[00:00:02]
[ Budget Work Session on August 1, 2023.]
ON AUGUST 1ST, 2023.HE'S NOT GONNA MAKE HIS MONEY.
CAN SOMEBODY GO GET JUSTIN? OKAY, HE'S NEXT DOOR.
ALRIGHT, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENTS MAYBE.
BUT I'M GONNA BE OUT, WE'RE GONNA CLOSE THIS MEETING, BUT, SO WE'LL TRY.
ALRIGHT, SO NO PUBLIC COMMENTS AND THEN WE'LL MOVE RIGHT INTO DISCUSSION REGARDING CITY LEAGUE CITY PROPOSED F Y 24 BUDGET AND F Y 24 28 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
UM, TONIGHT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE OUR FINAL WORK SESSION ON THE 24 PROPOSED BUDGET, UM, ALSO ON THE 24 THROUGH 28 PROPOSED C I P.
UH, BEFORE WE GET STARTED, WE ONLY HAVE A HANDFUL OF SLIDES TONIGHT.
IT SHOULD BE, UH, QUITE BRIEF.
UM, SO JUST FOR THE GOOD OF THE GROUP, THERE'S UH, A HANDOUT THAT IS ACTUALLY TWO COMPONENTS.
SO ONE IS STAPLED AND ONE HAS A DARK HEADER ACROSS THE TOP AND SAYS F T E COUNT BY FISCAL YEAR.
THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO A COUNCIL MEMBER'S REQUEST.
UM, THE REQUEST WAS FOR A TENURE HISTORY ON INCREASES TO POSITIONS BY DEPARTMENT.
UH, WE WERE TRYING TO GET A VERY DETAILED LIST THAT WAS EASY TO UNDERSTAND AND WE WERE DEFINITELY, IT WAS TAKING LONGER THAN WHAT WE HAD ALLOTTED.
SO WE DID THIS AS, UH, A QUICKER ANSWER.
IF THIS DOES NOT ANSWER THE QUESTION, UH, STAFF CAN ALWAYS GO BACK AND TRY TO PUT TOGETHER UH, MORE DETAILS.
SO THE PAGE THAT'S IN A CHART FORM, THIS IS THE INFORMATION THAT, UH, IS INCLUDED IN EACH OF THE BUDGET BOOKS.
MOST OF THE YEARS ARE ACTUALS.
THE CURRENT YEAR IS THE CURRENT ESTIMATE THAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE 24 PROPOSED BOOK.
AND THEN OF COURSE THE FINAL COLUMN IS THE 24 PROPOSED NUMBER BEFORE ANY OF THE CHANGES, UM, THAT MAY BE DISCUSSED TONIGHT.
AND THEN THE SECOND SECTION THAT IS THE STAPLED PAGES.
THIS IS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO TRY TO HELP IDENTIFY WHERE THE INCREASES FALL.
IT WILL NOT BE A COMPREHENSIVE LIST.
THIS IS STRAIGHT FROM EACH ADOPTED BUDGET BOOK.
SO IF A DEPARTMENT SAW LIKE A RECLASS STEER, I'M SORRY, LEMME START OVER.
IF THE DEPARTMENT SAW LIKE A TRANSFER.
SO LIKE, UH, IF YOU RECALL LAST NIGHT'S PRESENTATION WE HAD ONE F T E THAT MOVED FROM PURCHASING TO ACCOUNTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR.
AND SO THAT WOULD NOT BE CAPTURED ON THIS LIST 'CAUSE 'CAUSE THIS IS JUST WHAT WAS ADDED TO ADDITIONAL F T E COUNTS.
BUT MOVING BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS IS NOT, UM, CHANGING F T E COUNT, BUT IT WOULD CHANGE THE DEPARTMENT TOTALS WHEN YOU LOOK AT DEPARTMENTS INDIVIDUALLY ON THE CHART.
SO IF THE INFORMATION, IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, WE DEFINITELY ARE HERE TO HELP ANSWER THOSE AS YOU'RE ABLE TO HAVE A CHANCE TO PERUSE IT.
IF IT DOESN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION, WE WILL TAKE ANOTHER STAB AT IT AND WE MIGHT ASK TO CLARIFY THE QUESTION A LITTLE BIT MORE.
SO THAT WAS THE FIRST HANDOUT.
THE SECOND HANDOUT IS THE ANSWERS TO LAST NIGHT'S QUESTIONS.
THERE'S ALSO ONE QUESTION FROM THE PREVIOUS WORKSHOP THAT HAD NOT BEEN ANSWERED, AND I BELIEVE THAT WAS ON THE AFTER HOURS CALL VOLUME FOR THE AFTER HOURS LINE THAT IS FOR PUBLIC WORKS.
AND SO THE QUESTIONS START WITH 7 24 BUDGET WORKSHOP.
BUT ONCE THAT FIRST QUESTION'S COMPLETED, IT IMMEDIATELY GOES INTO THE QUESTIONS FOR LAST NIGHT.
IF WE DID NOT CAPTURE ALL THE QUESTIONS, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
OUR INTENT WAS TO ANSWER THEM ALL FULLY AND COMPLETELY AND TO NOT LEAVE ANY OUT.
THERE ARE TWO EXHIBITS, AN EXHIBIT A AND A B THAT WERE ATTACHED TO THOSE.
AND SO THOSE WERE BEHIND THEM STAPLED AND THEY ARE MARKED AS EXHIBIT B AND EXHIBIT C.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE, WE'RE HERE TO TAKE ANSWERS.
THIS ONE WE HANDED OUT LAST NIGHT AS WELL, IT'S JUST A PAGE FROM THE BUDGET BOOK.
IT'S JUST DETAIL FOR NON-DEPARTMENTAL.
I KNOW WE'VE TALKED A FEW TIMES ABOUT THE OVERVIEW OF, UH, THE INCREASES TO MERIT, THE INCREASES TO THE CIVIL SERVICE.
UM, THOSE ARE NOT IN EACH INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENT.
THEY ARE COLLATED IN GENERAL FUND NON-DEPARTMENTAL.
OR IF IT AFFECTS THE UTILITY FUND, IT'S COLLATED IN THE UTILITY FUND, NON-DEPARTMENTAL.
AND THEN AS THE MERIT IS IMPLEMENTED, THEN THE FUNDS ARE ACTUALLY DISTRIBUTED TO THE DEPARTMENTS AS NEEDED.
SO THEY START HERE AND THEN THEY'RE
[00:05:01]
DISTRIBUTED.AND THAT'S WHY WHEN YOU LOOK AT BUDGET VERSUS YEAR ESTIMATE, THERE'S SUCH A DISPARITY OR A CHANGE IS BECAUSE THE BULK OF THESE FUNDS ARE NOT PAID FOR OUT OF HERE, THEY'RE ACTUALLY MOVED TO THE DEPARTMENTS AS NEEDED.
SO ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, WE CAN ANSWER THOSE.
AND THEN I THINK THE LAST HANDOUT IS AN 11 BY 17.
IT LOOKS PRETTY IDENTICAL TO THE ONE THAT WE PASSED OUT LAST NIGHT.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF CHANGES.
THE COUPLE OF SLIDES I HAVE TO GO OVER GOES OVER THOSE IN DETAIL.
IT'S BASICALLY TRYING TO CAPTURE EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT OR COMMENTS ABOUT OR RECOMMENDATIONS ON.
SO ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GET STARTED? OKAY.
LEMME SEE IF I CAN MOVE THIS SO EVERYBODY CAN READ THE SCREEN.
SO ON THE LARGE PIECE OF PAPER, THE 11 BY 17.
SO STAFF HAD HEARD SOME INTEREST IN CHANGING THE GENERAL FUND AS FOLLOWS.
AND SO THIS CHART HERE, IF YOU FOLLOW ALONG, IT'S THE THIRD COLUMN THAT SAYS F Y 24 PROPOSED.
I'M GONNA START AT THE TOP AND KIND OF WORK MY WAY DOWN.
UM, THE MAIN CHANGE IS THE $480,000.
UM, THIS WAS A REDUCTION TO PROPERTY TAX BY THE AMOUNT OF THE INCREASE TO THE SENIOR EXEMPTION.
480 IS WHAT WE'RE ESTIMATING THAT TO BE.
UM, IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THAT, THERE'S A COUPLE OF CHANGES THAT ARE NOTED IN THE EXPENSE SECTION JUST BELOW THE REVENUES.
SO THE DELAY IN HIRING OF THE P R N PARAMEDICS AND THE FIRE MARSHAL POSITION, JUST DELAYING THOSE TO JANUARY SAVES ALMOST $50,000.
REMOVAL OF THE PLANTER POSITION IS, UH, ALMOST 97,000.
WE WOULD REDUCE THE FUNDING TO THE SOUTHWEST SIDE MASTER DEVELOPMENT PLAN BY 50,000.
IT WAS ORIGINALLY BUDGETED ONE 90, THAT WOULD PUT IT AT ONE 40.
IT IS THAT COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR ANALYSIS FOR THE GRAND PARKWAY, AND THEN ALSO REMOVAL OF AN ANIMAL CONTROL VEHICLE.
THE NEW POSITIONS WOULD STAY, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS, UH, ABOUT THE VEHICLE IS IT WAS A LOWER PRIORITY AND STAFF CAN MAKE IT WORK WITHOUT THE ADDITIONAL VEHICLE THAT WOULD REDUCE THE BUDGET BY 91,200.
THERE WAS ALSO SOME DISCUSSIONS FROM COUNCIL, UH, TO REDUCE CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS LIBRARY IT FACILITIES.
UH, REMOVE CERTAIN PROGRAMS LIKE THE CLEAR LAKE CHAMBER SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE ROTARY AND LIONS CLUB MOVE COUNCIL FUNDING FOR THE FLOAT OF $2,000 TO COMMUNICATIONS.
THAT WOULD GIVE US A TOTAL OF $4,000 TO COVER SLEIGH OR SLEIGHS DEPENDING ON HOW MANY PEOPLE WANT TO PARTICIPATE.
AND, UH, FUNDS FOR CANDY TO PASS OUT.
UM, THAT WOULD BE ALSO A CUT OF $1,250, UH, $1,250 FROM THE TOTAL FUNDING THAT WAS IN COUNCIL.
AND IT WOULD ALSO MAKE SURE THAT THE FLOAT FUNDING IS IN ONE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE HEARD LAST NIGHT.
UM, ALSO FOR COUNCIL TRAINING, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOOK AT IF YOU HAVE THE PAGE THAT HAS THE L C T X ACROSS THE TOP.
THERE WAS A QUESTION LAST NIGHT ABOUT THE COUNCIL'S TRAINING BUDGET.
IT'S ON THE BACK OF THE FIRST PAGE.
SO WHAT WE TRIED TO DO IS WE LOOKED AT, UH, THE CURRENT, UH, YEAR ESTIMATE AND WE UPDATED IT.
WE DO THINK THAT THERE WAS SEVERAL ITEMS THAT, UH, COUNSEL WAS NOT ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT HAPPENED EARLIER IN THE YEAR.
AND SO WE THINK THE URINE ESTIMATE'S CLOSER TO 14,450 FOR THE CURRENT YEAR.
WE DO KNOW THAT T M L AND THEN THERE MIGHT BE SOME INDIVIDUAL TRAINING NEEDS, UH, THAT WOULD OCCUR BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE YEAR.
UH, SO THE 14,450 WE THINK WOULD COVER THAT.
UH, THE 20,000 IS BROKEN DOWN, SO IF THERE'S SOMETHING, I KNOW THAT THERE WAS SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT MAYBE REDUCING IT.
IF THERE'S AN ITEM THAT YOU, UH, DON'T WANT, HAVEN'T BEEN ATTENDING, DON'T WANNA ATTEND, WHATEVER YOU WANT IT TO SAY, WE ARE OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS.
THIS IS YOUR DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET AND UM, STAFF IS GONNA TAKE YOUR DIRECTION ON WHAT WE NEED TO REMOVE OR CHANGE.
THAT WAS MY QUESTION YESTERDAY.
AND UM, I WOULD, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE ATTEND THE, THE BEHE, UH, THE BEHE ANNUAL BUDGET OR, OR WHATEVER THAT LINE ITEM IS.
AND SO BASICALLY WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR WAS, UH, MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE.
UH, I HAD ASKED FOR A HALF CUT AND YOU PROVIDED 5,000.
MAYBE LET'S GO WITH UH, UH, 12,000 1200.
HOW MUCH IS THE, UH, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE TML CONFERENCE.
HOW MUCH DO THOSE USUALLY RUN? DOES IT CHANGE MY LOCATION? OH, UH, YEAH, THAT'S TRUE.
I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF THE REGISTRATION FOR THE EVENT DOES, IS THAT A SIGNIFICANT COST OR IS IT LIKE A, ABOUT HOW
[00:10:01]
MUCH THOSE USUALLY RUN? DO YOU KNOW? I DO NOT KNOW.COULD YOU FIND OUT FOR ME? FOR SURE.
YEAH, I, I'D LIKE TO SEE A CUT IN IT AS WELL.
I USUALLY PAY MY OWN WAY TO THE BIG T M L CONFERENCE, BUT I WISH I COULD.
I I JUST THINK IT'S, IT'S, THAT'S A LOT.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A LARGE TRAINING BUDGET FOR THE, FOR THE COUNCIL.
AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT MONEY, THAT MONEY COULD BE SPENT BETTER ELSEWHERE ON TRA ON STAFF TRAINING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IS THERE A CERTAIN AMOUNT THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE IT CUT BY? I JUST WOULD LIKE TO, $15,000 STILL SEEMS LIKE AN AWFUL LOT OF MONEY, UH, FOR TRAINING.
I WOULD, I'M GOING TO, YOU WERE SAYING SOMETHING ABOUT 12 COUNCILMAN HICKS? YEAH.
WELL, SO I'D BE MORE IN BETWEEN THE TWO.
I I WOULD LIKE TO, THERE'S, THERE ARE SOME THINGS I'D LIKE TO GO TO.
'CAUSE I KNOW THE ONE I JUST RECENTLY WENT TO, I LEARNED A LOT FROM NO, AND, AND SHAWN, I WASN'T WANTING TO CUT IT ALL THE WAY, BUT I HAD RECALLED YOU WEREN'T AT THE LAST BUDGET CYCLE.
THERE WAS A COUNCIL DIRECTION TO CUT THE COUNCIL TRAVEL BUDGET SIGNIFICANTLY, OR IF NOT AT ALL.
AND THAT ACTUALLY NEVER HAPPENED.
I MEAN, I THINK IF, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO TAP OUTTA THE FUNDS TO TRAVEL OR SOMETHING, I'M FINE WITH THAT.
BUT 20,000 IS JUST WAY TOO MUCH.
I, I, I THINK I HAD ASKED LAST NIGHT, MAYBE FOR ABOUT A HALF CUT AND, UH, SO THEY GOT WHAT ABOUT, WHAT ABOUT A THOUSAND DOLLARS PERSON? I DIDN'T EVEN PAY MY TICKET TO TMM.
L I WOULD, I WOULDN'T THAT I'D BE MORE TLS.
WELL, I WAS ASKING FOR, AND I WAS ASKING FOR IN BETWEEN.
UM, 'CAUSE I, I DON'T, I DON'T EXPENSE STUFF AND REGISTRATION GOING AGAINST YOU.
IT'S JUST, IT'S A NEGOTIATION FOR ME THOUGH.
FOR ME, I, I REALLY, IF I'M GONNA GO TO THESE, I NEED ASSISTANCE.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.
I'M NOT TRYING TO SAY I'M A POOR MAN, BUT WE'RE ALL POOR MENTIONS.
YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING? YEAH.
IF I'M GONNA TO THESE CONFERENCE, I, I LEARNED A LOT AT THAT TML ONE I WENT TO THE OTHER DAY.
AND I'M REALLY CURIOUS ABOUT SEEING WHAT ELSE THEY HAVE TO OFFER AND OTHER EVENTS HAVE TO OFFER.
BECAUSE SOME OF THE STUFF I LEARNED THAT I DIDN'T REALIZE, I MEAN, THEY FLAT OUT TELL YOU, YOU YOU CAN DO THIS, YOU CAN DO THAT.
IT, IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE TO ME AND I THINK IT'LL HELP ME MAKE BETTER DECISIONS HERE.
AND THAT'S THE ONLY THING I'M, I'M, I'M WANTING TO DO IS TRY AND DO THE BEST I CAN.
WELL, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WAS DISPUTING THAT.
I THINK THE DISPUTE IS THAT MAYBE THERE'S SOME OTHER, NOBODY'S TRYING TO BLOCK ANYBODY FROM GOING TO T M O CONFERENCES.
IT'S JUST, I THINK THERE'S, IT CAN BE REDUCED AND WE CAN STILL ACCOMPLISH THAT IF WE JUST GET THE ACTUALS FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.
SO WHAT WAS THE QUESTION? WHEN WERE THEY NOT IN HOUSTON? YEAH, I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, SO THE ACTUALS FOR LAST YEAR COULD BE VERY HELPFUL, BUT WE'D ALSO WANNA LOOK TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, UM, FOR THAT YEAR WERE THERE NEW PEOPLE ON COUNCIL WHO WERE, WHO WERE MORE INTERESTED IN COMING BACK? COULD THEY HAVE MORE TO LEARN RATHER THAN IF YOU HAD MORE EXPERIENCED PEOPLE THAT DON'T REALLY FEEL THAT THEY MAY HAVE THE NEED.
SO IF WE COULD KIND OF HAVE THAT, THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC.
UH, NO, I THINK THIS YEAR WAS 14 FOUR YEAR ESTIMATE.
SO MAYBE GET IT BY PERSON SO YOU CAN SEE WHO'S USING IT AND YOU CAN SEE IF THEY'RE NEWER OR OLDER OR WHATEVER.
SO JUST BREAK IT ALL OUT AND SHOW THE ENTIRE AMOUNT BY PERSON, BY TRAVEL WHERE IT'S AT.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, ANGIE? YES, SIR.
AND WHEN AND WHEN WAS IT IN HOUSTON LAST? THAT WAS SAN THAT WAS SAN ANTONIO.
OR THAT WAS JUST BROAD, AVERAGE OVER THREE YEARS.
SHOULD CAPTURE ALL THE DETAIL YOU WOULD NEED.
SO I THINK TRAINING'S ESSENTIAL.
I I THINK IT'S, BUT I, I DO THINK WE COULD PROBABLY CUT A LITTLE BIT.
IT CAN QUICKLY BECOME A BOONDOGGLE IF YOU JUST HAVE AN UNLIMITED AMOUNT TO IT.
WELL IF IT'S NEVER BEEN YEAH, THAT'S BARELY, THAT'S WELL DON'T BREAK.
'CAUSE I'VE NEVER FILED AN EXPENSE REPORT EVER.
AND I KNOW O OTHER PEOPLE HAVEN'T EITHER AND I'VE GONE TO THE TRAINING.
SO YOU FILE AN EXPENSE REPORT EVERY TIME I LEAVE THE CITY.
I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
SO IF YOU SEE IT, IT'S GOING TO BE WEIGHTED TO LIKE THREE PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S WHAT, SO $12,000 IS A LOT OF MONEY.
I'M STILL GONNA PUT MYSELF IN.
I THINK THAT'S WHY WE CUT IT TO A CERTAIN AMOUNT PER PERSON.
AND THEN IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO IT, YOU HAVE TO COME BACK WITH IT.
EVERYTHING I GO TO FOR HERE IS FOR THE CITY.
IT'S A LOT OF MONEY AND IT'S A LOT MORE THAN WE SPEND ON TRAINING FOR OUR ACTUAL EMPLOYEES.
[00:15:01]
IS VERY, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS IS GONNA HELP, HELP US TO, TO GUIDE AND HELP US TO LEARN THE NEW RULES.I I'M NOT WHAT AMOUNT DID YOU HAVE IN MIND? I I DON'T WANNA ARGUE SOMETHING WE MAY BE AGREEING ON.
YEAH, I MEAN, I WOULD SAY A THOUSAND, BUT I'M WILLING TO LOOK FOR OTHER NUMBERS.
A THOUSAND MAYOR IS NOT GONNA CUT IT BECAUSE I MEAN, THAT'S VERY 1800.
YOU WON'T EVEN BE REGISTERED FOR SOME OF THE CONFERENCES.
I'VE GONE TO EVERY CONFERENCE.
NEVER SPENT MORE THAN A THOUSAND DOLLARS IN EIGHT, NINE YEARS ON COUNCIL.
SO I, I JUST, I THINK THERE'S A NUMBER THAT CAN BE ARRIVED AT MAYBE A THOUSAND'S, NOT THE RIGHT NUMBER, BUT THERE COULD BE A NUMBER.
SO IT'S, WE SPENT $12,000 LAST YEAR.
THAT'D BE $1,500 TOTAL PER PERSON.
AND IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T USE IT, THEN DIVIDED BY YOU SAID 12,000 DIVIDED BY YEAH.
THAT'S $1,500, $1,500 A PERSON THEN.
YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT SHOULD PROBABLY DO IT.
IF WE DON'T USE IT THIS YEAR, THEN WE'LL KNOW.
I MEAN, THIS GIVES US A LITTLE BIT OF A DECREASE.
PERSON RIGHT NOW WE'RE AVERAGING $1,800 PER PERSON IS WHAT WE'RE AVERAGING.
LET'S WHOOP I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.
NO, WHY DON'T WE JUST STAY WITH THAT'S NOT WHAT, THAT'S FINE.
LET'S DO, SO WHY DON'T WE DO THE 1800 AND THEN IF WE, IF WE DO COME OUT AND WE DON'T SPEND IT, THEN WE CAN ALWAYS JUST, YEAH, IT CAN JUST BE A SAVINGS.
WE DON'T JUST BECAUSE WE BUDGET FOR IT.
IF WE HAVE, IF IT COMES BACK AND WE UNDERSPEND IT, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, THESE THREE, $4,000, IF THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE ARGUING OVER IS IT'S NOT GONNA MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE.
BUT IF WE DON'T SPEND IT, IT'S JUST SOMETHING ELSE THAT CAN END UP BEING USED FOR SOME OTHER PURPOSE.
NOT NECESSARILY SO WELL, IT CAN'T REALLY BE USED FOR ANOTHER PURPOSE, BUT SURE.
I I WOULD BE, YOU GO, I'M FINE WITH $1,800, BUT I'D LIKE A CAP ON A PER PERSON LIMIT.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IF SOMEBODY SPENDS OVER 15 OR 1800, THEN YOU'RE ON THE HOOK FOR IT.
I MEAN THAT'S, IT'S NOT IT, IT'S THAT'S THE BUDGET.
THAT'S WHAT WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT.
I JUST THINK IT'S WRONG TO HAVE THESE MASSIVE INFLATED BUDGETS THAT ARE GETTING SPENT LIKE THAT.
SO I THINK IT'S $1,800 THAT IF WE SET THAT NUMBER, I'M OKAY WITH $1,800.
WHAT WAS THE, THE RECENT T M L? WELL, DIANA'S NOT HERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF MELISSA, IF YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION OR NOT.
THE EVENT I JUST WENT TO RECENTLY, I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT TOTALS FOR IT.
I'D SAY THAT WAS NOT VERY EXPENSIVE, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN.
SO I MEAN, IF WE WERE GONNA SAY THAT HOTELS ARE, I, I DON'T EVEN $200 A NIGHT.
THAT SEEMS KIND OF, SO TWO, WHAT'S WRONG ANDY?
I, I IF, IF WE'RE GONNA ARGUE OVER SMALL NUMBERS, LET'S, LET'S, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO AVOID.
LET'S TABLE THIS DISCUSSION, GET A THREE OR FIVE YEAR AVERAGE AND THEN EMAIL EVERYONE.
IT'S NOT SUBSTANTIAL TO THE TOTAL CR COST
AND UH, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'LL GO WITH, HE SAYS 1800.
I ACTUALLY SAID THOUSAND TO, I HAVE GONE UP FROM THERE.
I SAID 1800, I HEARD 2,500 AND LET'S JUST GET THE ACTUAL, I MEAN, OVER THREE OR FIVE YEARS AND THEN WE'LL THAT'LL BE THE NUMBERS.
IF I HAVE A FEELING 1800 IS GONNA BE PLENTY, BUT LET'S, LET'S GET THE NUMBERS.
THAT'D BE MORE THAN THE AVERAGE IF, BUT SURE.
IF, IF I MAY SUGGEST IF WE CAN USE MAYBE 18 AND 19, SKIP 20, SKIP 21 BECAUSE OF THE COVID PIECES SO THAT WHEN WE BRING THE FIVE YEAR AVERAGE, THERE'S, WHY DID YOU SKIP COVID? 'CAUSE WE DIDN'T TRAVEL.
IT'S JUST USING THE ACTUAL DOLLARS WOULD PROBABLY BE MORE HELPFUL IN THIS SITUATION.
TOLD YOU THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF FOUR TIMES
BUT WE WILL GET ACTUAL NUMBERS.
I GUESS ASKING FOR 150 PER COUNCIL MEMBER FOR UNIFORMS OF SHIRTS.
IS THAT THE QUESTION? I AGREE.
WILL YOU GO TO A CONFERENCE? DO YOU DON'T WEAR A SHIRT? I I HAVE MY OWN SHIRT.
I, I, I GUESS WE NEED TO GO THROUGH LINE ITEM.
UM, THERE'S ALSO, LET ME SEE, I WANNA MAKE SURE I DON'T MISS ANYTHING.
[00:20:01]
ALSO IN ORDER TO MEET THE FULL 480,000 IN SENIOR EXEMPTION REDUCTION THAT'S ESTIMATED AND MAINTAIN WORKING DAYS AT CAPITAL, WE ALSO HAD A REDUCTION TO REINVESTMENT OF $500,000.UM, I DID CHECK WITH OUR C I P PROJECTS ADMINISTRATOR AND SHE SAID THAT WOULD NOT HURT ANY OF THE PLANNED, UM, PROJECTS IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THE PLAN FOR 2024.
UM, AND OUR TOTAL GENERAL FUND EXPENSE REDUCTION WOULD BE THE 8 75 0 2 7, WHICH IS WHAT'S DETAILED ON THIS LIST.
UM, THEN DOWN BELOW THERE IS A CHART THAT SHOWS THAT THE, UH, WORKING DAYS OF CAPITAL WOULD BE 0.9 DAYS, WHICH IS WORTH ABOUT $180,000.
SO THA FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR GETTING DOWN TO THIS NUMBER.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE HAD TOLD YOU TO DO.
UH, YOU KNOW, AFTER TALKING WITH YOU GUYS EARLIER TODAY, I WANT TO REVISIT AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO REVISIT SOME OF THOSE FEES BECAUSE I DEFINITELY WOULD NOT, I WOULD PREFER TO NOT SEE THE REINVESTMENT CUT OR CUT AS LITTLE OUTTA THE REINVESTMENT AS WE CAN.
AND I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT KIND OF FOUR AREAS OF FEES.
UH, IT'S THE PARKS AND REC FEES FOR OUT OF TOWN.
UH, WE'RE NOT COVERING OUR COST ON THAT.
IT'S THE, WE CURRENTLY DO NOT CHARGE OUT OF TOWN LIBRARY FEES AT ALL.
AND CURRENTLY 40% OF OUR LIBRARY USAGE IS FROM OUT OF TOWN.
THAT'S JUST THE CITY CITIZENS OF LEAGUE CITY SUBSIDIZING PEOPLE FROM OTHER CITIES.
UH, THEY NEED TO PAY WHAT THE CITIZENS OF LEAGUE CITY PAY FOR THAT, WHICH I, I DON'T KNOW THE NUMBER OF THAT, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY SIGNIFICANT.
UH, AND THEN THE ENGINEERING AND PLANNING FEES, UH, I BELIEVE THAT THOSE WERE ON SCHEDULE TO GET LOOKED AT, BUT THOSE NEED TO BE ACCURATELY REFLECTED SO THAT WE CAN OFFSET THE COST OF ENGINEERING AND PLANNING AND PUT THAT ONTO THE PEOPLE CAUSING THAT COST, WHICH OF COURSE ARE, ARE THE DEVELOPERS.
SO I, I THINK THOSE ARE IMPORTANT AREAS TO GENERATE A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS EXTRA, UH, ACROSS THEM ALL AND, AND THEN RETURN THAT MONEY BACK TO THE REINVESTMENT FUND.
I, I, I, I REALLY THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO GO TO MAINTAIN THE REINVESTMENT FUND, UH, THE FEES, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR THE ENGINEERING AND ALL THAT.
UH, I JUST HAVE TO TRUST THE, YOUR EXPERTISE ON IT BECAUSE, UM, I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT, HOW MUCH WE CAN DO BEFORE IT REALLY MAKES, UH, ANY KIND OF A, AN IMPACT THE LIBRARY OUT OF TOWN.
UH, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WOULD WORK, BUT IT, IT DOES SEEM TO MAKE SENSE.
UH, WELL, THERE'S NO REASON FOR, IT'S NO REASON FOR OUR CITIZENS TO HAVE TO BE SUBSIDIZING LIKE, LIKE THE MAYOR SAID.
I HAVE TO AGREE WITH HIM ON THAT.
SO IT'S JUST, I I MEAN I WANT PEOPLE TO USE IT, BUT SORRY, I, I THINK THE REINVESTMENT FUND NEEDS TO BE PROTECTED.
AND SO I'M, I'M A HUNDRED PERCENT WITH YOU ON THAT, NICK.
AND EVEN IF WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYTHING I JUST ASKED IS NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN PRODUCE IN A DAY, RIGHT? LIKE THAT'S GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA WANNA SIT DOWN AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROPER WAY AND METHOD AND AMOUNT FOR ENGINEERING AND PLANNING FEES IS, RIGHT.
THAT, THAT IT'S NOT GONNA BE PRODUCED QUICKLY.
AND THEN SAME THING WITH THE PARKS FEES AND THE OUT OF TOWN LIBRARY FEES.
AND SO IF WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE PASS THE BUDGET, BUT THEN COME BACK AND, AND LOOK AT THESE FEES, I'M OKAY WITH THAT KNOWING THAT, I MEAN, IT'S NOT MY PREFERENCE, BUT I'M OKAY WITH IT KNOWING THAT WE'RE THEN, IF WE FREE UP THAT MONEY, UH, WE'RE GONNA PUT THAT MONEY BACK INTO THE REINVESTMENT ACT.
OH, THE REINVESTMENT, UH, FUND.
WE JUST ALL NEED TO BE ON CONSENSUS THAT WE'RE GOING TO YEAH, I MEAN, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT.
LIKE I SAID, IT'S NOT SAY WE'RE NOT GONNA PUT THE MONEY OVER HERE.
YEAH, I KNOW
IT'S ALWAYS THE TIP, ALWAYS THE HARD PART, RIGHT? YEAH, I KNOW THAT.
IT JUST, I WOULD PREFER TO SEE IT DONE, UH, BEFORE THE BUDGET, BUT IF WE CAN'T, UH, HOPEFULLY WE COULD RE WE COULD LOOK AT IT BETWEEN THE TIME THE BUDGET HAS PASSED AND WHEN THE FISCAL YEAR GOES INTO EFFECT.
BUT I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT 'CAUSE I, IT, IT DOES LOOK TO ME LIKE THERE'D BE A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS WE COULD FREE UP THERE.
NOW YOU WERE SAYING THAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE LOOKED AT ANYWAYS ON THE FEES FOR PLANNING AND ENGINEERING.
HAD THEY ALREADY STARTED WORKING ON THAT OR DO YOU KNOW? SO, SO WE TRY TO KEEP OUR FEES CURRENT FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
AND THERE'S SOME, THERE ARE SOME CHANGES IN STATE LAW THAT MAKE US LOOK AT ENGINEERING FEES.
CHRISTOPHER'S BEEN CHARGED WITH DOING THAT, BUT THERE'S FEES, ENGINEERING FEES AND BUILDING INSPECTION FEES MAKE UP THE BULK IN THAT.
AND THERE'S ALSO THE PLANNING FEES.
AND SO IT'S TO REALLY LOOK AT EVERYTHING AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE UPDATED TO, YOU KNOW, BASED ON COMPARISON CITIES.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHAT'S THE TRUE COST OF SERVICE TO, TO COVER THAT? AND I DON'T THINK I HEARD IT, BUT THIS IS ON OUR LIST TOO, IS TO LOOK AT E M SS FEES AND SEE WHERE WE STAND RELATIVE TO,
[00:25:01]
RELATIVE TO THE, TO THE MARKET.CERTAINLY, I THINK WE ALL KNOW AT THE END OF THE DAY, SOME OF THE E M S FEES ARE, YOU KNOW, ARE, WE DON'T DO FULL COST RECOVERY ON E M S FEES, BUT WHERE ARE WE RELATIVE TO WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE IS CHARGING? AND WE'LL BRING THAT FORWARD AND ALL OF THOSE FEES GET INTRODUCED AND HAVE TO BE ADOPTED BY COUNCIL.
WE JUST CAN'T DO THAT UNILATERALLY.
I KNOW A LOT OF THE M S FEES, THEY USUALLY LOOK AT THE MEDICARE MEDICAID RATES AND THEN WHILE YOUR INSURANCE ARE GOING, WELL, THEY'RE PAYING THIS, WE'RE ONLY GONNA PAY THIS.
SO IT USUALLY IT'S ABOUT THAT.
AND I THINK THAT MARKET, YOU KNOW, CHIEF LUGO IS WORKING ON SOME ADDITIONAL FEES RELATIVE TO FIRE SERVICE AND WHETHER WE RECOUP THOSE COSTS FOR ACCIDENTS.
AGAIN, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY NEEDS A FULL PRESENTATION AND COUNCIL NEEDS TO BE ON BOARD IS TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE, WHAT ARE WE RECOUPING OBVIOUSLY WE CAN'T RECOUP, UM, WHERE WE DON'T HAVE COSTS.
SO, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE MANPOWER THERE IS AT NO COST.
AND SO THERE'S A LITTLE INCREMENT THERE TOO.
AND SO WE WERE, THE PLAN WAS TO LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE AND, YOU KNOW, TRY TO GET THAT COMPLETED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
SO, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY A REVENUES A REVENUE STUDY.
ANGIE, WHAT, UH, REMIND US AGAIN WHAT DATE WE'RE PASSING THE BUDGET, NOT THE TAX RATE, BUT THE BUDGET.
SO FOR THE BUDGET, THE FIRST READING IS GOING TO BE ON AUGUST 22ND.
AND THE FINAL READING WILL BE ON SEPTEMBER 12TH.
IS THERE NOT ENOUGH TIME TO MAYBE SATISFY SOME OF THE, UH, MAYOR'S REQUIREMENTS AS TO WHAT TO LOOK INTO PRIOR TO THE SECOND READING OF THE BUDGET? THE LAST TIME WE DID A REVENUE STUDY, IT WAS LIKE A THREE OR FOUR MONTH PROCESS FROM THE TIME THAT WE GOT STARTED UNTIL WE HAD ALL THE WORKSHOPS.
COUNCIL HAD ALL THEIR INPUT, WE DID THE REWORKS ON ALL THE THINGS THEY WANTED US TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT.
AND THEN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE FEES BEING ADOPTED.
IT, IT UNFORTUNATELY WAS NOT A QUICK PROCESS.
WE, UM, WANT TO LOOK AT MORE THAN ONE THING.
AND SO EACH THING IS GONNA HAVE TO, TO BE VETTED AND THEN GET COMPARABLE CITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
COULD WE SET THE, COULD WE SAY WE WANT TO GET THIS DONE BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR? NOT BEFORE JANUARY.
UM, THE FALL IS OBVIOUSLY A SLOWER TIME FOR THE BUDGET OFFICE, AND SO AS SOON AS WE GET THE BUDGET ADOPTED AND IMPLEMENTED, THEN WE COULD IMMEDIATELY TRANSITION INTO THE REVENUE STUDY.
IS, IS THIS SOMETHING WHERE WE COULD ACTUALLY JUST KIND OF, AND, AND THIS MAY BE SOMETHING WE CAN'T DO TO WHERE OUR, WE CAN ACTUALLY JUST BUDGET THE REVENUE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO GET TO AND THEN LET STAFF FIGURE OUT THE RATES TO BACK INTO IT SO THAT THAT WAY WE'RE, UM, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND PASS THE BUDGET AND WITH THE ASSURANCE THAT YOU KNOW, THAT WE ARE GONNA GET TO THAT REVENUE PIECE AND SO THAT WAY WE'RE ABLE TO STAY ON THE SAME TIMELINE SO THAT WE CAN DO THE PASS CARDS.
UM, ANOTHER OPTION WOULD BE, UH, I BELIEVE IT'S WHAT THE MAYOR WAS SPEAKING TO, IS WE COULD GO AHEAD AND JUST, UM, IF THESE ARE THE CUTS THAT THE COUNCIL WANTS TO MAKE, THEN WE COULD, UM, MAKE THESE CUTS TODAY.
AND THEN AS THAT REVENUE STUDY FLUSHES OUT, THEN THERE COULD BE A CONSCIOUS DECISION ABOUT HOW THAT, THAT NEEDS TO GO FORWARD.
WHETHER IT BE ADDING SOMETHING BACK IN AND HIRING ONE OF THESE POSITIONS SOONER OR ADDING BACK IN A POSITION.
OR IT COULD BE, UM, THAT WE DO PUT ALL OF THE MONEY TOWARDS REINVESTMENT.
UM, SEVERAL OF THE POSITIONS, UH, WHETHER IT BE ENGINEERING OR PLANNING, SOME OF THAT IS TIED TO HOW THE BUILDING PERMITS TURN OUT.
AND SO BY THAT TIME WE'D HAVE BETTER DATA, WE'D BE FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD.
SO THE PLAN IS, IS TO PASS WHAT WE HAVE NOW THE SECOND READING ON SEPTEMBER 12TH, AND THEN WE WILL HAVE A, LET'S SAY AN AMENDMENT BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR BASED ON WHAT THE MAYOR'S ASKING FOR.
WE WOULD FINISH UP THE REVENUE STUDY AND WHAT THE COUNCIL DIRECTS US TO DO, WE WOULD IMPLEMENT THOSE AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE ESTIMATES ON HOW MUCH THOSE FEES WOULD BRING IN.
THE OFFICE WOULD MONITOR THOSE AND THE COUNCIL WOULD BE ABLE TO DECIDE HOW THEY WANTED TO SPEND THOSE ADDITIONAL REVENUES.
FOR THE, UM, FOR THE, I'M TRYING TO, STAYING ON TOPIC, BUT I'M ALSO KIND OF SHIFTING IT A LITTLE SIDEWAYS OR THE, FOR THE REINVESTMENT RIGHT NOW.
UH, YOU KNOW, JUST DRIVING HERE JUST ABOUT ALL THE ASPHALT THAT I WAS COMING OVER IS GETTING THE LARGE CRACKS FROM THE, UM, FROM ALL THE HEAT AND PART OF IT'S CAVING IN.
SO DO WE THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO END UP SPENDING A LOT MORE MONEY THAN WAS BUDGETED TO SPEND FIXING THIS HEAT? OR IS IT, OR IS IT FROM A WHOLE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE, MINIMAL.
SO I THINK THIS YEAR'S NOT MATERIALLY DIFFERENT THAN YEARS PAST.
THERE ARE ALWAYS WEATHER DRIVEN FAILURES OUT THERE AND WE GENERALLY HAVE ENOUGH DOLLARS TO ADDRESS THOSE KIND
[00:30:01]
OF THINGS.YOU KNOW, WE DO ADJUST THE PLAN AS WE GO FORWARD BASED ON HOW MUCH OF THAT WE HAVE TO DO RELATIVE TO A COMPLETE REBUILD OR REHABILITATION OF A STREET.
AND SO IT'S DIFFICULT FOR ME WITHOUT JODY SITTING HERE.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, SAY EXACTLY HOW MUCH THAT'LL BE.
UM, I DON'T THINK WE'RE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH WHERE WE ARE STREET MAINTENANCE, YOU KNOW, ON A YEAR TO YEAR BASIS, UH, THAT WE THINK THERE'S AN ISSUE.
ANDY, STOP WITH ALL THE DEEP BREATH IN THE, YOU'RE KIND OF BEING DRAMATIC, MA'AM, REAL QUICK.
SO MY, FOR MY NOTES MAYOR, IF I CAN PLEASE, YOU SAID LIBRARY FEES OUTTA TOWNS PARK AND RECS.
WHEN I LOOKED AT THE WEBSITE LAST, EVERYBODY PAYS THE SAME OR WERE YOU, WERE YOU TALKING ABOUT THAT TOO OUT OF TOWNERS HAVING TO PAY MORE FOR THEIR CENTERS THAN OUR CITIZENS? YEAH, I BELIEVE IT'S TOP OF MY HEAD.
I THINK IT'S TWO X IS WHAT YOU PAY IF YOU'RE FROM OUT OF TOWN.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT IT IS RIGHT NOW.
BUT THERE'S CONCERN THAT THAT ACTUALLY Y IS IT TWO X, LIKE IT DOESN'T REALLY COVER IT AND NOT THAT PARKS AND REC HAS TO BE PARKS AND REC IS NEVER GONNA PAY FOR ITSELF.
IT'S A CITY SERVICE, BUT, AND THAT'S OKAY FOR CITIZENS OF LEAGUE CITY, BUT FOR OUT OF TOWN PEOPLE, THEY NEED TO COVER THE FULL AMOUNT THAT THEY'RE CAUSING AND THAT, UH, I'M IN A COMPLETE AGREEMENT WITH YOU.
AND SO ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE SITTING HERE TALKING ABOUT WE NEED A NEW LIBRARY OR WE WANT TO ADD NEW STAFF, WE WANT TO DO THIS.
OKAY, BUT WHEN 40% OF THE USAGE IS FROM OUT OF TOWN AND THEY'RE NOT PAYING A NICKEL TOWARDS ALL THESE THINGS, THAT'S, THAT'S A REAL PROBLEM.
RIGHT? BECAUSE THINK WHAT WE CAN DO IF WE WERE MA IF WE WERE ACTUALLY BRINGING IN REVENUE ON THOSE 40, THEN WE WOULDN'T BE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULDN'T BE THAT WORRIED.
THE REV, THE LIBRARY WOULD BE A REVENUE PRODUCER.
WE WOULDN'T BE WORRIED ABOUT ADDING NEW PROGRAMMING OR DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT BECAUSE IT WOULD BE, UH, REVENUE PRODUCING AT THAT POINT.
SO FOR THE, UH, FOR THE THE REC CENTER AND STUFF LIKE WHEN THE OUT OF TOWNERS ARE PLAYING PICKLEBALL AND, AND ALL OF THAT, HOW DO THEY HAVE LIKE A GYM CARD? IS THAT HOW THAT WORKS? I BELIEVE WHAT, HOW SO FOR PICKLEBALL, I'M NOT SURE, BUT FOR SAY, SOCCER, UH, OKAY.
WE, WE OPEN UP TO ALL LEAGUE CITY PEOPLE ON MONDAY AND THEN THE NEXT MONDAY THE OUT OF TOWNERS CAN SIGN UP AGAIN.
AND SO WE'VE, WE KEEP FILLING OUR PROGRAMS. SO WE HAVE GROWTH IN PROGRAMS. A GOOD CHUNK OF THAT GROWTH IS ACTUALLY OUT OF TOWN PEOPLE.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S DOUBLE THE FEE.
SO IF IT'S $25 TO US, WHICH I THINK IS THE SOCCER FEE, IT'S $50 TO THEM.
WELL WHY IS IT $50? IT'S JUST 50.
'CAUSE IT'S DOUBLE THE, THE IN TOWN RATE.
IT'S NOT THAT IT ACTUALLY COSTS US THAT MONEY TO RUN THAT PROGRAM FOR SOMEBODY WHO'S CONTRIBUTING NOTHING INTO THE, INTO THE KITTY AS A NON TAXPAYER.
SO I JUST THINK IT NEEDS TO BE, AND WE DON'T NEED TO SPEND A HUGE AMOUNT OF TIME FIGURING OUT THE COST FOR SOCCER VERSUS THE COST FOR PICKLEBALL.
BUT IF, IF IT COSTS, IF THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FIXED COSTS THAT HAPPENS WHEN THAT THAT'S CREATED BY THESE OUT OF TOWN PEOPLE USING OUR FACILITIES, THAT NEEDS TO BE PASSED DOWN TO THEM A ABSOLUTELY.
AND SO WE'LL DO ANDY, I'M SORRY, I WAS UNCALLED FOR AN UNPROFESSIONAL.
I'M APOLOGIZING AND REALLY THE CONVERSATION'S GOING ON IN MY HEAD IF THERE'S SOMETHING ON MY FACE HAPPENING THAT'S NOT, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU, I CAN ASSURE YOU.
AND SO, SO WE'LL DO KIND OF A HIGH LEVEL COST OF SERVICE AND WE'LL LOOK AT THE VERY DIRECT COSTS AND THEN WE'LL LOOK AT SOME OVERHEAD MARKUP TO THOSE AND THEN BRING THAT BACK FOR COUNCIL.
YOU KNOW, WHERE DOES THAT FIT INTO WHERE OUR FEES ARE TODAY? SO WE'LL LOOK AT AGAIN, EACH, CERTAINLY EACH MAJOR PROGRAM AND THEN, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE SMALLER STUFF IS EASIER, BUT SOME, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO MAINTAIN AND KENNY AND ALL THOSE THINGS THAT ARE MORE INDIRECT.
AND SO WE'LL, WE WILL LOOK AT ALL OF THAT.
SO KIND OF CALL, WE'LL CALL IT A COST OF SERVICE STUDY.
THE REASON I BROUGHT UP PICKLEBALL IS I KNOW THAT PEOPLE KEEP TELLING ME THEY GO DOWN THERE AND THEY WAIT IN LINE AND THEY'RE JUST, UH, AND THEN THEY PLAY AND IT COMES BACK AGAIN.
SO IF THAT'S BEING DONE ON SOME SORT OF OPEN GYM PROGRAM, THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT PAYING ANYTHING.
IF IT'S BEING DONE AS PART OF THE SENIOR PROGRAM, THOSE COSTS ARE, I THINK THERE'S ZERO FOR LEAGUE CITY RESIDENTS AND LIKE $5 A YEAR OR $25 A YEAR FOR OUT OF OUTTA CITY RESIDENTS.
SO WE JUST, WE NEED TO LOOK AT ALL OF THAT AND MAKE SURE WE'RE RECOVERING THE MAJORITY OF THE COSTS FOR THE OUTTA CITY RESIDENTS.
UM, JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS REAL QUICK.
WE STILL TALKING ABOUT THE, THE CHART HERE? YES, SIR.
UM, I, I DO HAVE ONE AND I AGREE WITH MAYOR THAT THE REINVESTMENT IS,
[00:35:01]
IS A GOOD IDEA TO KEEP THAT THERE.UM, ALSO, I, I BELIEVE THAT THE PARAMEDIC SHOULD START IMMEDIATELY AND NOT IN JANUARY.
I I HAVE A COUPLE IDEALS WHAT I THINK WE COULD DO TO, TO OFFSET THAT COST THERE.
UM, IN THE PARKS BUDGET THEY HAVE 140,000 ON THE OAK TREE MAINTENANCE.
I THINK THE QUESTION WAS ASKED LAST NIGHT, THERE WAS 130 TREES.
I MEAN WE'RE LOOKING AT A THOUSAND DOLLARS PER TREE FOR MAINTENANCE IN ONE YEAR.
I, I REALLY THINK THAT DOESN'T TAKE PRECEDENT OVER, I DID A LITTLE INVESTIGATING YES SIR.
TODAY AND IT WAS ABOUT THREE 50 OR 500 PER TREE FOR THE DEEP, DEEP FERTILIZER.
AND THEN THE REST OF THE COST WAS IN TRIMMING.
SO IF I'M GONNA MAKE PROPOSAL ON, ON THAT PARAMEDIC DEAL INSTEAD OF CUTTING THE TREES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IT SEEMS TO ME LET'S JUST RAISE THE M S FEES BECAUSE THAT IS THE DIRECT PAYMENT FOR THAT MM-HMM.
AND IF WE NEED $32,000, I MEAN JUST LITERALLY BACK INTO WHAT THAT IS AS A PERCENTAGE, STICK IT ON TOP AND, UH, LET'S COVER THAT, THAT PARAMEDIC WITH PARAMEDIC FEES.
I MEAN IN FOR THE FUTURE OR YOU KNOW, IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE, I JUST, I THINK BY POSTPONING IT TO JANUARY IS GOING TO DO US MORE HARD.
BUT 140,000 ON THE PARKS FOR CUTTING TREES AND DEEP, I JUST, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE TO DO 140 THIS YEAR, COULD WE DO HALF OF IT? OR, SO IF, IF I MAY COUNCIL MEMBER THE, UH, TREE MAINTENANCE IS A, IS A ONCE EVERY FIVE YEAR PROGRAM MM-HMM.
SO CERTAINLY WE COULD DO HALF ONE YEAR AND HALF THE NEXT YEAR OR WE CAN JUST ACCEPT THAT IT'S $140,000 AND DO IT AND WE DON'T DO IT AGAIN FOR FIVE YEARS.
SO THAT'S WHEN WE, AGAIN, THE DEEP ROOT FERTILIZATION AND THEN TRIM ALL THE DEAD AND DYING LIMBS OUT OF IT SO THEY DON'T BECOME A HAZARD.
THAT'S KIND OF WHY I WAS HOPING THAT THE ARBORIST WOULD TAKE THIS OVER AND WE NOT HAVE, THE ARBORIST DOES THE RIGHT OF WAY OAKS AND THE PARKS DO THE PARK OAKS.
WE HAVE AN ARBORIST, WE NEED TO GET RID OF THIS TERRITORIAL DEPARTMENT STUFF BECAUSE WE'RE A SMALL CITY, WE'RE RUNNING LEAN.
SO IF THERE'S TREES TO BE WORKED ON, WE HAVE AN ARBORIST THAT WE'RE PAYING A HUNDRED PLUS THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR, THEY SHOULD BE MAKING THE, THE SCHEDULE AND YEAH.
JUST MY OPINION, IT ONLY MAKES THAT'S RESPONSIBILITY.
I MEAN IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT PARAMEDICS AND TREES, I MEAN, I'M GONNA STAND WITH PARAMEDICS ALL THE TIME.
AND IF WE HAVE TO GO WITH TWO YEARS ON KILL A LOT OF PEOPLE ON INDUSTRY, I'M TELLING YOU THEY DO
I WAS GONNA SAY I HAVEN'T, WE HAVE SOME VERY HEALTHY TREES THROUGHOUT THIS.
IF WE HAVE TO SPLIT IT ONE YEAR AND ANOTHER YEAR AND JUST PUT IT ON A FIVE YEAR CYCLE SPLIT AND, AND THEN DO THAT.
I MEAN IT'S, IT'S LESS OF AN IMPACT IN THAT YEAR, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY.
WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
WE'LL, SO SPLIT IT IN TWO YEARS.
I MEAN, I I DON'T THINK IT'S A, IT, I THINK SPLIT IT IN BOTH YEARS.
AND THEN ALSO I THINK COUNCILMAN BOWEN HAD A, I MEAN ARB, WE HAVE AN ARBORIST YES.
BUT SHE SHOULD BE AING EVERYTHING.
SHE, SHE WORKED, SHE WORKS WITH PARKS, THEY WORK TOGETHER AND SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUE WHETHER WE MOVE IT TO PUBLIC.
THE OTHER THING THAT I HAD REAL QUICK MAYOR IS, UM, JUST LOOKING AT AND, AND AGAIN GOING BACK TO THE LIBRARY, UH, I'M LOOKING AT, UM, 13,000 FOR COMPUTERS.
I'M NOT SUGGESTING, SUGGESTING THAT WE TAKE AWAY THE COMPUTERS.
I ASKED HER LAST NIGHT HOW MANY COMPUTERS THAT THAT WAS, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY SOMEWHERE AROUND 13 COMPUTERS.
BUT WE GOT APPARENTLY 42 COMPUTERS IN THE LIBRARY FOR THE CITIZENS TO AND THE CHILDREN.
UH, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS TAKE THAT 13,000 OUT OF HER BUDGET AND INCORPORATE IT IN THE 125,000 OF RYAN'S BUDGET.
WE HAVE $125,000 IN RYAN'S BUDGET, WHICH LOOKING, UM, IN COMPUTER, I DON'T THINK YOU, I DON'T THINK THERE SHOULD BE A PROBLEM WITH, SO $13,000 COMING OUTTA RYAN'S BUDGET.
I, I'M, AGAIN, I'VE BEEN TO THE LIBRARY, BUT I HAVEN'T LIKE, WENT THROUGH EVERY LITTLE SECTION OF THE LIBRARY.
WHERE IS THESE 42 LI COMPUTERS AT UPSTAIRS? THEY ARE UPSTAIRS WHERE THERE'S 40 AND THERE'S STILL, I'M SORRY, I I'VE BEEN UP, BEEN UP THERE, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN 'EM.
SO MOST OF THEM RELY IN A, I'LL SAY COMPUTER LAB, COMPUTER AREA UPSTAIRS.
AND THERE'S 40 SOMETHING OF THEM TO SUPPORT THE PATRONS.
YEAH, I MEAN, I'M JUST SAYING THAT RYAN'S OVER COMPUTERS, IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER IF THEY'RE CITIZENS COMPUTERS OR, OR COMPUTERS THAT ARE IN, UM, UH, EMPLOYEE'S USE.
I'D JUST LIKE TO SEE THE BUDGET GO OVER THERE.
HE COULD RECOUP THE, I MEAN GIVE THEM THE COMPUTERS THEY NEED, BUT
[00:40:01]
IN THE FUTURE WE'D JUST NEED TO START HAVING ALL THE COMPUTERS COME OUT OF HIS BUDGET.AND, AND I, I UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT IF WE WANTED TO SHIFT IT OVER, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE TWO SEPARATE WAYS THAT THEY'VE BEEN CALCULATED.
YOU KNOW, ONE IS FOR THE CITY'S USAGE AND EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED THAT WAY THEN.
AND THE OTHER WAS FOR THE PUBLIC'S USE.
YOU CAN HAVE A LINE ITEM IN YOUR BUDGET BUDGET.
SO WE COULD JUST, I DON'T WANT CUT THE BUDGET OUT OF THAT.
I, I DON'T THINK, I DON'T MIND MOVING THAT AMOUNT OVER, BUT I DON'T WANT TO CUT ANYTHING.
UM, TOMMY'S SUGGESTING THAT THEY ABSORB IT.
SO THE BELIEF IS THAT IS THAT THAT $125,000 BUDGET CAN ABSORB IT.
AND IF YOU'LL LOOK BACK HISTORICALLY, THEY'VE ACTUALLY REPLACED IN BATCHES IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.
UH, SEVERAL, SEVERAL COMPUTERS OUT OF THE 46 OR WHATEVER IT IS.
THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT HE'S SUGGESTING IS NOT CUT THE NEW COMPUTERS BUT MAKE THE IT BUDGET OF JUST ABSORB IT.
AND, AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO, I I I'M NOT SAYING WE HAVE A PROBLEM, I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT, BUT I'D LIKE AT LEAST TO HAVE RYAN COME IN AND BE ABLE TO SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHAT I WAS DOING RATHER THAN US NOW AT THIS LEVEL HERE, ONCE HE'S, WE'VE ALREADY HAD THAT CHANCE WHEN TO, LET'S, LET'S MAKE THAT A TAKEAWAY.
WE, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT IT YESTERDAY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE TWO SEPARATE, UH, THIS, THE PC THAT YES RYAN GIVES YOU HERE.
THE MAINTENANCE ON IT'S DIFFERENT.
YOU KNOW, A PC THAT THE LIBRARY HAS OUT FOR THE CITY, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT HAVE SPECIALIZED SOFTWARE ON IT OR MIGHT BE JUST THE OPPOSITE.
YOU MIGHT USE THE JUNKY ONES OR GO WITH SOMETHING REALLY LOW END.
SO, SO YOU, YOU THINK WE SHOULD KEEP IT SEPARATE TOO? WELL, NO, I, I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET AT IS RIGHT.
DO YOU WANT TO CUT IT? NO, DO NOT WANT TO CUT IT.
YOU WANNA MOVE 13 K FROM WELL FROM THAT OVER TO THERE? NO, NO.
I WANT TO TAKE THE 125,000 OF RYAN'S BUDGET AND INCORPORATE THE 13 COMPUTERS INTO THAT $125,000 BUDGETED ITEM OR ALREADY.
I DON'T THINK THAT THE 13,000 IS GONNA KILL HIS BUDGET.
HAVE RYAN GIVE US THE ASSESSMENT ON THAT AND BRING THAT BACK.
WE NEED, WE NEED INFORMATION FROM THEM.
THERE IS ONE THING TO CONSIDER AS WE TALK ABOUT DOING A REVENUE STUDY AND WE TALK ABOUT COST OF SERVICE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THE BUDGET OFFICE TRIES TO DO IS IT'S, WE ARE TRYING TO CAPTURE THE TRUE COST OF THE OPERATIONS WHERE THEY BELONG.
SO WHEN WE HAVE THE TREE MAINTENANCE IN PARKS, THAT'S TREES THAT ARE IN THE PARK.
AND SO WHILE THE ARBORIST WORKS DIRECTLY WITH THE PARKS OPERATIONS, CAMERON, TO DETERMINE WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO AND HOW WE'RE GONNA DO IT, THEY WORK HAND IN HAND.
THEY'RE INVOLVED IN IT TOGETHER, BUT IT'S BUDGETED IN PARKS SO THAT WHEN WE DO THE TRUE COST OF SERVICE, THE TREES MAINTENANCE FOR THE PARK, TREES ARE IN PARKS.
SAME THING WITH THE LIBRARY COMPUTERS.
SO AS WE START TO MOVE THINGS AROUND AND TRY TO CENTRALIZE THEM BY FUNCTION AND NOT BY DEPARTMENT COST, THEN WE DO A REVENUE STUDY.
IT'S GONNA MAKE THE LIBRARY'S BUDGET GO DOWN.
AND SO THEN WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT FEES, WE'RE NOT CAPTURING THE COST TO MAINTAIN 46 PUBLIC USE COMPUTERS.
AND SO WE'LL MOVE IT WHEREVER YOU WANT IT TO BE.
BUT THAT'S JUST SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND AS WE START TALKING ABOUT MAYBE TRANSITIONING TO THE REVENUE STUDY BY COST OF SERVICE IS AS WE START TO MOVE THOSE COSTS AROUND, IT MAY NOT CAPTURE THE FULL COST.
I WOULD PREFER THAT IF WE KEEP IT IN THE LIBRARY'S BUDGET.
SO IF WE CAN ACTUALLY MONITOR THE LIBRARY'S BUDGET AND MONITOR THE COMPUTER USAGE AND MONITOR THE, UH, THE PURCHASES THAT WAY.
HAVE I, I WOULD LIKE TO GET SOME INFORMATION FROM RYAN.
IT'S MORE INFORMATION FROM RYAN AND GO FROM THERE.
AND IF IT DOESN'T WORK, IT DOESN'T WORK.
AND THE QUESTION WOULD BE WHETHER OR NOT HE'S INVOLVED IN THE REPLACEMENTS OR CAN HE AFFORD PC REPLACEMENT WITHOUT, AND THEN TAKE THE 13 K WITHOUT DEVIATING FROM HIS, UH, WHETHER YOU TAKE 13 K OUTTA HIS MONEY OR YOU TAKE CORRECT.
I KNEW IT WAS ALREADY HAPPENING.
UH, JUST SEEING IT WRITTEN DOWN, AGGRAVATED ME AGAIN.
UH, SO ON THIS, ON THIS CROSSING GUARD THING WITH C C I S D, I DON'T, I DON'T MIND PAYING FOR IT AT ALL ACTUALLY, BUT WHAT I DO MIND IS THAT FRIENDSWOOD JUST ARBITRARILY PAYS HALF AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON PAYS NONE.
[00:45:01]
YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST REALLY, IT'S ALWAYS BOTHERED ME THAT, I GUESS IT'S REALLY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ALLOWING THE DIFFERENT CITIES TO JUST DECIDE HOW MUCH OF THE BUDGET THEY WANT TO PICK UP.IF THE CITY, IF THE SCHOOL'S IN LEAGUE CITY, I GOT NO PROBLEM LEAGUE CITY PICKING UP THE ENTIRE DEAL BECAUSE THAT'S PROTECTING OUR KIDS, CROSSING OUR STREETS, FINE.
BUT THEN CITY OF FRIENDSWOOD DECIDING TO NOT PAY THEIR PART.
SO THAT WOULD MEAN I GET TO PICK UP THEIR PART THROUGH MY SCHOOL TAXES.
AND IT'S JUST AGGRAVATING THAT THERE'S SO MUCH SUBSIDIZATION AND ALREADY THE CITY OF LEAGUE CITY PAYS A BIGGER CHUNK OF C C I S D THAN ANYBODY ELSE.
WE HAVE TO PICK UP ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINGS FOR THEM, WHICH IS FINE, BUT IF THE THESE OTHER CITIES JUST NOT PAYING THEIR, THEIR FAIR SHARE TO IT IS IS PRETTY ANNOYING.
SO IF WE WE'RE NOT GONNA GET ANYTHING OUTTA HOUSTON, I DON'T EXPECT THEM TO EVEN LISTEN.
BUT IT WOULD BE NICE FOR C TO PUT IT BACK TO C C I S D SAYING WE REALLY HOPE THAT IN THE FUTURE EVERYBODY PLAYS BY THE SAME RULES WHEN IT COMES TO CROSSING GUARDS.
WE'LL GLADLY PAY OUR FAIR SHARE, BUT WE EXPECT EVERYBODY ELSE TO PAY THEIRS TOO.
I I JUST GOT ONE QUESTION I HAVE ON FOR SCOTT.
SO BEFORE WE CLOSE THAT, I DID WANT TO MENTION SOMETHING ELSE'S ON HERE, BUT TO THE CROSSING GUARDS, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT IF WE HAD OUR OWN, UH, PEOPLE DO RATHER THAN OUTSIDE THE, YOU KNOW, IS 'CAUSE RIGHT NOW WHEN PEOPLE KIND OF GO SPEEDING THROUGH THERE, IF WE HAD OUR A POLICE PRESENCE THERE, WOULD THAT, WOULD WE DO ANY BETTER THAT WAY? OR IS IT JUST CROSSING GUARD IS JUST THE SAME WAY? IT'S MORE OF AN OPINION QUESTION.
I MEAN OBVIOUSLY A OBVIOUSLY A POLICE OFFER WOULD BE A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THE CROSS, THAN A RETIRED CROSSING GUARD.
BUT I MEAN, I WOULD LOVE, I LOVE IT WHEN THE CONSTABLES SEND THEIR GUYS OUT THERE.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY EFFECTIVE.
IT'S ALSO PROBABLY A GREAT CAMPAIGN TOOL, BUT
IT'S JUST MORE FOR ME, IT'S JUST FRUSTRATING THAT SOME OF OUR PARTNER CITIES ACROSS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT JUST DECIDE TO KIND OF CUT BUDGETS AND SHIFT IT TO EVERYBODY ELSE.
THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE, UH, IT IS THE REASON WHY WE PROVIDE THE CROSSING GUARDS TO C C I S D IS 'CAUSE THEY DON'T BUS CHILDREN WITHIN ONE MILE OF THE SCHOOL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND I THINK WE, I BELIEVE WE RECOUPED SOME OF THIS MONEY THROUGH COURT COSTS AND FINES THROUGH SCHOOL ZONES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
BUT, 'CAUSE WE, WE HAVE 1, 2, 3, I THINK THREE OR FOUR SCHOOLS IN D I S D THAT THERE ARE NO CROSSING GUARDS.
THE TEACHERS THEMSELVES GO OUT AND WALK THE CHILDREN BOTH WAYS ACROSS THE STREET AND THE MORNINGS AND THE AFTERNOONS.
AND AS AN ITEM OF FAIRNESS, I DON'T KNOW WHY WE DON'T PAY FOR DICKINSON SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN LEAGUE CITY TO PUT CROSSING GUARDS ON IT.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHY I GOT ONE IN MY SUB SUBDIVISION THAT DON'T GO ASKING.
NO, I'M
AND Y'ALL KNOW WE GOT D I S D TWO AND I, I KNOW OF THREE, POSSIBLY FOUR SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN D I S D.
THAT THERE ARE NO CROSSING GUARDS.
ONE GOES ACROSS CALDER EVERY DAY.
'CAUSE EVERYBODY PARKS OVER IN THAT SIDE OF THE SUBDIVISION TO PICK UP THEIR KIDS.
THE LOW BIT ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL COMPLEX AND UM, BAY COLONY.
BAY COLONY, THE MEADOWS ALL BACK IN THERE.
ALL THOSE KIDS WALK ACROSS THE STREET ALL THE TIME AND THE TEACHERS WALK THEM ACROSS.
I MEAN, THAT, THAT'S WHAT THE TEACHERS DO.
I WANNA PROTECT THE KIDS HANDS DOWN, NO ANSWERS BUTS ABOUT IT.
BUT IF WE'RE GONNA PAY FOR ONE, WE, I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I MEAN, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE PAYING FOR THESE.
I MEAN, MAYBE CLEAR CREEK GA GRADUATES JUST WALK OUT IN FRONT OF TRAFFIC.
I MEAN, I'M A CLEAR CREEK GRADUATE
WHEN YOU'RE THIS TALL AND YOU'RE ABOUT, I AGREE YOU, YOU, YOU DON'T THINK ABOUT CARS.
WE'LL, WE'LL WE'LL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW UP WITH C C I S D AND SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME, A LITTLE MORE FAIRNESS ON WHO PAYS, HOW MUCH, WHO PAYS, HOW MUCH.
IF YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY COVERED THIS, I APOLOGIZE, BUT I WANTED TO FOR WHEN WE'RE, IT'S, I KNOW IT'S VERY SMALL DOLLARS, BUT WHEN WE'RE GOING TALKING ABOUT CUT THE SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, ARE WE JUST TALKING ABOUT LIKE ROTARY AND LIONS? SO A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, UM, COUNCIL HAD AN INITIATIVE FOR, I'LL SAY THE EXECUTIVE TEAM TO GET MORE INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY BY WORKING WITH SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS OR NON-PROFITS OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, AT THAT TIME THEY INDICATED A DESIRE TO HAVE THAT HAPPEN AND A WILLINGNESS TO PAY THE, UH, THE DUES, ET CETERA.
IT'S PROBABLY FOUR OR FIVE OF US THAT DO THAT TODAY.
I THINK FUNDAMENTALLY JUST THE ONES THAT COST, COST MONEY OR LINES AND ROTARY.
[00:50:01]
WE, I KNOW THAT WE'RE, I SAW THAT WE'RE CUTTING THE CLEAR LAKE MEMBERSHIP.ARE WE HAVING A MEMBERSHIP IN THE LEAGUE CITY CHAMBER? SO THE LAST FEW YEARS WE HAVE BEEN A FIVE STAR MEMBER OF THE LEAGUE CITY CHAMBER.
WE HAVE NOT PAID OUT OF POCKET, BUT WE'VE PAID IN KIND WITH USE OF THIS FACILITY.
AND I'LL SAY EITHER 12 TIMES OR 15 TIMES A YEAR FOR THAT, FOR THAT BENEFIT.
I THINK IT WOULD KINDA SIT UP AND SO WITH THE CLEAR LAKE MEMBERSHIP, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A MEMBERSHIP THAT WE PROBABLY DON'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AND THEN THERE'S SUPPORT FOR THE VOTE PARADE, WHICH IS ALL PART OF, YOU KNOW, EITHER WE'RE GONNA DO IT OR WE'RE NOT GONNA DO IT.
AND SO THOSE NUMBERS ARE REFLECTED IN THOSE TOTALS.
GOING OFF OF COUNCILMAN CRUZ HERE, I SEE THE, ARE WE LOOKING TO CUT OUR CLEAR LAKE MEMBERSHIP? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TRYING WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE TO THE, UH, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE? SO WHAT'S PROPOSED IS WE WOULD NO LONGER BE MEMBERS OF THE CLEAR LAKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, NOR WOULD WE, AND WE'RE NOT A MEMBER OF OF LEAGUE CITY CHAMBER ANYMORE, ARE WE? OKAY.
WE CONTINUE TO BE, WE I'M JUST, WELL I REMEMBER HEARING SOMETHING ABOUT WE WERE CUTTING, NOT CUTTING, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE STILL TAKING CARE OF OUR LOCAL CHAMBER IN YEAH, IN LEAGUE IN LEAGUE CITY.
OUR MEMBERSHIP HAS BEEN IN KIND CONTRIBUTION.
ANGIE, I DO HAVE A QUESTION IN THE PARTS BUDGET JUST FOR CLARIFICATION.
I THINK I ANSWERED MY MY OWN QUESTION EARLIER TODAY, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE.
CAN YOU GO TO PARKS OPERATION 51 300 IF EVERYBODY WANTS TO.
IT LOOKS LIKE 51 351 4 70 AND A FEW MORE OF THEM.
YOU HAVE THE SPORTSPLEX UNDERNEATH AND YOU HAVE AN ITEM UP ABOVE, BUT THEY'RE BOTH THE SAME ITEMS. ONE'S FOR 7,000, THE OTHER'S FOR 5,000, I ASSUME THAT IS SPORTSPLEX IS DIFFERENT THAN, IS THIS THE OTHER PARTS RIGHT HERE? THEY'RE BOTH THE SAME ITEMS RIGHT THERE.
SO IN THE PAST, UM, WHICH ONE? I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
51 300 I THINK I, I KNOW WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT.
SO SEVERAL YEARS AGO, UM, THE SPORTSPLEX OPERATIONS AND THE SPORTSPLEX RECREATION USED TO BE THEIR OWN DEPARTMENT SO THAT WE COULD TRACK THE COST.
AND AT SOME POINT A PREDECESSOR OF MINE DECIDED THAT THEY WANTED IT TO JUST BE ONE DEPARTMENT, BUT WE STILL NEEDED A WAY IN ORDER TO TRACK HOW MUCH THE SPORTSPLEX COST IN CASE THERE CAME A TIME THAT SOMEONE ASKED BECAUSE WE HAD RECEIVED QUESTIONS ABOUT IT IN THE PAST.
AND SO AS TO NOT LOSE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT, I CREATED KIND OF A SUBSET, KIND OF LIKE A DIVISION.
SO LIKE THE WAY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ABLE TO TRACK HOW MUCH, UM, SPECIAL OPERATIONS RIGHT IS VERSUS HOW MUCH PATROL IS AND ADMINISTRATION, IT GIVES THEM THAT, THAT SAME ABILITY.
AND SO WE LET THEM BUDGET IT SEPARATELY SO THAT THEY CAN TRACK THE COST AT THE SPORTSPLEX AND THEN HOW MUCH THEY HAVE FOR THE OTHER PARKS THAT ARE NOT FOUR B.
AND THEN WE TRY TO, AS A BUDGET OFFICE, ROLL IT INTO ONE FILE SO THAT IT'S EASIER FOR COUNSEL TO READ WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE DESCRIPTION.
SO IF THERE'RE DUPLICATIONS, IT'S BECAUSE THERE'S ONE AMOUNT THAT'S FOR ALL THE PARKS, ALL PARTS, AND THEN THERE'S AN AMOUNT THAT'S JUST FOR THE SPORTSPLEX.
AND THEN WHEN THEY MAKE THE PURCHASE, THEY WILL USE THAT SPECIAL CODE.
AND SO WE COULD ALWAYS RUN A REPORT TO SEE HOW MUCH THAT THEY'RE CHARGING TO JUST THE SPORTSPLEX OPERATION.
THAT'S WHAT I KIND OF THOUGHT AFTER READING OVER IT.
BUT I WANTED TO, TO MAKE SURE IT WASN'T DUPLICATIONS OF LINE ITEMS. I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
UM, AND THEY ARE BOTH GENERAL FUND.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS OR ABOUT ANYTHING? ANYTHING? WELL, I, YEAH, I, I GUESS SINCE THIS IS THE LAST NIGHT, UM, YOU KNOW, MY, MY CONCERN'S STILL FIRE STATIONS.
UM, SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO FIRE STATIONS, BUILDING A, ESPECIALLY A, A WEST SIDE FIRE STATION AND THEN STATION ONE IS
[00:55:01]
REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE START THINKING ABOUT THAT.UM, THAT'S BEEN PUSHED DOWN THE ROAD FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW ON THE C I P.
SO, UM, NOT FOR SURE WHAT THE MAYOR OR THE COUNCIL'S THOUGHT OR SEAL BONDS OR GENERAL BONDS OR HOW ARE WE GONNA GO OUT AND TRY TO FUND SOME OF THESE THINGS.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT IT BECAUSE THE WEST SIDE GROWING, SORRY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT IT.
'CAUSE THE WEST SIDE, GROWING SOUTH, IT'S GETTING FURTHER AND FURTHER AWAY FROM THAT FIRE STATION.
YOUR RESPONSE HOMES ARE GONNA GET LONGER.
JUST, JUST SOME THOUGHTS TO THROW OUT THERE, IF, WHICH ONE'S MORE IMPORTANT THOUGH? BUILDING ONE OR THE WEST SIDE FIRE STATION? NO, I THINK WEST SIDE RIGHT NOW, OF COURSE, BECAUSE YOU GOT HOMES BEING BUILT OUT THERE AND IT'S MUCH CHEAPER OF COURSE.
BUT EVENTUALLY, STATION ONE WILL HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED PRETTY SOON ALSO.
BUT NOT, I MEAN, I THINK THERE'S NO DOUBT RIGHT, YOU CAN'T HAVE HOMES OUT THERE WITH NO FIRE STATION NEARBY.
I MEAN, I THINK YOU ALSO HAVE TO JUST TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN GENERAL OUT THERE.
I MEAN THE, THE ROADS HAVE TO BE TO A POINT WHERE IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO PUT THE FIRE STATION THERE AND THE WATER WOULD HAVE TO BE THERE AND ALL THE DIFFERENT PIECES HAVE TO BE THERE.
BUT I MEAN, NO DOUBT WE CAN'T HAVE A WHOLE QUADRANT OF THE CITY THAT'S RAPIDLY GROWING WITHOUT FIRE PROTECTION.
BUT EVEN IF YOU STARTED TODAY, IT'S GONNA BE THREE YEARS DOUBT BEFORE ONE'S OUT THERE.
SO THE INFRASTRUCTURE, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ON, ON MAPLE LEAF DRIVE IS THERE'S A, A PART OF THAT ROAD THAT IS NOT ABOUT, HOW MUCH WAS IT, JOHN? A THOUSAND FOOT.
800 TO A THOU 800 FOOT TO GET TO THE FIRE STATION BECAUSE THEY HAD AN EXTENDED MAPLE LEAF.
BUT BY THE TIME WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, I'M ALMOST CERTAIN THAT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE THAT ROAD OUT THERE OR, UH, OR WE CAN COME UP SOME OTHER PLAN.
BUT I MEAN, WE'RE THREE YEARS OUT, EVEN IF WE STARTED TODAY WITH PLANNING AND TRYING TO FIND AND BUILD AND SO FORTH.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE, WE'RE WE'RE A YEAR BEHIND ALREADY? AT LEAST A YEAR BEHIND? NO, NO.
YOU'LL YOU'LL HAVE MY, YOU'LL HAVE MY SUPPORT.
JUST TRYING TO MAKE THIS WORK.
SO JUST SOME THOUGHT FOR FUTURE, FUTURE TIME HERE.
CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THE ONLY ONES I KNOW OF OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD IS TWO AND FOUR, TWO OFF OF HOBBES, FOUR OFF OF BAY AREA BOULEVARD, AND THERE'S NOTHING ELSE ON THAT SIDE OF TOWN.
AND THEN FIVE, WELL, FIVE TWO, WELL, FIVE WE CAN'T GET TO THOUGH, BUT THE RIGHT NOW 5 3, 5 17, UH, CAN'T DO MC FIVE 17.
THEY HAVE TO GO TO MAPLE LEAF, WHICH IS PROBABLY ABOUT A, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO ALL THEIR WAY DOWN TO MCFARLAND.
SO LET ME SAY, LEMME SAY THIS ABOUT THE, I'LL SAY FIRE STATION PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT, ET CETERA.
AND CERTAINLY WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT PORTION OF THE CITY'S GROWING IN, YOU KNOW WHAT, WHATEVER FIRE STATION FOUR, TWO, OR FIVE.
AND YOU KNOW, AS I LOOK AT FIVE, CAN IT COME UP TO THE PETRO GALLON AND IS THAT CLOSER THAN TWO? AND I, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THE MEASUREMENT.
AND SO FROM A GOING FORWARD PERSPECTIVE, CHIEF LUGO HAS BEEN WORKING WITH A CONSULTANT TO COME UP WITH KIND OF A STATION PLAN FOR THE WEST SIDE.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S THREE STATIONS.
AND WE'LL LOOK FOR COUNCIL TO BLESS THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OUT THERE.
WE WILL LOOK FOR COMMITMENTS FROM THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY TO DEDICATE A SITE.
SO THE SITE OFF OF MAPLE LEAF, THAT'S PROBABLY CLOSEST TO THE ROAD SYSTEM TODAY, YOU KNOW, IT SHOWS UP.
THEY'VE AGREED TO DEDICATE A FOUR ACRE SITE.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WHETHER THAT COULD BE MOVED OR NOT MOVED.
BECAUSE AS YOU MOVE NORTH ON MAPLE LEAF, YOU GET INTO HIGHER DOLLAR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE GRAND PARKWAY CROSSES IT BETWEEN THE, THE SOUTHWEST SEWER PLANT.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT GRAND PARKWAY.
SO THOSE ARE HIGH DOLLAR COMMERCIAL COMMERCIAL CORNERS.
AND THEN AS WE LOOK AT THE STATION CLOSEST TO, UM, THE, UM, THE DUNCAN TRACK OR THE LLOYD TRACK KIND OF ON THAT BORDER, WE DON'T HAVE A FORMAL COMMITMENT.
BUT AGAIN, AS THAT PROPERTY COMES FORWARD, WE WILL LOOK TO GET THAT.
AND THEN THE PART, THE STATION THAT I'LL SAY IS EVEN FURTHER WEST, KIND OF THE SAME THING.
AND SO WE ACTIVELY PLAY A ROLE IN, HEY, THESE ARE THE SITES AND WE NEED TO GET THAT STUDY IN FRONT OF COUNCIL.
AND THEN AS THE INFRASTRUCTURE GETS THERE, THOSE ARE GONNA BE EVERY YEAR DECISIONS ON CAN WE GET INFRASTRUCTURE? WHAT DOES THAT COST? AND MOVE IT FORWARD.
I THINK IN DEF DEFENSE, IN, IN DEFENSE OF COUNCIL MEMBER CONES, WE DIDN'T PUT IT IN AS AN ACTIVE PROJECT.
'CAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A READILY IDENTIFIABLE FUNDING SOURCE PRIMARILY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION PART.
'CAUSE THAT WE THINK THAT'S A, I'LL SAY EIGHT TO $10 MILLION NUMBER IN ORDER TO, YOU KNOW, PAY FOR THAT FIRE STATION.
AND SO IT WILL BE A DECISION, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL WILL HAVE TO MAKE.
AND I THINK WE WILL STAY IN FRONT, IN FRONT OF IT AND, YOU KNOW, BRING IT FORWARD AND REVISIT IT, YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR AS WE
[01:00:01]
CONTINUE TO GO FORWARD.SO I THINK WHAT YOU'RE HEARING IS THAT WE SUPPORT MOVING IT FORWARD AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.
UH, AND AS FAST AS IT MAKES SENSE, BUT LET'S LOOK FOR WAYS TO CUT THAT TIME DOWN.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SAY IN ESPECIALLY THE GRAND PARKWAY, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE STATIONS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE GRAND PARKWAY YEAH.
FOR MAJORS AND, AND HAZMATS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE HAZMATS COMING THROUGH.
I I DON'T WANT, YOU KNOW, I I CAN, I I CAN SEND OUT THE KIND OF PRELIMINARY STATION PLAN.
LUGO'S PRESENTATION ON WHAT THE THOUGHT PROCESS THAT WENT IN, YOU KNOW, THAT WENT INTO IT.
AND THAT WAS, IF I RECALL LAST YEAR WE HAD BUDGETED, UM, FOR KIND OF A WEST SIDE FACILITIES PLAN AND YOU BROUGHT IT FORWARD.
IT WAS LIKE A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS AND REALLY, AND I THINK WE SHOT IT DOWN.
UM, ALL WE WERE REALLY LOOKING FOR AT THAT TIME WAS, YOU KNOW, EACH MAJOR DEPARTMENT, WHERE DO THEY THINK THAT THEY'RE GONNA NEED SOMETHING? YEAH.
YOU KNOW, SO THE, THE, THE, THE OTHER PROJECT THAT WAS BROUGHT UP KIND OF QUESTION AS IT RELATED TO C I P WAS THE WINDFIELD ROAD CONVERSATION.
AND SO I THINK AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, THAT WAS PART OF THE GEO BOND PROGRAM.
NOT THAT WE CAN'T CHANGE OUR MINDS WHETHER WE DO THAT OR NOT.
CHRISTOPHER PROVIDED KIND OF A SUMMARY AS TO HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE, WE GOT AND THEN PROVIDED SOME TECHNICAL INFORMATION.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING TO DO FROM THE COUNCIL'S PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, IMMEDIATELY, UNLESS THERE'S A CROSS THE BOARD DESIRE TO JUST KILL THAT PROJECT.
BUT THE NEXT STEPS TO THAT PROJECT IS HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING AND THEN DEVELOP A DESIGN CONTRACT.
SO THIS IS CERTAINLY THE TIME TO VISIT THAT AND MAKE A FORMAL DECISION WHETHER WE'RE MOVING FORWARD OR NOT MOVING FORWARD BEFORE WE CONTINUE TO, TO EXPEND FUNDS.
AND SO I, I THINK AT COUNCIL, AT THE LAST COUNCIL, WE SAID WE WOULD PASS THE BONDS, BUT HOLD OFF ON THE CONSTRUCTION OR MOVING FORWARD ON THAT WINDFIELD UNTIL WE GOT MORE ANSWERS OF, UH, TRAFFIC, MAYBE A TRAFFIC STUDY, MAYBE PUBLIC HEARING, DIFFERENT STUFF LIKE THAT.
WAS THAT, WAS THAT CHARLES' FAULT? YEAH.
LET'S NOT BRING, UH, I WOULD SAY NO ON THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WE'RE SPENDING MORE MONEY ON A TRAFFIC STUDY.
LET'S BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION AFTER THE BUDGET AND THEN WE CAN DECIDE YEAH.
ON WHAT THE NEXT STEP IS ON THAT.
SO IS THERE, THERE'S A SCHEDULED PUBLIC, I'LL SAY PUBLIC MEETING, WHICH IS, HERE ARE THE DESIGN CONCEPTS.
DO YOU WANT US NOT TO DO THAT? OR I, LET'S MOVE FORWARD WITH IT SO THAT THIS WAY WE CAN GET PUBLIC'S INPUT? WELL, I, I DON'T MIND THAT, BUT THE PROBLEM IS IF WE'RE GOING TO DO IT FOR THE ROADWAY, WE PROBABLY NEED TO DO IT FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE PUT OUT HERE FOR A C I P FOR PUBLIC INPUT.
WE, OF COURSE, WHEN PEOPLE COME OUT TO TALK ABOUT A ROAD, THEY'RE GONNA SAY, I WANT THAT ROAD.
AND SO, I MEAN, WE COULD DO THE PUBLIC HEARING, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT, BUT I'D RATHER TALK ABOUT IT BEFORE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO WE'RE GONNA TELL PEOPLE WE'LL CANCEL THE PUBLIC MEETING.
I MEAN, I'D RATHER HAVE A CHANCE TALK.
I, I THINK IT'S EXPENSIVE FOR WHAT WE'RE GETTING, BUT DID YOU GUYS SEE THE STUFF THEY SENT US ABOUT THE LEFT HAND TURN LANE ON HOBBES? IF YOU DO AWAY WITH THE WINDFIELD, YOU'RE GONNA, WE WON'T HAVE LEFT HAND TURN AT HOBBES COMING OFF THE FEEDER AND FROM 45, THAT'S, THAT'S A DECISION THAT CHRIS, CHRIS IS PROPOSING.
BUT THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT A PROPONENT.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS, IS TO, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TRAFFIC IS THOUGH, JOHN.
I MEAN, WITH THE NEW, WITH THE I 45 BEING COMPLETED AND EVERYTHING ELSE, IS THE TRAFFIC PAD WE, OR IS THERE, IS THERE A COMPLETE STUDY DONE ON A TRAFFIC COUNT OUT THERE? I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
IT'S NOT GONNA CHANGE FROM WHAT WE HAD BEFORE.
WELL, IT COULD LEFT HAND TURN LANE ISSUE.
THEY GOT A VERY SHORT PERIOD TO GET OVER AND QUEUE AND THAT QUEUE FILLS UP AT EVERY RUSH HOUR.
WELL, AFTER IS THAT THE, I'M SORRY.
I KNOW THIS IS ACTUALLY A RELEVANT QUESTION.
IS THAT, THAT'S A, I DIDN'T, I GUESS I DIDN'T READ CLOSE ENOUGH.
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT REMOVING THAT LEFT HAND.
THE, THE, THE PLAN IS IF WINFIELD GOES THROUGH, THEY'LL REMOVE THE LEFT HAND TURN LANE INTO HOBBS.
YEAH, ACTUALLY, WELL THAT ACTUALLY MAKES SENSE.
THAT MAY, BUT IT'S ALSO GONNA CREATE MORE.
IT'S GOING, IT'S GONNA CREATE MORE PROBLEMS DOWN IN NEWPORT ALSO.
SO THAT'S WHY I THINK WE NEED TO GO AND HAVE THIS WORKSHOP SO WE CAN FULLY DISCUSS THIS.
YEAH, YEAH, I AGREE WITH THAT.
DO WE, DO WE WANNA WORKSHOP IT? WE WILL MOVE THE, WE WILL MOVE THE PUBLIC MEETING.
WE'LL CANCEL IT FOR TODAY AND THEN WE'LL TRY TO BRING IT BACK TO COUNCIL IS IMMEDIATELY AFTER KIND OF THE BUDGET STUFF GETS WRAPPED UP, WHETHER THAT'S THE END OF SEPTEMBER OR EARLY OCTOBER.
AS A, AS A WORKSHOP AND, UM, GO OVER KIND OF HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT, WHAT WE THINK THE BENEFITS ARE.
THERE'S OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, PROS AND CONS FOR BOTH OF IT.
'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY WHEN YOU CLOSE A MEDIAN OPENING, THAT'S A BIG DEAL AND WE, AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT.
SO THAT'S THE PLAN FOR WINFIELD TODAY AND SO, PERFECT.
[01:05:01]
OKAY.ANGIE HAS A COUPLE MORE LITTLE THINGS.
SO FROM WHAT I HEARD THIS EVENING, I HEARD THAT WE'RE GONNA ADD 32,295 TO E M S REVENUE.
WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE AMOUNT REDUCED ON THE COUNCIL TRAVEL BY $5,600 TO MAKE IT 14,400.
INSTEAD OF THE 15,000, WE'RE GOING TO SPLIT THE OAK TREE MAINTENANCE INTO TWO YEARS.
SO REDUCING IT BY 70,024 AND THEN IT WOULD GET INCLUDED IN 25 AS YEAR TWO OF TWO.
WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BRING THE PR P R M PARAMEDICS ON IN OCTOBER.
SO THAT REDUCTION OF THE 32 2 95 WOULD GO AWAY.
AND SO THAT WOULD MAKE TOTAL REDUCTIONS OF 9 13 3 32.
IT MEANS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE $111,730 OF EXPENSES OVER REVENUE, WHEREAS THE PROPOSED BUDGET WAS MORE LIKE 577,000 EXPENSES OVER REVENUE AND IT WOULD LEAVE YOUR EXCESS WORKING DAYS OF CAPITAL OF 1.2.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE, UM, THE CHANGES IN THE HOT FUND TO CUT THE TWO PART-TIME POSITIONS AND ALSO CUT THE CLEAR LAKE CHAMBER THAT WAS BUDGETED OVER THERE AS WELL.
THAT'S A REDUCTION OF THE HOT FUNDS OF 44,543.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT I MISSED BEFORE WE QUICKLY TALK ABOUT PROPERTY TAX? I HAVE ONE QUESTION REAL QUICK.
TOMMY, CAN YOU ELABORATE FOR ME THE FIRE MARSHAL'S POSITION? IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND GET ON BOARD OR CAN IT WAIT TILL JANUARY? NO, I, I, I THOUGHT IT DEFINITELY.
SO WE WILL PREPARE A BUDGET ORDINANCE THAT REFLECTS THESE CHANGES AND I WILL DO CHARTS TO SHOW WHAT THE LIST OF CHANGES ARE AND THEN HOW IT AFFECTS THE NUMBERS IN WHOLE.
AND THEN WE WILL HAVE THE ORDINANCE WRITTEN SO THAT IT, UH, CAPTURES THIS.
SO AS A QUICK RECAP ON PROPERTY TAX, WE'LL MAKE THIS, UH, PRETTY QUICK.
AND THEN UNLESS Y'ALL HAVE SOMETHING ELSE, I WILL BE DONE.
UM, SO WE STARTED OFF WITH THE PROPOSED BUDGET THAT WE PASSED OUT TO COUNCIL.
IT WAS 250,500 IN PROPERTY TAX DECREASE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT REVENUE YEAR OVER YEAR.
SO THAT IS COMPARING F Y 20 THREES YEAR IN ESTIMATE TO WHAT WE HAD BUDGETED IN 24 HOLISTICALLY.
AND SO WITH THE CUTS OF THE 480,000, YOU ADD THAT TOGETHER AND THAT'S $730,000 IN LESS BUDGETED REVENUE FOR PROPERTY TAX IN 24 THAN WE HAD IN 23.
SO IN ESSENCE, I'M SURE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT THAT MEANS THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO BE UNDER THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.
SO BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN THE SENIOR EXEMPTIONS, I DO NOT HAVE, UM, THE FINAL CALCULATIONS ON THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO CALCULATE HOW THAT EXEMPTION INCREASE IS GONNA ACTUALLY, UM, WORK ITSELF OUT IN THE WASH.
BUT WHAT I DO HAVE IS SOME, UM, ESTIMATES.
AND SO BASED ON THE CERTIFIED ROLE THAT DID NOT INCLUDE THAT INCREASE TO SENIOR EXEMPTIONS, THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE WOULD'VE BEEN 38 CENTS 0.7174, UM, HIGH LEVEL, JUST VERY HIGH LEVEL ESTIMATE THE MAX AMOUNT THAT THAT INCREASE TO SENIOR EXEMPTION WOULD HAVE ON THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.
BECAUSE AS YOUR VALUE GOES DOWN, AND THAT'S WHAT WOULD BE HAPPENING AS YOU INCREASE THE DEDUCTION OR THE EXEMPTION, THEN YOUR NO NEW REVENUE RATE IS GONNA GO UP TO BRING IN THE SAME REVENUE THAT YOU HAD AT THE HIGHER VALUE.
AND SO THAT NO NEW REVENUE RATE, UH, THE, THE ABSOLUTE HIGHEST WOULD BE 39 CENTS 0.5998 STAFF, UM, IS RECOMMENDING BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO TAKE THE, UM, DECREASE OF THE FOUR 80 AND DISPERSE IT TO THE OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS.
UM, WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE PROPOSE A PROPERTY TAX RATE AT THE 38.7174 ON AUGUST 8TH.
BY THAT TIME, I WILL HAVE THE ACTUAL NO NEW REVENUE RATE.
AND IF IT IS SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT, THEN WE CAN DO AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION, UM, AT THE MEETING AND PROPOSE THAT RATE IF THE COUNCIL SO CHOOSES.
AND I'LL BE ABLE TO WORK UP HOW MUCH I THINK THE RATE NEEDS TO BE TO GET US TO THAT $730,000 UNDER AT THE SAME TIME.
SO I GUESS I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT.
SO WHY WOULDN'T WE PROPOSE THE 39 59? IF YOU PROPOSE THE 39 59, THEN YOU'RE IN ESSENCE TAKING THAT $480,000 AND DISPENSING IT ACROSS ALL THE OTHER PROPERTIES, WHETHER IT BE RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL THAT DID NOT GET THE NEW EXEMPTION ESTIMATED MATCH TO INCLUDE INCREASE
[01:10:03]
AND THE COUNCIL.YOU, BUT CAN IT, WE CAN ALWAYS GO DOWN WITH THE RATE.
AND SO BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE HAVE IT TODAY, AND I MAY HAVE EVERYTHING IN EARLIER THAN WHAT I NEEDED TO MEET THE AGENDA, UH, THE CITY MANAGER HAS BEEN GRACIOUS AND TOLD ME THAT I CAN GET IT ON AS A SUPPLEMENTAL.
SO THAT GIVES ME TILL THURSDAY.
I'M NOT REALLY SURE THEY ARE WORKING ON THE CALCULATIONS AS WE SPEAK.
UM, SO I'M NOT REALLY SURE HOW SOON I'M GONNA GET THOSE, BUT I WANTED TO BRING SOMETHING TO THE COUNCIL TONIGHT.
I CAN WRITE UP THE AGENDA ITEM AT THE 39.59 AND EIGHT, KNOWING THAT WHAT WE PROPOSE IS THE RATE.
YOU CAN ALWAYS GO DOWN FROM THAT.
YEAH, IT SEEMS SAFER TO ME TO GO IN AT THE 39.
I'M, I'M FINE WITH 38, BUT IT SEEMS SAFER TO ME GOING AT 39.
THEN ONCE WE GET THE CALCULATIONS, THEN LOCK IT IN AT THE OTHER ONE.
YEAH, BUT OKAY, THEN THAT'S HOW I'LL WRITE IT UP.
AND WE ALREADY DID THE COUNCIL FEEDBACK AND THEN WE STILL HAVE UNTIL AUGUST 21ST IF ANYONE WANTS TO HAVE ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS TO DISCUSS BUDGET OR C I P.
UM, AT THE AUGUST 8TH MEETING, WE'LL HAVE THE REPORT ON THE PROPERTY TAX VALUES AND THE RATES.
WE'LL HAVE THE PROPOSAL OF THAT PROPERTY TAX RATE WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, AND WE'LL HAVE THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET ON THE 22ND.
WE'LL HAVE THAT REQUIRED PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET, WHICH IS ACTUALLY GONNA BE OUR SECOND ONE BECAUSE WE DO ONE EXTRA HERE.
WE HAVE THE FIRST READING OF THE BUDGET ORDINANCE THAT NIGHT AND IT WILL REFLECT THE CHANGES THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT THIS EVENING.
AND THEN IF THERE'S ANY CHANGES BEFORE THE FINAL READING ON SEPTEMBER 12TH, THERE IS TIME TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES.
UM, BASED ON ANY DISCUSSION THAT WE'VE HAD UP UNTIL THIS POINT, WE WILL NOT NEED THAT RATIFY TAX INCREASE.
AND, UH, WE WILL ASK THE COUNSEL TO ADOPT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE AT THE SEPTEMBER 12TH MEETING.
AND THAT'S EVERYTHING THAT I HAD.
WE CAN GO REAL QUICK ON PUBLIC ACCOUNTS, BUT I HAVE A PICK UP.
I'M ALREADY 12 MINUTES LATE FOR PICKING UP MY KIDS, BUT YOU DON WANNA GO? I HAVE NOTHING.
UH, GOOD EVENING, WILLIAM P 2209 BENGAN STREET.
A COUPLE OF ITEMS I'VE HAD THE, THE CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE OR LISTEN IN, WATCH THE LAST FEW BUDGET HEARINGS.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS ALL THE WORK YOU ALL ARE DOING AS WELL AS THE, ALL THE EFFORT THE STAFF HAS PUT INTO DEVELOPING THIS BUDGET.
UH, A COUPLE OF ITEMS, UH, CAPITAL REINVESTMENT PROGRAM.
UH, I KNOW A FEW COMMENTS HAVE COME ACROSS THAT IT IS, UH, MASSIVELY UNDERFUNDED.
I BELIEVE REVIEWING THE DOCUMENTATION, $15 MILLION IS WHAT STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED PER YEAR TO BE GOING INTO THAT PROGRAM.
AND I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER ACTUALLY PUT ANYWHERE NEAR THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY IN.
I'M GLAD TO HEAR THE CONVERSATION NOT REMOVING ADDITIONAL FUNDS FROM THAT PROGRAM.
BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO BE WORKING TOWARDS, IN THE LONG TERM, HELPING TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE MAINTAINING THE QUALITY OF THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'VE ALREADY MADE TO OUR CITY, UH, BEFORE WE'RE DUMPING MORE AND MORE MONEY INTO THINGS THAT WILL BENEFIT FUTURE, UH, CITIZENS.
UH, I'VE NOTICED A LOT OF TIME BEING SPENT TALKING ABOUT THINGS LIKE COFFEE BUDGETS IN DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
YOU KNOW, I, I'M, I MANAGE A $5 MILLION ANNUAL OPERATIONAL BUDGET AND MY EXPERIENCE IN DEVELOPING BUDGETS IS WHEN PEOPLE START LOOKING AT HOW MUCH YOU'RE SPENDING ON COFFEE OR ARGUING ABOUT THREE OR $5,000 FOR TRAVEL, THEN YOU ALREADY HAVE A VERY LEAN BUDGET.
SO
UM, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT THOSE CUTS THAT ARE BEING MADE ARE THOSE THAT ARE APPROPRIATE AND WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITY.
UH, ONE COUNCIL PERSON HAS PUBLICLY STATED THAT THERE'S $11 MILLION IN QUOTE UNQUOTE TRAPPED, UH, TAX FUNDS THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING EVALUATED FOR POSSIBLE, UH, RELEASE, UH, FOR EITHER REINVESTMENT OR FOR, UM, MAYBE FURTHER LOWERING THE TAX BURDEN.
UH, IF THAT $11 MILLION IS FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE OBSOLETE OR NO LONGER REQUIRED, WELL THEN GREAT.
UH, BUT WHAT I WOULD ASK IS, I HAVEN'T HEARD $11 MILLION BROUGHT UP IN ANY OF THESE PUBLIC MEETINGS.
I'D BE INTERESTED TO KNOW WHERE THAT $11 MILLION WOULD BE COMING FROM SO THAT THE, THE PUBLIC KNOWS WHAT MAY BE GETTING PULLED FROM, FROM THE BUDGET.
UH, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, FINALLY WITH THE TRAVEL BUDGET, UH, DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND NOT WANTING TO, TO BIRTH THAT BUDGET.
I WOULD JUST BE CURIOUS AS TO WHETHER THERE'S, UH, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO SAVE MONEY.
I'VE GONE TO ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT AFTER YOU GO TO SO MANY THAT YOU GET MINIMAL RETURN ON THAT INVESTMENT, DOES EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER HAVE TO GO TO THE SAME CONFERENCE? COULD YOU USE WORKSHOPS AFTER A CONFERENCE AND HAVE ONE PERSON GO AND THEN USE THAT WORKSHOP TO SHARE THE KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU GAINED? THAT WAY YOU STILL GET THE BENEFITS FROM THOSE CONFERENCES AND A MORE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE MANNER.
[01:15:04]
PEGGY SAYLER.I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, START, START MY TIMER.
I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, COMMEND THE, THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE REINVESTMENT, UM, FUND AND, AND ANY TIME WE CAN LOOK AT, UH, SUPPLEMENTING THAT FUND IN ANY WAY.
I, I THINK IT'S TO THE BETTERMENT OF ALL OF US CURRENTLY AND FOR OUR FUTURE SUSTAINABILITY.
UM, GOING FORWARD, I WOULD LIKE TO, TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT I KNOW.
I THINK IT'S TRUE, UM, SEVERAL TIMES WE HAVE LOOKED AT OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE LIBRARY BUDGET TO BE AS PRUDENT AS POSSIBLE AND GIVE SERVICES TO OUR PATRONS.
UH, OVER THE YEARS WITH, UH, CHAIRING THE LIBRARY, UH, BOARD, WE HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED, UM, WITH COUNCIL RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO I HAVE LOOKED INTO, WE HAVE LOOKED INTO THIS SEVERAL TIMES.
WE ARE A MEMBER OF THE GALVESTON COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM.
THAT IS A SYSTEM THAT IS DEFINED AND, UH, RULES ARE SET AND POLICIES ARE SET BY COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
WE BENEFIT A LOT AND WE HAVE A LOT OF DATA THAT CAN DEMONSTRATE TO YOU THE BENEFITS OF BEING IN THE SYSTEM.
HOWEVER, BEING A PART OF THE SYSTEM DOES NOT ALLOW US TO CHARGE NON-RESIDENT FEES.
AND, AND WE HAVE, WE HAVE COMPARATIVE STUDIES OVER THE YEARS THAT DEMONSTRATE WHATEVER IT IS WE WOULD GAIN FROM THE NON-RESIDENT FEES WOULD NOT BE OFFSET BY THE BENEFITS THAT WE GET AS BEING A MEMBER OF THE, UM, THE GALVESTON COUNTY ALLIANCE SYSTEM.
SO I, I WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK, WE AS A LIBRARY, BECAUSE OF THE DATA WE REQUIRE TO GATHER AND REPORT TO THE STATE, WE HAVE AMPLE INFORMATION TO PROVIDE TO YOU REGARDING THIS AREA OR ANY OTHER QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ASKED US.
SO I, I WILL SAY RIGHT NOW, I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THE DISCUSSIONS THAT TOOK PLACE TONIGHT REGARDING THE, UM, THE OPTION TO, UM, CHARGE NON-RESIDENTS, UM, THAT IS CONDITIONAL WITH YOU MAKING A DECISION THAT YOU DO NOT WANT US TO BE PART OF THE GALVESTON COUNTY, UM, LIBRARY SYSTEM.
AND, AND I WILL PERSONALLY SAY AS A CITIZEN AND OBVIOUSLY A, A DEDICATED PATRON TO THE LIBRARY, I, I DO NOT SEE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BENEFITS, I DO NOT SEE THAT WE GAIN ANYTHING BY NOT BEING PART OF THE SYSTEM.
SO THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS.
UM, I ALWAYS FEEL VERY WELCOME TO DO THAT.
SO I APPRECIATE IT AND I'LL BE STAYING AFTER IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? HEARING NONE.
THIS MEETING IS CLOSED AT SEVEN 18.