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GOOD EVENING.

THIS

[00:00:01]

IS MAYOR FORD.

I CALL THIS MEETING

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

TO ORDER AT 5:30 PM AND STATE THAT THE NOTICE OF THE SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING WAS DULY POSTED.

THEY WILL NOW BE A ROLL CALL OF CITY COUNCIL.

AS I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE STATE HERE ARE PRESENT.

MAYOR PRO TEM PRESTON PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER STERLING PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBER BONEY PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBER MORALISTS PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBER EMORY RESIDENT.

THERE WILL NOW BE A ROLL CALL OF CITY STAFF MEMBERS AND MEETING PRESENTERS.

AS I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE STATE YOUR PRESENT CITY MANAGER, OTIS JONES, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, GLEN MARTEL, PRESENT CITY ATTORNEY PRESENT CITY, SECRETARY MARIA JACKSON, PRESENT DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL SERVICES, ELENA CORTEZ PRESENT FINANCIAL REPORTING MANAGER.

BERTHA ALEXANDER IS MARCEL ON THE LINE.

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION, STACY WALKER, PRESIDENT DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

MARTIN WHISTLE, PRESENT GOLF COURSE MANAGER TYSON STULBERG.

IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT THAT I DID NOT CALL YOUR NAME? JOE ASH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

OKAY, THANK YOU, JOE.

WE WILL NOW START

[2(a) Presentation of the Proposed Fiscal Year 2021 budget. (Proposed presenter: Director of Financial Services Allena Portis)]

WITH THE PRESENTATION OF THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2021 BUDGET.

OKAY, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL SLIDE, PLEASE.

NEXT SLIDE TONIGHT.

WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2021 BUDGET.

WE ARE SCHEDULED TO FILE THE ACTUAL DOCUMENT ON AUGUST 20TH, WHICH IS THIS WEEK.

WE WANTED TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN OVERVIEW OF EVERYTHING THAT YOU WILL SEE WITHIN THAT DOCUMENT, AS WELL AS THE, UM, THE FIGURES THAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE GENERAL FUND AND IN THE HOLIDAY OTHER FUNDS, UH, FOR TONIGHT, THE OUTLINE OF THIS PRESENTATION IS AS FOLLOWS.

I WE'LL HAVE THE VISION, MISSION AND CREDO OF THE CITY, UH, PRIORITIES THAT WERE THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR DEVELOPING THE BUDGET.

UH, WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE PRESENTATIONS WITHIN THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, SO WE'LL DO AN OVERVIEW OF THAT AND WE'LL CALL THAT THE ROAD TO THE PROPOSAL BUDGET.

THEN WE'LL GO OVER THE PROPOSED THE BUDGET ITSELF AND TALK ABOUT NEXT STEP.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

THE CITY CHARTER SECTION 9.03, TO BE SPECIFIC STATES THAT ON OR BEFORE THE FIRST DAY OF SEPTEMBER OF EACH YEAR, THE CITY MANAGER SELF SUBMIT TO THE COUNCIL PROPOSED BUDGET WITHIN A COMPANY MESSAGE.

AND THAT IS WHAT WE WILL BE DOING THIS WEEK.

THE END, THE PROPOSAL BUDGET IS SUBMITTED IN LINE WITH, UH, THE CITY'S LEGACY OF CONTINUED FINANCIAL EXCELLENCE, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'VE RECEIVED MULTIPLE AWARDS IN REGARDS TO FINANCIAL REPORTING AND OUR BUDGET DOCUMENT AS WELL AS A GOOD RATINGS WITH S AND P.

AND MOODY'S NEXT SLIDE? WELL, WE'D LIKE TO BEGIN WITH THE VISION, VISION, MISSION AND PRIETO.

UH, THE VISION FOR THE CITY IS TO BE MELTED AND RECOGNIZED AS A SUPERIOR MUNICIPAL ORGANIZATION.

OUR MISSION IS TO DELIVER OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER SERVICE TO ALL MEMBERS OF OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY.

AND OUR CREDO IS TOGETHER.

WE EXCEL.

OUR CODE OF IDEALS IS NOT A SPIRIT WHICH STANDS FOR SERVICE, PROFESSIONALISM, INNOVATION, RESPECT, INTEGRITY, AND TEAMWORK.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR BUDGET DEVELOPMENT.

THIS INCLUDES A COUNCIL'S STRATEGIC GOALS AND PRIORITIES FOR COUNCIL PRIORITIES, ORGANIZATIONAL PRIORITIES AND CITIZEN PRIORITIES.

IT WILL BE REVIEWED NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THE OVERARCHING LONGTERM GOALS FOR THE STUDIOS ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL.

THERE'S FIVE ONE BEING CREATE A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE SAFE, BEAUTIFUL AND ACTIVE, TO MAINTAIN A FINANCIALLY SOUND CITY GOVERNMENT THREE GROW BUSINESS INVESTMENTS IN THREE CITY, FOUR, DEVELOP A HIGH PERFORMANCE CITY TEAM AND FIVE HAVE QUALITY DEVELOPMENT THROUGH BUILD OUT.

NEXT SLIDE.

NOW CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES, WHICH ARE IN LINE WITH THESE STRATEGIC GOALS ARE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, OUR EMPLOYEES, BEAUTIFICATION OF THE CITY AND PARTNERSHIP.

AND WE HAVE OUTLINED WHICH STRATEGIC GOALS THESE PRIORITIES ARE IN LINE WITH NEXT SLIDE, ORGANIZATIONAL PRIORITIES.

NOW ALL OF THESE PRIORITIES CITY COUNCIL

[00:05:01]

PRIORITIES, ORGANIZATIONAL AND CITIZENS.

THESE ARE ALL TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN DEVELOPING THIS BUDGET.

SO I'LL GO THROUGH, UH, SOME OF THE OTHER PRIORITIES ORGANIZATION-WIDE, WHICH WAS TO CREATE A FINANCIAL PLAN WITH A TAX RATE THAT DOES NOT EXCEED THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.

AND THIS WAS FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE EFFECT OF TAX RATE, A PLAN THAT FUNDS A COMPENSATION PLAN, UH, SUPPORTS EFFECTIVE REPORTING OF UTILITY FUNDS.

YOU'LL SEE, LATER ON IN THE SLIDE, HOW WE HAVE CHANGED, UH, THE FINANCIAL REPORTING FOR OUR UTILITIES.

IT ALSO IDENTIFIES RESOURCES TO ADDRESS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORTS, UH, FUNDING OF OUR, UH, BOND ISSUANCES.

ALL OF OUR DEBT PAYMENTS MAINTAIN THE FUND BALANCE.

THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH POLICY LAW ENSURING THE HIGHEST SCORECARD RATING IN THE AREA OF FUND BALANCE WITH OUR BOND RATING AGENCIES ALSO PROVIDES FOR ONE TIME FUNDING IN LINE WITH OUR FUND BALANCE POLICY.

OUR FUND BALANCE POLICY INCLUDES HAVING A FUND BALANCE OF 20 TO 30%.

UM, AND WHEN IT COMES TO BOND RATINGS, ANYTHING OVER 30% IS CONSIDERED, UM, TO BE A AAA RATING IN THAT AREA OF THE SCORECARD.

UM, IN OUR, UH, UNBALANCED POLICY, WE ALSO STATE THAT WE HAVE 1.5%, UH, SET ASIDE FOR DISASTER RELATED, UM, ISSUES.

WE ALSO HAVE 1.5% FOR OPERATIONAL, UM, THINGS THAT WE DID NOT FORESEE.

AND SO WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN THIS BUDGET IS THAT, UH, OUR ESTIMATE FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR IS THAT WE'LL END A FUND BALANCE, UH, WITH A FUND BALANCE OF ABOUT $20 MILLION, WHICH IS ACTUALLY, UH, CLOSE TO 40% OF THE 2021 BUDGET AND OUR FUND BALANCE POLICY.

WE STATE THAT ANY AMOUNT THAT EXCEEDS THE, UH, REQUIRED FUND BALANCE CAN BE USED FOR ONE TIME ITEMS IN THE FOLLOWING FISCAL YEAR.

AND SO YOU'LL SEE THAT WE ARE PLANNING TO USE SOME OF THE B'S FUNDS, UH, FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF LEAN SIX SIGMA AND FOR CONTINUOUS PROCESS IMPROVEMENT FOR ALSO ADDRESSING COMMUNITY NEEDS AS IDENTIFIED IN THE 2020 CITIZEN SURVEY.

AND WE'RE FOCUSING ON ADDRESSING, UH, THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING SMALL BUSINESS COVID-19 RECOVERY NEEDS.

NEXT SLIDE.

UH, WE HAVE A CITIZEN SURVEY THAT WAS COMPLETED WITHIN THE PAST YEAR AND THE PRIORITIES OF THE CITIZENS WERE ALSO TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN WE WERE PREPARING THE BUDGET, UH, WITH THE MAIN, UM, ITEM BEING THE OVERALL MAINTENANCE OF CITY STREET, SIDEWALKS AND INFRASTRUCTURE.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

OUR GOAL WAS TO FUNCTIONALLY ALIGN OUR DEPARTMENTS TO FOCUS RESOURCES ON THE COUNCIL'S STRATEGIC GOALS AND THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, A FUNCTIONAL AREAS INCLUDE STRONG NEIGHBORS, NEIGHBORHOODS, AND DEVELOPMENT SOUND, ECONOMY, AND BUSINESS INVESTMENT, A SAFE COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT AND FINANCIAL SERVICES.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO THE ROAD TO THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021, WE HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PRESENTATIONS.

NEXT SLIDE.

WE'LL SAY THAT WE STARTED IN JANUARY 20, 20, JANUARY, 2020 CITY COUNCIL HAD A STRATEGIC PLANNING RETREAT WHERE THEY REAFFIRMED THE COUNCIL PRIORITIES THAT WE JUST SPOKE UP ON MAY 18TH.

WE HAD OUR MIDYEAR BUDGET REVIEW THAT INCLUDED THE FORECAST FOR THE YEAR.

WE ALSO HAD A PRESENTATION BY TXTS JOHN HOCKING HILLS, WHERE HE REVIEWED OURSELVES TAX AND THE ECONOMIC FORECAST, NOT ONLY FOR THE STATE, BUT ALSO FOR THE CITY, INCLUDING OUR SALES TAX.

OF COURSE, SOME OF THIS INFORMATION HAS CHANGED WITH COVID-19.

WE KIND OF EXPECTED OUR SALES TAX FIGURES TO DECREASE, UH, AND WE HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO NOT HAVE, UM, AN IMPACT WHEN IT COMES TO COVID-19.

WE HAVE ACTUALLY SEEN OUR SALES TAX INCREASE OVER A YEAR 2019 NUMBERS.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

WE HAVE HAD A COMPONENT UNIT BUDGET PRESENTATIONS COMPONENT UNITS INCLUDE THE TERS PIDS MCDA AND LGC ON JUNE 10TH.

WE PRESENTED THE PROPOSAL BUDGET TO THE BOARDS FOR ALL THE TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT PHONES.

THAT'S NUMBER ONE, TWO AND THREE ON JUNE 15TH, THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND MIDYEAR BUDGET REVIEW FOR 2020 WAS PRESENTED TO THE LGC BOARD.

MCDA MISSOURI CITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, WHICH OVERSEES THE PITS.

AND TERS, UH, WE REVIEW THE PROPOSED MCDA BUDGET, AS WELL AS THE PID PID, UH, PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS, NUMBER TWO AND FOUR BUDGETS.

AND WE ALSO, UH, PRESENTED DETOURS BUDGETS AFTER THE TERMS, BOARDS APPROVED THEIR BUDGETS.

WE PRESENTED THOSE TO THE MCDA BOARD AND THEY WERE ALL APPROVED BY THE BOARDS, WHICH IS ALSO CITY COUNCIL.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

ON JUNE 15TH, WE ALSO HAD A PRESENTATION ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM WITHIN THAT PRESENTATION.

WE DESCRIBED

[00:10:01]

ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT WERE INCLUDED IN THE PLAN, AS WELL AS OUR DEPTH INFORMATION, INCLUDING OUR AUTHORIZED, BUT ON ISSUED BONDS.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THE END OF JUNE, JUNE 22ND, THROUGH THE 24TH, WE HAD A BUDGET WORK SESSIONS AND DURING THESE BUDGET WORK SESSIONS, UM, THE DEPARTMENTAL INFORMATION WAS PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL.

THIS INCLUDED THE DEPARTMENT MISSION VISION OF THE FTE COUNT, THE BASE BUDGET, WHICH, UH, THE MANNER IN WHICH WE BUDGET IS INCREMENTAL, WHERE IT STARTS WITH THE BASE BUDGET AND THEN THEIR SUPPLEMENTAL REQUEST.

SO COUNCIL WAS, UH, INTRODUCED TO THE BASE OF BUDGET, UH, ALL OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR THE DEPARTMENT, THE GOAL FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021 AND ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS, SUPPLEMENTAL REQUESTS.

EXCELLENT, PLEASE AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING ON AUGUST 3RD, 2020, WE PROVIDED THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET FIGURES, UH, AND WE ALSO PROVIDED ALL OF THE INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDING OF THE SUPPLEMENTAL REQUESTS BY PRIORITY AREA.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

ALSO ON AUGUST 3RD, WE HAD THE CERTIFIED PROPERTY TAX ROLL PRESENTED.

WE RECEIVED THE CERTIFIED TAX ROLL FROM FORT BEN CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT AND HARRIS COUNTY, WHICH IS A LARGE COUNTY.

THEY PROVIDED AN ESTIMATE OF THE CERTIFIED I'M CERTIFIED ROLES AND BEING A LARGE COUNTY, THEY HAVE ADDITIONAL TIME TO PROVIDE THE CERTIFIED ROLES, WHICH WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED YET, BUT THEY ARE NOT A LARGE PART OF THE ASSESSED EVALUATION FOR THE CITY.

UH, SO USING THE CERTIFIED ESTIMATES WILL RESULT IN A, UM, THE SAME PROPERTY TAX RATE.

PRETTY MUCH NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO HERE WE ARE TONIGHT, UM, DISCUSSING THE FISCAL YEAR 2021 PROPOSED BUDGET OVERVIEW.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

BEFORE GOING INTO THE FIGURES, WE OF COURSE WANT TO, UM, OUTLINE THOSE INITIATIVES THAT ARE IN LINE WITH COUNCIL GOALS AND PRIORITIES OF THE FIRST AREAS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT COURSE.

WE WANT TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH COUNCIL AND SETTING PRIORITIES, UH, IN THE AREAS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT PLAN.

WE ALSO WANT TO SUPPORT ECONOMIC RECOVERY OF THE CITY FROM COVID-19.

THIS INCLUDES SMALL BUSINESS.

WE WANT TO SUPPORT DEVELOPERS EFFORTS TO PROCEED WITH SIANNA TOWN CENTER.

WE ALSO WANT TO ATTRACT, UM, DEVELOPERS AND NEW BUSINESSES TO FM 2234 CARTWRIGHT ROAD AND FM 10 92, UH, CONTINUE TO SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT AND INDUSTRIAL AND BUSINESS PARKS, ZONED PROPERTIES, UH, CREATE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMS THAT WOULD SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

AND WE HAVE ALSO ADDED ONE FTE AND WITHIN THIS BUDGET TO SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES, INCLUDING NEW PROGRAMS, SUCH AS THE REVOLVING LOAN PROGRAM FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, THIS WILL BRING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM TO A TOTAL OF THREE FTE.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, IN THE AREA OF INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, WE HAVE, UH, INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET MOBILITY PROJECTS UTILIZING FORT BEND COUNTY MOBILITY BOND FUNDS, AND WE ARE AGGRESSIVELY COMPLETING THE SIDEWALK REPAIR PROGRAM DURING FISCAL YEAR 2021.

UM, THE, THE SIDEWALK PROGRAM, I BELIEVE IT HAD A TIMELINE OF APPROXIMATELY FIVE YEARS FOR COMPLETION AND UTILIZING THE, UH, FUND BALANCE POLICY AND THE ABILITY THE PROJECTED FUNDS TO BE AVAILABLE, UM, THAT EXCEEDS THE FUND BALANCE REQUIREMENTS.

SOME OF THOSE FUNDS ARE GOING TO BE PUT TOWARDS THE SIDEWALK REPAIR PROGRAM SO THAT IT CAN BE COMPLETE DURING FISCAL YEAR 2021.

WE ALSO, UH, WILL BE COMPLETING THE MASTER DRAINAGE PLAN, UH, COMPLETING THE FLOOD GAUGE INSTALLATION PROJECT WITH, UH, GLO COMPLETING THE CORRIDOR STUDY FOR HIGHWAY SIX, IMPROVED TRAFFIC PROGRESSION, AND ALSO IN THE CAPITAL PROJECT.

WE HAVE DRAINING PROGRAM, UH, DRAINAGE PROJECTS, INCLUDING WILLOW WATERHOLE, AMERICAN LEGION AND BUFFALO RUN.

WE ALSO HAVE THE PARKS MAINTENANCE FACILITY, UH, THE PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE PROGRAM AND VARIOUS UTILITY PROJECTS.

NEXT SLIDE.

YEAH, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS ALSO A PRIORITY AND WHAT YOU'LL SEE WITHIN THE BUDGET, WE HAVE THE CONTINUATION OF THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF FIRE STATION SIX, UH, THE PURCHASE OF THE NEW ENGINE FOR FIRE STATION SIX.

WE'RE ALSO ESTABLISHING A COMMUNITY WIDE ANNUAL CPR FIRST AID PROGRAM.

AND ALSO TO ENSURE THAT THE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES ARE ADEQUATELY EQUIPPED OR YOU'LL SEE THAT WE HAVE FUNDED PROTECTIVE CLOTHING AND GEAR TO MEET, UH, STATE.

WE ALSO HAVE SAFETY VESTS OR EMERGENCY SCENES, AND ALSO REFLECTIVE RAINCOATS.

WE ALSO WANT TO PROVIDE EQUIPMENT TO MAINTAIN

[00:15:01]

AND ENHANCE SERVICES, INCLUDING BREEDING AIR COMPRESSOR REPLACEMENTS AT TWO OF OUR FIRE STATIONS, NUMBER THREE AND FOUR, AND THE OUTFITTING OF ONE VEHICLE AND THE PURCHASE OF THE FOUR BY FOUR F150 AND QUOTING THE OUTFITTING OF THAT, UH, VEHICLE X, Y PLACE EMPLOYEES ARE ALSO A PRIORITY.

UH, ONE OF THE INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE, UH, THE CITYWIDE WELLNESS INITIATIVE.

NOW WE'RE ALSO CONTINUING COVERAGE OF EMPLOYEE HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS, CONTINUING WITH OUR EMPLOYEE FOCUS COMMITTEES, INCLUDING THE EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION COMMITTEE AND THE WELLNESS COMMITTEE.

WE'RE ALSO GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THE KABOOM SOFTWARE FOR EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION, AND WE'LL BE CREATING A 2021 EMPLOYEE BENEFITS, SUMMARY GUIDE.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

UM, WE DO MAKE THEM, UH, AS FAR AS INVESTMENTS AND EMPLOYEES, THESE ARE THE BENEFITS THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES THAT ARE INCLUDED WITHIN THE BUDGET.

WE HAVE TUITION, REIMBURSEMENT, CERTIFICATION, PANG, UH, EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION, UH, UNIFORMS AND EQUIPMENTS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, LONGEVITY, LIFE INSURANCE.

UH, WE ALSO HAVE, UM, UH, THE HSA, UH, 2250, THAT GOES TOWARDS THOSE THAT HAVE ELECTED TO HAVE THE HIGH DEDUCTIBLE PLAN.

UH, WE COVER APPROXIMATELY 80% OF BENEFIT PREMIUMS FOR ACTIVE EMPLOYEES, AND WE SUBSIDIZE 100% OF THE COST FOR RETIRING EMPLOYEES OVER 65.

AND WE STILL HAVE VOICE AND DATA ALLOWANCE FOR EMPLOYEES AND NEW.

WE HAVE UPGRADED REMOTE WORKING CAPABILITIES ON RESPONSE TO COVID-19 AND AS LEGALLY REQUIRED, WE HAVE PROVIDED EMPLOYEES WITH 80 HOURS OF COBIT LEAVE AND THE EVENT THAT THEY, UM, HAVE COVID-19, UH, WE ALSO HAVE PURCHASED PP AND E AND SUPPLIES TO ENSURE THAT THE WORKFORCE REMAINS SAFE WHEN IT COMES TO COVID-19.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE BEAUTIFICATION THE INITIATIVES THAT YOU'LL SEE WITHIN THE BUDGET, UH, PUBLIC ART FOR PARKS INSTALLATIONS, UH, THE ENTRANCE AT CITY HALL READER, MONUMENT SIGNS AND LANDSCAPE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

I'M JUST GOING TO SKIP AROUND PARKS, MASTER PLAN UPDATE.

UH, WE HAVE A DESIGN OF NEW, A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD PARK AND PARKS, EDGE SUBDIVISION.

UH, WE ALSO HAVE THE ANNUAL MAINTENANCE WITH THE LANDSCAPE BEDS AND CARTWRIGHT ROAD AND ON TEXAS PARKWAY.

AND WE HAVE BALL FIELD IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDED WITHIN THE BUDGET.

EXCELLENT AND PARTNERSHIPS.

UH, WE CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES AND DEVELOPERS WITHIN THE CITY.

WE STILL HAVE A TECH STOCK FOR BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT.

AGAIN, THE FLOOD ALERT SYSTEM WITH THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE.

WE ALSO HAVE THE CARE FUNDING FROM FORT BEND COUNTY AND HARRIS COUNTY.

WE HAVE 3.7 FROM FORT BEN AND APPROXIMATELY 300,000 FROM HARRIS COUNTY TO INTERESTS.

UH, COVID-19 RELATED, UM, PROJECTS AND EXPENDITURES THAT WE HAVE INCURRED.

WE ALSO HAVE MOBILITY PROJECTS.

UH, WE HAVE THE MUSTANG EXPANSION, WHICH IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH MUD 47 48.

AND OF COURSE WE PURCHASED THE PACKAGE PLANT FROM THE CITY OF CAROLYN, UH, THROUGH THE TERRORS.

WE HAVE A PARKS MAINTENANCE FACILITY THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT.

UH, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH THE COUNTY ON THE MISSOURI CITY GYM, AND ALSO FOR THOUGHT IMPROVEMENTS AND THE TOURS ONE BOUNDARIES.

UH, WE ALSO PLAN TO CONTINUE TO USE STARS TUNE ALSO FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

UH, WE WILL BE PARTNERING WITH THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY FOR THE CITY'S THIRD ANNUAL JOB FAIR.

AND WE ARE GOING TO COLLABORATE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK REGARDING THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

OKAY.

SO NOW WE GET INTO THE ACTUAL FIGURES FOR THE GENERAL FUND.

WE WILL LOOK AT ALL OF THE FUNDS AFTER THE GENERAL FUND.

THIS IS A SLIDE THAT YOU HAVE SEEN ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS.

THE CHANGE FOR THIS SLIDE IS THAT WE HAVE THE NEW, NO NEW REVENUE RATE, AND THAT HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED WITHIN THIS BUDGET.

THE RATE IS 0.598035, AND IT INCLUDES A MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS RATES, UH, POINTS FOUR FIVE THREE FIVE THREE ZERO.

AND THAT IS PER $100 OF ASSESSED VALUATION.

AND THE INTEREST IN THINKING, WHICH IS USED TO PAY DEBT SERVICE IS 0.1, FOUR, FOUR, FIVE ZERO FIVE, 14, LITTLE OR 14 CENTS TO BE ABLE TO PAY THAT SERVICE.

SO THIS IS A CHANGE THAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE REVENUE FROM THE AUGUST.

THIRD PRESENTATION IS THE, UM, THAT AS INCLUDING THE ACTUAL RATE, WE HAD A RATE TO PREVIOUSLY A 0.5936, SIX.

THAT WAS THE ESTIMATE.

AND SO WE WERE PRETTY CLOSE WHEN IT COMES TO ESTIMATING, UM, THE TAX RATE.

AS YOU SEE HERE, UH, WE HAVE, UH, THE EXPENDITURES

[00:20:02]

AT, AND THIS IS INCLUDE TRANSFERS.

THESE TRANSFERS ARE TRANSFERS FOR THE TOURISTS.

THAT'S A MAJORITY OF THE TRANSFERS.

UH, THE EXPENDITURES ARE APPROXIMATELY 64.7 MILLION WHILE THE REVENUE OF TRANSFERENCE.

AND IT'S 61.1, UM, THE EXPENDITURES EXCEED REVENUE BECAUSE WE ARE USING SOME OF THE ESTIMATED FUND BALANCE, UH, FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020.

WE BELIEVE THAT WE WILL BE ADDING APPROXIMATELY 3.8 MILLION TO FUND BALANCE.

AND SINCE THE FUND BALANCE POLICY STATES THAT ANY AMOUNT OVER THE REQUIRED FUND BALANCE REQUIREMENTS OF 30% CAN BE USED FOR ONE TIME, WE HAVE INCLUDED A ONE TIME EXPENDITURES IN THE BUDGET, AND YOU WILL SEE THAT INFORMATION AND THE DETAILED BUDGET DOCUMENT THAT YOU WILL RECEIVE ON THE 20TH.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

FISCAL YEAR 2021 PROPOSED STAFFING.

AND I'VE ALSO SEEN THIS, THERE HAS BEEN CHANGES.

I'M ALL I'D LIKE TO JUST QUICKLY REVIEW, UM, THE, THE POSITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED IN A FISCAL YEAR, 2021, A BUDGET.

WE HAVE TWO POSITIONS AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, ONE DEVELOPMENT PLAN REVIEW, AND ONE REVIEWER.

AND I BELIEVE THAT DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR, WE ALSO HAVE ONE POSITION IN HUMAN RESOURCES, THE HUMAN RESOURCES SPECIALIST, THIS ONE WAS FUNDED THROUGH REALLOCATIONS AND THE USE OF A PART TIME EMPLOYEE, A SALARY.

UH, WE HAVE TWO EMPLOYEE, TWO POSITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS, A COMMUNICATION MANAGER AND WRITER, AND WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL POSITION ADDED FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

AGAIN, BRINGING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM TO THREE FTE.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

OUR PROPERTY TAX.

OF COURSE, WE JUST WENT OVER THE NO NEW REVENUE, RIGHT? THE PROPERTY TAX, UH, NOT ONLY GOES INTO THE GENERAL FUND AND DEBT SERVICE, BUT ALSO GOES INTO THE TERRORS.

UH, THE THREE TOURIST SHOWS ONE, TWO, AND THREE OF THE WAY THAT IT WORKS WITH THE TERRORS IS WHEN THE TERS WAS THE PHILIP THERE'S A BASE ASSESSED VALUATION.

UM, AND THE PROPERTY TAX IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE BASE VALUATION REMAINS WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND, BUT ANY INCREASE IN ASSESSED VALUATION OF PROPERTY TAXES ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE INCREASES GO INTO THE TERRORS.

SO I'M LOOKING AT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE OF, UH, 59, EIGHT OH THREE, 5 CENTS.

APPROXIMATELY 68% GOES INTO THE GENERAL FUND.

24% GOES INTO THE DEBT SERVICE FUND FOR US TO RECEIVE 3.7% TOURISTS, THREE, 2.4% TOURIST ONE, 2%.

SO THAT IS THE MANNER IN WHICH THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUES ARE ALLOCATED IN FISCAL YEAR 2021.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THE PROPOSED EXPENDITURES BY DEPARTMENT, OF COURSE, MAJORITY I'LL SAY YES, A MAJORITY OF OUR EXPENDITURES ARE IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY AREA WHEN YOU COMBINE POLICE FIRE, AND WE CONSIDER PUBLIC WORKS.

ALSO A PART OF PUBLIC SAFETY POLICE IS AT 14.3 MILLION FIRE 9.1 PUBLIC WORKS AND 9.8 A GENERAL GOVERNMENT IS THAT 7.7.

THAT INCLUDES CITY COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEYS TO BE SECRETARY.

UM, THERE'S MULTIPLE DIVISIONS.

YOU'LL SEE THAT OUTLINED IN YOUR, UM, DOCUMENT THAT YOU'LL RECEIVE ON THE 20TH FINANCIAL SERVICES.

UH, WE'RE AT 2.3 MILLION, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION, 3.8 DEVELOPMENT SERVICES CLOSE TO 1.9 I T 5.8, AND THIS INCLUDES, UH, CONTRIBUTIONS TO BE, UH, IT REPLACEMENT FUND.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE NON DEPARTMENTAL AT 9.89.

DEPARTMENTAL INCLUDES SOME OUR MEDICAL INSURANCE.

IT INCLUDES, UH, THE, UH, FUNDS SET ASIDE FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF A COMPENSATION PLAN.

UH, BUT A MAJORITY OF MINE DEPARTMENTAL IS THE TRANSFERS AND TO THE TERMS. SO WE RECEIVE OUR PROPERTY TAXES AND REVENUE, AND THEN WE TRANSFERRED THEM OUT INTO THE TOURIST FUNDS.

SO THAT'S WHY NON DEPARTMENTAL IS, IS HIGH.

IT'S JUST, MOST OF IT IS A TRANSFERRING TO THE CHURCH.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

OKAY.

AND HERE YOU CAN SEE IT A GRAPHIC THAT SHOWS, UH, ALMOST HALF OF THE BUDGET IS FOR PUBLIC WORKS, FIRE AND POLICE NEXT TIME.

OKAY.

SO NOW WE HAVE, UH, ALL FARMS. SO WHAT IS THE TOTAL BUDGET FOR THE CITY AND NOT JUST THE GENERAL FUND? WHAT IS THE TOTAL BUDGET? NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021, THE REVENUE FOR ALL FUNDS AS 136 MILLION, $648,097 61.1 MILLION OF THIS IS A GENERAL FUND.

THAT'S ALMOST 45% OF THE BUDGET.

YOU HAVE THE EQUIPMENT, THE EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT FUNDS AT TWO MILLIONS OF SMALL PORTION OF THE BUDGET, SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, WHICH ARE A REVENUE THAT WE RECEIVE FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE.

[00:25:01]

CAN'T BE USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

THAT'S 14.3 MILLION CAPITAL PROJECTS, 11.8 CAPITAL PROJECTS ARE, UM, UH, PART OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, THE DEBT SERVICES AT 11 MILLION OR 8.1% OF THE BUDGET.

AND THIS IS A PAYMENT FOR ALL OF OUR DEBT SERVICE, UH, OUR BONDS AND OUR CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION THAT ARE NOT RELATED TO, UH, THE UTILITIES ARE PAID OUT OF DEBT SERVICE FUND, UTILITY FUNDS, UH, 28.5.

WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER THAT IN A LITTLE MORE DETAIL IN A FUTURE SLIDE.

AND THEN WE HAVE OUR OTHER ENTERPRISE FUNDS, WHICH IS A 7.6 AND OTHER ENTERPRISE PLANS, OUR SOLID WASTE FUND AND THE LGC.

UM, WE WILL BE PRESENTING TO COUNCIL IN SEPTEMBER AND INNER FUND LOAN POLICY.

AND AT THAT TIME WE WILL BE PRESENTING A PROPOSAL FOR ADDRESSING THE INNER FUND BALANCES BETWEEN LGC AND THE GENERAL FUND.

UH, THIS PROPOSAL HAS THE ABILITY TO AFFECT THE GENERAL FUND BEGINNING FUND BALANCE BY APPROXIMATELY $500,000.

AND YOU WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT THIS AND AT THE SEPTEMBER MEETING, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE PROPOSED EXPENDITURES A 149,756,570 FOLLOWERS WITH 43% BEING IN THE GENERAL FUND.

UM, AGAIN, WHEN YOU SEE THAT THE REVENUE, UH, OR THE EXPENDITURES EXCEED REVENUE, IT'S BASED ON EITHER USE OF FUND BALANCE, BUT A MAJORITY IS USED, UH, BASED ON, UH, SPENDING THE BOND PROCEEDS AND CAPITAL PROJECTS.

UM, SO THERE, THERE ARE FUNDS THAT WE RECEIVE ON A FISCAL YEAR AND IT TAKES TIME TO BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE PROJECTS.

SO THAT IS WHY YOU'LL SEE THAT THE EXPENDITURES EXCEED, EXCEED THE REVENUE.

SO CAPITAL PROJECT FUNDS ARE A 25.7 MILLION AT 17% AND THE UTILITY FUNDS, UM, 26.7, UH, AT 17%.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

OKAY.

SO UTILITY ENTERPRISE PLANS, WE'RE ALMOST AT THE END.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

OKAY.

THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE UTILITY ENTERPRISE SPONSOR REVENUE IS 28,000,005 35 TO 19.

AND WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS THE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE ACCOUNTING FOR THE UTILITY ENTERPRISE.

UM, WE HAVE SEPARATED OUT THE, UH, MUSTANG BY U FUND, UH, TO BE ABLE TO BETTER ACCOUNT FOR, UH, SHARED EXPENSES VERSUS THOSE EXPENSES THAT ARE FOR CITY CUSTOMERS ONLY.

SO YOU'LL SEE MUSTANG BY YOU SHARED WATER.

WE HAVE SEPARATED WATER FROM WASTEWATER SHARED, MEANING THAT THERE ARE OTHER MUDS THAT ARE PARTICIPATING AND, UH, PAYING A PORTION OF THE EXPENDITURES.

SO WE HAVE MOST THING BY YOU SHARED WATER.

WE HAVE MUSTANG BY A SHARED WASTEWATER, UH, WHERE YOU SEE RETAIL.

THOSE ARE THE CITY CUSTOMERS.

SO WE HAVE THE CITY CUSTOMERS FOR WATER AND LISTING BY YOU.

AND WE HAVE A CITY CUSTOMERS RETAIL ONLY FOR WASTEWATER.

WE ALSO HAVE SEPARATED OUT AND NORTHEAST OYSTER CREEK INTO ITS OWN FUND AND THE HIGH TOWER LIST STATION INTO ITS OWN FUN, UH, CHANGES THAT WERE MADE IN PRIOR YEARS.

WE HAVE THE IMPACT FEES, UH, SEPARATED OUT.

WE ALSO HAVE OUR DEBT SERVICE, UH, 2018, A CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATION THAT IS ALSO SEPARATED OUT, UH, IN THE PAST, WE ACCOUNTED FOR DEBT ISSUANCE WITHIN THE CONSTRUCTION FUND AND, UH, FOR BETTER TRACKING OF BOND PROCEEDS.

WE NOW ACCOUNT FOR ALL OF OUR, THAT ISSUANCES AND SEPARATE FUNDS.

MAJORITY OF OUR UTILITY ENTERPRISE FUND REVENUE IS IN THE SURFACE WATER OPERATING FUND, WHICH IS AT A 42%.

EXCELLENT, PLEASE.

THE EXPENDITURES ARE 26,000,700, 3,181.

AGAIN, SURFACE WATER OPERATING COUNTS FOR OUR MAJORITY AT 44.4% NEXT TIME.

OKAY.

SO ON THE HORIZON, WHAT'S NEXT, UH, NEXT SLIDE, ONCE WE'RE GONNA FILE THE BUDGET, UH, WHERE YOU'LL HAVE THE DOCUMENT, WHICH IS, UH, OVER 300 PAGES AND IT'S A LOT OF DETAIL.

UM, YOU HAVE ALL OF THE LINE ITEM INFORMATION FOR ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS.

YOU HAVE ALL OF THE INFORMATION REGARDING THE CAPITAL PROJECTS.

EVERYTHING IS INCLUDED IN THIS DOCUMENT.

THE BUDGET TEAM HAS WORKED REALLY HARD TO PUT THIS TOGETHER.

UM, SO WE'LL BE FOLLOWING THAT AND COUNCIL RECEIVED THEIR COPY ON AUGUST 20TH.

UM, WE ALSO HAVE TONIGHT ON THE REGULAR AGENDA, WE HAVE THE APPROVAL OF THE MAXIMUM, UH, PROPERTY TAX RATE, WHICH STAFF IS RECOMMENDING TO BE THE RATE THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET, WHICH IS THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE ON SEPTEMBER 21ST.

WE HAVE THE BUDGET HEARING SCHEDULED AS WELL AS THE ADOPTION OF THE FISCAL YEAR, 2021 BUDGET.

WE ALSO HAVE THE PROPERTY TAX RATE SCHEDULE FOR SEPTEMBER 21ST.

[00:30:02]

SO THERE IS A MONTH BETWEEN, UM, THE SIGN OF THE BUDGET AND THE ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET, WHERE IF THERE IS A DESIRE BY COUNCILS TO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL BUDGET WORK SESSION, TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE IN REGARDS TO BEING INFORMATION, MAKE ANY CHANGES.

UM, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT, AND I BELIEVE THAT ENDS MY PRESENTATION ON THE PROPOSED, UH, UH, BUDGET.

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT MAYBE BILL OR ELDEST THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD, OR TO US RECEIVING QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS IN REGARDS TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2021 PROPOSED BUDGET, ELENA? THIS IS ANTHONY MARULA.

YEAH.

SO, UH, ON INS LAST YEAR, WE WERE AT 17 CENTS AND I KNOW WE WENT AGGRESSIVE TO PAY DOWN SOME DEBT.

WE'RE OBVIOUSLY PROPOSING 14 RIGHT NOW.

UH, SO 3 CENTS, UM, I, THAT SEEMS A LITTLE BIT AGGRESSIVE TO DROP 3 CENTS.

DO WE FEEL GOOD ABOUT PAYING DOWN THE DEBT AT THE 14TH CENT RATE? SO THE WAY THAT THE IMS PORTION IS, UM, CALCULATED IS BASED ON THE DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020, WHICH WAS TAX YEAR 2019, THE IMS RATE WAS 16.

I THINK IT WAS 16, THREE 61.

SO IT WAS A LITTLE LESS THAN 17, 17 CENTS HAS BEEN A TARGET WHEN IT COMES TO LOOKING AT OUR DEBT CAPACITY.

UH, THE CALCULATIONS THAT WERE INCLUDED FOR THIS YEAR, UM, INCLUDED, UH, THE EXCESS COLLECTIONS FOR THIS YEAR.

SO IN PRIOR YEARS WE WOULD RECEIVE, UM, CERTIFICATION FROM THE TAX OFFICE, AS FAR AS THE PERCENTAGE THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO COLLECT AND PROPERTY TAXES AND THE DOLLAR AMOUNT OF EXCESS DEBT SERVICE COLLECTIONS PRIOR YEARS, EVERYTHING THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THEM, UH, JUST STATED ZERO.

AND I THINK WITH THE NEW LEGISLATION, UM, THEY HAVE TAKEN A HARD LOOK AT THAT AND THE AMOUNT THAT THEY HAVE CERTIFIED AS EXCESS DEBT COLLECTIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020, IT WAS ALMOST $1 MILLION OR 900.

I THINK IT'S 925,000 DON'T QUOTE ME, BUT I THINK I HAVE IT IN THE ATTACHMENT.

UM, UH, I HAVE IT AN ATTACHMENT TO THE REGULAR AGENDA ITEM.

SO FOR THE PROPERTY TAX RATE.

AND SO THAT AMOUNT HAS TO BE USED TO BUY DOWN THE RATE.

SO SAY THE TOTAL, UM, AND YOU'LL SEE THIS IN THE TRUTH AND TAX PATIENT CALCULATION, THE TOTAL DEBT PAYMENTS THAT'S ESTIMATED, OR I BELIEVE, UM, 10 SOMEWHERE IN THE 10 MILLION, UH, UH, RANGE, BUT WE HAVE TO DROP THAT BY THE 925 TO BE 9 MILLION.

THAT'S THE IN CALCULATE THE ITEM THAT'S RIGHT.

SO WE DO THAT.

THE 14 CENTS WILL BE SUFFICIENT TO BE ABLE TO PAY, BUT WE WILL BE USING SOME, A FUND THAT WANTS TO DO THAT.

OKAY.

AND COUNCIL MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.

WE ALSO HAVE BEEN HAVING DISCUSSIONS, STATE MANAGER, MYSELF, AND A FINANCE DIRECTOR ALONG WITH OTHER STATES, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, AND RESPECT TO OUR CIP.

AND WE, AS YOU KNOW, HAS THE 2014 BOND ISSUE AUTHORIZATION FOR THAT TO THE VOTERS, FOR WORKING WITH THE FINANCIAL ADVISER RIGHT NOW, TO DETERMINE THE CAPACITY THAT WE WILL HAVE IN THE, OUT HERE WITH RESPECT TO THE A 17 CENT RIGHTS THAT WE HAVE MADE AS A TARGET.

AND SO WE'RE WORKING TO GET THAT FROM HIM AND THEN POTENTIALLY COMING BACK TO DISCUSS FURTHER A CIP AND FUNDING FOR THAT AND GOING AND POTENTIALLY GOING TO THE VOTERS.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, I HAVE, UM, I HAVE QUESTS, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, BUT I ALSO HAVE A STATEMENT AS COUNCIL MEMBER BONEY.

FIRST OF ALL, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOOD TO, TO HEAR THAT THE TAX RATE IS POTENTIALLY GOING DOWN.

OF COURSE, AS WE KNOW THAT THE VALUES OF MANY OF THESE PROPERTIES ARE GOING UP.

UH, SO, UM, I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT SOME ASPECTS OF THE BUDGET, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO STAFFING, UH, PROPOSED REQUESTS AND CERTAIN SUPPLEMENTAL REQUESTS, UH, CAN YOU OR SOMEONE SPEAK TO THE INCREASE OF THE TWO POSITIONS OR COMMUNICATIONS, UH, IN THAT, UH, WE WILL HAVE MORE COMMUNICATIONS STAFF, PEOPLE THAT PEAR LAND AND SUGAR LAND, AND EVEN WITH EVEN MORE CLARITY, YOU KNOW, I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH THIS YEAR CITY OF PEAR LAND, UH, WHICH HAS A POPULATION OF A LITTLE LESS THAN 130,000 HAS ONLY FIVE POSITIONS PROPOSED.

UH, AND THEIR BUDGET IS 609,428, UH, IN THE CITY OF CIRCLE LAND, WHICH HAS A POPULATION OF A LITTLE OVER 118,000.

THEY HAVE PROPOSED NINE POSITIONS AND THEIR BUDGET IS 1.38578, YET LAST YEAR,

[00:35:01]

UH, HERE IN MISSOURI CITY, I POPULATION 75,061.

AND WE HAD NINE POSITIONS WITH A BUDGET OF 877,006 76.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ALSO, UH, COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVES FRONTS FROM THE PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL AND GOVERNMENTAL ACCESS CHANNEL FUNDS, UH, FOR EQUIPMENT AND TRAINING, WHICH IS NOT INCLUDED IN THAT BUDGET NUMBER, UH, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

UM, BUT ANYWAY, WITH COVID-19, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT A LOT OF THESE EXTRACURRICULAR EVENTS, WHICH SHOULDN'T BE OCCURRING, BECAUSE THAT WOULD RELIEVE THE NEED FOR MORE STAFF, SUCH AS THE MOTHER'S DAY, UH, CAKE MAKING EVENT, COMMUNITY NIGHT OUTS, LEADERSHIP LUNCHES, AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, STAFF COVERING SELECT EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES OF CERTAIN COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, ALL OF THESE EVENTS SHOW A LARGE PRESENCE OF COMMUNICATION STAFF.

SO IF THEY ARE REDUCED, UH, AS FAR AS THESE PARTICULAR EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES, WHY WOULD WE ACTUALLY NEED TWO MORE POSITIONS IN 2021? LASTLY, UM, MY OTHER QUESTION IS WHY THE ADDITION OF COMMUNICATION STAFF, UH, WHY IS THAT BEING DEEMED SUCH A HIGH PRIORITY? I MEAN, I WANT TO KNOW IF MANAGEMENT OR SOMEONE EVALUATED OUR CURRENT STAFFING, CURRENT PRIORITIES, CURRENT USAGE TO DETERMINE IF THIS NEED WAS ACTUALLY NECESSARY.

I MEAN, AND IF SO, HOW WAS THIS PROCESS OF EVALUATION DONE? HOW LONG DID IT TAKE AND WERE ALL THE DEPARTMENTS REVIEWED AND EVALUATED LIKE THAT? AND WOULD IT MAKE MORE SENSE TO ADD STAFF TO PARTS WHO'S BEEN UNDERSTAFFED FOR YEARS, AS WELL AS MAYBE OTHER AREAS? THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS.

IF I NEED TO REPEAT THEM, I WILL, I, CITY MANAGER GOES OUT, I'LL RESPOND TO AT LEAST THE BIG QUESTION ABOUT COVID, UH, ACTUALLY, UH, DEALING WITH THE CULVER RESPONSE HAS ACTUALLY CAUSED A HIGHER DEMAND ON THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.

UH, NOT LESS OF DEMAND.

UH, THEY STILL ARE ENGAGING, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS AND, UM, COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES WHILE AT THE SAME TIME THEY'VE HAD TO ENHANCE, UH, THEIR VIRTUAL ONES.

AND SO SOCIAL MEDIA INTERACTIONS THAT HAS CAUSED A LITTLE BIT MORE DEMAND ON OUR SERVICES.

UH, SECONDLY, YES, WE, YOU KNOW, I HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN EVALUATING THE DEPARTMENT AND HOLISTICALLY, UH, OVER THE TIME OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, WHAT I'VE FOUND IS THAT ACTUALLY, UH, UH, THE, THE RESOURCES TO THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN REDUCED, WHICH IN TURN HAS CAUSED, UH, YOU KNOW, LESS, UH, IS LESS THAN THEIR ABILITY TO MEET THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEMANDS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT I, HE HAS BEEN CALLED OUT, UH, IN ITSELF AND THE SURVEY THAT WAS DONE.

AND SO OVERALL, UH, UH, WHAT TO RATE THE BIGGER RATIONALE FOR INCREASING THEIR OVERALL CAPACITY IS TO MEET THE, UH, THE CITIZENS, UH, REQUESTS, UH, FOR MORE ACTIVITY IN THE COMMUNICATION ARENA, BASED OFF THE SURVEY, BUT ALSO TO BASED OFF THE COMMUNICATIONS I'VE BEEN GETTING INTERNALLY WITH, UH, WITH THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND THE OVERALL, UM, CUSTOMER SERVICE NEEDS, UH, THAT I FOUND.

UH, SO THAT'S WHY I'M MAKING A REQUEST, UH, AS A, AS A PART OF THE BUDGET.

SO YOU'RE SAYING, UH, THANK YOU, UH, CITY MANAGER JONES, YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU DID AN INTERNAL REVIEW OF ALL DEPARTMENTS, AND THIS WAS THE ONLY DEPARTMENT THAT YOU FOUND THAT A NEED FOR AN INCREASE IN BUDGET AND IN POSITIONS.

NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M SAYING.

IN FACT, UH, THE BUDGET ITSELF, UH, ENHANCES THE, UH, PUBLIC WORKS BUDGET, UH, IN, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT IN THIS BUDGET PROPOSAL IS I'M PROPOSING THAT WE ACTUALLY COMPLETE THE SIDEWALK PROGRAM, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, WHEN IT HAD A FIVE YEAR PLAN FOR COMPLETION, I'M ASKING THIS TO BE MORE ROBUST IN THAT LIKEWISE, UH, ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FRONT, I'M ACTUALLY REQUESTING, WE ADD ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, SORT OF CAN BE MORE ROBUST IN OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS.

UH, AND SO, UH, THIS IS NOT THE ONLY DEPARTMENT THAT I'VE REVIEWED, UH, BUT, UH, IT IS ONE THAT I HAVE LOOKED AT AND I BELIEVE IS NECESSARY TO ENHANCE, UH, THE SOURCES SO THAT WE CAN MEET THE DEMAND THAT THE CITIZENS HAVE SAID.

THEY WANT MAT, UH, THE LEVEL OF SERVICES THEY WANT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CITIZEN SURVEY.

BUT ALSO TOO, WHEN I TALKED TO THE OTHER DEPARTMENT HEADS AND THE CITY AND ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEED TO ENHANCE THE CAPABILITY AS IT WAS SEVERAL YEARS AGO, UH, SO THAT WE CAN BE ABLE TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE PROVIDING GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE, THEY JUST UNDER UNDERPOWERED AND UNDERMANNED TO MEET THAT DEMAND.

NOW WHAT WE COULD DO,

[00:40:01]

UH, IF COUNCIL DESIRES OF THAT IS WE CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AT, UH, SHOULD WE REDUCE, UH, THE LEVEL OF SERVICES AND EXPECTATIONS THAT WE HAVE WITH THE DEPARTMENT, BUT WITH THE CITIZENS CALLED OUT FOR IT.

AND THE SURVEY IS AN ENHANCEMENT TO THOSE LEVEL OF SERVICES, NOT A REDUCTION OF IT.

AND THAT'S WHY I'VE MADE THE PROPOSAL.

THIS IS MAYOR FORD, UM, IS STACY ON THE LINE.

AND I THINK THIS MIGHT ANSWER SOME OF YOUR, UM, CONCERNS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, BONNIE, UM, STACY DOES, I KNOW FOR SUGAR LAND, THEY DON'T DO THEIR WEBSITE IN HOUSE.

DO THEY, DO THEY CONTRACT THAT OUT? YES.

I'M ON THE LINE FOR A NUMBER OF COMMUNICATIONS EFFORTS AS DO OTHER CITIES.

YEAH.

SO THAT IS WHY THEIR DEPARTMENTS ARE A LOT SMALLER THAN OURS.

A LOT OF STUFF WE DO IN HOUSE.

AND I GUESS THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL, IF, IF WE'RE LOOKING IN DOWNSIZING, THEN THE OTHER ALTERNATIVE OR NOT INCREASING CAPACITY IS TO CONTRACT OUT A LOT OF THINGS THAT OUR TEAM DO IN HOUSE.

SO THAT, THAT PLAYS INTO A LOT OF IT.

SO I GUESS THAT'S A CONVERSATION THAT IF WE WANT TO MOVE IN THAT AREA, I MEAN, WE ENDED UP FLIPPING THOSE FUNDS OVER TO HIRING CONSULTANTS AND CONTRACTING A LOT OF STUFF OUT INSTEAD OF DOING IT IN HOUSE, WHICH IS HOW SUGARLAND AND PEAR OPERATING MR. JONES.

THIS IS ANTHONY.

I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.

I'M NOT SURE WHO INTERRUPT, WHO I INTERRUPTED.

IT WAS ME.

COUNCILMAN EMORY, GO AHEAD.

YOU STARTED, OKAY.

SO, UM, MR. JONES, WHAT DOES ROBUST OR BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE LOOK LIKE FOR COMMUNICATIONS? IF WE INVEST IN TWO PEOPLE, I THINK THEY'LL HAVE THE BETTER CAPABILITY TO RESPOND TIMELY, TO REQUEST A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS HAVE MADE REQUESTS IN THE PAST, AND SHE JUST HASN'T HAD THE MANPOWER.

IF YOU WILL, TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

AS YOU KNOW, AS, AS MAYOR NOTED, A LOT OF COMMUNITIES SUPPLEMENT THEIR STAFF, UH, BY, YOU KNOW, OUTSOURCING A PORTION OF THAT.

BUT SHE, WE, WE HAVE NOT DONE THAT FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS.

UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, NOT ONLY BEING ABLE TO RESPOND TO THE, UH, CUSTOMER SERVICE COMPONENTS OF THE ADDITIONAL DEPARTMENTS, BUT ALSO TO HAVE THE CITIZENS.

AND, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CARVED OUT IN THE SURVEY WAS THEY WANTED TO HAVE A MORE TIMELY RESPONSE.

UH, THEN ALSO TO, UH, I WOULD SAY ON THE CREATION SIDE OF, OF OUR, UH, COMMUNICATIONS, THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO, UH, DEVELOP A BETTER BRAND, BUT A MARKETING STRATEGY AND TO BETTER ARTICULATE THAT IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE SOME MORE ASSISTANCE TO AS WELL.

AND THAT'S WHAT THE POSITION THAT WE NOTED AS A WRITER, UH, TO CREATE A WRITING PART OF THAT, TO BE ABLE TO HELP US, UH, BE ABLE TO MEET THAT GOAL AND THAT OBJECTIVE.

SO WHEN WE THINK OF CUSTOMER SERVICE AND I LOOKED OUT, YOU KNOW, JUST FROM THE PUBLIC'S VIEW, I THINK OUR FIRST PAIN POINT IS PERMITS.

IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO GET SOMETHING THROUGH PERMITTING.

THAT'S PROBABLY WHERE WE SHOULD INVEST.

PEOPLE IS HAVING MORE PEOPLE THERE TO PROCESS THE PAPERWORK.

SO BUSINESSES CAN COME AND OPEN THEIR BUSINESSES FASTER.

I THINK THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT HAS DONE WELL OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS BECAUSE WE ARE THE LOWEST FTE CITY IN THE, IN THE AREA.

THEY'VE GOT AWARDS OUT OUTSIDE OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

THEY'VE DONE VERY WELL WITH WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY HAVE.

UH, I WAS LOOKING AT THE DETAILED BUDGET AND IT SAYS THAT WE WANT TO EDUCATE RESIDENTS $4,000.

WHAT ARE WE, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO EDUCATE THE RESIDENTS? SO LET ME, UH, GET TO THE HEART OF YOUR OTHER QUESTION.

I DO CONCUR WITH YOU THAT ONE OF THE MAIN STATE ISSUES THAT WE'VE GOT TO DO IS WE NEED TO APPROVE OUR, UH, OUR PERMITTING PROCESS.

WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE WE GENERATE A BETTER ENTREPRENEUR SPIRIT WITHIN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO ADDRESS NEEDS OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

WITH REGARDS TO OUR PERMITTING, WE HAVE PROPOSED A ADDITIONAL POSITION FOR THAT.

AND TWO PROMPTS, ONE FROM THE REVIEW SIDE, BUT ALSO TWO IN THE PERMIT PROCESSING SIDE.

UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT AM WORKING WITH THE STAFF NOW TO ESTABLISH A BETTER PROCESS AND FLOW AND LOOK AT, UH, YOU KNOW, DOING A, UM, A ALL IN GOVERNMENT PERMITTING PROCESS THAT ALLOWS FOR US TO BE ABLE TO, UH, PERMIT OUT, UH, FASTER AND ESTABLISHED MORE CLEANER TIMEFRAMES.

UH, SO THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A MORE OPEN FROM BUSINESS APPROACH TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

AND, UH, AS A PART OF THIS BUDGET THAT I'VE PROPOSED, UH, WE ARE PROPOSING ADDITIONAL POSITIONS TO ADDRESS THAT

[00:45:01]

NEED.

UH, BUT, UH, ALSO TO, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, THERE WAS A CALL OUT PROVISION THAT IN THAT SURVEY THAT DEALT WITH COMMUNITY, UH, CUSTOMER SERVICE, UH, ON A COMMUNICATION SIDE AND A SPECIFIC ONE THAT YOU'RE MENTIONING $4,000, UH, THAT $4,000 IS GONNA GO TOWARDS HELPING TO PAY FOR, UH, ADDITIONAL, UH, UH, CUSTOMER SERVICE RELATIONS, LIKE, UH, SURVEYS, AND THEN ALSO TO INTERNALLY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO BETTER PACKAGE AND, AND GET OUT WHAT INFORMATION WE HAVE COMING FROM THE DEPARTMENTS.

SO WE HAVE A DON'T, WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH WCA TO HELP US PROMOTE RECYCLING.

DON'T WE AREN'T, WE SUPPOSED TO ALSO BE WORKING WITH METRO FOR, FOR EDUCATION.

WE'RE NOT USING ANY OF THAT.

ARE WE SOUNDS MEMORIAL WAS THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR QUESTION.

SO THERE ARE FUNDS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE COMING INTO THE CITY BUDGET FROM, I KNOW THAT PCA, THOSE FUNDS AREN'T ALLOCATED TOWARD COMMUNICATION.

HOWEVER, COMMUNICATIONS DOES A LARGE AMOUNT OF VOLUME OF WORK IN RESPONDING TO WCA INQUIRIES INTERNALLY VIA EMAIL AT MEETINGS, WE DO A LOT OF CUSTOMIZED DESIGN FOR VCA OPERATIONS AS WELL.

UM, WE DON'T RECEIVE THAT STUFF FROM WCA.

WE DO THAT IN HOUSE.

WE'VE ALSO DONE A LOT OF MARKETING VIDEOS ON WCA AS WELL.

SO AS FAR AS HOW THOSE EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT FUNDS ARE ALLOCATED, I'M NOT AWARE OF THAT.

AND I'M NOT FAMILIAR ALSO WITH ANY METRO FUNDS, HOWEVER, WE'VE DONE THE SAME TYPE OF MARKETING AND PROJECTS WITH METRO AND FOR METRO.

YEAH.

AND THAT'S WHERE I SAY THAT WE SHOULD BE LEVERAGING THOSE DOLLARS, THOSE, THOSE ENTITIES TO DO WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING.

UM, MS. WALKER, WHILE YOU'RE ON THE LINE, THERE WAS A $214,000 FOR DECK TRONICS, ANNUAL RENEWAL YET ON THE DETAILS.

IT SAYS IT WAS 16, 25 ANNUALLY.

SO HOW DO WE GET FROM 1625 TO THE TWO 14? CAUSE REMEMBER MY RULE WAS, I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT WAS TRANSMITTED TO CITY COUNCIL, BUT IT WAS NOT TRANSMITTED FROM COMMUNICATIONS THAT WAY.

SO A HUNDRED DOLLARS NUMBER THAT YOU PROVIDED THAT IS WHAT WAS PROVIDED FROM COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET.

SO MR. JONES ON THE, UH, ON THE PRESENTATION HAD THE ONE PAGE WAS SUPPLEMENTAL REQUEST, WHICH TOTALED THE FOUR OH TWO.

THERE WAS A LINE ITEM THERE THAT SAID DECK TRONICS, ANNUAL RENEWAL OF 200, 14,943 YET ON THE DETAILS.

UH, IT STATES THAT THE TEKTRONIX ANNUAL GNAR WAS $1,625 ANNUALLY.

DO WE KNOW HOW WE WENT FROM 16 TO TWO 14, ELENA? YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT QUESTION? I AM ABOUT TO PULL THE FILE UP.

NOW, IF YOU WOULD LIKE, IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS WHILE I'M PULLING THAT FILE UP, I'LL JUST CLOSE THE MINE.

I'LL CLOSE ON MY STATEMENT OUT BY SAYING THAT I DON'T THINK THAT IN A COVEN ENVIRONMENT WHERE MANY PEOPLE ARE DOING HIRING FREEZES AND, OR LAYOFFS THAT WE NEED TO THROW BODIES AT SOMETHING, I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS.

UH, THE SURVEY IS ACTUALLY IS A GOOD THING TO LOOK AT, BUT WE JUST DON'T NEED TO THROW BODIES UNTIL WE COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING THERE, BUT I'LL WAIT FOR THE RESPONSE ON THE TEKTRONIX.

YEAH.

UM, THIS WAS COUNCILMAN EMORY AND A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

ONE WHEN WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET, UH, I NEVER SEE, UH, WHEN IT LOOKS AT MANPOWER AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE WHERE COMMUNICATIONS IS BROKEN OUT AS A SEPARATE ENTITY, UH, I GUESS, AS EMBEDDED IN, UH, WHAT ADMINISTRATION OR, UH, WHERE IS IT, UH, ACCUMULATED COMMUNICATIONS RESIDES IN THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT GENERAL GOVERNMENT? YES, GO AHEAD.

I GUESS.

UM, MY, MY POINT IS, IS THAT WE'VE GOT NINE PEOPLE IN THERE.

NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 11 TO ME.

WE SHOULD REALLY BE TAKING A REAL, UH, DETAILED LOOK AT, UH, THAT, UH, UH, THAT OPERATION, UH, BECAUSE IT IS IN FACT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF GETTING TO BE ONE OF THE LARGER, UH, UH, DEPARTMENTS THAT WE, THAT WE HAVE.

UM, AND I GUESS MY SECOND POINT IS I KNOW THAT, UH, UH, THAT WE WERE, UM, UH, WE WERE DOING THINGS IN HOUSE AS OPPOSED TO, UH, CONTRACTING.

UM, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE REALLY LOOKED AT WHETHER OR NOT IT'S A MORE ECONOMICAL AND A MORE EFFICIENT TO DO SOME OF THOSE THINGS INSIDE AS OPPOSED TO OUTSIDE.

AND I GUESS THE REASON I SAY THAT

[00:50:01]

IS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, UH, WE SAY SUGAR LAND IS CONTRACTING A LOT OF THAT OUT.

AND SO IS, I THINK WE SAID BARE LAND.

SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE OBVIOUSLY SEEN SOMETHING THAT, UH, UH, I GUESS THAT, UH, THEY FEEL THAT, UH, IT'S MORE EFFICIENT AND LESS COSTLY TO DO SOME CONTRACTING AND THINGS OUT.

SO I WOULD ASK THAT, UH, WE, WE TAKE A HARD LOOK AGAIN AT, UH, WHAT, UH, WHAT SOME OF THOSE MAJOR AREAS ARE THAT WE COULD CONSIDER, UH, CONTRACTING OUT, UH, JUST SO THAT WE KNOW THAT, UH, WE'RE GOING DOWN THE RIGHT PATH AND WE'RE SPENDING THE TAX DOLLARS EFFICIENTLY, UH, AND, UM, GETTING, UH, A BETTER, UH, UH, VALUE FOR THE DOLLARS THAT WE'RE SPENDING, UH, IN, UH, IN HOUSE.

AND THIS IS COUNCIL REQUESTING, THIS IS COUNCIL MEMBER PRESTON PROVIDES SOME BALANCE TO THE DISCUSSION.

UH, WANT TO WAIT A MINUTE? EXCUSE ME, MAYOR TIM.

I WAS LOOKING FOR, UH, I GUESS AN ANSWER TO MY QUESTION.

YEAH, BUT I ALSO HEARD GO AHEAD AND ASK QUESTIONS WHILE THE INFORMATION WAS GATHERED.

SO YOU HOLD TIGHT AND ALLOW ME TO ASK MY QUESTION.

OKAY, IT'LL BE OKAY, FLOYD, AS I WAS SAYING, WON'T BE OKAY, DON'T TRY IT BECAUSE IT WAS STATED THAT WHILE THE INFORMATION WAS GATHERED, IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS ON THE TABLE, GET THOSE QUESTIONS OUT.

SO I JUST AM MAKING A STATEMENT.

AND THAT STATEMENT IS, I KNOW ONE THING THAT HAS BEEN IMPORTANT TO US IS ALSO CREATING A STRONG BRANDING IMAGE FOR MISSOURI CITY.

SO AS OPPOSED TO SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES, OUR BENCHMARK CITY, SOME OF THEM THAT CURRENTLY HAVE VERY STRONG BRANDS.

I KNOW THAT IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN COUNCIL'S DESIRE TO ENHANCE AND STRENGTHEN THE BRAND OF MISSOURI CITY.

AND THAT'S THE STATEMENT THAT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE IN THE MEANTIME.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

UM, THIS IS COUNCILWOMAN EDWARDS.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, UM, LIKE MY STATEMENT, BASICALLY, WE MADE, UM, A BIG DEAL ABOUT THE SURVEY COMING OUT AND ALL THE COMMUNICATIONS THAT PART.

AND I WON'T SAY WE, BUT, UM, A FEW OF MY COLLEAGUES MADE A BIG DEAL STATING THAT WE NEEDED TO, UM, IMPROVE OUR COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION NEEDED TO GET BACK TO THE CITIZENS IN A TIMELY MANNER HERE.

THESE STAFF HAVE PREPARED A PROPOSAL ON HOW WE CAN ACTUALLY RECTIFY THAT ISSUE.

AND AGAIN, WE STILL HAVEN'T KICKED BACK FROM IT.

AND I JUST THINK THAT IT'S PRETTY MUCH A CONTRADICTION FROM WHAT WAS STATED WHEN THE SURVEY CAME OUT, AS OPPOSED TO STAFF ACTUALLY TRYING TO RECTIFY THE WHOLE SITUATION.

UM, I TOOK THE LIBERTY OF ACTUALLY SPENDING SOME TIME WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT JUST TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO.

AND, UM, IT IS MY OPINION THAT THEY ARE THE MOST UNDERRATED, UM, DEPARTMENT THAT WE HAVE.

THEY DO A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE ACTUALLY, UM, PRETTY MUCH AT A LOWER RATE THAN WHAT WE WOULD GET CONTRACTED OUT.

AND STACY, IF YOU CAN CORRECT ME ON THAT, I WOULD LOVE THAT.

UM, BUT BASICALLY WE SAVE A LOT OF MONEY FROM THE TASKS THAT THEY ACTUALLY DO IF WE WERE TO GET THOSE ITEMS CONTRACTED OUT.

SO THAT BEING SAID, I JUST THINK THAT, UM, MANY TIMES WE ALWAYS SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE STAFF OPINION AND WE'RE GOING TO LAST THAT TO DO THEIR JOB HERE.

THEY ARE PROPOSING A WHOLE NOTHER, UM, WAY FOR US TO ACTUALLY IMPROVE THE COMMUNICATION THAT WILL BE RELAYED OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, TO THE RESIDENTS.

AND HERE WE ARE STILL SAYING, OH NO, THEY'RE DOING A GOOD JOB.

BUT THEN WHEN THE INFORMATION CAME OUT, IT WASN'T A, LET'S TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHICH WAY WE'RE GOING TO GO AND TRY TO GIVE THIS DEPARTMENT THE PRAISE THAT THEY DESERVE AND NOT JUST TRY TO CONTINUE TO HINDER THEIR GROWTH.

YEAH.

THIS IS, UH, ALLINA PORTIS.

I DO HAVE AN ANSWER IF YOU ARE READY FOR ME TO, UH, PROVIDE THAT IN REGARDS TO THE 214,000 IN THAT COUNTY.

YES.

OKAY.

SO, UH, DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS AND EACH DEPARTMENT, UH, THAT, UH, WANTED TO PRESENT SUPPLEMENTAL REQUESTS DID SO AND COMMUNICATIONS, THEY HAD ONE REQUEST THAT WAS $214,943 THAT INCLUDED AN ITEMIZED LISTING OF DIFFERENT, UM, ITEMS AFTER GOING THROUGH THE, THE LIST AND WORKING WITH, UM, FACING, UH, AND MANAGEMENT, THE LIST, UH, THE AMOUNT THAT WAS FUNDED WAS $38,463.

SO THAT TRONICS WAS NOT THE FULL AMOUNT.

THE 214,000, THE AMOUNT OF 38,004 63 IS ITEMIZED.

UH, IT INCLUDES A MAIL CHAMP IN BACKGROUND CHECKS, TV EYES, OUR ARCHIVE, SOCIAL ANNUAL

[00:55:01]

RENEWAL DECK.

TRONIX AGAIN IS JUST 1625, UM, FLAG.

IT I'M 9,000 SOMETHING SWAG AT EASE, 12,000.

AND THEN, UM, THE STATE OF THE CITY, I THINK, STATE OF THE CITY, A TRANSFER.

YEAH.

SO ALL OF THOSE NOTES, ALL OF THOSE NOTES IS WHAT MAKES UP THE 38,463, THE LIST FOR THE $214,000.

UM, IT WAS A LOT LONGER THAN THAT.

THAT'S GREAT.

YEAH, BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DESCRIPTION ON THE, ON THE POWERPOINT SLIDE, ON HER SUPPLEMENTAL REQUEST, IT JUST LISTS THAT TRONICS ANNUAL RENEWAL AND THE TWO 14, IT DOESN'T, DOESN'T SAY, SEE AUTOMIZED, OR IT DOESN'T LIST SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED.

YEAH.

UM, THAT, THAT, UH, COULD HAVE BEEN.

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

AND YOU'RE RIGHT.

I DID SEE THE $31,000 TRANSFERRED FROM THE STATE OF THE CITY.

UM, THE BULK OF THE 38.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

WELL, I GUESS, UH, MY, UH, SUGGESTION IS, AND, UH, UH, THAT WE, UH, AGAIN, BREAK OUT COMMUNICATIONS IN MORE DETAILS.

SO WE KNOW EXACTLY HOW MANY FOLKS WE HAVE, UH, HOW MANY PEOPLE WE HAVE AND, UH, WHAT, UM, UH, WE, UH, UH, WHAT WE NEED TO, TO DO, UH, UH, TO, UH, I THINK GET A BETTER GRASP OF THAT.

UM, AND THE OTHER IS, AND IT MAY BE, YOU KNOW, AS, UH, UH, COUNCIL LADY, UH, EDWARD SAID THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE DO A LOT OF THINGS IN HOUSE AND WE GET A, A, UH, UH, A BETTER VALUE FOR OUR TAX DOLLARS.

BUT, UH, I GUESS WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS, UH, LET'S DO AN EVALUATION AND MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE ARE IN FACT, GOING DOWN THE CORRECT ROAD OF DOING THINGS INTERNALLY, AS OPPOSED TO, UH, TRYING TO LOOK AT THINGS OUTSIDE.

UH, AND AGAIN, JUST WITH THE ATTEMPT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, UH, WHAT THE DOLLARS ARE THAT WE'RE SPENDING NOW, WE'RE SPENDING THEM EFFECTIVELY.

THIS IS MERE FOUR.

GO AHEAD.

GO AHEAD.

GO AHEAD.

AND THEREFORE, NO, I WAS LIKE, THIS IS WEIRD FOR IT.

I THINK WE, UM, I THINK THAT WILL BE A GOOD THING FOR US TO DO BECAUSE, UM, STACY, PLEASE REMIND ME FOR THE SAME WEBSITE.

WE HAVE A, WAS IT SUGAR LAND THAT PAID LIKE SIX TIMES MORE? WHAT WAS THE AMOUNT THAT THEY PAID VERSUS WHAT WE HAD TO PAY TO DO THE WEBSITE? FOR AN EXAMPLE, I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT AMOUNT, BUT IT WOULD BE AROUND $60,000 AND ALSO FOR REFERENCE MAYOR FOR WHEN THE CITY FIRST ENTERED INTO HIS CONTRACT WITH CIVIC.

PLUS WE PAID 60 PLUS THOUSAND DOLLARS TO HAVE THAT WEBSITE BECAUSE A LOT OF IT HAD TO BE OUTSOURCED FOR THE REDESIGN OF THIS CURRENT WEBSITE, WHICH HAS 13 DEPARTMENT HEADERS, AND IS FAR MORE ROBUST AND HAS WIDGETS THE CITY PAID $23,000 BECAUSE THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE DESIGN WAS DONE IN HOUSE BY YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA, WEB DESIGNER.

AND ALSO ONE OF YOUR MEDIA RELATIONS SPECIALISTS DID ALL OF THE CONTENT.

SO THE CITY HAD A SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS.

OKAY.

AND ALSO YOU LOST, UH, SEVERAL OF YOUR POSITIONS.

I KNOW ONE OF THEM WENT TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT.

YOUR, WHAT WAS IT THROUGH ASSISTANT COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR? YOU LOST THAT POSITION.

CORRECT.

OUR COMMUNITY MARKETING SPECIALIST WAS THAT NPE WAS REMOVED TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT, OUR FTE CORE, THE FRONT DESK, THE SECOND FTE WAS, UM, DONE AWAY WITH.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAD TWO PART TIME POSITIONS THAT WERE MOVED FROM THE BUDGET.

OKAY.

BUT YEAH, IN THE, IS IT SUGAR LAND THAT DOES THEIR NEWSLETTER, UM, BY THEY CONTRACT THAT OUT? YES.

THEY CONTRACT THEIR NEWSLETTER OUTSIDE OF THE CITY.

SO I WOULD ESTIMATE THAT COST FOR EACH CONDITION TO BE ANYWHERE FROM 15 TO $20,000.

THE CITY HAS AN IN HOUSE DESIGNER, NOT JUST FOR THE NEWSLETTER, BUT FOR THE ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, FOR THE LEADERSHIP NOW SYMPOSIUM BROCHURE FOR ALL FLYERS AND MARKETING MATERIAL FOR ALL SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS AS WELL.

THEN IF THAT IS OUTSOURCED.

YEAH.

SO THAT WOULD, I AGREE.

LET'S SEE WHAT THEY'RE PAYING TO OUTSOURCES VERSUS WHAT WE'RE PAYING IN HOUSE TO DO IT.

UM, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME REQUESTS BEFORE IN REFERENCE TO, UH, METRO,

[01:00:01]

UH, DOING SOME PRINTING AND, AND, UM, I GUESS MARKETING FOR US, UM, AND THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO DO IT.

SO COUNCIL MEMBER, MY RULE IS, UM, I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT YOU WERE REFERRING TO, BUT I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY ANOTHER CONVERSATION WE NEED TO HAVE BECAUSE, UH, STACY CORRECT ME WHAT TOM, TOM JASON SAID THEY COULD NOT USE CERTAIN, UH, UH, FUNDS FOR WHEN WE ASKED IF THEY COULD ASSIST, WAS IT POSTAGE OR SOMETHING FOR US? OH, YES.

THE METRO COULD PRINT SOME MATERIALS FOR US IF THEY COULD HELP WITH POSTAGE, FOR THE CITIZEN NEWSLETTER FOR AN INSERT AND FOR THE ANNUAL REPORT.

AND THEY SAID, BECAUSE THEY PAY INTO OUR BUDGET ALREADY, UH, THROUGH THE METRO FUND THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE, OR THEY COULD NOT PAY IN ANY OF THOSE DOLLARS.

IT WOULD BE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

OKAY.

I'M DONE.

THIS WAS A COST FROM MEMORY.

AGAIN.

CAN, CAN SOMEONE GIVE ME AN EXACT NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE IN COMMUNICATIONS? IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE WAS A, UM, A TRANSFER OUT OF ONE, UH, ONE EMPLOYEE.

AND THEN, UH, SOME PART TIME FOLKS THAT, UH, THAT WERE ELIMINATED.

SO CAN SPATIALLY OR SOMEONE TELL ME, UH, TELL ALL OF US EXACTLY HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT, UH, THAT WE HAVE AS A COMPLIMENT IN, UH, IN COMMUNICATIONS, WE CURRENTLY HAVE NINE AND, UM, THROUGH MY RESEARCH AT ONE POINT THERE WAS A HIGH OF AT LEAST 14 FTES AND THREE PART TIME EMPLOYEES.

OKAY.

SO WE HAVE NINE ON THE, THE PROPOSAL IS FOR TWO ADDITIONAL.

YES, SIR.

AND THAT'S 11 IS WHAT IT WAS WHEN I FIRST JOINED THE CITY IN 2009, THERE WERE 11 FULL TIME EMPLOYEES AND THREE PART TIME EMPLOYEES.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

THIS IS COUNCILWOMAN STERLING.

AND THIS IS JUST THE CLARITY HERE.

I KNOW WHEN I FIRST CAME ON BOARD, I THINK IT WAS BACK IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY FOR, WE USED THE CONTRACT.

I THINK WE SPENT AN EXCESSIVE OVER $50,000.

AND I THINK YOU SAID WE COULD HAVE DONE THAT IN HOUSE SCHOOL OR LESS.

SO DO YOU REMEMBER THAT? YES, COUNSELOR STERLING? I DO.

WE WERE THINKING OF THE BRAND NEW RESPONDENTS AND JUST FOR REFERENCE THE FIRST VETERAN'S MEMORIAL WEBSITE THAT WAS DEVELOPED AND DESIGN WAS DONE IN HOUSE BY COMMUNICATION.

AND WE'VE ALSO DEVELOPED AND DESIGNED THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WEBSITE ALSO IN DESIGN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WEBSITE AT NO COST TO THE CITY.

SO WE COULD HAVE DONE THE TOURISM WEBSITE, WHICH WAS ON OUR BUSINESS PLAN, BUT IT WAS ASKED TO BE REMOVED BY THE FORMER CPO.

RIGHT.

OKAY.

AND THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT, I BELIEVE GOT UPWARDS TO 70,000, I THINK IT WAS 67,000 AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE DELIVERABLES ON THAT.

THAT WAS MY, THAT WAS MY CONCERN.

ABSOLUTELY.

CORRECT.

THANK YOU.

UH, I HAVE TWO MORE QUESTIONS AND ONE COMMENT THIS ANTHONY.

OKAY.

UM, FROM THE FIRST TIME WE MET WITH ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION OF THE BUDGET, HAS THERE BEEN ANY OTHER CHANGES TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL? IN OTHER WORDS, HAS ANYONE GONE BACK AND JUST REDUCED SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE SUPPLEMENTALS, OR IS THIS THE SAME FIGURE THAT WAS FIRST PRESENTED TO US? THIS IS ONLY AN IMPORTANCE.

UH, THE SUPPLEMENTALS WERE FIRST PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL DURING THE BUDGET WORK SESSIONS.

AND THERE WAS WORK DONE WITH, UH, STAFF THAT, UH, REDUCED, UH, MANY OF THE SUPPLEMENTAL, UM, AND REFINED THE REQUESTS.

UM, WE HAVE ALSO INCLUDED, UM, SOME AMOUNTS TO, TO, UH, BE, UH, EXCESS FUND BALANCE SUCH AS FOR THE SIDEWALK PROGRAM.

SO SOME THINGS HAVE BEEN ADDED.

OKAY.

YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.

OKAY.

AND THEN MR. JONES COMING FROM A, HOW TO, HOW MANY PEOPLE DID YOU HAVE IN COMMUNICATIONS? WE HAD A TOTAL OF ABOUT EIGHT PEOPLE.

OKAY.

OKAY.

MY, MY CLOSING COMMENT IS I AGREE WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE.

I AGREE THAT COMMUNICATIONS, UH, PROBABLY NEED SOME HAIL, BUT WE JUST CAN'T THROW BODIES AT IT.

AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE THAN STREET REPAIR THAN PARKS.

AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PEOPLE WHO COME SEE OUR CITY, VISIT OUR CITY, DRIVE OUR CITIES, THEY'RE GOING TO GO SEE OUR PARKS.

THEY'RE GONNA DRIVE OUR STREETS AND IT'S GOING TO BE A REALLY, IT DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT TO HAVE 11 FTES AND COMMUNICATIONS WHERE WE CAN'T GET OUR STREET LIGHTS REPAIRED

[01:05:01]

OR OUR STREETS REPAIRED.

SO THOSE ARE MY CLOSING COMMENTS.

THANK YOU.

ANYONE ELSE? ALRIGHTY.

THEREFORE, THIS IS COUNCIL MEMBER REQUEST.

AND IF I PLEASE GO AHEAD, JUST WOULD LIKE TO STAY.

COMMUNICATIONS ARE PART OF THE, UM, VEIN THAT REALLY GETS THE MESSAGING OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY, LETS THEM KNOW WAS TAKING PLACE, WAS ON THE HORIZON.

UM, IT LETS THEM KNOW WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON.

UM, IT KEEPS PEOPLE INFORMED, UM, IS A EXTREMELY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR CITY, AN INTEGRAL PART.

AND UM, I TRUST THAT THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT IS MAKING THE REQUEST THAT IS, UM, SINCERE AND IS NEEDED.

UM, I THINK THAT THEY'VE DONE A YEOMAN'S JOB AND WORKING WITH WHAT THEY'VE BEEN ALLOCATED, UM, IN YEARS PRIOR AND THEY SEE A NEED FOR GROWTH, UM, ONLY TO BETTER SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.

AND SO I AM STATING THAT I BELIEVE THAT IT IS A RECOMMENDATION THAT THEY'VE THOUGHT OUT, UM, AND WILL SERVE THE CITIZENS.

WELL, THANK YOU.

THIS IS COUNCIL MEMBER BONEY.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE, MAKE IT A POINT.

I APPRECIATE THE ADVOCACY FOR ONE PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT.

I MEAN WE ARE A CITY THAT'S RUN BY VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS AND I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THE SAME ADVOCACY FOR ALL DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING OUR PARTS DEPARTMENT.

THAT'S BEEN UNDERSTAFFED AND HAVING THE STAFF CUT FOR YEARS.

AND THEN OF COURSE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN REPLENISHED.

UH, ANOTHER THING THAT I WANT TO POINT OUT IS THAT THIS IS NOT AN ATTACK ON THE WORK OF ANY DEPARTMENT OR ANY INDIVIDUALS, BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW.

AND THAT'S WHY I ASKED, UH, UH, MR. JONES ABOUT HOW THIS EVALUATION WAS DONE.

I REALLY THINK IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO REALIZE HOW MUCH TIME, UH, SINCE THE TURN OF THE YEAR SINCE 2021 IN JANUARY ONE IS BEING DEVOTED TO THINGS THAT ARE NOT, UH, DIRECTLY TIED TO CITIZEN OUTREACH OR CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT OR COMMUNICATING WITH THE CITIZENS.

BECAUSE WHAT I'VE SEEN IS THAT OUR MANY OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS AND COMMUNICATIONS HAVE BEEN OUT AND ABOUT, UH, COVERING EVENTS FOR, UH, THE MAYOR OR MAYBE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT HAS TO DO WITH TRUE CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH.

AND I REALLY AM INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT KIND OF RESOURCES WERE, UH, EXPANDING, UH, AND YOU KNOW, TOWARDS THAT AND WHETHER WE NEED TO EVALUATE A LITTLE BIT MORE INTENTLY, UH, WHETHER WE COULD UTILIZE THE CURRENT STAFF AND BUDGET THAT WE HAVE AND MAXIMIZE THAT BECAUSE I'M JUST NOT CERTAIN THAT THAT'S BEING ACCOUNTED FOR AT LEAST I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW FOR MYSELF AND I'M SURE MY COLLEAGUES WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW HOW MUCH TIME IS BEING DEVOTED TO DOING THOSE EFFORTS IN AN INITIATIVE THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH DIRECT CITIZEN OUTREACH AND ENGAGE.

SO I WOULD SAY I WOULD LIKE THAT, THAT REPORT, UH, MR. JONES, IF YOU COULD FIND THAT INFORMATION OUT, AS FAR AS THE RESOURCES THAT WE'VE EXPENDED YEAR TO DATE, UH, COMMUNICATIONS, DOING THINGS THAT ARE NOT DIRECTLY TIED TO, UH, CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT AND CITIZEN OUTREACH.

DO YOU HAVE ANY EXAMPLES COUNCIL MEMBER BONEY? UH, SURE.

UM, I SAW A CITY STAFF MEMBER.

UH, I WAS, UH, ASKED TO BE A JUDGE AT AN EVENT, UH, FOR THE MISSOURI CITY, UH, BAKERS.

UH, I SAW YOU PRESENT, UH, MAYOR FORD AND I SAW THE, UH, COMMUNICATIONS INDIVIDUALS.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT INDIVIDUAL WAS WORKING ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OR IF THEY WERE WORKING AS AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR, BUT BECAUSE I RECOGNIZE THEM AS A MEMBER OF CITY STAFF, I COULD ONLY ASSUME THAT THIS WAS TIED TO MISSOURI CITY, BUT I'M SURE THAT THERE ARE OTHER EXAMPLES THAT I COULD GO WITHOUT.

YOU KNOW, FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, I'M NOT GOING TO GO LINE BY LINE PRECEPT UPON PRECEPT ON, BUT, UH, THERE, THERE ARE MANY, UH, EVENTS OR SITUATIONS THAT I'VE SEEN CITY STAFF COVERING EVENTS THAT WERE JUST NOT DIRECTLY TIED TO CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT AND CITIZEN OUTREACH.

SO AN EVENT IN OUR CITY WOULDN'T BE CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT.

THAT WOULDN'T BE SOMETHING THAT OUR CITIZENS ARE PARTICIPATING IN.

UM, I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED.

THAT WAS AN EVENT IN MISSOURI CITY AT A MISSOURI CITY BUSINESS.

ISN'T THAT KIND OF WHAT THE CITY IS THERE FOR? WELL, IF, IF THAT'S WHAT THE STATUS OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT IS, IF THAT'S WHAT THE DIRECTIVE THAT THE CITY MANAGER OR THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO SEE ARE OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT DOING.

UH, THEN I THINK THAT'S A DISCUSSION THAT WE NEED TO HAVE, BUT IF, IF I CALL ON A COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT TO DO SOMETHING OR ALL SEVEN OF US CALLING ON THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT TO COVER EVENTS THAT WE ASKED THEM TO IS THAT THIS IS THAT PAR FOR THE COURSE THAT THE STANDARD THAT WE'RE SETTING.

SO I JUST WANT

[01:10:01]

TO BE CLEAR IF THAT'S THE CASE.

I JUST WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT SO THAT WHEN I HAVE AN EVENT THAT I WOULD LIKE COVER, UH, THAT I CAN, I CAN CALL ON THE COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT TO BE THERE WITH NO QUESTION, HAVE YOU CALLED THEM? AND THEY DID NOT SHOW UP.

WHAT I'M ASKING IS IF THAT'S THE STANDARD THAT WE'RE SETTING AS COUNCIL, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE ASKING, BUT I MAKE MY POINT IS I WANT TO KNOW FROM A COUNCIL, I WANT TO KNOW FROM A COUNCIL PERSPECTIVE, UH, AND I'D LIKE TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THE CITY MANAGER, IF THAT'S WHAT, UH, WE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE, UH, ALLOWED TO DO, CAN WE CALL ON THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT TO COVER ANY EVENT THAT WE REQUEST THEM TO DO EXTRA QUESTION? I UNDERSTAND YOU ASKED ME, BUT I'M ASKING A QUESTION OF THE CITY, MAN.

I UNDERSTAND WELL, JUST REALLY QUICKLY, UH, AND I'M GOING TO LET HIM ANSWER, BUT I JUST WANT TO GET THREE WEEKS IN.

IS THAT EVEN WHEN, BEFORE ANY OF US GOT ONTO THIS COUNCIL YES.

THE, AND YOU CAN STACY CHIME IN ON THIS, THAT THEY PARTICIPATED IN A LOT OF EVENTS SUCH AS THAT IN THE COMMUNITY, THIS ISN'T SOMETHING NEW.

SO I REALLY HAVE A REFERENCE SINCE HE'S THREE WEEKS IN.

SO GO AHEAD.

UH, CITY MANAGER JONES.

WELL, BEFORE YOU ANSWER THAT CITY, RIGHT? COUNCIL MEMBER BONNIE, I WOULD, I'M SORRY, MR. JONES, ONE SECOND.

BEFORE YOU ANSWER THAT, I JUST WANT TO PROVIDE SOME CLARITY AS TO MY QUESTION, BECAUSE ALTHOUGH YOU'RE THREE WEEKS IN, AS THE MAYOR JUST INDICATED, YOU ALSO ARE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADD ADDITIONAL STAFF TO COMMUNICATIONS IN THAT SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AS WELL.

SO CLEARLY I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WHAT THE STANDARDS ARE FROM YOU AS A CITY MANAGER AS TO WHAT WE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR SHOULD EXPECT, UH, OF, OF YOUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT, UH, COUNCILMEMBER BONEY, CITY MANAGER TALKING.

UH, FIRST OF ALL, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE QUESTION.

UH, I WILL SAY TO YOU THAT, UH, WHAT I'M PROPOSING IN THIS BUDGET, UH, IS NOT ONLY THE ADDITION OF RESOURCES TO COMMUNICATIONS, BUT UH, OTHER, UH, OTHER DEPARTMENTAL AREAS AS WELL, WHICH, UH, STARTED AS YOU KNOW, UH, WHAT I'VE SAID TO YOU DOING MY INTERVIEWING PROCESS IS THAT WE'LL BE EVALUATING OVER THE NEXT 90 TO 120 DAYS.

AND, AND, AND, UH, COMING TO YO, WHAT SETS OF RECOMMENDATIONS.

THESE ARE THAT'S INCOMPETENCE TO THIS BUDGET DEALS WERE SEVERAL LOWS A SECOND, BUT THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, REAL POINTEDLY, UH, THE ANSWER TO THAT WOULD BE, YES.

SO IF YOU CALLED IN AND ASKED FOR THE COMMUNICATION STAFF TO SUPPORT YOUR DISTRICT IN AN EFFORT, UH, THE COMMUNICATION STAFF AT WORK TO DO THAT, UH, I, A CASE IN POINT IS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER EMORY HAVE MADE A REQUEST JUST A WEEK OR SO AGO, UH, FOR AN EVENT THAT WAS HAPPENING IN HIS DISTRICT.

AND I BELIEVE COUNCIL MEMBER EMORY MENTIONED TO ME THAT THEY DID A, THE COMMUNICATION STAFF DID A YEOMAN'S JOB IN ASSISTING HIM AND ALSO ASSISTING THE COMMUNITY, UH, WITH NOT ONLY SET UP, BUT, UH, PRODUCTION OF THAT PARTICULAR EVENT.

UH, SO, UH, IT, YOU KNOW, IT ALL GETS DOWN TO, FROM A, AS THE MANAGER, IT GETS DOWN TO WHAT IS THE LEVEL OF SERVICES THAT THIS COUNCIL WISHES THAT, UH, I MADE SURE AS THE MANAGER WE IMPLEMENT, IT'S REALLY A POLICY CONVERSATION FOR Y'ALL Y'ALL WANT TO REDUCE THE LEVEL OF SERVICES, OR DO YOU WANT TO ENHANCE THE LEVEL OF SERVICES AS A CITIZEN SURVEY MADE THE REQUEST OF, UH, THAT'S TRULY JUST, UM, UH, A POLICY PERSPECTIVE Y'ALL BUT, UH, IF YOU CALL AND I BELIEVE, UH, COMMUNICATION INSTEAD OF SENT YOU AN EMAIL, UH, IF THEY HAVEN'T YET, I KNOW THEY'RE WORKING ON IT.

UM, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT IF YOU CALLED AND ASKED FOR ASSISTANCE, WE ARE, WE ARE THERE AND WE'RE BEING SUPPORTIVE.

AND AN EXAMPLE OF THAT IS WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER EMORY JUST, UH, A WEEK AS WELL.

WE WAS LAST SATURDAY.

I DON'T, I CAN'T QUITE REMEMBER, BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS LAST SATURDAY.

YEAH, THAT WAS NO SATURDAY.

UH, AND IT WAS, UH, EH, YEAH, FOR THE FARMER'S MARKET.

SO THAT IN, UH, ENCOMPASSES ALL OF THEM DESERVES CITY, NOT JUST A DISTRICT D BUSINESS COUNCIL, WOMAN STIR.

AND I JUST HAVE THE STATEMENT.

I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF EVENTS IN THE LAST MONTH, AND IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL EVENTS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT, BUT I'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT THE COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT IS LIKE THE NUCLEUS THAT PUMPS THE BLOOD THROUGH ALL THE BEANS, SO THAT EACH ONE OF THE DEPARTMENTS OPERATIONAL THE COUNCIL, AS WELL AS THE MAYOR THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY.

SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

AND, UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY COMMEND THAT COMMUNICATIONS BECAUSE

[01:15:01]

MY, WHAT I RECOMMENDED AND WHAT THEY FOLLOWED THROUGH ON, AND IN ASSISTING US WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE SERVICES FOR MISSOURI CITY WAS ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL.

SO I JUST WANT TO GIVE KUDOS BECAUSE I COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT BY MYSELF AND I COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT THEM.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHTY.

[3. CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION (Part 1 of 2) ]

THE TIME IS NOW SIX 45.

THE CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT SECTIONS FIVE FIVE, 1.07155 1.074 AND FIVE FIVE 1.087.

THE TIME

[4. RECONVENE (Part 1 of 2) ]

IS NOW SEVEN 25 AND THE COUNCIL WILL NOW RECONVENE AND OPEN SESSION.

IS THERE A MOTION CASTLE, EMORY? OKAY, GO AHEAD.

IS THERE A MOTION? THIS IS COUNCIL MEMBER MARULA.

UH, I MOVE THAT.

WE AUTHORIZE STAFF TO PROCEED WITH LIMITED PURPOSE ANNEXATION ON CNAS MUDS ONE, FIVE, SIX, AND SEVEN.

UM, FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES AND NOT HAVING DUPLICATE SERVICES, COUNCILWOMAN STERLING, I SECOND, THERE WAS SUPPOSE THERE, THERE SHOULD BE TWO PARTS TO THAT.

OR IS THAT, IS THAT YOUR ONLY PART OF THE MOTION? I'M SORRY.

I DO HAVE TWO MOTIONS.

I THOUGHT WE WOULD GET THAT ONE DONE FIRST.

AND THEN THE SECOND MOTION IS TO AUTHORIZE STAFF TO SEEK JUDICIAL ACTION.

CAN WE DO IT TOGETHER? JOYCE.

JOYCE? YES.

MA'AM YOU ALL CAN, IF YOU WOULD LIKE, OKAY, GO AHEAD, COUNSELOR AND CONTINUATION OF THE FIRST MOTION TO AUTHORIZE STAFF TO SEEK JUDICIAL ACTION TO ESTABLISH LEGAL ESD ANNEXATION.

I THINK THAT WAS IT.

COUNCIL MEMBER STERLING.

ARE YOU STILL SECONDING THAT? YES, I AM.

OKAY, SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR EACH JOYCE OR CHIEF CAMPBELL OR CITY MANAGER JONES.

OKAY.

I'LL DO A ROLL CALL.

VOTE.

MAYOR PRO TEM PRESTON.

YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER EDWARDS IS COUNCIL MEMBER STERLING MADE THE SECOND COUNCIL MEMBER BONNIE.

YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER RULE IS MADE THE MOTION COUNCIL MEMBER EMORY.

AND THIS IS MAY AFFORD.

YES.

MOTION PASSES.

WE WILL NOW RECESS.

THE SPECIAL MEETING.

[3. CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION (Part 2 of 2) ]

THE TIME IS NOW EIGHT 26.

WE WILL NOW RECONVENE INTO THE SPECIAL MEETING.

UM, WE WILL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

UM, JOYCE, DO I NEED TO DO A ROLL CALL AGAIN FOR THIS? ARE WE OKAY? YES.

MA'AM.

I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO A SEPARATE MEETING.

OKAY.

OKAY.

UM, I WILL NOW DO A ROLL CALL OF OUR CITY COUNCIL MAYOR PRO TEM PRESTON PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBER EDWARDS, PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBER STERLING PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBER, BONNIE CASTLE.

MEMORYLESS HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER, EMORY.

I WILL NOW DO A ROLL CALL OF STAFF CITY MANAGER, OTIS JONES, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, BILL ATKINSON, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, GLENN MARTEL, CITY, ATTORNEY CITY, SECRETARY MARIA JACKSON, PRESENT DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL SERVICES, ELENA CORTEZ.

ELENA.

ARE YOU THEIR FINANCIAL REPORTING MANAGER? BIRTH ALEXANDER BIRTH.

ARE YOU THERE? OKAY.

DIRECTOR COMMUNICATION.

STACY WALKER, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

MARTIN RUSSELL PRESENT GOLF COURSE MANAGER, TYSON STOLBERG AND I BELIEVE CHIEF CAMPBELL.

ARE YOU STILL ON THE LIE? YES MA'AM.

OKAY.

CHIEF BEARS.

AND ARE YOU ON THE LINE? OKAY.

JOE ASKED HER YOU ONLINE DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

OH, I AM MARRIED.

THANK YOU PRESENT.

OKAY.

ANYONE ELSE THAT I DID NOT CALL I'M HERE.

CITY ATTORNEY, JAMES SAN ANGELO.

OKAY.

THANK YOU, JAMES.

ANYONE ELSE? JOYCE,

[01:20:01]

DID YOU FINISH YOUR EXECUTIVE SESSION OR DO YOU STILL HAVE ANOTHER PART TODAY? NO, MA'AM I JUST HAVE ONE MORE PART TO IT.

OKAY.

THE TIME IS NOW EIGHT 28.

THE CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT SECTIONS FIVE FIVE, 1.07155 1.07455 1.087 EACH JOYCE.

WHO DO YOU NEED OTHER THAN YOURSELF AND THE CITY MANAGER FOR YOUR OTHER PART OF YOUR EXECUTIVE SESSION.

OKAY.

OKAY, DOUG, GO AHEAD AND PUT COUNCIL AND, UM, THE CITY MANAGER, THE CITY ATTORNEY AND, UH, JANE SANTANGELO'S INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PLEASE.

OKAY, WELL, THE

[4. RECONVENE (Part 2 of 2) ]

TIME IS NOW NINE 35.

WE WILL RECONVENE INTO SPECIAL SESSION.

IF THERE'S NO FURTHER BUSINESS, WE WILL NOW ADJOURN.