSOURI CITY IS PREPARED FOR THE FUTURE.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN THE PRESENTATION OVER TO OUR CHIEF BUDGET AND PERFORMANCE OFFICER.
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MAYOR AND COUNCIL.THE ROAD TO THE BUDGET ADOPTION INCLUDED A PRESENTATION ON THE STATE OF MISSOURI CITY ECONOMY ON MAY 20TH, A BUDGET WORKSHOP ON JUNE 24TH, A CITIZEN'S VIRTUAL BUDGET WORKSHOP AND PRIORITY SURVEY ON JULY THE 11TH, A BUDGET PRESENTATION VIA VIDEO ON AUGUST 19TH, THE FY 25 PROPOSED BUDGET WAS FILED WITH THE CITY SECRETARY AND POSTED TO THE WEBSITE ON AUGUST 23RD.
AND TODAY WE HELD THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET, WHICH WAS NOTICED IN THE SEPTEMBER 4TH EDITION OF THE FORT BEING INDEPENDENCE.
AND WE SEEK YOUR APPROVAL AND ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET.
THE FY 25 BUDGET IS BASED ON THE CURRENT PROPERTY TAX RATE OF 0.5 7 0 8 2 5, WHICH IS LESS THAN THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE OF 0.5 7 8 0 4 5 OF THE CURRENT PROPERTY TAX RATE, APPROXIMATELY 46 CENTS IS BEING USED FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS, AND 11 CENTS IS BEING USED TO SERVICE DEBT.
WE ARE STRATEGICALLY USING FUND BALANCE FOR ONE-TIME EXPENDITURES PER OUR COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL POLICY.
AND WE ARE SPENDING BOND PROCEEDS FROM PRIOR YEARS FOR CAPITAL AND UTILITY PROJECTS.
IN THE FY 25 BUDGET PROCESS, WE RECEIVED REQUESTS TOTALING 22.3 MILLION, WHICH INCLUDED 60 NEW POSITIONS AND VARIOUS REQUESTS FOR EQUIPMENT AND OTHER OPERATIONAL NEEDS.
WE FUNDED 16 MILLION, WHICH INCLUDES 21 NEW POSITIONS, LEAVING UNFUNDED REQUESTS OF 6.3 MILLION FOR FY 25.
THIS BUDGET INCLUDES 3.1 MILLION FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, INCLUDING SALARY INCREASES.
CIVIL SERVICE REQUIRED CLASSIFICATION, PAY FUNDING FOR TWO NEW TRAFFIC OFFICERS, A SUPPORT SERVICES SERGEANT, AND EQUIPMENT SUCH AS REPLACEMENT OF PORTABLE RADIOS, BUNKER GEAR, TWO NEW VEHICLES, SAFETY FOOTWEAR AND DISPATCH CONSOLES.
TRAFFIC STREETS AND SIDEWALKS RECEIVE 5.2 MILLION, WHICH INCLUDES 4.2 MILLION FOR THE PAYMENT MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, OR PMMP AS WE LIKE TO CALL IT.
FUNDING FOR LIGHTING AND TWO TRAFFIC OPERATIONS POSITIONS.
THE BUDGET INCLUDES 823,000 FOR BEAUTIFICATION AND PARKS, WHICH INCLUDES THE CITY'S ENTRY POINTS AND FIVE POSITIONS FOR PARK MAINTENANCE.
STAFFING, ALSO INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET'S 1.2 MILLION FOR MAINTAINING AND ENHANCING SERVICES DUE TO THE GROWTH OF THE CITY.
AND THIS AMOUNT INCLUDES FIVE NEW POSITIONS FOR PUBLIC WORKS, A GRANT WRITER, A SENIOR FINANCIAL ANALYST, TWO NEW POSITIONS FOR ANIMAL SERVICES, A GENERAL MANAGER POSITION, A PART-TIME RISK MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR, AND A YOUTH DIVERSION SPECIALIST, WHICH IS AN UNFUNDED LEGISLATIVE MANDATE.
900,000 FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES IS INCLUDED.
1.4 MILLION FOR EMPLOYEE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, 1.2 MILLION FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH, WHICH INCLUDES CITYWIDE SPECIAL EVENTS AND READ BOARDS TO KEEP OUR CITIZENS INFORMED AND PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL CONTENTS.
OF THE 1.2 MILLION, 1 MILLION OF THIS FUNDING WILL BE PAID FROM THE PEG FUND.
AND FINALLY, 3.5 MILLION IS INCLUDED FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND CAPITAL INVESTMENT, INCLUDING MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS, REPLACEMENT VEHICLES, AND REPLACEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT.
THE ALL SOURCES REVENUE BUDGET FOR THE CITY TOTALS 220.5 MILLION AND REPRESENTS A 1.2% INCREASE OVER THE PRIOR YEAR.
SOME FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE INCREASE INCLUDES AN INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAX REVENUE OF 16.5% DUE TO INCREASE TAXABLE ASSESSED VALUES.
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AND NEW PROPERTY ADDED TO THE TAX ROLL.AN 11.3% INCREASE IN SALES TAX REVENUE DUE TO NEW BUSINESSES.
AND 146.6% INCREASE AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUE DUE MAINLY TO 4 MILLION OF REVENUE FROM FORT BEND COUNTY.
FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF STABLE PARK.
THE DECREASE IN LICENSES AND PERMITS REVENUE OF 27% IS DUE TO BUILD OUT.
THE DECREASE IN CHARGES FOR SERVICES IS DUE MAINLY TO LGC AND THE DECREASE OF 23.3%.
DONATIONS IS DUE TO A REDUCTION IN BUDGETED BOND PROCEEDS FORM CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATIONS FOR UTILITIES.
THE ALL SOURCES EXPENDITURE BUDGET TOTALS 243 MILLION, WHICH IS A 15.6% DECREASE COMPARED TO THE PRIOR YEAR BUDGET.
THIS DECREASE IS DUE TO CAPITAL PROJECTS AND UTILITIES, WHICH MAKES UP APPROXIMATELY 40% OF THE BUDGET.
THIS YEAR'S BUDGET INCLUDES 35 MILLION FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS COMPARED TO 74 MILLION IN FY 24 AND 66 MILLION FOR UTILITIES COMPARED TO 79 MILLION IN THE PRIOR YEAR.
I WANNA POINT OUT THAT WHEN WE BUILD THE BUDGET, WE INCLUDE THE ENTIRE COST OF PROJECTS LISTED IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THE FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
ALTHOUGH THE EXPENDITURES MAY OCCUR OVER MULTIPLE YEARS, THEREFORE, YOU MAY SEE LARGE INCREASES OR DECREASES IN THE BUDGET WHEN COMPARING YEAR OVER YEAR.
THE DECREASE IN OTHER EXPENDITURES OF 19.8% IS DUE TO OPERA FUNDS IN MISCELLANEOUS OTHER EXPENDITURES IN THE PRIOR YEAR BUDGET.
NOW LET'S TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO FOCUS ON THE GENERAL FUND.
THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE BUDGET TOTALS 87 MILLION AND REPRESENTS A 13.1% OVER THE PRIOR YEAR.
THE INCREASE IS MOSTLY ATTRIBUTED TO PROPERTY TAX DUE TO INCREASE TAXABLE ASSESSED VALUES AND NEW PROPERTY AND INCREASE IN SALES TAX DUE TO NEW BUSINESSES.
AN INCREASE IN FRANCHISE REVENUE TO BETTER ALIGN THE BUDGET TO ACTUAL COLLECTIONS AND AN INCREASE IN FEES AND FORFEITURES DUE TO TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENTS.
WE ANTICIPATE A DECREASE IN LICENSES AND PERMIT REVENUE COMPARED TO THE PRIOR YEAR.
DUE TO THE BUILD OUT OF LARGE SCALE PLANNED COMMUNITIES, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE GROWTH IN COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES, BUT ON A SMALLEST SCALE.
WE ALSO PROJECT A DECREASE IN INVESTMENT EARNINGS DUE TO CHANGES IN INTEREST RATES AND OUR AVERAGE BALANCES, THE DECREASE IN OTHER SOURCES, DONATIONS IS DUE TO INSURANCE REIMBURSEMENTS.
THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES BUDGET TOTAL 96.3 MILLION, WHICH IS AN 11% INCREASE OVER THE PRIOR YEAR BUDGET.
PUBLIC SAFETY ACCOUNTS FOR 38.6% OF THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
PERSONNEL COSTS ARE BUDGETED TO INCREASE DUE TO THE ADDITIONAL 21 NEW POSITIONS.
SALARY INCREASES ANNUALIZED INCREASE IN HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS, A PROJECTED INCREASE IN WORKERS' COMP, AND CONTRIBUTING AN ADDITIONAL 1% TO RETIREMENT TO PAY DOWN OUR UNFUNDED PENSION LIABILITY.
PUBLIC SAFETY ACCOUNTS FOR 55.6% OF PERSONNEL COSTS.
THE DECREASE IN EXPENDITURES SUCH AS SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS, REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE AND OTHER EXPENDITURES IS DUE TO ONE-TIME ALLOCATIONS AND ENCUMBRANCES.
IN THE PRIOR YEAR, WE'RE PROJECTING AN INCREASE IN UTILITY COSTS DUE TO ADDITIONAL LIGHTING, AN INCREASE IN CAPITAL OUTLAY DUE TO REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY EQUIPMENT, AND AN INCREASE IN TRANSFERS DUE TO TRANSFERRING FUNDING FOR THE PPM PROGRAM FLEET AND TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT TO THE APPROPRIATE FUNDS SINCE WE OPERATE USING FUND ACCOUNTING.
[00:30:02]
INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET, WE'VE INCLUDED FOR YOUR APPROVAL, A LISTING OF VARIOUS ROUTINE SERVICE AGREEMENTS FOR TECHNOLOGY ON CONTRACTS WHERE FACILITIES AND FLEET, THE LISTING INCLUDES THE VENDORS, THE DOLLAR VALUE, AND THE METHOD OF PROCUREMENT FOR EACH SERVICE.AND FINALLY, WE'VE INCLUDED THE MOST RECENT LISTING FOR CERTIFICATION INCENTIVE PAYS FOR APPROVAL.
SO THIS CONCLUDES MY BUDGET PRESENTATION.
AND ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
UM, I JUST SIGNED UP TO, UH, REALLY TO TALK TO CITY MANAGER TO ASK JUST A FEW QUESTIONS.
I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME, UH, WRITTEN REQUEST BASED ON, YOU KNOW, EXPAND OF THE COMMERCIAL REVENUE TO REDUCE RESIDENTIAL TAX.
RIGHT? UM, AND I KNOW THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, IT GROWS.
YOU HAVE SALES TAX AND YOU HAVE PROPERTY TAXES.
UH, SALES TAX REALLY CAN'T CONTROL 'CAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW IF A STORE IS GONNA CLOSE OUT TOMORROW, A MAJOR, UH, ENTERPRISE OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
SO HAVE YOU AND BERTHA ALEXANDER LOOKED INTO THAT AND, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE EXPAND COMMERCIAL REVENUE AND INTO AND WHILE REDUCING THE RESIDENTIAL TAX WORK? UH, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO TO STATE THAT THAT'S BEEN A PRIORITY OF THIS COUNCIL SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE TO GROW OUR COMMERCIAL, UM, BUSINESSES, RETAIN THE BUSINESSES THAT WE HAVE, UM, GROW NEW BUSINESSES AS WELL AS TO TRY TO, UH, MOVE THAT RATIO FROM, UH, BEING RELIANT ON, UH, REAL ESTATE TAXES TO MORE, UM, SALES TAXES.
GIVEN THAT, UH, WE CAN'T NECESSARILY CONTROL WHETHER A BUSINESS STAYS OR LEAVES.
WE CAN TRY TO ENSURE THAT WE ATTRACT BUSINESSES TO STAY AND RETAIN THEM ONCE THEY GET HERE.
SO THAT HAS BEEN A CONCERTED EFFORT, UM, SINCE WE ARRIVED.
AND NOT ONLY, UM, LOOKING AT IT FROM INCREASING THE BUSINESSES, BUT TRYING TO STREAMLINE OUR PROCESSES SO THAT WE CAN GET BUSINESSES IN AND ONBOARD FASTER AND HELP THEM TO STAY IN MISSOURI CITY.
AND I JUST HAVE ONE MORE THING.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CUT, YOU KNOW, NON-ESSENTIAL, UH, EXPENSES, UM, IN THIS BUDGET, BERTHA THAT WE TALK ABOUT, IT SHOWS 22.3 MILLION INCREASE IN FUNDING REQUEST FROM YOU GUYS, FROM CITY MANAGER FOR THE 2025, ROUGHLY ABOUT 6.2 MILLION REMAINS UNFUNDED.
UM, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE, THESE REQUESTS, WHILE, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW THAT SOME OF THESE REQUESTS ARE NECESSARY, BUT OTHERS WOULD, WOULD QUESTION IN THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU WANNA SCALE BACK.
WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON THAT? LET, I'LL SPEAK TO KIND OF IN GENERAL AND LET, UM, BERTHA CHIME IN ON, ON OTHER POINTS.
KEEP IN MIND THAT WE'RE A MUNICIPALITY.
SO WHERE ONE MAY NOT CONSIDER OUR PARKS AND OPEN SPACE AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE, GIVEN THE FACT THAT THIS COMMUNITY VALUES OUR PARKS AND OPEN SPACE, AND WE RECOGNIZE HOW THAT IMPACTS OUR VALUES OF OUR HOMES, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE ADEQUATE RESOURCES TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE MAINTAINED.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THIS BUDGET IS A CATCH UP OF WHERE WE'VE ADDED NEW PARKS WITHOUT ADDING THE STAFF.
AND IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THOSE PARKS IN OPEN SPACE, WE NEED THE STAFF TO DO THAT.
ADDITIONALLY, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE CAN BE MORE EFFICIENT IN OUR SERVICES.
ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE HAD GREAT SUCCESS FROM STAFF IN TERMS OF ACHIEVING GRANTS AS A, AS OTHER DUTIES AS A SIGN, AND GIVEN ALL OF THEIR OTHER WORKLOAD, WE FELT THAT THIS WAS IMPORTANT FOR US TO ADD A POSITION TO BE SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON SECURING, UH, ADDITIONAL GRANT FUNDS.
SO IN TERMS OF ESSENTIAL SERVICES, WE LOOK AT ESSENTIAL SERVICES, AND ONE OF THE PRIMARY REASONS WE WENT TO PROGRAMMATIC BUDGETING WAS SO THAT WE COULD HAVE MORE TRANSPARENCY AROUND OUR CORE SERVICES VERSUS JUST LOOKING AT IT FROM A DEPARTMENTAL BASIS.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE, THE BASICS OF IT.
AND BERTHA WANTS TO ADD ANYTHING ABOUT THE SPECIFIC POSITIONS SHE CAN? WELL, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD THAT THE 6.3, IN ADDITION TO THE EXTRA POSITIONS WHICH WERE NOT FUNDED, WE ALSO RECEIVE REQUESTS FOR SOFTWARE.
THE CITY MANAGER HAS STRESSED TO US THAT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK WITHIN OUR ERP SYSTEM TO SEE IF THAT SYSTEM HAS THE FUNCTIONALITY TO DO WHAT WE NEED THIS REQUESTED SOFTWARE TO
[00:35:01]
DO.SO AT THIS TIME, SHE IS NOT FUNDING ANY NEW SOFTWARE UNTIL THAT ANALYSIS TAKE PLACE.
AND OTHER THAN THAT, UH, ADDITIONAL REQUESTS WERE FOR, UM, EQUIPMENT.
SO IF I WERE TO ASK, SO ON OUR REFINANCES AND RESTRUCTURE OF OUR, OUR DEBT, RIGHT? SO IS THERE A WAY TO SAVE TWO TO $3 MILLION? UM, BECAUSE IT'S, ACCORDING TO THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW, IT'S 166 MILLION OUTSTANDING.
AND THEN THE PROPOSED OUTLINES AN EXPENSE OF 27 MILLION AND WHICH REPRESENTS ABOUT 11.2% OF THE TOTAL BUDGET.
BUT RESTRUCTURING THAT DEBT WOULD BE BE ABLE TO SAVE ROUGHLY AROUND TWO TO 3 MILLION.
I I THINK THE CITY HAS ALREADY RESTRUCTURED ITS DEBT TO, TO GARNER THOSE SAVINGS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
ADDITIONALLY, WE MEET QUARTERLY TO TALK ABOUT OUR INVESTMENTS AND DETERMINE WHERE WE COULD PLACE THOSE INVESTMENTS WHEN THEIR TERM MATURES TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE HIGHEST YIELD ON THOSE FUNDS.
SO I THINK IN REGARDS TO DEBT AS, AS WELL AS HOW WE'RE MANAGING OUR CASH, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE DOING THE BEST AND I WOULD DARE ANYONE TO COMPARE GETTING BETTER THAN WHAT WE'VE BEEN GETTING FOR, FROM, FROM OUR, UH, RESTRUCTURES AND OUR CASH INVESTMENTS.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, SO THERE'S A LOT OF FEDERAL GRANTS THAT GETS OUT THERE, THE STATE DRIVEN OR FEDERAL DRIVEN.
SO I KNOW ONE OF MY THAT I'VE ALWAYS ASKED FOR WAS, ARE WE EVER GOING TO GET A, UH, GRANT, UH, PERSON TO LOOK AT SOME OF THIS? AND I KNOW WE HAVE PD, WE HAVE FIRE, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S PEOPLE THAT'S, UH, LOOKING AT THESE GRANTS.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER? OH, THAT'S THAT.
YEAH, I JUST SAID WE HAVE THAT POSITION IN THIS BUDGET AS A PROPOSED FUNDING.
SO WOULD THAT, CAN YOU DESCRIBE FROM THAT, AND, AND I'M SAYING THIS SO THAT THE CITIZENS UNDERSTAND IT, YES, IT WELL, WILL THAT BE LOOKING AT ALL OF YOUR FEDERAL, UH, OR IS IT CONCENTRATING ON PD? AND I KNOW THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING AT THESE GRANTS.
SO WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHT PROCESSES IN THAT THIS GRANT POSITION WOULD BE FOCUSED ON THE ENTIRE CITY? AND RIGHT NOW, WHAT TENDS TO HAPPEN WITH, WITH THE GRANTS THAT WE GO AFTER, THERE'S ALWAYS SOME BACKGROUND.
THERE'S ALWAYS SOME, UH, REQUIRED INFORMATION THAT HAS TO BE, UH, A PART OF THE GRANT.
THIS PER THIS POSITION WOULD BE FOCUSED ON PULLING TOGETHER THAT BACKGROUND INFORMATION, THAT SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION, AND WORK WITH THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS AND OUTLINING THE SPECIFIC TERMS OF WHATEVER GRANT THAT WE'RE GOING AFTER.
AS I STATED BEFORE, WE, WE'VE HAD GREAT SUCCESS WITH OUR, UH, STAFF LOOKING FOR GRANTS AND, AND, AND ACHIEVING THOSE GRANTS, BUT HAVING IT AS OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED DOES NOT GARNER THE TIME THAT IS NECESSARY TO REALLY BE AGGRESSIVELY LOOKING FOR THOSE GRANTS AND PREPARING THE PAPERWORK TO GO TO, UM, SUPPORT THE GRANT.
AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER POOL OF PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, WE GET COMPARED A LOT TO OTHER COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY SUGAR LAND AND PARA LAND AND, YOU KNOW, OTHER CITIES THAT ARE COMPARABLE.
UM, THAT COMPARISON SOMETIMES IS REALLY NOT APPLE TO APPLE.
UM, AND, AND I KNOW DIFFERENT CITIES HAVE A LOWER IN TAX RATE.
UM, SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS BUDGET, UM, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT WE CAN TELL THE CITIZENS HOW WHEN THEY ARE COMPARING, AND MOST OF THE TIME THEY'RE NOT COMPARING IT DIRECTLY APPLE TO APPLE, BECAUSE I COULD TELL YOU WE HAVE 430 SOME EMPLOYEES.
WHERE'S THE SUGAR LAND HAS 950 PLUS EMPLOYEES, AND, AND OF COURSE THEY HAVE THE 59 CORRIDOR, AND PEARLAND HAS A 2 88 CORRIDOR.
SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WHEN YOU GET COMPARED TO WITH OUR TAX, UH, TAX RATE I SHOULD SAY? WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH THAT? WELL, AND YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.
I MEAN, IT'S ONE THING TO HAVE A HIGHWAY 59 GOING RIGHT TO, INTO YOUR JURISDICTION.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO RECRUIT FOR BUSINESS TO COME.
AND YOU CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT, WHICH WILL HELP ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE TO, TO GENERATE THOSE SALES TAXES THAT YOU NEED.
WHEREAS MISSOURI CITY, UH, HAS TO PROVIDE INCENTIVES BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE THAT MAJOR ATTRACTION.
SO TO GET THE BUSINESS TO COME HERE, WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE BUSINESSES WANT AND NEED AND THEN TRY TO PROVIDE THAT.
ADDITIONALLY, NOT JUST RELYING ON BUSINESSES TO COME, BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT A MULTITUDE OF THINGS FROM USING TECHNOLOGY.
HOW, HOW DO WE REPLACE THE NEED FOR STAFF WITH, WITH TECHNOLOGY? HOW DO WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, OF SOME OF THE AI THAT'S OUT THERE, TO THE EXTENT THAT IT COULD, UM, ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL STAFF? I WOULD SAY THAT THIS ORGANIZATION
[00:40:01]
HAS BEEN LACKING IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF STAFF RIGHT NOW.WE JUST HAVE BASICALLY ONE PERSON, A KEY EXPERT IN EVERY DEPARTMENT WITHOUT ANYONE TO BE ABLE TO, UM, PLAN AND SUCCEED THAT PERSON SHOULD THEY LEAVE.
AND WE'RE TRYING, THAT'S WHY WE'RE ADDING STAFF NOW TO TRY TO CREATE SOME REDUNDANCY AND SOME SUCCESSION PLANNING SO THAT WE ARE NOT SO RELIANT ON EVERYONE HOLDING INFORMATION.
WE'RE TRYING TO, TO, TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE DOCUMENTING THOSE, UH, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND UNDERSTANDING THOSE SOPS AND MAKING SURE THAT WHEN WE PLAN FOR THE FUTURE, IT'S NOT BUSINESS AS USUAL, IT'S WHAT ELSE IS OUT THERE AND EVEN QUESTION WHY WE'RE DOING IT AT ALL.
AND THAT'S WHAT, UM, STARTING IN, UM, THIS NEXT COMING BUDGET YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING A FIVE YEAR BUDGET PLAN VERSUS JUST AN ANNUAL BUDGET PLAN SO THAT WE CAN START TO FORECAST WHAT SOME OF THOSE EXPENSES ARE AND PLAN FOR THEM VERSUS JUST LOOKING AT IT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
WELL ONE, JUST LAST, YOU KNOW, AS WE HEARD EARLIER TODAY, UM, TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE X AMOUNT OF POSITIONS THAT ARE IN THE QUEUE THAT ARE OPEN, UM, TO FILL AND WE'RE ADDING, UM, ADDITIONAL STAFF.
YOU'RE ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL STAFF ON THE, ON THE BUDGET.
UM, SO I GUESS IT'S REALLY NOT A QUESTION.
I MEAN, MAYBE IT'S A COMMENT BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS ARE KEY STRATEGIC POSITIONS THAT YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO FIND SOMEONE RIGHT THERE TO THEM.
UM, IT MIGHT TAKE A LONGER TIME OR IT MIGHT HAVE A, UH, A CERTAIN JOB CRITERIA THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE PUBLIC SAFETY, BECAUSE AS WE KNOW THAT WHEN WE INCREASE OUR BUDGET, UH, OUR, UH, PAY, EVERYBODY ELSE IS INCREASING.
YOU'RE ALWAYS FALLING OUT BACKING.
SO I GUESS THE, THE QUESTION THEN IS INSTEAD OF ADDING THOSE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS ONTO THE BUDGET, WHY DON'T, WHY AREN'T YOU ASKING FOR THEM AS THEY COME? UH, OR WHY ADDING IT ONTO THIS RIGHT NOW TO THE BUDGET? AND IF IT IS, IF THOSE POSITIONS ARE NOT BEING FILLED, WHERE DOES THAT ALLOCATED DOLLARS GO? OKAY, LET ME ASK ANSWER.
THE FIRST PART THAT I TALK ABOUT WHERE THEY, UM, ALLOCATED DOLLARS GO.
THE FIRST PART IS THERE'S NO WAY THAT I, AS A CITY MANAGER WOULD EVER PUT TOGETHER A BUDGET WITHOUT LOOKING AT CURRENT OBLIGATIONS OR CURRENT NEEDS.
WE DO NOT OPERATE ON A CASH BASIS.
WE OPERATE BASED ON RECURRING REVENUE ON WHAT WE PERCEIVE OUR, UH, OBLIGATIONS TO BE.
AND THAT IS, AT THE POINT IN TIME WHEN WE START TO DEVELOP THE BUDGET, KNOWING THAT POSITIONS ARE GOING TO EBB AND FLOW WHERE THE DOES THE DOLLARS GO? I, AND I WOULD SAY IN AN IDEAL ENVIRONMENT, IF, IF WE HAD NO BACKLOG OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, IF ALL OF OUR FACILITIES WERE BRAND NEW, IF EVERYTHING WAS IDEAL, THEN MAYBE WE COULD HAVE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT AT WHAT POINT DO, DO WE ANTICIPATE POSITIONS COMING ON BOARD.
AND SO KNOWING THAT, AND WE PLAN FOR OUR OBLIGATIONS, ANYTHING THAT IS NOT SPENT GOES INTO FUND BALANCE.
AND THEN BECAUSE OF THE STRATEGIC DECISION THIS COUNCIL MADE LAST YEAR, WHICH IS TO ALLOCATE THEM TO THE PRIORITY AREAS THAT OUR RESIDENTS HAVE SAID OUR PRIORITIES.
UM, I'M GONNA GO ON THE QUEUE, UH, RECOGNIZING COUNCIL ARIA.
UM, I WANTED TO SAY, FIRST OF ALL, UM, CONGRATULATIONS, UM, BERTHA, CITY MANAGER.
UM, THIS BUDGET THAT I, I LOOKED AT, UM, AND I SEE THAT IT WEREN'T EVEN CHANGES SINCE THE LAST TIME WAS VERY DETAILED, UM, VERY PRECISE.
UM, I SAW SOME NEW INNOVATIVE THINGS THAT Y'ALL DID, WHICH I REALLY LIKED, UH, ESPECIALLY THE POSITION OF THE GRANT WRITER BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
AND IT, IT MAKES ME FEEL CONFIDENT WHEN YOU GUYS ARE LISTENING NOT ONLY TO TO COUNCIL, BUT TO THE PUBLIC AND TO STAFF TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN DEPARTMENT NEEDS THAT WILL HELP US GROW THIS ORGANIZATION AND PROVIDE FUNDING.
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND PD WITH, WE'RE DOWN TO JUST 16, THAT JUST SHOWS THAT THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE AS AN ORGANIZATION IS WORKING, UM, AND THE PAY INCREASES, UM, HAVE WORKED AND HELPED TO ENHANCE THAT.
AND SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR HARD WORK.
THE DIGITAL READER, UM, THAT YOU HAVE LISTED IN HERE, UM, THAT INCLUDES COMMUNITY EN ENGAGEMENT OUTREACH FOR 1.2 MILLION.
UM, WE SPOKE ABOUT IF WE WERE TO RECEIVE GRANTS, UM, IF WE PUT MORE EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION ON THOSE DIGITAL READERS,
[00:45:01]
WE WOULD POSSIBLY BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR GRANTS AND GET THAT FUNDING FOR THAT.SO IF THAT IS THE CASE AND WE RECEIVE THAT FUNDING FROM ANY GRANTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WHERE DOES THE FUNDING THAT WE'VE ALLOCATED GO FOR, FOR THAT PARTICULAR ITEM THAT YOU WERE REFERRING TO? THAT'S THE, THE DIGITAL READERS.
WE ESTIMATE THE COST TO BE ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS, AND THAT'S THE ONE WHERE WE'VE GOTTEN WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION FROM OUR AUDITORS TO SAY THAT WE COULD USE PEG FUNDS FOR THAT.
SO, UM, GIVEN THAT WE CAN WORK ALL THE CRITERIA OUT, THAT'S THE PLAN IS TO USE THOSE PEG FUNDS FOR THE READER BOARDS.
THEN MY OTHER QUESTION IS, UM, IN REGARDS TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES, 900,000, CAN YOU KIND OF, JUST SO THE PUBLIC KNOWS WE'VE GOTTEN, I'VE GOTTEN SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW WE USE THOSE, UM, THOSE DOLLARS, THESE INCENTIVES.
CAN YOU KIND OF DEFINE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE? WELL, LET ME JUST SPEAK TO THE FACT THAT THE, THE INCENTIVES THAT WE'VE USED IN THE PAST WERE, UM, UM, FACADE IMPROVEMENTS, RESTAURANT AND PATIO.
THERE'S NO, THERE'S NOT, NOTHING HAS BEEN PREDETERMINED ABOUT HOW THAT'S GOING TO BE USED.
THAT WOULD NEED TO BE DEFINED.
SO THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY THOSE THREE PROGRAMS CORRECT.
SO IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE CREATE, UM, OR USE IT FOR THAT AS WELL.
AT WHAT POINT WILL WE DIVULGE, UM, THAT THOSE DETAILS TO THE PUBLIC? ONCE WE HAVE A MEETING AMONG COUNCIL TO DETERMINE HOW THOSE FUNDS WILL BE USED, STAFF WILL COME BACK WITH RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEN COUNSEL WILL MAKE A POLICY DECISION ON HOW TO USE THOSE FUNDS.
AND IF FOR SOME REASON COUNSEL DECIDES NOT TO ALLOCATE THESE FUNDS, WHERE DOES THE 900,000 GO? IT WILL ROLL INTO FUND BALANCE.
AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION IS, UM, THE YOUTH DIVERSION SPECIALIST, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS? NOW, I'M REALLY GONNA TAKE A STAB ON THAT,
AND CAN YOU DEFINE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE? WHAT, WHAT ARE THEIR, THEIR DUTIES, UH, FOR, FOR THAT? LET ME, LEMME BRING UP SOMEONE WHO CAN SPEAK TO THAT MORE DETAIL.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS WHAT SOME OF THESE NEW POSITIONS RIGHT.
SO THEY'RE NOT THINKING WE'RE JUST ADDING ON RIGHT.
SO THE STATE DID MANDATE THAT, UM, AND THAT POSITION IS GOING TO HAVE TO HANDLE ALL OF THE JUVENILE CASES.
THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH A DIVERSION PROCESS, UM, WHICH MEANS THERE'S GONNA BE UPFRONT CONTACT WITH THEM PRIOR TO COURT.
THERE'S GONNA HAVE TO BE AN AUDIT OF THEIR CASE PRIOR TO COURT, MAKE SURE THEY'RE ELIGIBLE WHEN THEY COME TO COURT, IF THAT'S THE DIVERSION PATH THEY TAKE.
THAT'S ONE SET OF REQUIREMENTS.
THE POSITION HAS TO MAKE CERTAIN FREQUENT CONTACTS WITH THEM THROUGHOUT THE DIVERSION TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE, MAKE THAT AUDIT REVIEW WHEN IT COMES TIME TO DECIDE IF IT'S SUCCESSFUL OR NOT, DEPENDING ON WHAT THEY FIND.
THEY'LL EITHER KICK IT FOR A JUDGE TO DO PATH A 'CAUSE THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL, OR FOR A SHOW CAUSE HEARING THAT'S A NON-ADVERSARIAL PROCESS ON PATH B.
AND THEN FOLLOW IT THROUGH ALL OF THOSE STEPS AT THE END OF THE DAY.
UM, AND THEY'RE HANDLED A BIT DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE THE GOAL OF IT IS TO PLACE THE YOUTH IN A NON-ADVERSARIAL ATMOSPHERE.
UM, AND IT'S GONNA BE GEARED TOWARDS ANYTHING THAT'S NOT TRAFFIC RELATED.
AND THERE'S GONNA BE SEPARATE RECORDING, UH, REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE STATE THAT WE HAVE TO DO NOW WITH THAT.
UM, EXPUNCTION REQUIREMENTS ARE GONNA BE DIFFERENT WITH THAT AS WELL ONCE THEY TURN 18.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO MONITOR FOR THAT AS WELL.
AND DOES THIS POSITION WORK, UH, WORK WITH THE JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, UM, AS WELL BECAUSE THEY HANDLE JUVENILE CASES AS WELL? WHEN IT DEALS WITH TRUANCY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, DO THEY HAVE TO OKAY.
AND THEN IS THIS A FULL-TIME POSITION? YES, MA'AM.
AND TO MY UNDERSTANDING, I HEARD WE'RE NOT GETTING ANY FUNDING FOR THIS POSITION, EVEN THOUGH IT'S STATE MANDATED? CORRECT.
RECOGNIZING COUNCILMAN BROWN MARSHALL.
SO I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF OBSERVATIONS AND QUESTIONS WITH REGARDS TO THE $10 MILLION IN INCREASED PROPERTY TAX REVENUE, UM, THAT WE ARE GONNA SEE IN THIS YEAR IS OUR BUDGET.
I DO UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, LATER ON TONIGHT, THAT WE WILL CONSIDER KEEPING THE TAX RATE THE SAME, BUT WITH THE INCREASED PROPERTY VALUES, THAT'S PRIMARILY WHERE THAT, UH, ADDITIONAL $10 MILLION IS STEMMING FROM.
AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT WHILE THE TAX RATE MAY REMAIN THE SAME, WHILE OUR PROPERTY VALUES ARE STEADILY GOING, CONSTANTLY RISING, CONSTANTLY RISING, UM, THAT'S BASICALLY THE NET EFFECT OF US HAVING INCREASED REVENUE
[00:50:01]
THERE.I'M, I'M CURIOUS TO FIND OUT, I WAS LOOKING AT SOME TRENDS WITH REGARDS TO PERSONNEL MEASURES.
ARE WE GOING TO TRY TO START LOOKING AT CREATIVE WAYS IN ORDER TO HIRE ADDITIONAL PEOPLE? UM, BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THE SAME TRENDS JUST EVERY YEAR, EVERY EVERY YEAR.
AND I DO AGREE WITH THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE NEW, UM, PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE ASKED FOR TONIGHT, BECAUSE WE DO NEED THEM.
BUT I THINK IT IS CRITICAL THAT AT SOME POINT WE MUST TAKE A LOOK AT OUR PERSONNEL.
EITHER WE'RE GONNA MAKE THE DECISION TO JUST GO ALONG WITH WHAT WE HAVE AND STOP TRYING TO INCREASE IT BECAUSE WE SIMPLY CANNOT HIRE PEOPLE, OR WE REALLY NEED TO GET TO A POINT WHERE WE CAN GET CREATIVE AND FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET PEOPLE IN THESE SEATS.
WE NEED THE PEOPLE IN THE SEATS.
UM, WE ALL SEE IT THROUGHOUT ALL OF OUR EMAILS WITH PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE DIFFERENT THINGS BECAUSE WE JUST CAN'T GET TO THEM FAST ENOUGH.
SO I KNOW THAT WE NEED THE PERSONNEL, BUT AT SOME POINT IN TIME, UM, IN 2022 LOOKING AT SOMETHING THERE, WE WERE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT ABOUT ACTUALS OF ABOUT 37 MILLION FOR PERSONNEL COSTS.
THESE ARE ACTUAL NUMBERS THIS YEAR, AT THE END OF 2024, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 46 MILLION.
THIS IS ACTUAL NUMBERS AS FAR AS PERSONNEL COSTS ARE CONCERNED.
NOW, BUDGET-WISE, WE'VE ALWAYS ASKED YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR, WELL OVER ALMOST CLOSE TO 50 MILLION.
SO I'M, I'M ENCOURAGING THAT WE GOTTA GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE GET PEOPLE AND GET PEOPLE IN THESE SEATS.
UM, THIS YEAR, 2025, WE'RE ASKING 62 MILLION.
OF COURSE THAT GOES IN LINE WITH THE NEW, UM, EMPLOYEES THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR.
BUT THIS WHOLE IDEA OF JUST NOT HAVING BUTS IN THE SEATS, WE, WE JUST GOTTA FIGURE IT OUT.
UM, FOR ME, I WANTED TO POINT OUT, UM, LAST YEAR, I THINK AS A COUNCIL, WE MADE GREAT STRIDES WITH PROVIDING THE EMPLOYEES WITH A 3% SALARY INCREASE.
THIS YEAR WE'RE PROVIDING, UM, EMPLOYEES WITH A 5%, AND OF COURSE, 6% WILL GO TO, UM, POLICE.
SO I THINK WE'RE DOING OUR PART, BUT NOW WE'VE GOTTA FIGURE OUT OTHER WAYS.
WE'RE SAYING WE'VE GOT THE SALARY, WE'RE OFFERING IT, SO NOW WE'VE GOTTA FIND OTHER WAYS IN ORDER TO ATTRACT AND KEEP, UM, TALENT HERE WITHIN THE CITY.
MY LAST COMMENT THAT I'M GONNA MAKE ON TONIGHT, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH COUNCILWOMAN, UH, RILEY, FOR TALKING ABOUT THE 900,000 IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES.
UM, MOVING FORWARD, WE HAVE GOT TO MAKE A BIG PUSH TOWARDS REDEVELOPMENT.
SO I'M HOPING THAT WHEN WE GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO START LOOKING AT OUR PLANS TO SPEND THIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE MONEY, WE ARE TAKING A CLOSER HARD LOOK AT REDEVELOPMENT BECAUSE IT, IT'S, IT'S STARING AT US.
IT'S, IT'S RIGHT HERE IN OUR FACE.
MY LAST COMMENT WILL BE IN REGARDS TO THE GRANTS WRITER.
UM, I'M HOPEFUL THAT THE GRANT WRITER WILL ALSO BE THE TYPE OF GRANT WRITER THAT WILL BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY NOT ONLY SHOVEL READY PROJECTS, BUT PROJECTS WHERE THEY MAY NOT BE SHOVEL READY, BUT FUNDING IS SITTING RIGHT THERE AND AVAILABLE FOR US SO THAT THEY ARE CREATIVE ENOUGH IN ORDER FOR US TO GO GET THOSE FUNDS MORE.
SO, SPECIFICALLY SPEAKING IN REGARDS TO THE CRAVENS ROAD AND HIGHWAY 90, UM,
THERE, WHERE WE ARE CONSTANTLY HAVING ACCIDENTS DUE TO TRAINS.
THERE WAS FUNDING ON THE, UM, THAT WAS READILY AVAILABLE LAST YEAR THAT COULD HAVE HELPED US WITH, WITH OUR SITUATION.
BUT AS I UNDERSTOOD FROM SHAHI AND I, AND I APPRECIATE THAT, UM, WE, WE KIND OF FELT LIKE MAYBE THAT GRANT MONEY WAS MORE SO READY FOR SHOVEL READY.
BUT I'M HOPING THAT WITH THIS GRANT WRITER THAT'S COMING IN, THAT THEY ARE CREATIVE ENOUGH AND THAT THEY UNDERSTAND GO AFTER IT BECAUSE OUR CITIZENS REALLY DO NEED THAT.
RECOGNIZING COUNCIL MEMBER EMERY, I MEAN, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMONI.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, BERTHA FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND, UH, I APPRECIATE MY, UH, COLLEAGUES' COMMENTS.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN, UH, BEFORE I SHARE MY THOUGHTS, UH, TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS TO EVERYONE, UH, THAT MAY BE BE HERE AND LISTENING THE DECISION, YOU TALKED ABOUT IT EARLIER, CITY MANAGER, ABOUT THE REVISION OF THE, UH, COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL, UH, POLICY MM-HMM.
AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME CONVERSATION AROUND THAT AND TYING THAT TO WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER, WHAT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT THE, UH, THE STAFFING, UH, VACANCIES OR
[00:55:01]
THE NEW POSITIONS THAT MAY BE FORTHCOMING.CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW THAT MONEY IS NOW BEING, UH, PUT IN THESE VARIOUS BUCKETS? YES.
BASICALLY, UM, WHAT HAPPENS NOW, UM, WHEN WE HAVE OVERAGES OR WHEN WE, UM, HAVE, WHEN OUR REVENUES EXCEED OUR EXPENSES, IT GOES INTO FUND BALANCE.
AND BECAUSE OF, OF THE DECISION TO CREATE THOSE STRATEGIC, UM, POTS OF MONEY, WE DO NOT HAVE TO BUDGET AT A RECURRING LEVEL FOR THOSE ONE TIME ONLY TYPES OF EXPENDITURES.
SO GIVEN, UM, WE HAVE EXCESS REVENUE IN A GIVEN YEAR, BASED ON THE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES ESTABLISHED, THEY WILL BE ALLOCATED TO, UH, PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE FOR STREETS AND SIDEWALKS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY EQUIPMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, PROBABLY GONNA REMEMBER, FORGET SOMETHING OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
UM, ECONOMIC, UM, FACILITIES, FACILITY MAINTENANCE, AND THEN IT, THOSE ARE THE, THE PRIMARY CATEGORIES.
AND THOSE CATEGORIES THEN ALLOW US TO NOT HAVE TO, UH, PROGRAM WITH RECURRING FUNDS, ITEMS THAT WE MAY EXPERIENCE, ASIDE FROM, UM, ASIDE FROM THE PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE ON STREETS AND SIDEWALKS, BUT THINGS LIKE EQUIPMENT AND IT, THOSE DO NOT HAPPEN EVERY YEAR FOR IT.
FOR EXAMPLE, FOR EXAMPLE, WE MAY CHANGE OUT OUR COMPUTERS EVERY TWO OR THREE YEARS, BUT WE WERE BUDGETING FOR THOSE EVERY YEAR UNTIL WE ESTABLISHED THE STRATEGIC FUND BALANCE ACCOUNTS, WHICH ENABLE US TO KEEP OUR, OUR EXPENSES LOWER AND NOT HAVE TO FUND THEM BECAUSE ALL OF THAT WAS ROLLING INTO TO FUND BALANCE.
AND IDEALLY, YOU KNOW, FOR MUNICIPALITY, OUR GOAL IS TO BREAK EVEN, TO HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF REVENUES THAT WE HAVE EXPENSES.
AND BECAUSE OF THE TIMING OF WHEN WE BRING ON POSITIONS OR THE FLUCTUATION IN ADDITIONAL REVENUE FROM, UH, PERMIT FEES, WE, WE HAVE SOME FLUCTUATION.
AND SO THOSE STRATEGIC ALLOCATIONS ALLOW US TO PLAN TO DO THOSE THINGS APPROPRIATELY.
UM, I JUST WANT TO START BY SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR CITY HAS CHANGED SO MUCH SINCE I JOINED COUNCIL FIRST IN 2017.
THE DECISIONS THAT WE MADE BACK IN 2017 ARE DIFFERENT THAN THE, THE DECISIONS WE'RE FACED AT MAKING TODAY.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DATA, WE TALK ABOUT THE PAST, UM, FIVE, 10, WHATEVER YEARS.
UH, WE LOOK A WHOLE LOT DIFFERENT, NOT ONLY AS A CITY, BUT YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WE'RE FACED WITH A LOT OF THINGS THAT MANY OF, UH, OTHER MUNICIPALITIES ARE FACED WITH.
BUT THROUGH DECISIONS THAT WE'VE MADE, IT'S ALLOWED US TO ACTUALLY HAVE A LESSER DEPENDENCE ON PROPERTY TAX REVENUE AND, UH, ACTUALLY HAVE AN INCREASED SALES TAX REVENUE BASE, WHICH HAS ALLOWED US TO KEEP OUR TAX RATE.
UH, WELL, ACTUALLY, WE'VE NOT ONLY KEPT IT EITHER AT THE SAME RATE OR WE'VE LOWERED IT IN IN, IN SEVERAL YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL.
UH, ALSO SIMULTANEOUSLY THERE'S BEEN A TREMENDOUS INCREASE IN THE COST OF GOODS AND SERVICES, SALARIES, BENEFITS, UH, HERE IN OUR CITY THAT WE'VE BEEN FACED WITH.
I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT A FEW THINGS.
58% OF OUR PERSONNEL EXPENSES TIED TO, TO, TO SAFETY PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH AGAIN SPEAKS TO OUR COMMITMENT TO KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE, WHICH I KNOW BASED OFF OF THE COMMUNITY S SURVEYS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO OUR RESIDENTS, OUR CITIZENS.
BUT AS IT RELATES TO THE COMMENTS ABOUT OPEN POSITIONS AND TRUTH, ALL EXISTING AND PLANNED POSITIONS ON BEHALF OF THIS UPCOMING YEAR SHOULD BE BUDGETED FOR LOWERING THE BUDGET BY OMITTING THE OPEN POSITIONS IS NOT A GOOD PRACTICE AND DOESN'T HELP WITH SUSTAINABILITY AND OUR CONTINUED GROWTH RELATIVE TO THIS BUDGET.
I'M EXTREMELY PROUD OF THE DUE DILIGENCE AND FISCAL MANAGEMENT WE'VE UTILIZED WHEN CONSIDERING THIS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND SIGNIFICANT RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE'RE ALL TASKED WITH.
WE AREN'T ASKING THE TAXPAYERS FOR ANY MORE MONEY IN THIS BUDGET.
WE'RE NOT ASKING THE TAXPAYERS FOR ANY MORE MONEY IN THIS BUDGET WHILE PROVIDING TAXPAYERS WITH CONTINUED, UH, SERVICES THAT THEY'VE GROWN TO EXPECT, UH, AND ARE ASKING FOR MORE OF.
AND SO, AGAIN, I WANNA REITERATE, WE AREN'T ASKING OUR TAXPAYERS FOR ANY MORE MONEY IN THIS BUDGET.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN FOCUSED ON KEEPING OUR TAX RATE THE SAME.
AND AGAIN, I WANNA REITERATE, WE'VE REDUCED IT EVEN OVER THE YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE PARA LAND CITY COUNCIL, THEY PASSED THEIR BUDGET LAST YEAR, WHICH INCLUDED A 3 CENT TAX RATE INCREASE.
IF YOU LOOK AT FORT BEND COUNTY, THEY APPROVED A HIGHER TAX RATE LAST YEAR, PASSED A LARGER BUDGET.
SUGAR LAND ALSO INCREASED THEIR PROPERTY TAX RATE LAST YEAR, AND WE DID NOT.
[01:00:01]
BEEN VERY, VERY FISCALLY FOCUSED, UH, AND RESPONSIBLE IN HOW WE HANDLE OUR BUDGET AS WELL AS THE TAXPAYER'S DOLLARS, WHILE ALSO TRYING TO KEEP US SAFE AND CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SERVICES.JUST A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO, WE FOUND OURSELVES IN A SIGNIFICANT AND SEEMINGLY DIRE SITUATION RELATIVE TO RETENTION AND ATTRACTING PERSONNEL TO FILL EXISTING VACANCIES.
AND AS A COUNCIL, THIS COUNCIL, WE WORK WITH STAFF TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, AND WE TOOK CARE OF IT.
NOW WE MUST REFUSE TO GO BACKWARDS AND WE MUST CONTINUE TO WORK DILIGENTLY AND WITH PRUDENCE TO ENSURE THAT WE DON'T FIND OURSELVES IN THE SAME PREDICAMENT GOING FORWARD.
IN THE MIDST OF THIS, THE COUNCIL, OH, IN THE MIDST OF THAT, THE COUNCIL ALSO WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE EVERYBODY WITH THE FIRST EVER ACROSS THE BOARD CITYWIDE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION AT 2.5%, AND ALSO INCREASED HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS FOR OUR SENIORS BY $10,000 TO 20, UH, $5,000 65 AND OLDER, AS WELL AS $20,000 FROM 10,000 FOR DISABLED PERSONS.
SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS A BALANCED BUDGET, AND IN THE MIDST OF ALL THAT WE'RE FACED WITH, I'M THANKFUL TO OUR CITY MANAGER, BERTHA AND ALL OF THE CITY STAFF, UH, IN YOUR WORK.
AND I PROUDLY SUPPORT PASSAGE OF THIS BUDGET THAT'S PRESENTED.
RECOGNIZING COUNCIL MEMBER EMERY.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE, UH, CONTINUE TO LOOK AT IS THE, UH, INCREASE IN COMPLEMENT OF OUR, UH, PERSONNEL.
AND, UH, OF COURSE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, THAT STICKS OUT IN THIS, UH, UH, BUDGET IS THE, UH, 21 ADDITIONAL, UH, INDIVIDUALS OR PERSONNEL IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU DIG DOWN INTO IT, WHAT, WHAT I'M FINDING, AND I GUESS MAYBE I ASK FOR YOUR, UH, UH, YOUR CONFIRMATION, IS THAT WE'VE BEEN ON A REAL SPREE, UH, A GOOD SPREE OF, UH, SETTING UP AND, UH, ESTABLISHING NEW PARKS ALL OVER THE CITY, UH, WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS GOING TO, UH, BE CONSIDERED AN AMENITY.
UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE LOOK AT, UH, MISSOURI CITY FOR A PLACE TO, UH, TO LIVE OR TO BRING THEIR BUSINESS.
UM, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WITH, UH, THAT INCREASE IN PARKS, UH, WE DIDN'T HAVE AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD, UH, UH, MAINTAIN THOSE PARKS.
SO TO ME, WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS THAT, UH, WE'VE TAKEN, UH, WHAT IS CONSIDERED ANON AMENITY, WHICH IS A PARK, AND WE'VE REALLY TURNED IT INTO A LIABILITY BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE CONCERNS, UH, THAT WE'RE, UH, SEEING FROM OUR, UH, OUR RESIDENTS AS TO WHY AREN'T YOU CUTTING THE GRASS AND THE PARKS? WHY AREN'T YOU CUTTING THE GRASS? AND SOME OF THE OTHER MAJOR AREAS? WELL, TO ME, THAT TURNS OUT AMENITY INTO A LIABILITY.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I CAN SEE, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL PEOPLE TO, UH, TO MAINTAIN OUR PARKS.
AND I'LL LEAVE IT UP TO, UH, YOURSELF AND, UH, YOUR, UH, YOUR PARKS, UH, DEPARTMENT TO, UH, UH, STAFF THAT ACCORDINGLY WITH THE, UH, WITH THE DEMAND THAT'S THERE.
SO, AND AT THIS POINT, UH, YOU'RE SAYING IT'S 21 PEOPLE, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I SEE THE REASON BEHIND IT.
SO, UH, I, YEAH, I'M, UH, I, I ACCEPT THAT KIND OF AN INCREASE BECAUSE OF THAT.
UH, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT, UH, WE TALK ABOUT IS THE, UH, THE, UH, PERSONNEL COST.
AND A LOT OF TIMES WE THINK THAT THAT'S ONLY SALARIES AND WAGES, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S, I SAY UNFORTUNATELY, BUT, UH, AS A FACT OF LIFE, IT REALLY IS, UH, DRIVEN BY BENEFITS ALSO.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT, UH, OUR, UH, WORKMAN'S COMP INSURANCE, UH, WAS, UH, UH, INCREASED.
UH, AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THAT OTHER THAN THE, YOU KNOW, THAN THAN OUR, UH, OUR WORKING EXPERIENCE THAT WE HAVE AND ALSO OUR HEALTH INSURANCE, UH, HAS INCREASED.
UH, AND AGAIN, I THINK IT WAS FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY NUMBERS THAT, UH, THAT MIGHT HELP US SEE HOW MUCH OF THAT WORKMAN'S COMP, UH, HAS AN IMPACT ON, UH, UH, ON OUR SALARIES AND WAGES AND ALSO THE, UM, UH, THE HEALTH INSURANCE? YES.
UM, AS YOU MAY RECALL, LAST YEAR, THE HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASED BY ALMOST 30%.
NOW, KEEP IN MIND, WE ONLY HAD TO ACCOUNT FOR THREE MONTHS OF THE INCREASE IN THE 2024 BUDGET, BUT IN THE 2025, WE HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR THE ADDITIONAL NINE MONTHS.
UM, SO FOR HEALTH INSURANCE, IT INCREASED FROM 6.6 MILLION TO 8.4.
[01:05:03]
WORKERS' COMP INCREASED BY 341,000.AND OF COURSE, THAT'S JUST AN ESTIMATE.
SO, AGAIN, I GUESS THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE IS THAT WHEN WE SEE INCREASE IN PERSONNEL COSTS, IT'S NOT JUST SALARIES AND WAGES, IT'S THE BENEFITS, THE, UH, UH, TYPES OF TAXES AND, UH, COMMITMENTS THAT, UH, HAVE BEEN MADE THAT WE HAVE TO, UH, TO FUND.
SO, UH, I, I, I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT, UH, TO THE FOREFRONT.
UH, TALKING A LITTLE, A LITTLE BIT LIKE, UH, WHAT, UH, COUNCILMAN BONY TALKED ABOUT AS FAR AS THE, UH, THE GENERAL FUND, UH, RIGHT NOW, UH, OUR, UH, BY ORDINANCE, WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN A 30% BALANCE IN OUR GENERAL FUND, AND THAT'S USED FOR LIKE A, A RAINY DAY FUND IF, IF WE HAVE PROBLEMS, UH, WITH, UH, ANY REVENUE, UH, SHORTFALLS.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO, TO, UH, USE THAT, UH, IF IT BECOMES NECESSARY.
AND THEN, UH, WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGE OF THE GENERAL FUND NOW, UH, OVER THAT 30%? DO WE KNOW? WE DON'T HAVE THAT CALCULATION YET.
OUR AUDITORS WILL BE HELPING US WITH THAT, UM, CALCULATION IN LIGHT OF THE CHANGES THAT WE MADE TO THE, UH, COMPREHENSIVE POLICY WHERE WE'RE ALLOCATING OUT, UM, ANYTHING THAT'S OVER THE 30%.
UM, SO WE DON'T, WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE AN ESTIMATE MAYBE BY, UM, JANUARY.
WHATEVER, THAT THOSE, THAT, THAT PERCENTAGES OF THOSE DOLLARS THAT, THAT REPRESENTS, THOSE ARE THE ITEM, THE DOLLARS THAT YOU USE TO, UH, LOOK AT, UH, FUNDING, UH, SOME OF THE STRATEGIC PROGRAMS THAT, UH, UH, WE AS A CITY, UH, BASED ON INPUT FROM NOT ONLY THE COUNCIL, BUT FROM THE RESIDENTS AS TO WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM, STREETS AND SIDEWALKS, 65, THE, UH, THE, UH, I'M SORRY, AND THE, I'M SORRY, 65% OF THAT FUND IS DEDICATED TO STREETS AND SIDEWALKS, STREETS AND SIDEWALKS.
AND I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT OUR, UH, UH, REPORT THAT WE GOT BACK, UH, THE SURVEY, UH, STREETS AND SIDEWALKS, UH, JUMPED UP TO BE THE NUMBER ONE, UH, UH, RANKING AS FAR AS MOST IMPORTANT TO OUR CITIZENS.
AND, UH, I, I THINK THAT, UH, SHOWS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO CATCH UP, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR STREETS AND SIDEWALKS ARE, YOU KNOW, OLD, UH, AND ARE REALLY IN DISREPAIR AND NEED REPLACEMENT.
SO I, I THINK THAT SHOWS THAT, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALLOCATING THE DOLLARS STRATEGICALLY, THOSE SUCCESS DOLLARS IN THE GENERAL FUND, STRATEGICALLY BASED ON, UH, ON THE CITIZEN'S, UH, INPUT.
AND, UH, OBVIOUSLY WHERE THE COUNCIL OR THE, UH, THE STAFF SEES THAT, UH, THOSE ONE TIME, UH, PROJECTS OR FUNDS COULD BE USED.
SO, UH, AND I GUESS THE, THE, UH, UH, THE LAST THING IS, UH, WELL, NO, I, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S IT.
UH, MY OTHER QUESTIONS WERE ANSWERED, ARE ASKED AND ANSWERED, UH, BY, UH, SOME OF THE OTHER, UH, UH, STATEMENTS AND QUESTIONS THAT WERE, UH, WERE GIVEN BY, UH, MY, UH, MY FELLOW COUNCIL FELLOWS.
SO, UH, THAT'S THE EXTENT OF MY QUESTIONS.
UH, THANK YOU STAFF FOR ALL THE HARD WORK.
UM, WHEN I SAT DOWN WITH THE TEAM TO GO THROUGH THE BUDGET, UH, WHAT I REMEMBER IS, OF COURSE, CORE SERVICES, BUT IT WAS ABOUT PEOPLE, RIGHT? IT'S ABOUT STAFF.
IT'S ABOUT TAKING CARE OF YOU GUYS.
AND TO YOUR POINT ABOUT BUTTS AND SEATS, IT'S ALSO FOCUSING ON BRINGING IN PEOPLE AT MID-RANGE WHERE WE DIDN'T DO SO WELL IN THE PAST.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL HELP GET BUTTS IN THE SEATS TO USE YOUR TERMS. UM, THIS ALSO GIVES THE CITY MANAGER THE TOOLS, THE RESOURCES TO DO YOUR REORG TO BETTER SERVE THIS COMMUNITY.
EVERYBODY OUT HERE IN THE CITY, UH, HALL TONIGHT WEARS TWO OR THREE HATS, AND WE NEED TO GET IT DOWN TO ONE.
SO THIS BUDGET SETS YOU UP FOR SUCCESS WITH PEOPLE WITH TECHNOLOGY, AND ULTIMATELY PROVIDING US BETTER SERVICES.
UM, THE STRATEGIC ACCOUNTS, I'M GLAD COUNCIL MEMBER BONY BROUGHT THAT UP, THAT USED TO GO TO THE RESERVES, AND THAT WAS A, UH, AN ACT OF GOD TO TAKE IT OUT OF THE RESERVES, RIGHT? TODAY, IT'S VERY STRATEGIC.
AND I REMEMBER IF CHIEF IS HERE TONIGHT FROM THE FIRE, WE DID SOME COOL STUFF FOR FIRE JUST OUTTA THAT ONE FUND, UH, TO THE BUDGET COMMITTEE.
SO VERY WELL DESIGNED AND VERY, VERY STRATEGIC IN WHAT
[01:10:01]
WE'RE DOING WITH OUR MONEY.UM, THE BUDGET COMMITTEE, YOU MENTIONED IT EARLIER, WE'RE YIELDING ABOUT 5% INTEREST ON SOME OF OUR INTEREST RATES.
AND WE'RE WORKING SMART TO USE THOSE DOLLARS.
IN FACT, WE JUST HELPED MUD TOO, RIGHT? WE JUST OFFLOADED A TON OF DEBT TO HELP DRIVE THAT COST DOWN.
SO, UM, BASICALLY, I, I SAY THAT, UM, WE ARE ADDRESSING WHAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS TODAY.
UH, WE'RE HELPING YOU GUYS WITH BETTER PAY.
WE'RE HELPING YOU GUYS WITH HOPEFULLY HIRING 21 PEOPLE.
YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS SINCE MAY.
I SAW THAT WINDY ROAD YOU HAD UP THERE.
IT SHOULD BE LIKE A CIRCLE 'CAUSE, BUT, UM, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR YET ANOTHER GREAT BUDGET CYCLE AND TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BON'S POINT.
UM, IT'S NOT US RAISING TAXES THIS YEAR, SO THANK YOU.
I, I, I ALSO JUST HAVE TWO COMMENTS.
ONE WAS AROUND COUNCIL MEMBER NIA BROWN MARSHALL.
I THINK WE GET, WE HEAR FROM THE, FROM OUR PUBLIC A LOT IN SENSE, PEOPLE GET CONFUSED WITH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TELLING THEM THAT WE'RE KEEPING THE TAX RATE WHERE IT IS, BUT THEY'RE SAYING, MY TAX WENT UP.
AND PART OF THE, PART OF THE REASON FOR THAT IS YOUR FORT BEND CAD, THEY DO THE VALUATION OF YOUR PROPERTY.
UH, ALL OF US WHO HAVE PROPERTY AND THAT AMOUNT IS, CONTINUES TO GO UP.
UM, AND SO IT IS THROUGH FOR BRIAD AND, AND I THINK, UM, WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO, UH, KEEP THAT RATE WHERE IT IS.
BUT ALSO, I THINK, UM, SHE MADE ONE MORE POINT, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, ALONG WITH SALARY AND RACES.
UM, SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, AND I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER BONY ALSO ALLUDED TO THIS, WHICH I DON'T THINK PEOPLE THINK IS IN 2020 WHEN WE JUST STARTING A NEW, NEW DECADE IN 2020, THE STAFF, UH, WHERE THEY WERE ON THEIR PAY, UH, TO ESPECIALLY PUBLIC SAFETY AND TO OTHER THINGS THAT, THAT THIS WAS GOING ON IN THIS CITY WAS, UH, VERY LOW.
WE HAD TO COME IN, IMPROVISE WITHOUT RAISING TAXES.
AS YOU HEARD FROM COUNCILOR RAM BONI TALK ABOUT SINCE, UM, 2017 AND, AND ONWARDS, WE TRY TO KEEP THE TAX.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE RAISED, WE LOWERED IT DOWN ONE TIME BY 50 CENTS, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I AM.
BUT LAST YEAR'S, THE RAISE PAY RAISES THAT WE WERE GIVING IN THIS CITY WAS 2% OR TWO POINT A HALF PERCENT EVERY TWO YEARS.
WHO CHANGED THAT? WHO'S WE? THE CITY COUNCIL, UM, CAME IN AND MADE SURE THAT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE CARE OF OUR STAFF.
UM, AND THEN ALL THESE POSITIONS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND, AND THOSE ARE STRATEGICALLY IMPORTANT.
AND, AND AS COUNCIL MEMBER, BONY ALLUDED TO HIM BEING THE CHAIR OF THE FINANCE, UH, THE 30% ON SAVING, YOU KNOW, KEEPING IT ON, ON THE FUND BALANCE AND TAKING THAT, THE REST OF IT IS ACTUALLY ALLOCATING IT INTO FIVE DIFFERENT COMPARTMENTS.
AND THAT MONEY IS ACTUALLY GOING INTO, YOU'LL SEE WHERE THAT MONEY IS BEING UTILIZED.
THE NUMBER ONE THING I THINK IS THAT, THAT I HEAR OUT THERE FROM THE PUBLIC IS STREETS, SIDEWALKS, AND STREETS AND REPAIR.
THAT'S THE, THE BULK OF YOUR MONEY, THAT, THAT'S WHERE IT'S GOING.
BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE CARE OF THE STAFF AND WORK THROUGH THE PROCESS.
I LIKE THE COMPARISON THAT WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER BONING IN REGARDS TO, FOR PIN COUNTY, SUGARLAND, AND PEARLAND.
AND THE REASON WHY I SAID FACTS DON'T LIE, IS HE TALKED ABOUT FACTS, WHICH IS TRUE.
FORT BEND COUNTY CAME IN AND RAISED THE TAXES.
SUGARLAND LAST YEAR RAISED THEIR TAX AND PARA LAND.
UM, IT ALSO RAISED WHILE MISSOURI CITY FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS, I CAN SPEAK TO, 'CAUSE I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE 2020, HAVE NOT RAISED TAX RATE AND KEPT IT, BUT WE HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES TO EMPLOYEE, UH, RETENTION AND EMPLOYEE PAYMENT, AND THEN ALSO TRYING TO GROW THE CITY.
ONE COMMENT I I THINK I WOULD MAKE ON THAT IS THE HIRING ASPECT.
CITY MANAGER, YOU KNOW, AS WE HEARD THROUGH PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT THERE'S X AMOUNT OF POSITIONS HERE THAT'S BEEN SITTING.
UM, WHILE I UNDERSTAND THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMPONENT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE BEST OF THE BEST, BUT SOME OF THESE OTHER AREAS THAT WE NEEDED YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT HEADS
[01:15:01]
TO, LET'S MAKE THOSE MOVES.LET'S WORK THROUGH THE PROCESS TO GET PEOPLE IN HERE.
SO THIS WAY, AS COUNCILMAN MERUS ALLUDED TO, SOME OF THESE DIRECTORS IN HERE ARE WEARING, HE'S RIGHT, TWO TO THREE HATS.
AND THAT IS NOT THE CASE IN SUGARLAND.
THAT IS NOT THE CASE IN CAROLINE, THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
WHEN WE DID A, UH, SALARY SURVEY STUDY COMPARISON TO COMPARING OTHER CITIES.
AND, AND WHAT'S INTERESTING WAS THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT WORK IN OTHER CITIES, WE CAN ONLY SHAVE IT TO A LIMITATIONS AT WHAT WE CAN.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MONY ALLUDED TO THE 5% RAISE LAST YEAR'S, THREE AND A HALF PERCENT, AND THEN 6%, YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR, UH, FOR PUB, UH, FOR POLICE, AND MOVING HOPEFULLY WITH OUR SALES TAX.
UM, AND I, AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT OUR FINANCE COMMITTEE, OUR ED, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, AND IF YOU SEE OUT THERE, YOU SEE THE SUBSTANTIAL GROWTH THAT MISSOURI CITY'S HAVING.
UM, SO I WANT TO THANK YOU AND THANK BERTHA AND THANK THE ENTIRE STAFF ALSO FOR WORKING HARD.
AND AS YOU KNOW, WE SAY THAT WE'RE A CITY OF 75,000 PEOPLE, I BELIEVE WE'RE A HUNDRED THOUSAND BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DID NOT WANT TO FILL OUT THE SURVEY IN 2020 DUE TO COVID BECAUSE YOU WERE GONNA GET VACCINATED.
BUT WE HAVE ALMOST A HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE.
AND TO THINK ABOUT IF WE FILL THESE 21 POSITIONS IS WHAT WE HAVE, 450 SOME EMPLOYEES.
THAT'S NOTHING COMPARED TO COMPARABLE CITIES THAT ARE THIS SIZE.
SO I THINK, IN MY OPINION, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN AROUND CITY COUNCIL IN THE PAST, BUT I HAVE TO HAND IT TO THIS CITY COUNCIL WHO'S SITTING UP HERE, AND ALSO CITY MANAGER, YOUR LEADERSHIP AND CITY SECRETARY, CITY ATTORNEY, AND ALL THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS IN THIS ROOM AND WHO ARE NOT HERE IN THIS ROOM ARE MANAGING IT TO THAT LEVEL OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE CITY.
THAT SPEAKS A LOT ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE.
AND WE OFTEN GET COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES, BUT I WOULD SAY IS SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA HAVE THE STAFF TO DO THE WORK, AND THEY'RE WEARING MULTIPLE.
SO I'M VERY HAPPY WITH THIS BUDGET THAT YOU'RE PRESENTING.
UM, SO, UM, THAT'S MY COMMENT.
UM, I SEE THERE'S A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER BONY.
THERE'S A SECOND BY COUNCIL MAYOR PROAM KLAUSER.
AND AS A REMINDER, THIS ITEM WILL REQUIRE TWO VOTES.
WHAT? ADOPTING THE OR ORDINANCE, THE OTHER ONE RATIFYING THE INCREASE IN REVENUE.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON THE, UH, THE ACTION THAT'S UP HERE, RIGHT? OKAY.
LET'S GET, THIS SHOULD BE A RECORD.
MAY I PRESS HIM? KLAUSER? YES.
SO THE SECOND ITEM, ADOPT, UH, RATIFYING THE, UH, INCREASE IN REVENUE THAT'S REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET.
DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A RECORD VOTE.
THERE'S BEEN A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER RAMONI, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER EMERY.
I SEE NO ONE ELSE IN THE QUEUE.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
ITEM EIGHT CR, PUBLIC HEARING,
[(c) Public Hearing - To receive comments for or against an ad valorem tax ...]
UH, TO RECEIVE COMMENTS FOR OR AGAINST AN VALOREM TAX RATE FOR THE CITY OF ZU, CITY OF TEXAS.UM, UH, WE'LL NOW GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM C.
UH, CITY SECRETARY, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
MR. SOAY, AGAIN, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AND PLEASE ADHERE TO THE THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT.
GUY SOAY, 35 14 CROSS CREEK COURT.
UM, SO I WANNA TALK ABOUT THE TAX RATES IN GENERAL.
OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, TAX REVENUE HAS GROWN AT A 10% COM COMPOUNDED ANNUAL GROWTH RATE.
MOST OF THAT GROWTH, 80% OF THAT GROWTH IS DUE TO APPRAISAL DISTRICT INCREASE.
THERE'S ONLY ABOUT 20% DUE TO THE ADDITION OF NEW, UH, PROPERTIES.
THAT'S BASED ON THE, UH, PROPERTY TAX STATEMENTS THROUGH IN EACH OF THE BUDGET BOOKS.
UH, I'VE SEEN MY TAXES GROW 9% OVER THAT SAME TIME
[01:20:01]
PERIOD.I WILL BE PAYING MORE TAXES NEXT YEAR, 10% THE WAY IT'S SET RIGHT NOW.
UM, I WONDERED HOW THAT HAPPENED AND WHY I DIDN'T NOTICE IT.
THE FORT BEND, ISD TAXES HAVE DROPPED CONSIDERABLY OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.
SO MY TOTAL TAX BILL THAT I PAY HAS NOT REALLY GONE UP.
THE INCREASES FROM FORT BEND COUNTY AND FROM CITY OF MISSOURI CITY HAVE BEEN MASSED BY THAT DROP.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS MOST OF US PAY VIA ESCROW ACCOUNT.
GET TO WRITE THAT NICE BIG CHECK EVERY YEAR.
SO I THINK YOU'RE, MAYBE SOME PEOPLE ARE COMPLACENT 'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT SEEING THE BIG INCREASES FROM THE CITY AND FROM THE COUNTY BECAUSE THE, FOR, BECAUSE ISD TAXES HAVE BEEN DROPPING.
UH, I OFTEN HEAR THAT THE CITY'S NOT INCREASING THE TAXES, BUT THAT THE TAXES ARE A RESULT OF THE INCREASED APPRAISALS.
UM, THAT'S NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT TRUE TAXES THAT I AND MY FELLOW CITIZENS PAY ARE THE PRODUCT OF TWO NUMBERS.
MY APPRAISAL AND THE SEAT TAX RATES.
COUNSEL IS 100% IN CONTROL OF THE SEAT TAX RATE.
YOU'RE ABOUT TO PROVE THAT HERE IN JUST A MINUTE.
UM, 10% COMPOUNDED ANNUAL GROWTH RATE OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS IS NOT SUSTAINABLE.
FIRST OF ALL, IT'S NOT GONNA CONTINUE TO HAPPEN AT SOME POINT, UH, DESPITE WHAT MY CAP LOSS IS ON MY PROPERTY, THAT NUMBER'S GONNA RUN OUT.
THE CITY'S GOTTA FIGURE OUT HOW TO LIVE LIKE WE DO INSIDE OF, UH, A BUDGET.
BUT THAT CONTINUED INCREASE ALONG WITH THE 20% INCREASE IN CPI OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS THAT RESIDENTS HAVE SEEN.
THOSE ARE PRETTY GOOD BURDENS, ESPECIALLY ON, UH, PEOPLE THAT ARE RETIRED.
YOU GUYS CAN BE HEROES TONIGHT.
YOU'VE HEARD YOU'VE GOT ENOUGH MONEY.
IF YOU CUT THE BUD, IF YOU CUT THE PROPERTY TAX, YOU'VE GOT ENOUGH MONEY TO HIRE EVERYBODY YOU NEED.
THERE IS EXCESS MONEY IN THE BUDGET THAT WILL NOT BE SPENT.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE 77 PEOPLE ON NEW PEOPLE ON STAFF HERE IN A WEEK AND A HALF.
YOU CAN CUT THE RATE, YOU CAN STILL HAVE THE MONEY TO FULLY FUND THE BUDGET.
THE FUND BALANCE WILL NOT BE WHAT YOU WANT IT TO SEE.
BUT INSTEAD, MAYBE THAT'S MORE A TRANSPARENT PROCESS EVERY YEAR.
COME IN AND IDENTIFY THOSE ARE, THAT THOSE ITEMS ARE, THAT ARE NEEDED.
I AGREE STREETS AND SIDEWALKS ARE MY NUMBER ONE, RIGHT? AND SO MAYBE BE BE A LITTLE MORE TRANSPARENT ABOUT THOSE.
BUT I WOULD URGE YOU TO ADOPT A LOWER TAX RATE, SOMETHING SIX TO $7 MILLION LESS IN PROPERTY TAXES.
IT'S A 16% INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR PROPERTY TAX REVENUE.
ONLY 20% OF THAT AMOUNT IS DUE TO NEW PROPERTY TAXES.
THE REST OF IT IS ALL DUE TO, UM, INCREASED APPRAISALS.
THAT CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC HEARING COMMENT.
IF THERE'S NO FURTHER COMMENTS, WE'LL, UH, GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM EIGHT C.
[(d) Consideration and Possible Action - First and Final Reading - An ordin...]
D AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY, TEXAS, PROVIDING FOR THE ASSESSMENT LEVY AND COLLECTION OF AVALOR TAXES FOR THE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY, TEXAS FOR THE TAX YEAR 2024 AND FOR EACH YEAR THEREAFTER UNTIL OTHERWISE PROVIDED, PROVIDING THE DATE ON WHICH SUCH TAXES SHALL BE DUE AND TIMELY PAID AUTHORIZING AN ADDITIONAL PENALTY FOR THE COLLECTION OF DELINQUENT AVALOR TAXES IN LIEU OF RE RECOVERING ATTORNEY'S FEES AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.MAYOR AND COUNSEL, IT'S A PLEASURE TO STAND IN FRONT OF YOU TONIGHT.
UH, AND BRIEFLY, UH, PROPOSE TO YOU THE PROPERTY TAX RATE THAT WILL SUPPORT THE BUDGET THAT Y'ALL JUST PASSED.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, UH, WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IS A, UH, 0.5 7 0 8 2 5 TAX RATE, WHICH IS, UH, THE SAME TAX RATE, UH, FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 AS, UH, WE HAVE HAD IN 2024.
I'D LIKE TO DRAW YOUR NUMBER, YOUR, UH, ATTENTION TO A COUPLE OF THE NUMBERS DOWN ON THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN.
UH, ABOUT 50 MILLION OF THAT WILL BE ALLOCATED TO THE GENERAL FUND ABOUT JUST OVER $9 MILLION WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO THE TS FUND.
AND THEN $11.7 MILLION WILL BE, UH, ALLOCATED TO THE DEBT SERVICE FUND.
UM, ABOUT 70 MILLION WILL BE GENERATED FROM EXISTING PROPERTY TAXES WHILE, UM, JUST UNDER A MILLION IS, IS GENERATING FROM, UM, NEW TAXES.
UM, TO TALK ABOUT THE RESIDENT'S TAX BILL, UM, IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY IS, UH, JUST A, A, A SMALL FRACTION OF WHAT, UH, SOMEONE'S TAX BILL, UM, MAY BE.
THE FORT FORT BEND, ISD, UM, IS, UH, ABOUT 45% OF ONE'S, UH, TAX BILL.
UH, MISSOURI CITY IS ABOUT 26%.
AND, UH, FORT BEND COUNTY, UH, THAT'S THEIR GENERAL FUND AND THEIR DRAINAGE IS ABOUT 25%.
IN ADDITION, MOST MISSOURI CITY RESIDENTS ALSO PLAY PAY MUD TAXES, AND THOSE, UH, VARY DEPENDING ON WHICH, UH, MUD DISTRICT THEY'RE IN.
I'VE HEARD A LOT OF TALK TONIGHT ABOUT THE, UH, THE TAX RATE AND WHAT THE TAX RATE HAS BEEN IN, UH, RECENT YEARS.
AND SO WE'D LIKE TO SHARE A SLIDE, UH, THAT SHOWS THAT RATE.
UM, OUR 10 YEAR AVERAGE IS, UH, 0.5 8, 5 0 4 3.
[01:25:02]
SO THE PROPOSED TAX RATE IS ACTUALLY BELOW THE 10 YEAR AVERAGE.UM, WE HAVE A HIGH OF, UH, 20 19, 20 20 AT 63 CENTS.
AND THEN WE'VE BEEN GRADUALLY DECLINING, UH, SINCE THEN.
AND, UH, WITH, UH, THIS YEAR, THE, THE PROPOSAL TO, UM, UM, BE, UH, MAINTAIN THE TAX RATE FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR, UH, THE VALUE OF A PENNY.
UH, SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR TAXABLE VALUE, UM, UH, OF ABOUT $10 BILLION, UH, THE M AND O RATE, UH, IS, IS 0.46 CENTS.
THE INS FOR THE DEBT RATE IS, UH, JUST, UH, JUST OVER 10 CENTS, UH, FOR THAT TOTAL RATE.
SO THE VALUE OF, UH, A PENNY IS JUST OVER, UH, A MILLION DOLLARS.
UM, WE'VE ALSO HEARD SOME TALKS TONIGHT ABOUT OUR COMPARISON CITIES, AND WE DO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS, UH, EVERY YEAR.
THIS IS, UM, THESE NUMBERS I I BELIEVE COME FROM TAX YEAR 2023, WHICH MEANS FISCAL YEAR 2024.
SO SOME OF OF THESE MAY HAVE CHANGED, UH, WITHIN THE LAST YEAR BECAUSE FISCAL YEARS IN THE, THE TIMELINE OF THE DIFFERENT CITIES.
BUT MISSOURI CITY, WE ARE THE GREEN BAR AND WE'RE RIGHT ABOUT AVERAGE.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, SOME CITIES THAT ARE MUCH HIGHER, AND THEN WE HAVE A COUPLE THAT ARE, UM, MUCH LOWER.
AND SO WE, WE SIT RIGHT AROUND, UM, AVERAGE TO OUR NEIGHBORING IN COMPARISON CITIES.
UH, AND JUST A BRIEF SUMMARY, UM, BASED ON THE, UH, CERTIFIED ROLES FROM FORT BEND COUNTY AND HARRIS COUNTY, UM, THE, THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE WOULD'VE BEEN 56 CENTS.
UH, THE ADJUSTED VOTER APPROVAL RATE, WHICH IS 0.5 7 8 0 4 5, WE ARE PROPOSING BETWEEN THAT, UH, JUST UNDER THE ADJUSTED VOTER APPROVED RATE AT, UH, 0.5 7 0 8 2 5, WHICH SUPPORTS THE CITY MANAGER'S PROPOSED BUDGET OF 242.4 MILLION.
UH, WE'RE GONNA GO TO, WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE IN THE QUEUE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BRA MARSH.
UM, AS THE STAFF TAKE A LOOK AT THE, UH, TAX RATES.
WERE THERE ANY MODELS THAT WERE PREPARED, UH, TO SHOW WHAT DIFFERENT TAX RATES WOULD PRODUCE IN TERMS OF REVENUE? UM, THAT WAS ACTUALLY PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, NOT PART OF, UH, WHAT FINANCE DID.
WE, UH, FINANCE TOOK A LOOK AT THE TRUTH AND TAXATION, THE LAW THAT, UH, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THROUGH, UM, THROUGH THE STATE, UH, TO, BASED ON THE, THE, UM, VOTER PARADE.
BUT YES, IN THE BUDGET PROFIT, THIS PROCESS, THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CHIEF BUDGET PERFORMANCE OFFICER LOOKED AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT, UH, TAX RATES, UM, WHICH IS REALLY THAT VALUE OF A PENNY.
IT'S A REALLY GOOD TOOL TO USE.
SO THAT, SO THAT YOU CAN UNDERSTAND ABOUT, ABOUT WHAT THAT, UM, WHAT THAT WILL GENERATE IN REVENUE MM-HMM.
AND CITY MANAGER CAN PROBABLY SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THAT.
WE, WE LOOK AT RATES THAT, UM, WOULD BE 2 CENTS LESS TO SEE WHAT THAT IMPACT WOULD BE, AS WELL AS RATES THAT WOULD BE AT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, UM, TO SEE WHAT THAT IMPACT WOULD BE.
AND BASICALLY, UH, WE ALSO EXPLORED THE COLLECTION RATE MM-HMM.
AND, AND SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE LANDED ON THE RATE THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE THAT, WHAT, THAT'S WHAT GAVE US THE REVENUE WE NEEDED FOR OUR OBLIGATIONS.
AND IN TERMS OF, I, I, AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR TAKING A LOOK AT A SEVERAL DIFFERENT MODELS BECAUSE THAT IS IMPORTANT, UM, TO SOME DEGREE, OFTENTIMES MOST RESIDENTS DO SEE TAX INCREASES INSIDE OF THEIR CITY TAX, WHILE SOME ON COUNCIL HAVE STATED THAT THE TAXES HAVE NOT BEEN RAISED.
HOWEVER, KEEPING THE TAX RATE THE SAME WITH INCREASED PROPERTY VALUES DOES INDEED RAISE, RAISE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE HAVE TO PAY.
AND IT'S, IT MAY NOT BE A LOT OF MONEY AND, AND LIKE, AS WAS STATED EARLIER IN PUBLIC COMMENT, MAYBE IT'S NOT ALWAYS SEEN BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE REDUCTIONS THAT WE DO SEE INSIDE OF THE FORT BEND, ISD.
BUT IN FULL TRANSPARENCY, I THINK WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT INCREASED PROPERTY TAX RATE, INCREASED PROPERTY VALUES VERSUS WHATEVER THE TAX RATE IS, THAT IS WHAT DICTATES THE OUTCOME OF THE PROPERTY TAXES THAT WE PAY TO THE CITY.
SO AS LONG AS I KNOW THAT WE LOOKED AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT MODELS, I STILL FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE TAX RATE REMAINING THE SAME AS IT WAS LAST YEAR.
AND, AND I JUST WANNA POINT OUT THAT ADDITIONALLY, UM, GOING FORWARD, THE REASON WHY WE WENT TO, UM, PROGRAM BUDGETING IS BECAUSE NOT ALL PROGRAMS ARE CONSIDERED THE SAME.
OKAY? AND SO AS, AS WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO REDUCE THE BURDEN ON TAXPAYERS, WE NEED TO LOOK AT HOW DO WE, UM, HAVE OUR USERS PAY MORE? HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT, UM, WE ARE LOOKING AT RECOVERY RATES FOR OUR
[01:30:01]
SERVICES, HOW DO WE LOOK AT, UH, POTENTIALLY NEW REVENUE, UM, SOURCES, BUT STILL RECOGNIZING THAT THE BULK OF OUR REVENUE COMES FROM TWO SOURCES.ONE BEING PROPERTY TAXES, THE OTHER BEING SALES TAXES, GRANTS IS GREAT AS WELL AS OUR FEES, BUT THEY BY FAR ARE NOT THE BULK OF, OF OUR REVENUE.
AND SO, BUT WE, WE DEFINITELY, UM, WILL BE HAVING SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT PRIORITIZING ALL OF OUR SERVICES AND, AND HAVING THE TOUGH CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHICH ONES WE CONTINUE.
I THINK THAT'S VERY, VERY CRITICAL.
UM, ON MY TIME BEING ON COUNCIL, I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH LONGTIME RESIDENTS THAT LIVE HERE INSIDE OF THE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY.
NOT JUST OVER ON THE EAST SIDE, BUT SOME OVER IN QUAIL VALLEY, WHERE THEY HAVE HAD TO SELL THEIR HOMES BECAUSE A, WE'RE LIVING LONGER.
AND SO, UM, THAT WAS, THERE WAS A PARTICULAR SITUATION WHERE SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, I JUST DIDN'T KNOW I WOULD LIVE THIS LONG, AND NOW I'M, I'M SELLING MY PROPERTY.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE TAKE A LOOK AT OUR PROPERTY TAX RATES VERSUS WHAT, WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE CAN DO FOR OUR CITIZENS IN ORDER TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO GET A REDUCTION, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, NOT CUT CITY SERVICES.
RECOGNIZING COUNCIL MEMBER, AB BONY.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, OUR BUDGETS HAVE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY, UH, SERVICES, COST OF GOODS AND EVERYTHING HAVE INCREASED.
IF YOU GO BACK TO THE SLIDE, IF YOU COULD, UH, YEAH, RIGHT HERE, YOU LOOK AT THE TAX RATE HISTORY WE WERE AT IN 20 EIGHTEENS TAX YEAR 63 AT 63 SINCE, AND THEN THE SAME IN 2019.
AND I REMEMBER IN 2021, UH, WHEN WE AS, UH, OH, EXCUSE ME, 2022, WHEN THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND, AND WE MET AND WE TALKED, AND I PROPOSED US GOING BACK TO, UH, I MEAN IN 2023, GOING BACK TO 2020 ONE'S, UH, TAX RATE, SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY TRY TO LESSEN, I MEAN, I'M SORRY, WE, WE COULD TRY TO LESSEN THE TAX RATE SO THAT WE CAN GET BACK TO WHERE WE ONCE WERE BECAUSE WE, WE DID NOT WANT TO BURDEN THE TAXPAYERS, THE PROPERTY TAXPAYERS WITH MORE DOLLARS THAT WE WERE, YOU KNOW, HITTING THEM WITH.
WE COULD HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, GONE WITH THE ADJUSTED VOTER APPROVAL RATE.
AND THIS BUDGET, UH, ALLOWS FOR US TO KEEP THE SAME TAX RATE AS WE HAD THE PREVIOUS YEAR, AND ALSO PROVIDE MORE SERVICES AND MORE OF THE THINGS THAT WE AS A COUNCIL AND YOU AS A COMMUNITY HAD WANTED.
AND TO BE FRANK WITH YOU, AGAIN, I JUST WANNA REITERATE AS I DID DURING THE BUDGET CONVERSATIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, FROM, FROM A TAX RATE VANTAGE POINT, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL MONEY FROM OUR, OUR RESIDENTS.
OUR TAXPAYERS ARE NOT BEING ASKED BY THIS CITY, BY THIS COUNCIL FOR MORE MONEY.
THIS IS, OF COURSE, SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER.
THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WITH THE FORT BEING APPRAISAL DISTRICT, THEY HAVE CONTROL OVER VALUATIONS.
UH, I, FOR ONE, I RAISE MY HAND, I WOULD DO AWAY WITH TAXES TODAY IF I COULD
I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY UP HERE OUT THERE THAT WANTS TO PAY ANY TAXES, BUT IF WE DON'T MANAGE THIS PROPERLY, WE'LL FIND OURSELVES IN THE SAME SITUATION THAT OUR NEIGHBORS NEXT DOOR TO US IN STAFFORD ARE FACING WHO HAVE A ZERO PROPERTY TAX.
AND WHILE IT'S GOOD TO BEAT YOUR CHEST AND TALK ABOUT HOW YOU HAVE ZERO PROPERTY TAXES, THEY'RE HEMORRHAGING OVER THERE BECAUSE THEY CONTINUE TO HAVE A NEED TO PROVIDE SERVICES, PUBLIC SAFETY, THEY'RE LOSING, UH, QUALITY EMPLOYEES AND SERVICES ARE NOT BEING PROVIDED TO THE LEVEL THAT THEY WANT BECAUSE THEY HAVE A ZERO PROPERTY TAX.
SO I'M VERY EXCITED AND PROUD THAT WE AS A CITY HAVE A HISTORY AS PROVEN HERE, THAT WE'VE LOWERED OUR TAX RATE WHILE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE MORE FOR OUR RESIDENTS, NOT ONLY THE EXISTING RESIDENTS, BUT THOSE THAT HAVE COME INTO THIS CITY BY WAY OF TRAVEL OR HAVING A NEW HOME BUILT.
SO THIS IS EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY, UH, GOOD THAT WE ARE IN A PLACE WHERE OUR, OUR SALES TAXES ARE SOLID AND WE'RE ABLE TO ACTUALLY MAINTAIN THE TAX RATE YET AGAIN, THE YEAR, I MEAN, AGAIN, IF WE CAN GO TO, TO 10 CENTS, IF WE CAN GO TO 20 CENTS, THAT WOULD BE IDEAL.
BUT REALISTICALLY, WE'RE NOT WHAT WE ARE.
WE ALSO HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND LASTLY THAT WE HAVE O AN AGING POPULATION AND THAT AGING POPULATION FILES FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, EXEMPTIONS.
AND NOT ONLY EXEMPTIONS, THEY ALSO DON'T PAY PROPERTY TAXES AT ALL AT A CERTAIN AGE.
UH, AND SO I THINK THAT WE'RE DOING VERY GOOD AS A CITY.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT OUR OUTLOOK AND OUR FUTURE, AND I THINK THAT WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING AND WE JUST GOTTA CONTINUE TO, TO STAY ON THIS.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M SO HAPPY THAT THE CITY MANAGER, UH, HAS WORKED WITH US, MET WITH US THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, ONE-ON-ONE INDIVIDUALLY DURING COUNCIL RETREATS, UH, AND AS
[01:35:01]
A COUNCILMAN HAS MET WITH THE STAFF TO DO, UH, THE TYPE OF BUDGETING THAT THAT, THAT, THAT WE'RE DOING NOW.SO, UH, I'M VERY EXCITED TO APPROVE THIS TAX RATE AS IS.
WELL, WHO WANTS TO COME AFTER BONEY? OH, LIKE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER.
YOU STOLE ALL MY LITTLE TALKING POINTS.
UM, I'LL JUST SAY, OH, I'M SORRY.
UM, I'LL JUST SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO POINT OUT THE, TO THE RESIDENTS, UM, THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF MISSOURI CITY, WE ARE STILL WITHIN THOSE 10 CITIES.
WE ARE STILL REALLY GOOD WITH THE AVERAGE.
UM, THERE ARE SURROUNDING CITIES THAT PAY MORE IN THEIR TAX RATE, THEIR TAX RATES ARE HIGHER, UM, AND THEY IN SOME CASES DON'T HAVE THE TYPE OF INCENTIVES, THE SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CITY.
AND SO, UM, I REALLY WOULD LIKE FOR THE RESIDENTS TO UNDERSTAND THAT OUR STAFF DOES THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AND REALLY FINDS WAYS TO ENSURE THAT THE PHYSICAL BUDGET THAT THEY PRESENT TO THE PUBLIC TO COUNCIL, THEY'VE LOOKED AND SOUGHT ALL SORTS OF AREAS WHERE THEY CAN BE VERY RESPONSIBLE WITH THE DOLLARS THAT WERE ALLOCATED WHILE TRYING TO STILL MAINTAIN THE LOWEST POSSIBLE TAX RATE.
UM, AND SO I'M VERY THANKFUL TO WHAT Y'ALL HAVE, YOUR DUE DILIGENCE AND THE WORK THAT Y'ALL PUT IN.
THANK YOU, JASON, FOR PRESENTING THIS.
UH, 'CAUSE I BELIEVE THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME, UH, PRESENTING THIS PORTION OF HATS
SO I WANNA THANK YOU, UH, FOR THE WORK THAT Y'ALL DO BEHIND THE SCENES THAT MANY OF THE PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, DON'T GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE.
THIS IS NOT YOUR, THIS IS NOT YOUR NORMAL FIELD, BUT I THINK YOU'VE NAVIGATED IT VERY WELL.
UM, AND THEN I WANTED TO ALSO JUST KUDOS, UM, TO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER BONY, UM, WAS ABLE TO EXPRESS VERY PASSIONATELY ABOUT THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION THAT THE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY HAS NEVER HAD IN THE HISTORY, UM, OF ITS INCEPTION.
AND SO BEING ABLE TO INTRODUCE THAT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, AS WELL AS RAISING THOSE SENIOR EXEMPTION AND DISABILITY EXEMPTIONS WAS VERY, THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE IN MISSOURI CITY.
THINGS THAT ARE NOT BEING DONE IN OTHER SURROUNDING AREAS AND OFFERING A TYPE OF INCENTIVES THAT WE DO.
MY LAST QUESTION IS THE 9 MILLION, UM, TRANSFERRED TO, TO TIERS FUND.
CAN YOU JUST TALK TO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? YEAH.
UM, SO WE HAVE THREE TUR ZONES.
THOSE ARE, UH, UM, TUR IS BASICALLY AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOL, FREEZES, UH, UH, THE PROPERTY TAX AND THEN, UH, THE, EVERYTHING THAT'S OVER IT, UH, IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS GOES INTO A SPECIAL FUND.
AND, AND THAT ALLOWS US TO, UM, EITHER OFFER INCENTIVES OR DO INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, UM, TO INCREASE AND ENHANCE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IN TURN WILL INCREASE REVENUES, UH, FROM, FROM BUSINESSES AND TAKE THAT BURDEN OFF THE, OF THE RESIDENTS.
SO THAT'S THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE, THE TURS FUNDS.
AND ONCE AGAIN, TO MY POINT, WAYS THAT WE'RE BEING INNOVATIVE, TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD ON OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, AND OFFER INCENTIVES.
SO I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF, UH, OFFER THAT INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC SO THEY CAN SEE THAT WE, WE ARE REALLY WORKING HARD.
AND THIS COUNCIL, WE ARE VERY MINDFUL OF THAT BECAUSE WE ALSO PAY TAXES.
AND SO, UM, WE DON'T WANNA DO ANYTHING MORE THAN WE'RE GONNA ASK RESIDENTS TO DO.
AND SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT Y'ALL DONE.
I ALSO JUST HAVE A FEW COMMENTS.
I MEAN, I THINK, UH, THE SLIDE UP HERE, I MEAN, IT KIND OF TALKS ABOUT WHEN WE WERE AT 63 CENTS, UH, IN 2020, AND THE DRASTIC WAY THAT WE'VE GONE DOWN, BUT WE, WHERE OUR NUMBER OF PEOPLE INCREASED.
EVERY DEPARTMENT NEEDS INCREASED TO MORE, UH, WEAR AND TEAR ON OUR STREETS TO NEEDING OF MORE PEOPLE.
UH, I THINK THAT'S, UH, THAT THIS CHART UP HERE EXPLAINS HOW NOW APPRAISALS, WE TALKED ABOUT APPRAISALS.
UH, YES, THE VALUATIONS KEEP COMING UP.
I MEAN, THAT'S NOT JUST IN MISSOURI CITY.
EVERY OTHER, EVERY CITY IS DEALING WITH THIS SAME THING THROUGH FOR BRIQUETTE.
AND WHEN IT COMES OUT, ALL OF OUR SITTING UP HERE, OUR TAX RAISES ARE, TAX RATES ARE GOING UP.
I MEAN, WE'RE PAYING MORE AS WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THE BIGGEST QUESTION THAT WE HAVE THE CITY COUNCIL HAVE IN FRONT OF THEM IS WHICH SERVICE DO YOU CUT? WHERE DO YOU CUT? WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT'S EMAILING US DAILY ABOUT, UH, GRASS CLIPPINGS NEEDS TO BE PICKED UP.
[01:40:01]
I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER EMERY ALLUDED TO IT EARLIER, UH, THE NEED IS MORE, AND WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITHIN WHAT WE HAVE WITHOUT INCREASING THE TAX RATE.AND I KNOW SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT BE HAPPY WITH THIS.
UM, BUT I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO THE DAYS OF 2016 AND 2015 WHERE WE, WHERE WE WERE NOT GIVING, UH, NOTABLE PAY RAISES TO STAFF.
AND WE KEPT IT WHERE EVERY OTHER YEAR WE GET 2% OR TWO AND A HALF PERCENT.
AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY MISSOURI CITY IS WHERE IT WAS IN 21 AND 22, WHERE THIS BODY OF COUNCIL WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PAY THE POLICE MORE, HOW TO PAY THE FIRE MORE, AND HOW TO PAY OUR STAFF MORE WITHOUT INCREASING TAXES EVERY MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL VOTED FOR, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEPT THE RATE WHERE IT IS AND INCREASING, UH, IN, IN, IN OUR EMPLOYEES.
YOU KNOW, UNLESS WE GO DOWN, WE SAY, YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOKED AT THIS BUDGET, FOR ME IT WAS, DO WE NOT GIVE A PAY RAISE BECAUSE EVERY OTHER CITY IS, DO WE NOT GET MORE VEHICLES AND MORE PUBLIC WORKS OUT THERE TO FIX ROADWAYS AND FIX PARKS? YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT ARE FALLING APART, LIKE SERIOUSLY WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IF IT'S EASIER TO SAY WHEN YOU'RE SITTING ON THAT SIDE, BUT IT'S HARDER WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS BECAUSE YOU UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF WHAT NEEDS TO GET DONE AND HOW TO GET IT DONE WITHOUT INCREASING.
NOW WE CAN GO BACK AND CUT SERVICES.
AND WHILE I GUARANTEE YOU, EACH OF US, INCLUDING YOURSELF, CITY IS GONNA START GETTING EMAILS.
AND I'M SURE THE DIRECTORS IN HERE WOULD GET EMAILS ON HOW COME THIS IS NOT BEING DONE AND, AND WHAT'S GOING ON? AND SUGARLAND IS DOING THIS, AND MISSOURI CITY IS NOT DOING THIS, AND PEARLAND IS DOING THIS.
AND SO GUYS, I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE GOTTA WORK WITH WHAT WE HAVE.
THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT TODAY IN THIS MARKET, WHEN I LOOK AT MY COLLEAGUES IS WE, WE ARE, WE'RE LOSING EMPLOYEES GOING TO DIFFERENT CITIES THAT THAT'S INCREASING PAY.
THAT'S, AND WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO IT.
I'M WITH YOU WITH THE CITIZENS ON APPRAISALS.
I THINK THE VALUATIONS THAT'S BEING DONE BY THE FORT BEND CAD, IT'S OUTRAGEOUS AT TIMES BECAUSE YOU SEE THE PROPERTY VALUATION THAT GOES UP SO HIGH THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE USED TO BE A POINT WHERE YOU CAN GO TO FORT BEND, UH, COUNTY AND GET AN APPOINTMENT AND FIGHT FOR IT.
AND NOW, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T GET ANYTHING OUT OF THIS.
SO WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
AND I DON'T THINK, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, I WANNA TAKE THE CITY BACK TO WHERE WE WERE, UH, WITH UNHAPPY EMPLOYEES AND UNHAPPY CITIZENS BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GETTING THE THINGS THAT ARE NEEDED THAT ARE DONE FOR THIS SALES TAX.
I THINK I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR THE TIME THAT I, THAT I GOT BACK HERE.
I THINK THIS COUNCIL IS WELL VERSED ONTO WHERE THE SALES TAX IS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE MISSOURI CITY, IF YOU DRIVE THROUGH OUR CORRIDORS, MISSOURI CITY DOES NOT LOOK LIKE WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE, UH, FIVE YEARS AGO OR OR SEVEN YEARS AGO.
AND WE HAVE GONE BACK INTO CREATING FACADE PROGRAMS AND CREATING, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITIES FOR CITIZENS TO COME.
WE HAVE TEXAS PARKWAY, CARTWRIGHT CORRIDOR, UH, UH, COMMITTEE THAT'S BEING CHAIRED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RAMON AND, AND, UH, COUNCILMAN O'REILLY LOOKING AT THOSE NEEDS.
UM, AND YOU HEARD FROM COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN MARSHALL TALKING ABOUT RED REDO.
UM, THAT IS A KEY, UH, STRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH.
ALL OF THIS IS BEING DONE WITHOUT A TAX RATE INCREASE.
NOW THAT I, I WOULD SAY IS IF WE CAN CONTINUE THIS PROCESS, I THINK WE HAVE EVERY YEAR, UH, YOU KNOW, AND WE HAVE SUBCOMMITTEES, WE HAVE FINANCE COMMITTEE, WE HAVE ED COMMITTEES, WE HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT COMMITTEES OF COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE LOOKING INTO THIS AND WORKING WITH STAFF.
IT'S NOT JUST THE FIRST MEETING AND THE THIRD MEETING THAT WE HAVE ON MONDAYS THAT, THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, AND THEIR STRATEGIC GOAL IS TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS.
I WANT TO THANK THE FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR PUTTING THOSE FUND BALANCES OF, UH, YOU KNOW, INTO THOSE FIVE POCKETS.
AND IF ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE MONEY, I THINK CITY MANAGER, I THINK, UM, I, I WOULD HOPE THAT IT WOULD GO BACK TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE WHERE THEY CAN REALLOCATE IT TO WHEREVER IT NEEDS TO GO, WHETHER IT'S STREETS OR, OR, OR, UM, AND IT, OR, OR WHEREVER IT IS THAT WE CAN GO, BECAUSE THE NEEDS ARE NOT BEING STOPPED AT ALL.
AND, AND THEY JUST KEEP COMING.
WELL, WELL, I LIKE TO, UNLESS IF I HEAR ANYTHING SUBSTANTIAL FROM YOU ALL
[01:45:01]
AS AS TO WHAT TO CUT.SO, CITY MANAGER, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, DO WE HAVE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN CUT? UH, NO, SIR.
I'VE ALREADY CUT EVERYTHING BEFORE BRINGING THIS BUDGET TO YOU.
RECOGNIZING COUNCIL MEMBER EMERY.
YEAH, I, I GUESS THE ONLY THING I HAVE IS AN ASK, AND THAT IS THAT THOSE DOLLARS THAT ARE IN THE, UH, THE GENERAL FUND OVER THE 30% THAT WE MANAGE, THAT PRUDENTLY, UH, AND THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY ADDRESS ALL OF THE STRATEGIC NEEDS, UH, THAT ARE IN FACT STRATEGIC NEEDS SO THAT, UH, WE, UH, WHEN WE PUT DOLLARS IN THAT, UH, THAT, UH, THAT FUND OR THERE'S DOLLARS IN THAT FUND THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A GOOD SOLID PLAN STRATEGICALLY OF, UH, OF UTILIZING THOSE DOLLARS BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE, UH, UH, THE, UH, DOLLARS FOR, YOU KNOW, THE ONE TIME, UH, PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER NEY, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RILEY.
CLARIFICATION AS TO THE MOTION, BECAUSE THIS ITEM DOES REQUIRE THREE SEPARATE MOTION, ONE MOTION ON THE DEBT SERVICE RATE, ANOTHER MOTION ON THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS RATE, AND A THIRD MOTION ON THE ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE TAX RATE WITH SPECIFIC LANGUAGE THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED, COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RATE OF 0.109351 FOR THE DEBT COMPONENT OF THE TAX RATE.
COUNCIL, RILEY, THAT'S YOUR SECOND.
OR MR. MAYOR, WE DO A ROLL CALL TO DO A ROLL CALL VOTE ON THIS.
UH, MEMBER BROWN MARSHALL? YES.
THE MOTION CARRIES SEVEN TO ZERO.
UH, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, TO ADOPT THE RATE OF 0.4 6 1 4 7 4 FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS COMPONENT OF THE TAX RATE AS PRESENTED.
SO THERE'S BEEN A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER BONY, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RILEY, SEEING NO LOSS ON THE QUEUE.
THIS WILL BE A ROLL CALL VOTE AS WELL.
MAYOR, UH, MAYOR, UH, ALI KAT? YES.
THE MOTION CARRIES SEVEN TO ZERO.
UH, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF 0.5 7 0 8 2 5, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 0.61 INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE.
THIS WILL ALSO BE A ROLL CALL VOTE AS WELL.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
[(e) Public Hearing - To receive comments for or against adoption of solid ...]
IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE COMMENTS FOR OR AGAINST ADOPTION OF SOLID WASTE COLLECTION AND RECYCLING RATES OF BEST TRASH LLC AND GFL ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICE, USA INCORPORATED.UH, WALTER GANTT, UH, DIRECTOR OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES.
MR. MAYOR, IF WE'LL PLEASE OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
DO WE, UH, OPENING UP THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR EIGHT E? UH, THERE ARE NO COMMENTS.
WE'LL CLOSE, UH, THE PUBLIC HEARING.
[(f) Consideration and Possible Action - A resolution adopting rates for re...]
FA RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY, TEXAS, ADOPTING A SCHEDULE OF RATES AND FEES FOR CITY RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING COLLECTION SERVICES, PROVIDING FOR REPEAL AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.ALL RIGHT, WALTER, AGAIN, DIRECTOR OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES.
GOOD EVENING, UH, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
EVENING, UH, TONIGHT I'LL PRESENT TO YOU THE SOLID WASTE RATE ADJUSTMENT, UH, FOR YOUR ACTION.
GFL AND BEST TRASH HAVE AN ANNUAL PROVISION IN THEIR CONTRACT TO APPLY AUTOMATIC YEARLY PRICE ADJUSTMENTS BASED ON THE CPI.
THE CPI FOR BEST TRASH IS 5.8%, AND THE CPI FOR GFL IS 2.29%.
CURRENTLY BEST TRASH HAS, UH, CURBSIDE SERVICE FOR 2348.
[01:50:02]
THAT'S $23 48 CENTS.WITH THIS INCREASE, IT'LL NOW GO UP TO 24 84.
THAT INCREASE WILL GO UP TO SEVEN, UH, $15 AND 70 CENTS.
AND, UM, THAT'LL BE OF JANUARY 25 AND SEPTEMBER OF 24 FOR BEST TRASH.
I ALSO WANT TO FOLLOW UP WITH, IN DECEMBER, 2025, BOTH BEST TRASH AND GFL, THOSE CONTRACTS WILL EXPIRE.
SO BEFORE THEY EXPIRE, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND HAVE A, UH, WE'LL GO OUT FOR BIDS TO MAKE SURE WE CAN CONSOLIDATE 'EM TO ONE CONTRACT AGAIN.
RECOGNIZING MAYOR APPROACH CLAUSE.
UM, ARE THESE INCREASES PRETTY STANDARD ACROSS ALL, UH, WASTE COMPANIES? UH, YES MA'AM.
THEY ARE REQUIRED, UH, ANNUALLY BY THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR.
AND ARE THEY PRETTY MUCH IN LINE WITH, I GUESS, OTHER, ARE THESE IN PRETTY MUCH IN LINE WITH OTHER CITIES IN REGARDS TO THOSE, THE, UH, R RATES? YES.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SPEAKING ON? YES.
RECOGNIZING COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN MARSHALL.
UH, MR. GANTT, IN REGARDS TO THE, UM, I'M GLAD YOU TOLD ME THAT THE CONTRACTS DO EXPIRE IN DECEMBER.
WHEN WOULD THESE RATE INCREASES GO INTO EFFECT? THE, UH, ONE FOR BEST TRASH WILL GO INTO EFFECT, UH, JANUARY, 2024.
I MEAN, UH, BEST TRASH IS FOR SEPTEMBER OF 2024.
AND THEN GFL IS FOR JANUARY OF 2025.
AND SO WITH THE ONE THAT'S, UH, THAT WILL BE EFFECTIVE JANUARY, 2025, ON TOP OF A LOOMING, UM, CONTRACT RENEWAL, HOW DOES THAT, UH, PLAY INTO EFFECT? THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THEIR CONTRACT IS UP FOR RENEWAL.
WELL, THIS IS A CONTRACTED AMOUNT.
I MEAN, WE ARE REQUIRED BY CONTRACT TO INCREASE THESE RATES BY THE CPI.
SO FOR WHATEVER PERIOD THE CONTRACT REMAINS, THAT RATE WILL BE IN EFFECT.
AND THEN WHEN WE GO OUT FOR BID, UHHUH
AND SO IN TERMS OF WHY THIS GETS BROUGHT HERE, BECAUSE THAT'S ALREADY WRITTEN INTO THE CONTRACT, I, I'M GONNA LET LEGAL RESPOND TO THAT
THEY ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT THEIR INCREASE, WHICH HAS TO FALL WITHIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT PURSUANT TO THE CONTRACT.
AND THEN AGAIN, THAT IS PRESENTED TO YOU ALL FOR CONSIDERATION.
UM, I HAVE NOT SEEN A COUNSEL, UH, DENY A REQUEST BECAUSE THE CONTRACT ACTUALLY LIMITS THEIR, UH, THEIR INCREASES TO ABOUT 5% PER YEAR, WHICH CONSIDERING INFLATION AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS SIGNIFICANT.
AND MY FINAL QUESTION IS, UM, IN THE EVENT THAT WE DO AUTHORIZE THESE INCREASES AND WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT FEES AND LOOKING ACROSS EVERYTHING, UM, WILL WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR AN OFFSET BY PASSING THOSE COSTS BACK TO THE, UH, RESIDENTS? SO WHEN YOU'RE MENTIONING AN OFFSET, THIS ITEM IS A RESOLUTION? MM-HMM.
SO THE RESIDENTS WOULD BE, UH, PAYING THAT INCREASE.
RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER MELES.
SO THE 5.8 FOR BEST, IS THERE NO WAY TO GO BACK TO THEM AND SAY YOU COULD DO BETTER? THAT'S SIGNIFICANT OR IS IT WELL, THAT IS, IF I MAY, UH, THAT IS WRITTEN IN THE CONTRACT.
THIS IS THE CONTRACT THAT THE CITY INHERITED.
UH, UPON ITS ANNEXATION OF, UH, THE SIENNA MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER TWO.
AND THEN WHAT'S OUR ROLE AS FAR AS INFORMING RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY MUD TWO? UM, THAT THIS IS COMING THEIR WAY, WE WOULDN'T, WOULD INFORM THEM.
WE'VE ALSO IN THE MIDDLE OF DOING A RATE STUDY TO WHICH THIS RATE WILL BE INCORPORATED IN THAT AND THEY WILL GET NOTICES, UM, REGARDING THOSE RATES.
UH, RECOGNIZING COUNCILMAN RILEY.
UM, IN REGARDS TO THE NEW CONTRACT, WHEN DID YOU SAY THAT IT'S GONNA COME UP FOR RENEWAL? UH, DECEMBER 20, 25.
[01:55:01]
25? YES, MA'AM.SO ARE, ARE WE GONNA BE LOOKING TO CONSOLIDATE INTO ONE CONTRACT FOR ALL SERVICES ACROSS THE CITY VERSUS HAVING TWO? YES, MA'AM.
AND THEN, UM, WELL, MY QUESTION WAS TOO IS HOW WE NOTIFYING IN THE EVENT THAT WE PASS THIS, LIKE WE HAVE NO CHOICE, UM, HOW ARE WE GONNA NOTIFY THE RESIDENTS OF AN INCREASE? I KNOW WITH GFL IT'S ONLY A TWO POINT 29%, WHICH IS ABOUT 75 CENTS MORE A MONTH.
IT MAY NOT SEEM LIKE A LOT TO THE AVERAGE PERSON, BUT THOSE THAT ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING WITH FINANCES, THAT COULD BE A DIFFERENCE FOR THEM BECAUSE, UM, BUT WITH BEST TRASH, THAT IS SIGNIFICANTLY, UM, HIGHER 'CAUSE IT'S A 5%.
AND I THOUGHT THE CAP YOU SAID WAS 5% AND THEIRS IS 5.8.
THE CAP IS DIFFERENT FOR G UH, FOR BEST TRASH IT'S BASED ON A DIFFERENT, UM, CALCULATION.
UH, WALTER, WE DON'T GET A CHANCE TO SEE YOU IN, IN THAT LITTLE SPOT THAT OFTEN, SO YOU DID GOOD.
RECOGNIZING COUNCIL MEMBER EMERY, SHE'S TALKING TRASH MAN.
UH, I, COUNCIL LADY, UH, RILEY ASKED THE QUESTION WHETHER OR NOT WE WERE GOING TO COMBINE AND HAVE JUST ONE SERVICE ACROSS, UH, THE, THE ENTIRE CITY.
SO, UH, WITH, WITH THAT RESPONSE, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.
UM, JUST A QUICK, YOU SAID THAT, UM, THIS WAS IN THE CONTRACT? YES, SIR.
AND YOU SAID THIS IS BASED ON INFLATION? NO, I STATED THAT AS IT RELATES TO GFL, THE CONTRACT LIMITS THE AMOUNT OF INCREASE THAT THEY CAN HAVE TO 5%.
AND I JUST SAID, UH, IT'S BASED ON A CONSUMER, IT IS BASED ON A CONSUMER PRICE INDEX CALCULATION, LOOKING AT DIFFERENT VARIABLES, BUT BASED ON INFLATION, WHICH I THINK HAS BEEN PRETTY HIGH, THAT 5% WE HAVE FOUND IN THE PAST TO BE REASONABLE CONSIDERING THE AMOUNT, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT THAT THE DIFFERENT AMOUNTS THAT THINGS ARE ARE, UM, COSTING.
AND SO COME 20, 25TH OF DECEMBER, UH, CITY WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, PUT THE BIDS OUT THERE FOR ANYONE TO BID.
UH, AND IT WILL BUNDLE THE NEW OR ANNEXED AREA AS WELL INTO THE REST OF THE CITY.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE ONE CONTRACT, UH, IN THAT SENSE, UH, WORKING THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SO I MEAN, THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO DO, THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT AROUND IT.
WELL, I MEAN THIS IS MORE OF THE REASON CITY MANAGER OF THE TAX.
I MEAN, YOU GOT THINGS LIKE THIS KEEP COMING UP ALL OVER IT AND WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP IT AT, IS THAT 0.57, RIGHT? COUNCILOR RAMONI? YES, SIR.
UM, IS THERE A MOTION, IT'S BEEN A MOTION BY CONST MEMBER MARONI SECONDED BY MAYOR PROAM.
KLAUSER, LET'S GO AHEAD AND VOTE.
DOES THIS NEED TO BE INDIVIDUALLY VOTED? ALRIGHT.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
ITEM NUMBER NINE ARE ORDINANCES,
[(a) Consideration and Possible Action - Second and Final Reading - An ordi...]
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY, TEXAS AMENDING THE CIVIL SERVICE IMPLEMENTATION ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY, PROVIDING CERTAIN AMENDMENTS RELATED TO THE STRENGTH OF FORCE FOR CERTAIN CLASSIFIED RANKS WITHIN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, PROVIDING FOR REPEAL, PROVIDING FOR SEPARABILITY, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE, AND CONTAINING OTHER PROVISIONS RELATED THERE TOO.ALRIGHT, WE HAVE CHIEF MARIO TITA.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
UH, I DO HAVE A PRESENTATION OF SOME TALKING POINTS, UH, RELATED TO THIS ITEM.
UH, THIS IS A ORDINANCE CHANGE.
SECOND AND FINAL READING FOR TWO CHANGES TO THIS ORDINANCE.
THE FIRST IS TO RECLASSIFY VACANT DIVISION CHIEF RANK, UH, TO A BATTALION CHIEF RANK.
THIS CHANGE PROVIDES EFFICIENCIES AT THE MID-LEVEL, MANAGEMENT WITH FIVE BATTALION CHIEFS, UH, VERSUS FOUR AND, UH, TWO, TWO DIVISION CHIEFS VERSUS THREE.
UH, IT ALSO ASSISTS US WITH DEVELOPMENT AND SUCCESSION PLANNING AND DEVELOPING OUR PERSONNEL.
UH, IT'LL ALSO AID IN FLEXIBILITY AND CROSS TRAINING ACROSS ALL THE DIVISIONS.
THE SECOND REQUEST IS TO, ON THIS ORDINANCE CHANGE, IS TO CHANGE THE NAME OF THE STIPEND FOR THE FIRE INVESTIGATORS FROM ARSON INVESTIGATOR TO FIRE INVESTIGATOR.
UH, WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE IN MISSOURI CITY THAT WE DO NOT EXPERIENCE A HIGH NUMBER OF ARSON FIRES.
AND SO THEREFORE WE WANT TO, UH, EXPAND OUR FIRE INVESTIGATION TEAM, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT STIPEND IS AVAILABLE FOR ALL THE FIRE INVESTIGATORS.
RIGHT NOW, IT'S LIMITED TO ONLY ARSON INVESTIGATORS, AND SO THIS NAME CHANGE HELPS THAT, UH, THIS WILL CERTIFY MORE FIRE INVESTIGATORS THAN WE HAVE IN HOUSE IN THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE AND WILL PROVIDE MORE FLEXIBILITY AND EFFICIENCY, UH,
[02:00:01]
ESPECIALLY WITH COVERAGE AFTER HOURS.UH, THE STIPEND AMOUNT REMAINS THE SAME.
WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
CHIEF, I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION.
WE, YOU HEARD A LOT ABOUT HIRING FOR THESE POSITIONS.
HOW HARD, HOW DIFFICULT IS TO FIND IN THAT TYPE OF POSITION TO HIRE? SO THIS IS A VERY SPECIALIZED FIELD OF WORK, AND SO WE, UH, CIVIL SERVICE, UH, REQUIRES US TO FILL THESE VACANCIES IN THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE THROUGH OUR FIRE PERSONNEL ON OUR FIRE TRUCKS.
SO ONCE THEY TRANSFER INTO THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE THROUGH A PROMOTION, UH, OR BY CHOICE, UH, THEN THEY GO GET THESE SPECIALIZED CERTIFICATIONS, WHICH ARE, WHICH ARE REALLY, UH, SPECIFIC TO, UH, TO THAT TYPE OF WORK.
CHIEF, UM, JUST TO COMMENT, I'M SURPRISED YOU STAYED AROUND.
YOU COULD HAVE, UH, ASSISTANT CHIEF ULA HANDLE THIS ONE, BUT ANYWAY, UM, SUCCESSION PLANNING JUMP TO COUNCIL MEMBER EMERY.
UH, YOU MENTIONED THAT, UH, WE YOU'RE SEEING AN INCREASE IN, UH, IN FIRES, UH, THAT ARE, UH, UH, THAT ARE, ARE BEING SET.
IT'S, UH, WE'RE SEEING, UH, WE, WE HARDLY HAVE ANY THAT ARE OUR SUFF.
I THOUGHT I HEARD YOU SAY THAT THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN NO, WE ONLY HAVE, UH, ANYWHERE FROM ONE TO THREE A YEAR.
I CAN SEE MAN STARTING FIRE OVER THERE.
ALL RIGHT,
UH, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER EMERY
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
UH, ITEM NUMBER 10, OUR CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UM, THERE'S, UM, THERE'S NOTHING ELSE ON THE ITEM TO BE DISCUSSED.
UM, SO WE DON'T HAVE NO CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.
THE TIME IS 8:32 PM AND THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING IS ADJOURNED.