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CITY OF LEAGUE CITY, TEXAS WILL NOW COME TO ORDER IN REGULAR SESSION ON AUGUST 22ND, 2023 AT 6:00 PM ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS.
LET'S GET HIM UP RUNNING TOM CRUISE.
WAIT, THAT'S THE SAME PICTURE HE HAD.
ALRIGHT, UH, INVOCATION PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE US FLAG AND PLEDGE, THE TEXAS FLAG.
I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE CANDY DECKER, UH, TO GIVE OUR INVOCATION SPEAK, UH, THIS EVENING.
HE'S FROZEN, BUT I, I'LL OH, NOW HIS FACE IS THE OBJECT OF MY ADORATION.
OH MY GOD, MY LORD AND MY MASTER.
WHAT TONGUE CAN VOICE MY THANKS TO THEE.
THOU IS GRACIOUSLY AIDED ME TO TURN TOWARDS THEE.
I WAS AS ONE DEAD THOU IS QUICKENED ME WITH A WATER OF LIFE I WAS WITHERED.
THAT HAS REVIVED ME WITH A HEAVENLY STREAM OF THINE UTTERANCE, WHICH HAD FLOWED FORTH FROM THE PEN OF THE ALL MERCIFUL OH DIVINE PROVIDENCE.
ALL EXISTENCE IS BEGOTTEN BY THY BOUNTY DEPRIVE IT.
KNOT OF THE WATERS OF THY GENEROSITY.
NEITHER DO THOU WITHHOLD IT FROM THE, FROM THE OCEAN OF THY MERCY.
I BE SEEK, SEE TO AID AND ASSIST US AT ALL TIMES AND UNDER ALL CONDITIONS.
AND SEEK FROM THE HEAVEN OF THY GRACE.
THY ANCIENT FAVOR, THOU ART IN TRUTH.
THE LORD OF BOUNTY AND THE SOVEREIGN OF THE KINGDOM OF ETERNITY.
THE UNITED STATES FLAG PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE FLAG IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVIS, LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL FLAG HONOR TEXAS FLAG.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, LEAD TEXAS ONE, ONE STATE UNDER GOD.
[3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
UH, WE'LL DO THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES.COUNCIL WORK SESSION AND THREE B AUGUST 8TH, 2023.
ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS? HEARING NONE.
[5. PUBLIC COMMENTS BEFORE CITY COUNCIL]
WE'LL GO ON TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.UH, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE INVITED TO COMMENTS AT THIS TIME, LASTING NOT LONGER THAN THREE MINUTES.
COMMENTS MAY BE GENERAL IN NATURE OR SPECIFIC, UH, OR ADDRESS A SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM.
KEEP IN MIND THIS IS A BUSINESS MEETING OF THE CITY, OF LEAGUE CITY, SO ADDRESS IT AS SUCH, AND CITIZENS AND BUSINESS OWNERS AND PROPERTY OWNERS, UH, WILL BE THE ONES THAT ARE ABLE TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME IN THE CITY OF LEAGUE CITY.
SO WE'LL START OFF WITH WILLIAM PATE.
UM, A FEW ITEMS I WANNA TALK ABOUT BRING UP.
UM, FIRST IS REALLY JUST A QUESTION AS TO, UH, THE SUDDEN INTEREST IN STATING OR REQUIRING THAT THE PEOPLE MAKING PUBLIC COMMENT ONLY BE RESIDENTS OR DOING BUSINESS IN THE CITY OF LEAGUE CITY.
UM, IT'S BEEN SOMETHING I'VE NOTICED OVER THE PAST TWO MONTHS MENTIONED BEFORE EACH OF THESE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS, AND ALSO TODAY, FOR THE FIRST TIME, I HAD A CITY STAFF PERSON ASK ME TO PUT MY ADDRESS DOWN.
SO JUST, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANYTHING IN STATE LAW, CITY ORDINANCE OR COUNCIL RULES THAT REQUIRES THAT.
SO IF THAT IS A REQUIREMENT, I THINK IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT IS FORMALIZED AND DISCUSSED DURING
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OPEN COUNCIL SO THAT A VOTE IS ON THE RECORD AS TO IF THAT'S A REQUIREMENT OR NOT.UM, COMMUNITY STANDARDS REVIEW COMMITTEE, THE FIRST MEETING OCCURRED LAST WEEK.
UH, AND I'LL SAY, AS I SAID BEFORE, WHEN THIS WAS PASSED, IT WAS A, A WASTE OF TIME, UM, FOR A COMMITTEE THAT HAD NO PURPOSE TO EVEN BE CREATED.
UM, WHAT REALLY BOTHERS ME THE MOST ABOUT THIS IS THAT THE ENTIRE TIME IT WAS BEING TOUTED BY SEVERAL MEMBERS OF COUNCIL IS BEING SOMETHING THAT'S INTENDED TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN FROM THE QUOTE UNQUOTE SMUT IN OUR LIBRARIES.
UM, TWO OF THE THINGS THAT ARE BEING PUT UP FOR RECONSIDERATION ARE ADULT BOOKS IN THE ADULT SECTION OF THE LIBRARY, WHICH TO ME GOES COUNTER TO THE ENTIRE REASON WHY THIS IS BEING PUT FORWARD TO, UH, FOR THE, THE CITY.
UH, IT'S GONNA BE A HUGE WASTE OF TIME FOR CITY STAFF TO BE, UH, PUTTING TOGETHER COMMITTEES WHERE WE HAVE A GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS REVIEWING ADULT BOOKS FOR THE CONTENT OF ADULT BOOKS AND THE ADULT PART OF THE LIBRARY WHEN THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS COMMITTEE WAS INTENDED TO DO.
SO I WOULD ASK THAT THIS COMMITTEE TAKE A, OR THE COUNCIL, TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT WHAT IS REALLY THE INTENT BEHIND THIS COMMITTEE.
IF IT IS TRULY TO QUOTE UNQUOTE, PROTECT THE CHILDREN, THEN WHY ARE WE WASTING OUR TIME LOOKING AT ADULT BOOKS IN THE ADULT SECTION OF THE LIBRARY? UH, FINALLY WE HAD ABOUT A WEEK AGO, TWO WEEKS AGO, A SITUATION WITH A LIBRARY ROOM THAT WAS SCHEDULED TO BE USED BY THE GALVESTON COUNTY LIBRARY ALLIANCE FOR AN EDUCATIONAL, UH, PRESENTATION, UH, COVERING TWO VERY IMPORTANT TOPICS, ONE OF WHICH WAS HOW TO USE, UH, AGE APPROPRIATE BOOKS TO TEACH CONSENT TO CHILDREN.
THE OTHER WAS TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON THE PROCESS THAT LIBRARIANS USE TO DEVELOP THEIR LIBRARY COLLECTIONS USING THE SCIENCE AND STATISTICS OF, UH, LIBRARY SCIENCE.
UH, AND ALTHOUGH THE RESERVATION WAS APPROVED AND COMPLIED WITH CITY POLICY AT THE TIME, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS SOME COMPLAINTS WERE MADE ABOUT SOME OF THE FACEBOOK POSTS THAT THE, THAT GROUP HAD MADE ON THEIR, THEIR FACEBOOK GROUP, UH, POSTS, AND THAT AT THE LAST MINUTE THAT RESERVATION WAS CANCELED.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE MOVE THE GOAL POST, YOU HAVE A POLICY THAT'S IN PLACE, THAT'S EVERYBODY IS FINE WITH IT, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE COMP UH, APPLYING TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO USE THAT LIBRARY.
SO I JUST ASK THAT AS YOU ARE RECONSIDERING THAT POLICY THAT YOU PR YOU AVOID THE TEMPTATION TO PUT OUT GLOBAL BANS ON POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS.
'CAUSE POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS CAN SERVE NON-POLITICAL PURPOSES.
MY NAME IS JEFF MARILLO, 2,800 EAST LAKE CITY PARKWAY.
AND I'D LIKE TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF SOMETHING WILLIAM SAID WHEN WE, UH, WHEN WE HAD OUR GROUP, UH, OUR, WHEN THE GALVESTON COUNTY LIBRARY ALLIANCE HAD THEIR MEETING TWO WEEKS AGO, ONE OF THE TOPICS WAS TEACHING CONSENT TO CHILDREN AND USING BOOKS IN THE LIBRARY AS A RESOURCE, BUT IT WAS NOT TEACHING CONSENT.
LIKE, OH, WE'RE TEACHING KIDS HOW TO SAY YES TO SEX.
IT WAS EXPLICITLY HOW TO SAY NO, BECAUSE KIDS NEED TO KNOW HOW TO SAY NO BECAUSE IF THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY NO, THEY DON'T KNOW WHEN TO SAY NO.
UM, BUT THAT'S NEITHER HERE NOR THERE.
UM, I'M ALSO HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE, UH, THE COMMUNITY STANDARDS AND REVIEW COMMITTEE.
IT MET YEST, UH, IT MET LAST THURSDAY, I BELIEVE, AT 6:00 PM IN THE COMMUNITY CENTER.
IF YOU'RE NOT HERE, IT'S GONNA MEET ON NINE 11 IS THE NEXT, UH, UH, THE NEXT MEETING, SEPTEMBER THE, UH, SEPTEMBER THE 11TH, IN THE SAME ROOM AT 6:00 PM OVER THERE IN THE COMMUNITY CENTER.
A BOOK IS BEING DISCUSSED AND IT'S A CHILDREN'S BOOK.
AND THERE ARE TWO OTHER BOOKS THAT WERE ON THE AGENDA FROM LAST MEETING.
ONE WAS A QUEER STORY BY, UH, LINDA RILEY, AND THE OTHER WAS, UM, UNBOUND BY PROF, UH, BY DR.
ARLENE STEIN, HEAD OF PSYCHOLOGY, NOT PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIOLOGY AT A RUTGERS UNIVERSITY.
THEY ARE, UM, A REAL LIFE ACCOUNT OF SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED TO LINDA RILEY.
AND THEN THEY'RE ALSO AN ACT LIKE A, LIKE A BOOK THAT DETAILS THE RESULTS OF A STUDY.
THESE ARE NOT THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO POLLUTE YOUR CHILDREN'S MIND.
AND IN FACT, IF THEY CAN READ, IF YOUR 10 YEAR OLD CAN READ A COLLEGE UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR'S BOOK, YOU SHOULD BE PROUD.
AND I TOOK SOCIOLOGY FOR THREE YEARS, UM,
UM, I JUST WANNA KNOW WHAT GIVES THE CITY THE RIGHT TO REVIEW ADULT LITERATURE.
THE BOOKS ARE NOT FOR CHILDREN.
THEY'RE NOT INTENDED FOR CHILDREN.
CHILDREN CAN HARDLY UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPTS INSIDE OF THEM BECAUSE THESE ARE BOOKS FOR ADULTS.
THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE REVIEWED BY THIS COMMITTEE, BUT YET HERE WE ARE.
WHERE ARE THESE BOOKS GOING TO BE MOVED? WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO BE RES SHELVED THAT THE COMMITTEE DOESN'T LIKE THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY IN THE ADULT SECTION? ARE WE GONNA RESHELVE THEM INTO THE, UH, CHILDREN'S SECTION? I DON'T THINK SO.
BUT WHERE ARE THESE BOOKS GONNA GO? WHAT'S THE PURPOSE? IF THEY DO SAY WE NEED TO RESHELVE THEM,
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WHERE ELSE COULD THEY GO IF THEY'RE ALREADY IN THE ADULT SECTION? I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THIS BECAUSE THAT'S A QUESTION THAT'S A SERIOUS CONCERN THAT THE CITY HAS.IF WE ARE GOING TO RESELL THE BOOK THAT'S ALREADY IN THE ADULT SECTION, WHERE WILL THAT BOOK GO? UM, I YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME.
SINCE BOTH PEOPLE ASKED THE QUESTION, I'LL JUST ANSWER IT.
THE COMMITTEE HAD TO REVIEW THOSE BOOKS BECAUSE THEY, OR HAD TO ADDRESS THOSE BOOKS BECAUSE THE FORM WAS FILLED OUT.
THE COMMITTEE WILL NOT BE REVIEWING THOSE BOOKS.
THOSE WILL BE REFERRED OUT TO THE NORMAL PROCESS THROUGH THE LIBRARY BOARD.
SO THOUGH THE COMMITTEE WILL NOT BE ADDRESSING THOSE BOOKS.
BUT, UH, TIM DOR, AMERICAN LEGION.
GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND CITIZENS.
FOR ANYBODY WHO DOESN'T ALREADY KNOW ME, MY NAME IS TIM DOER.
I'M THE COMMANDER OF THE AMERICAN LEGION POST DOWN HERE ON HIGHWAY THREE IN LEAGUE CITY.
AND, UH, THE REASON I'M HERE TONIGHT IS TO, UH, SHARE SOME GOOD NEWS ABOUT OUR, OUR POST AND SOME OF OUR, OUR PROGRAMS AT THE LEGION.
UM, BUT ONE OF THE BEST KEPT SECRETS IN THIS TOWN MAY BE AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL.
UH, EVERYBODY'S KIND OF PAYING ATTENTION TO THE MEDIA COVERAGE ABOUT LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL IN NEVILLE.
BUT WHILE THAT WAS GOING ON, OUR AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL TEAM, WHICH IS 16 TO 19 YEAR OLDS, WAS ALSO IN A TOURNAMENT, ACTUALLY A COUPLE DIFFERENT TOURNAMENTS.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE UP HERE ON THE, UH, RAIL IN FRONT OF THE MAYOR, UH, THE, THE SMALLER OF THE TROPHIES, WELL, LEMME BACK UP.
FIRST, WE WENT TO THE STATE TOURNAMENT DOWN IN LAREDO WHERE IT WAS 108 DEGREES AND THE COACH SAID CLOSER TO ONE 20 DOWN ON THE PLAYING SURFACE.
AND, UH, WE, WE WON THE STATE TOURNAMENT.
SO THAT SENT US OUT TO CALIFORNIA, FAIRFIELD, CALIFORNIA, WHICH IS OUT BY NAPA.
AND THAT'S THE, UH, REGIONAL TOURNAMENT FOR THE WEST REGION.
THE SMALLER OF THOSE TROPHIES WAS THE ONE THAT WAS, THAT THEY BROUGHT HOME FROM THE REGIONAL TOURNAMENT.
WHEN THEY WON THAT, THAT SENT THEM ONTO THE AMERICAN LEGION WORLD SERIES IN SHELBY, NORTH CAROLINA.
AND, UH, WE, UH, WERE SUCCESSFUL THERE AS WELL.
THE LARGER OF THOSE TROPHIES IS THE CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY FOR, UH, THE AMERICAN LEGION WORLD SERIES.
UM, SOME OF THE, THE STANDOUT EVENTS THAT WE HAD, ONE OF OUR PITCHERS, JACOB SEER, UM, PITCHED A, A, UH, NO-HITTER, UM, IN THE OPENING GAME OF THE FINALS, UM, OR OF THE, THE WORLD SERIES.
HE ALSO PITCHED A A NO-HITTER IN, UH, IN FAIRFIELD IN THE REGIONALS.
UH, HE CLOSED OUT THE TOURNAMENT WITH A, UH, WITH A, UH, SHUTOUT.
UM, IT WASN'T A NO-HITTER, BUT IT WASN'T A SHUTOUT GAME.
AND, UH, HE EARNED THE, UM, MOST VALUABLE PLAYER FOR THE ENTIRE TOURNAMENT.
THIS IS THE 96TH YEAR OF AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL.
NO TEXAS TEAM HAS EVER WON THE AMERICAN LEGION WORLD SERIES.
THIS IS A FIRST FOR TEXAS AND WE'RE OBVIOUSLY VERY PROUD OF THAT AND I'LL YIELD BACK.
OKAY, MY NAME IS CATHERINE SWANSON.
I'M AT 1194 RUSTLEY WIND LANE AND I AM PART OF THE GALSTON COUNTY LIBRARY ALLIANCE.
SO WHAT I WANNA GO OVER IS THE LANGUAGE OF THE DIFFERENT ORDINANCES THAT THE CITY HAS.
THIS FIRST ONE IS FOUND IN ARTICLE TWO, SECTION 62 33, AND IT'S ABOUT THE LIBRARY BOARD.
AND IT SAYS THAT THE LIBRARY BOARD SHALL CONSIST OF EIGHT MEMBERS.
WHICH OF YOU GO AND CHECK IT? THEY DO ACTUALLY HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS.
THEN IF WE LOOK AT THE LANGUAGE FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD, IT ALSO SAYS IT SHALL CONSIST OF SEVEN MEMBERS.
AGAIN, THEY HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS.
FINAL EXAMPLE IS GOING TO BE ABOUT THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
IT SAYS, SHALL CONSIST OF SEVEN MEMBERS.
SO NOW WHAT I WANNA BRING UP IS ABOUT THE COMMUNITY STANDARD REVIEW COMMITTEE.
IT SAYS IT SHALL CONSIST OF A CHAIRPERSON AND SIX MEMBERS.
WE HAVE A CHAIRPERSON, WE HAVE THREE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BUT WE ONLY HAVE TWO OF THE THREE LIBRARY BOARD MEMBERS.
SO I WANTED TO KNOW WHY DON'T WE HAVE THAT FINAL POSITION FULFILLED? SO THEN THERE'S AN EMAIL FROM MAYOR LONG IN WHICH HE LETS US KNOW THAT YOU KNOW, THAT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO AGREE ON SOMEBODY.
AND SO WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO IS IF THEY CAN GET THE VOTES FOR BYRAM LAS.
HE'S ONE OF THE THIRD PEOPLE THAT THEY WENT AHEAD AND VOTED ON.
HE WASN'T VOTED INTO THE COMMUNITY STANCE REVIEW COMMITTEE.
HE SAID IF PEOPLE CAN CHANGE THEIR VOTE,
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THEN BYRON BLAS WILL BE.SO I WANT TO KNOW THOUGH, OKAY, YES, THERE'S BYRAM LAS.
WE HAVE HIS APPLICATION FOR THE LIBRARY BOARD.
HE ALSO DID SUBMIT IT FOR THE COMMUNITY STANCE REVIEW COMMITTEE.
COULD WE VOTE ON BYRON BLAST THEN FOR THE COMMUNITY STANCE REVIEW AND FULFILL THAT ORDINANCE OF SHALL? IF IT SAYS THERE SHALL BE SEVEN WITH THAT CHAIRPERSON, WHY AREN'T WE FULFILLING IT WHEN WE DO FOR ALL THE OTHER BOARDS? THEN WE HAVE A SECOND APPLICATION WHERE WE CAN LOOK AT THAT PERSON AND WE CAN PUT THEM ON THE COMMUNITY STANDARDS REVIEW COMMITTEE.
SO WE HAVE THREE PEOPLE THAT WE CAN CHOOSE FROM IN ORDER TO ADD TO THAT COMMUNITY STANDARD REVIEW COMMITTEE TO FULFILL THE OBLIGATION OF SHALL.
THAT IS THE WORD I WANNA FOCUS ON.
IT'S NOT SAYING UP TO, IT SAYS SHALL.
SO WHY ARE WE FOLLOWING IT FOR ALL THE OTHER BOARDS THAT THE CITY HAS? BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA FOLLOW IT FOR THE COMMUNITY STANDARD REVIEW COMMITTEE.
I PERSONALLY, AS A CONSTITUENT OF LEAGUE CITY, WANT TO SEE THEM GO AHEAD AND PUT UP THOSE THREE NAMES AGAIN FOR A VOTE.
LET'S SEE THAT THOSE NAMES WILL NOT ACTUALLY MAKE IT OR WILL MAKE IT.
WHY AREN'T WE PRIVILEGED TO SEE THAT? WHY ARE THEY DENYING THAT? SO I WANT TO KNOW WHY ARE WE IGNORING THE LANGUAGE OF THE ORDINANCE? WHERE IS IT? THANK YOU.
ALRIGHT, LILY MCNERNEY NERNEY.
ALRIGHT, PATTY WRIGHT KY HELLO, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL AND LEAGUE CITY.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR TWO WEEKS AGO PUTTING A HALT TO THE T N R, BUT I WANNA GIVE YOU TODAY A STATUS OF THE SHELTER CATS.
SINCE THE CITY IMPLEMENTED THE T N R HOLD, THE SHELTER, STRAY HOLD IS FILLING UP WITH CATS AND SEVERAL NICE CATS, ADOPTABLE CATS THAT SHELTER MANAGEMENT WILL NOT MOVE TO ADOPTIONS, NOTHING'S MOVING.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THESE NICE CATS WILL NOT MOVE OUT OF STRAY HOLD UNTIL THIS WHOLE T N R THING WILL WORK, BE WORKED OUT.
AND THAT COULD BE A FEW WEEKS, RIGHT? IT'S A REAL SHAME BECAUSE WE HAVE A NEARLY EMPTY, MOSTLY EMPTY ADOPTION ROOM.
AS WE SPOKE BEFORE, THEY REFUSE TO MOVE THESE NICE CATS TO ADOPTIONS AND NONE OF THIS MAKES SENSE TO ME.
SO THEY'RE FORCING THESE CATS IN STRAY HOLE TO LIVE IN TINY CAGES FOR THE PURPOSE OF HOLDING THEM TILL THE POLICY'S WORKED OUT.
THEY KNOW THE RESEARCH SHOWS THE TINY CAGES, STRESS THE CATS AND CAUSE ILLNESS.
IS THIS WHAT CITY COUNCIL INTENDED THAT NONE OF THE NICE CATS MOVE FORWARD TO ADOPTION? IT SEEMS TO ME IT'S A SHELTER MANAGEMENT DECISION.
UNBECOMING OUR LEAGUE CITY SHELTER WHOSE MISSION IS TO FIND A LOVING HOME FOR ADOPTABLE ANIMALS.
SADLY, TO ME IT SEEMS TO BE A SPIRIT OF SPITE AND RETALIATION OVER THE UNHAPPY COMMUNITY EXPRESSION OF DUMPING FRIENDLY CATS AND NOT A SPIRIT OF COMPASSION.
AND FINDING THESE CATS A LOVING HOME SHELTER MANAGEMENT JUST INSISTS THEY'RE FOLLOWING WHAT CITY COUNCIL DIRECTED.
AND IS THIS WHAT CITY COUNCIL WANTS? I'M ASKING NICE ADOPTABLE CATS NOT ABLE TO BE ADOPTED FOR WEEKS UNTIL THIS IS ALL WORKED OUT.
IS THAT IT? YOU KNOW, TWO WEEKS AGO I DID NOT HEAR ANYONE ASK CITY COUNCIL TO STOP THE ADOPTION OF NICE CATS.
YET THAT'S WHAT SHELTER MANAGEMENT THINKS IS BEST.
YOU WONDER WHY SOME EXPRESS NO CONFIDENCE IN THE STAFF'S DECISION MAKING TO DO THE RIGHT THING FOR THESE ANIMALS.
THE NEXT THING I'M GONNA TELL YOU IS IN EXPRESS IS THAT THE LEAGUE CITY COUNCIL AND THE LEAGUE CITY ANIMAL SHELTER, PLEASE, YOU NEED TO PARTNER WITH YOUR NGOS, YOUR NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS.
NO GOVERNMENT'S GONNA SOLVE THE PROBLEMS ALONE, RIGHT? YOU NEED THESE NGOS AND THAT GOES FOR THE SHELTER TOO.
THE N G O I'M TALKING ABOUT IS FRIENDS OF LEAGUE CITY ANIMAL SHELTER.
DID YOU KNOW THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO HOUSE 30 CATS FOR ADOPTION BECAUSE THEY'VE MADE THE ALLIANCES WITH THE PETCOS AND THE PET SUPPLIES, PLUSES AND ALL THAT.
AND THE PETSMARTS THAT'S 30 KENNELS ABOVE AND BEYOND THE SHELTER ADOPTION ROOM, WHICH IS STILL MOSTLY EMPTY CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT WORK WITH NGOS ARE ESSENTIALLY PUTTING MONEY BACK IN THE LEAGUE CITY TAXPAYER'S POCKET.
I'D REALLY LIKE TO GET SOME POSITIVE PRESS FOR OUR LEAGUE CITY SHELTER.
CAN'T READ YOUR LAST NAME BOND.
WE, WE CAN'T HEAR YOU WHEN YOU CALL SOME PEOPLE UP.
DID YOU CALL, UH, LILY? I, I DID.
I'M OLD AND I'M HARD HEARING SOMETIMES.
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AS FAR AS THE SHELTER IS CONCERNED, IT HAS TAKEN THE, UH, CITIZENS OF LAKE CITY YEARS TO GET AN ADOPTION PROGRAM AND A CARING PROGRAM FOR THESE PETS THAT ARE COMING INTO LAKE CITY.YOU HAVE THE FRIENDS OF LAKE CITY ANIMAL SHELTER THAT HAVE DONE THEIR VERY BEST TO KEEP THE ADOPTIONS GOING OUT AND THE FOSTERS AVAILABLE, THE VOLUNTEERS THAT GO UP AND SPEND THEIR TIME AND THEIR ENERGY TO TAKE CARE OF THE ANIMALS THAT ARE IN THERE.
SO THE STAFF IS NOT OVERWORKED BY THE ANIMALS.
THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY THAT LAKE CITY ITSELF HAS SAVED DUE TO THE SINCERE VOLUNTARY EFFORTS OF THE GROUPS IN AND AROUND LEAGUE CITY IN REGARDS TO THE SHELTER.
THE FACT THAT WE ARE HAVING A BACKLASH RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE ARE EXPRESSING OUR CONCERN IS A JUST A TERRIBLE DISGRACE.
SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE AND THE BEST SOLUTION IS TO ALLOW THE FRIENDS OF THE LEAGUE CITY SHELTER, THE FOSTERS PET SMART AND THE OTHERS THAT ARE WILLING MORE THAN WILLING TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THE NO KILL SHELTER POLICY AND HAVE THESE ANIMALS ADOPTED OUT.
I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM AT THE SHELTER WHERE THERE IS SOMEONE THERE THAT DOES NOT LIKE CATS, OKAY? FOR WHATEVER REASON THEY HAVE THEIR REASONS, BUT WHEN THAT ENTERS INTO WHAT THE CITY AS A WHOLE AND THEIR CITIZENS REQUIRE, THEN IT BECOMES A PROBLEM.
SO PLEASE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION ALL THE EFFORT THAT HAS BEEN DONE TO MAKE THIS A NO KILL SHELTER BY OUR CITIZENS.
TOM CRUISE JOINED AT SIX 17 AND, UH, SUSAN, SUSAN, I THINK IT MIGHT BE BOWMAN.
GOOD EVENING CITY COUNCIL AND PUBLIC.
I LIVE AT 2 1 0 4 DUBLIN DRIVE.
I WAS AN ACTIVE MEMBER FOR THE LAKE CITY ANIMAL SHELTER FROM SEPTEMBER, 2015 TO DECEMBER, 2021.
WORKING SOLELY WITH THE CATS, I NORMALLY LOG 15 TO 20 VOLUNTEER HOURS WEEKLY WITHIN SHELTER AND OUT OF HOME, OUT OF SHELTER WORK.
IN 2017, UNDER THEN DIRECTOR KIM SCHOOLCRAFT, THE SHELTER OBTAINED NO-KILL STATUS.
WE HAD AN ACTIVE PROGRAM AND ADOPTED MANY CATS.
DURING THIS TIME, THESE ADOPTIONS INCLUDED KITTENS AND ADULT CATS.
THE FERAL CATS WERE THE ONLY ONES RELEASED FROM THE SHELTER.
TO LIVE OUTSIDE IS BARN CATS AND WORKING CATS.
THIS WAS A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM.
CATS WERE NOT EUTHANIZED FOR SPACE AND FRIENDLY CATS WERE PUT UP FOR ADOPTION.
THE OLD SHELTER WAS INADEQUATE, INADEQUATE TO PROPERLY FUNCTION FOR A CITY AS LARGE AS LEAK CITY.
AND A NEW SHELTER WAS APPROVED IN 2018.
THE PUBLIC'S EXPECTATION OF THE NEW SHELTER WAS THAT IT WOULD CONTINUE TO FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE PROGRAM THAT TOOK THE SHELTER TO NO KILL.
SEVERAL YEARS EARLIER, ADOPTION OF FRIENDLY CATS WAS PART OF THAT EXPECTATION.
RECENTLY, T N R BECAME AN APPROVED LAKE CITY ORDINANCE.
THIS PROVIDES PLACES FOR UNADOPTABLE FERAL CATS TO GO AND INCLUDES BARNES BUSINESSES OR COLONIES MANAGED BY DOCUMENTED FEEDERS AND CAREGIVERS.
IN THESE CASES, THERE IS A NAME ATTACHED TO THE CAT, SOMEONE WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR BASIC NEEDS.
CATS PICKED UP AS A RESULT OF A CALL BY THE PUBLIC OR TAKEN TO THE SHELTER, STERILIZED IF NEEDED, VACCINATED, AND RETURNED TO THE PLACE WHERE THEY WERE PICKED UP.
THE ASSUMPTION IS THAT THERE'S AN OWNER IN THE AREA.
THE CAT IS LEFT WITHOUT THE NAME OF ANYONE ATTACHED TO LOOK AFTER ITS BASIC NEEDS.
DUMPING OF UNWANTED ANIMALS IS COMMONPLACE IN OUR CITY.
I KNOW PEOPLE THAT, THAT ARE TAKING CARE OF DUMPED CATS ALL THE TIME.
THERE MAY BE NO OWNER IN THIS CASE.
HAVE YOU SEEN RANGER'S STORY ON SOCIAL MEDIA? RANGER WAS RESCUED FROM A LARGE RETAIL GROCERY STORES PARKING LOT ABOUT FIVE WEEKS AGO, BUT NOT BEFORE HE SUFFERED.
DOES EVERYBODY LIKED THE EXTREME HEAT AND DROUGHT WE'VE HAD MOST OF THE SUMMER.
HE WAS TRYING TO SURVIVE ON HIS OWN.
HE WAS NOT PART OF A CAT COLONY WHEN RESCUED, HE WAS CLOSE TO DEATH.
HE ENDED UP WITH WELL-KNOWN RESCUER WHO WAS HERE TONIGHT.
BONNIE FRANKHAM RANGER WAS SUFFERING FROM D SEVERE DEHYDRATION, ANEMIA, MANGE MITES, AND WAS, WAS VERY ILL.
BONNIE REPORTS RANGER IS NOT A FERAL CAT WAS RESPONDING TO HER AND HE IS NOW IN THE CARE OF ANOTHER FOSTER, UM, PERSON, AND HE IS DOING WELL.
ALTHOUGH RANGER WAS FOUND IN CLEAR LAKE CITY, THE MALADIES FROM WHICH HE SUFFERED IS A STRAY.
WITHOUT RESOURCES KNOW NO CITY BOUNDARIES.
THE DUMPING OF FRIENDLY CATS NEEDS TO STOP.
THE STATE-OF-THE-ART SHELTER RIGHT DOWN THE STREET WAS BUILT ON THE PUBLIC'S EXPECTATIONS THAT ESTABLISHED LIFE SAVING NO KILL POLLEN.
MANY CAT KENNELS AT THE SHELTER SIT EMPTY WHILE ADOPTABLE CATS ARE BEING DUMPED.
PLACING ADOPTABLE CATS INTO THOSE KENNELS WILL NOT LEAD TO EUTHANASIA AS A LOT OF THE PUBLIC IS
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ASSUMING, UH, IT WILL INSTEAD LEAD TO ADOPTIONS.THERE'S NO WAY TO KNOW WHICH DUMPED FRIENDLY CATS HAVE OR WILL FIND RESOURCES.
THOSE WITHOUT BASIC NEEDS MAY WELL END UP IN RANGER'S CONDITION.
COUNCILMAN, THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO WRITE THIS INHUMANE TREATMENT OR HELP WRITE IT.
IF WE FAIL TO HUMANELY TREAT SENTIENT CREATURES BETTER THAN THIS, SHAME ON US.
MONICA, YOU'RE GONNA LOOK AT 9 3 4 PLANTATION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SUSPENDING THE DUMPING OF FRIENDLY CATS.
I WENT TO THE SHELTER TODAY AND THERE ARE SIX ADOPTABLE CATS IN THE ADOPTION ROOM.
SO I DIDN'T REALIZE PATTY WAS GONNA MAKE A REMARK ABOUT THAT, BUT I DO HAVE A SINCERE QUESTION OF WHY ARE WE HOLDING THE CATS IN THE BACK IF THEY'RE FRIENDLY AND ADOPTABLE.
WE HAVE PLENTY OF SPACE AND THERE'S GONNA BE CATS CONTINUING TO COME IN EVERY DAY.
I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME THOUGHTS FROM THE HUMANE SOCIETY, H SS U S HUMANE SOCIETY AND IN THEIR RETURN TO FIELD HANDBOOK.
THE PURPOSE, THE REAL PURPOSE IS TO AVOID KILLING A CAT IF ADOPTION IS A POSSIBILITY.
THE USE OF R T F IS ONLY WHEN THE SHELTER IS OUT OF SPACE.
OUR SHELTER IS NOT OUTTA SPACE.
OUR SHELTER HAS PLENTY OF SPACE.
AND AS ANOTHER SPEAKER SAID, THROUGH THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT I'VE BUILT WITH THE STORES, WE HAVE ROOM FOR 30 MORE CATS TO BE ADOPTED.
IN THE VERY BEGINNING, THE THE CONDOMINIUMS ACTUALLY ADOPTED OUT AS MANY CATS AS THE SHELTER DID.
SO THAT WAS LIKE HAVING A WHOLE NOTHER CAT ADOPTION ROOM THAT COST THE CITY NOTHING.
I GUESS THAT MIGHT BE ONE OF THOSE NGOS YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT.
IT COST THE CITY NOTHING BUT BUT HAVING THE VOLUNTEERS TO RUN IT.
SO THAT WAS VERY GOOD FOR THE CITY BECAUSE WE ADOPTED OUT AS MANY AS THE SHELTER DID.
THE CASE IS THAT THE SHELTER HAS EMPTY ROOMS AND THEY DON'T ALLOW US TO TAKE THEIR CATS AND PUT 'EM INTO THE CONDOS.
THE H S U SS HANDBOOK RECOMMENDS A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO DETERMINE THE ELIGIBILITY FOR THE R T F PROGRAM.
IT INCLUDES A CONSIDERATION OF THE PERSONALITY, TEMPERAMENT, AGE, AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE LOCATION WHERE THE CAT WAS FOUND AMONG MANY OTHER CRITERIA FOR R T F.
THE HANDBOOK ALSO RECOMMENDS AN EXTENSIVE ANALYSIS OF EACH CAT TO MAKE SURE IT IS NOT A PET OR A NEWLY ABANDONED CAT.
PETS AS SUCH ARE INELIGIBLE FOR THAT R T F PROGRAM.
THE HANDBOOK RECOGNIZES THAT THERE ARE RISKS IN ALLOWING THE THE CATS TO BE LIVING OUTDOORS, BUT IT IS ONLY SUPPOSED TO BE USED WHEN SHELTERS ARE IN, IN A POSITION WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE THE SPACE AND THEY HAVE TO EUTHANIZE ANIMALS.
LEAGUE CITY HAS NOT, EVEN THOUGH THE SHELTER HAS BEEN OVER CAPACITY OF DOGS FOR MORE THAN A YEAR, THERE HAVE BEEN NO DOGS OR CATS EUTHANIZED FOR SPACE AT OUR LEAGUE CITY ANIMAL SHELTER SINCE 2016.
SO WHY WOULD WE START ADOPTING A, AN INHUMANE PROCESS OF RELEASING FRIENDLY CATS TO THE STREETS TO FACE RANGERS SAME PREDICAMENT.
I'M SUE JUIN, 2 3 8 3 YORK HARBOR COURT.
I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE SHELTERS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK HERE TODAY BECAUSE AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE, I DON'T FEEL LIKE I HAVE A VOICE THERE.
I HAVE READ THE S O P FOR JULY, 2023 THAT WAS PRODUCED.
IT WAS CREATED BY THE SHELTER.
IT APPEARS THE STAFF DECIDED ON AN END POINT AND THEN GATHERED DOCUMENTATION IN SUPPORT OF THE POSITION THEY DESIRED IN READING THE REFERENCES CITED IN THE SHELTER'S DOCUMENT, AND THEN RESEARCHING THOSE REFERENCES BEYOND THOSE THEY LISTED.
IT DEMONSTRATED THE SHELTER'S.
S O P IS BASED ON FAULTY LOGIC FOR THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF OUR CITY.
THE S O P IS SKEWED TO ALLOW MOST CATS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE RETURN TO FIELD OR R T F RATHER THAN ELIGIBLE FOR ADOPTION.
R T F WAS DEVELOPED AS A HUMANE ALTERNATIVE TO EUTHANIZING UNADOPTABLE CATS AND FOR SHELTERS THAT REGULARLY MUST EUTHANIZE ANIMALS FOR LACK OF SPACE, THAT IS NOT OUR SHELTER.
THE S O P SAYS IT WAS CREATED TO REDUCE, REDUCE ANIMAL INTAKE AND INCREASE LIVE ANIMAL OUTCOMES.
THIS, OUR SHELTER HAS NOT EUTHANIZED A CAT OR A DOG FOR LACK OF SPACE IN ALMOST SEVEN YEARS.
[00:30:02]
THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS IS AN ORGANIZATION WITH NO OTHER MOTIVES THAN THE HUMANE CARE OF ANIMALS.THEY DEVELOPED A POSITION PAPER ON COMMUNITY CATS AND COMMUNITY CAT PROGRAMS. IT IS THEIR POSITION THAT UNSOCIALIZED COMMUNITY CATS ARE BEST SERVED BY T N R M, TRAP, NEUTER, RELEASE MONITOR, AND R T F SOCIALIZED COMMUNITY CATS ARE BEST SERVED BY PLACEMENT IN A HOME.
LET SOCIALIZED COMMUNITY CATS ARE BEST SERVED BY PLACEMENT IN A HOME.
THE T N R M PROGRAM FOR UNSOCIALIZED CATS RETURNS THEM AFTER STERILIZATION TO A SPECIFIC CAREGIVER WHO MONITORS THE COLONY AND PROVIDES ADEQUATE FOOD, WATER, AND SHELTER.
THE T N R M IS PREFERRED BY THE A SS P C A OVER THE R T F PROGRAM BECAUSE OF THIS MONITORING.
THE R T F IS NOT A PREFERRED PROGRAM BY THE A S P C A.
THE POSITION PAPER MENTIONS THE R T F PROGRAM AS AN OPTION FOR UNSOCIALIZED CATS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY SUBJECT TO BE EUTHANIZING IN A SHELTER.
IF THAT WAS APPLICABLE TO US, THEY ARE RECOMMENDED SOCIAL COUNTS BE ROUTED INTO ADOPTION PROGRAMS. THANK YOU NICOLE ANTON.
MY NAME IS NICOLE ANTON, 7 1 9 DAVIS ROAD.
I MOVED HERE FROM ALASKA WITH FOUR DOGS.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I'VE EVER NOT HAD DOGS.
I'M AN ANIMAL PERSON AND NO ANIMAL IS DISCOUNTED OR LESS VALUED THAN THE OTHER IN MY, IF THEY BREATHE, THEY LIVE.
IF THEY FEEL THEY THINK THE LORD GOD MADE THEM ALL.
GOD STATES THAT HE KNOWS EVERY SPARROW AND SHAME ON ANYBODY IN A PERSUADABLE POSITION THAT VOICES A VALUE FOR ONE LIFE OVER THE OTHER.
COUNSEL FIRST, THANK YOU FOR PUTTING A TEMPORARY STOP TO THE RELEASE IN A FRIENDLY, ADOPTABLE CATS ONTO THE CITY STREETS.
NOW THAT WE HAVE A IDENTIFIED THAT THE T N R ORDINANCE WAS WRITTEN SO BROADLY THAT IT ALLOWED A PERSON OF AUTHORITY TO JUSTIFY THE RELEASE IN A FRIENDLY, ADOPTABLE CATS INTO THE STREETS AND ENDED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR LEAGUE CITY ANIMAL FACILITY TO OFFER ADOPTABLE CAT ADULT CATS INTO THE COM TO THE COMMUNITY.
I PERSONALLY FEEL THAT THE T N R VERBIAGE WAS MISSING A FEW DESCRIPTIVE WORDS.
IT MAY HAVE NOT HAVE BEEN AS ACCURATE AS IT COULD HAVE BEEN, BUT ULTIMATELY BOILS DOWN TO A SENSIBLE CHOICE THAT WAS NOT MADE.
REGARDLESS OF HOW THE MISWORDED THE ORDINANCE IS WRITTEN ARE OPEN TO MORE THAN ONE INTERPRETATION, THE RIGHT CHOICE WOULD'VE BEEN MADE IF FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF ANIMAL WELFARE EXIST WITHIN LEAGUE CITY ANIMAL CONTROL MANAGEMENT, THE RESOURCES WOULD NOT BE WITHHELD FROM THE CAT ADOPTION PROGRAM THAT OBSTRUCTED OUR VOLUNTEERS TO HOME.
THE CAT ADOPTION ROOM IS ALL BUT EMPTY AND LOVING HOUSE CATS ARE NOW HOMELESS AND SCATTERED, WANDERING THE STREETS OF LEAGUE CITY AND RELENTLESSLY TORMENTED BY PARASITES, WHICH WILL AND MOST WILL HAVE A GRUESOME OUTCOME ON THE CITY ROADS THAT MANY OF US HAVE ALREADY OBSERVED.
OR WORST OF ALL, TRUSTFULLY WALK UP TO THE WRONG PERSON.
THE MATTER IN QUESTION IS HOW CAN SOMEONE IN AN ANIMAL LEAGUE CITY SHELTER MANAGEMENT TAKE SOMETHING SO FAR OUT OF CONTEXT THAT WAS MEANT TO BE GOOD FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR HOMELESS ANIMALS AND CARRY OUT A COURSE OF ACTION THAT IS BRAZENLY OPPOSITE FROM WHICH WHAT IS INTENDED WRITTEN AND DISCARD.
ADOPTABLE GOOD-NATURED CATS TO LANGUISH ON THE STREETS.
THIS IS NOT ONE SINGLE MISTAKE.
THIS IS A SYMPTOM OF A PERSON THAT SEEMINGLY DOES NOT HAVE A JUDICIAL THOUGHT PROCESS, DOES NOT INDISCRIMINATELY SOLVE PROBLEMS WITH CONSIDERATION OR PROFESSIONAL COURTESY TO THE COMMUNITY, VOLUNTEER STAFF OR ANYONE.
THIS NEW WAY OF DOING THINGS IS NOT MEETING THE CITIZEN'S EXPECTATIONS OF HUMAN CARE FOR THE ANIMALS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
ONCE THIS NEW IDEA WAS FOUND OUT AND SECRETLY PUT INTO PLACE, IT WAS LITERALLY A FLASH BANG TO THE STAFF, VOLUNTEERS AND CITIZENS LIKE MYSELF AND WAS UNDENIABLY DISASTROUS AND MISHANDLED.
MOST NOTABLY, DECISIONS WERE NOT MADE TO ALIGN WITH HISTORICAL MISSION THAT THE RESPECTED, SUCCESSFUL, SAFE HAZEN LEAGUE CITY ANIMAL CONTROL ONCE WAS FOR OUR LOST FAMILY, PETS AND HOMELESS ANIMALS OF LEAGUE CITY.
LEAGUE CITY HAS NEVER EVER THROWN CATS INTO THE WIND BEFORE.
THIS NEW WAY OF THINKING, SEVERAL FORMER STAFF COUNSEL, I AM NOT HERE JUST FOR THE ANIMALS.
I BELIEVE THERE IS AN ETHICAL TREATMENT OF PEOPLE AND ANIMALS.
THERE IS A PROBLEM AT THE FACILITY AND I THINK WE ALL KNOW WHAT IT IS.
AND I'M REALLY HOPING THAT NO REPLY IS NOT YOUR REPLY.
WE HAVE TO DIVE INTO WHAT IS GOING ON AT THAT FACILITY TO THESE HUMANS ALSO.
MY NAME IS MARLENE GUZMAN AND I RESIDE AT 2316 TONTO DRIVE.
I AM HERE AGAIN TO ADDRESS CITY COUNCIL CONCERNING THE PRACTICE OF RETURNING ADOPTABLE STRAY CATS TO THE STREETS.
I WILL QUICKLY RECAP WHAT I SHARED WITH YOU.
[00:35:01]
MEETING, A STRAY CAT WANDERED UP MY DRIVEWAY AND I BEGAN SEARCHING FOR THE OWNER AND LO LOOKING TO SEE IF ANYONE IN THE AREA HAD POSTED ABOUT THIS KITTY.AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS OF FEEDING HER AND NOT FINDING AN OWNER, I CONTACTED LEAGUE CITY SHELTER AND WAS REFERRED TO ANIMAL CONTROL TO PICK UP THE KITTY.
I VISITED THE SHELTER SEVERAL TIMES TO FOLLOW UP WITH HER TO BE SURE SHE WOULD BE PLACED IN THE ADOPTION PROGRAM SINCE SHE WAS FRIENDLY AND COULD NOT FEND FOR HERSELF, ESPECIALLY IN THE 100 PLUS HEAT.
LONG STORY SHORT, THE SWEET KITTY WAS NOT PUT INTO THE ADOPTION PROGRAM BUT RETURNED TO MY DRIVEWAY.
I HAVE BEEN FEEDING HER BECAUSE SHE OBVIOUSLY IS HUNGRY AND CANNOT FEED FEND FOR HERSELF.
SHE ARRIVES EVERY MORNING FOR BREAKFAST AND IN THE EVENING FOR HER SUPPER.
SHE'S VERY UNDERWEIGHT, SO SHE'S NOT FINDING OTHER SOURCES OF FOOD.
I WORRY DAILY THAT SHE WILL BE POISONED OR HIT BY A CAR.
SHE'S NOT MY CAT, BUT I WILL NOT LET HER STARVE.
BUT IS IT REALLY FAIR THAT CITIZENS PAY TAXES TO SUPPORT THEIR SHELTER, BUT YET WE ARE PAYING FOR THE FOOD AND THE VET BILLS OF THESE CATS? NO ONE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS CLAIMED HER.
MY NEIGHBORS ARE ANIMAL LOVERS, BUT HAVE THEIR OWN INSIDE DOGS AND CATS.
MY NEIGHBORS DO NOT WANNA STRAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT WANT HER ADOPTED AND GIVEN A FOREVER FAMILY AND BE ALLOWED TO HAVE A HEALTHY AND HAPPY LIFE INSIDE.
THAT'S WHERE WE BELIEVED OUR LEAGUE CITY SHELTER WOULD COME IN.
HOWEVER, THE SHELTER AND NEW ADMINISTRATION HAS DISA DISAPPOINTED US.
SO MY QUESTION IS THIS, WHAT ARE WE TO DO WITH ADULT ADOPTABLE CATS WHO DO NOT HAVE THE SKILLS TO LIVE ON THEIR OWN AND DO NOT HAVE A COMMUNITY THAT CAN CARE FOR THEM? ISN'T THAT WHAT OUR SHELTER SHOULD BE HANDLING? I BELIEVE THE COMMUNITY WANTS THE SHELTER TO HAVE A, HAVE IN PLACE, A WAY TO FIND HOMES FOR THESE CATS.
WE HAVE PLENTY OF SPACE IN THE CAT ROOM AND EVEN IF SHELTER EMPLOYEES AND ADMINISTRATORS DO NOT CARE ABOUT THESE ANIMALS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS DO, I WILL HELP HAPPILY VOLUNTEER AND RECRUIT OTHER VOLUNTEERS SO WE CAN ONCE AGAIN FILL THE CAT CAGES WITH ADOPTABLE CATS.
OTHERWISE, I DON'T BELIEVE THE LEAGUE CITY SHELTER SHOULD ADVERTISE THAT WE ARE A NO KILL SHELTER, BUT SIMPLY WE DO NOT CARE ABOUT CAT SHELTER.
FINALLY, I READ JASMINE O'KEEFFE'S RESPONSE TO OUR CONCERNS AIRED AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING.
I ALSO READ THE ARTICLE SHE MENTIONED AT THE BOTTOM LINE, AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS, THE LEAGUE CITY SHELTER IS NOT IN THE SAME CATEGORY AS THE ARTICLE SHE REFERRED TO.
WE HAVE ROOM FOR THE ADOPTABLE CATS AND HAD IN PLACE A PROGRAM THAT WAS SUCCESSFULLY FINDING HOMES FOR ADULT CATS.
THIS PROGRAM WAS DISMANTLED, I BELIEVE, BECAUSE THE NEW ADMINISTRATION IS BIASED AGAINST CATS AND FOR NO OTHER REASON.
UH, I THINK THIS IS NICOLE ANTON AGAIN.
HELLO, MY NAME IS LIZ WILLIAMS. I LIVE AT 3 1 9 BAY SPRING IN LAKE CITY, TEXAS.
ARE YOU? HI, I'M LIZ WILLIAMS. I LIVE AT 3 1 9 BAY SPRING DRIVE IN LEAGUE CITY, TEXAS.
I HAVE LIVED HERE FOR 25 YEARS AND I LOVE LEAGUE CITY.
I'VE OVERHEARD A COUPLE OF SITUATIONS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WITH THE LEAGUE CITY ANIMAL SHELTER AND I AM VERY CONCERNED IT IS NOT RIGHT.
WHAT IS GOING ON? IT IS UNFAIR.
I DON'T CARE HOW YOU CUT IT, SLICE IT, DICE IT, IT IS GOING TO KILL THESE CATS.
YOU DON'T SEE DOGS OUT THERE, SO WHY SHOULD WE PUT CATS OUT THERE? YOU DON'T SEE KIDS OUT THERE.
SO WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT OUR FAMILIES.
THERE'S PEOPLE THAT DON'T LIKE HATS, THAT DON'T LIKE DOGS, BUT WE LEAGUE CITY ANIMAL SHELTER LOVES THEM ALL.
AND THERE'S KIDS THAT VOLUNTEER, THERE'S PEOPLE THAT VOLUNTEER, THERE'S CHILDREN THAT COLLECT MONEY FOR FROM THE SCHOOLS.
I THINK THAT GIVES MONEY FOR THE SCHOOLS TO THE SHELTER.
AND I DON'T THINK THEY WOULD UNDERSTAND WHY Y'ALL ARE DOING THINGS LIKE THIS.
SO WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THEIR PERSPECTIVE.
ANY KID THAT GOES TO ANIMAL SHELTER, THEY WANNA SEE THE CATS.
WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR KID TO PETCO, PETSMART, THEY RUN TO GO SEE THE ANIMALS.
WE NEED TO SHOW THEM WHAT'S RIGHT AND WHAT'S WRONG AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING
[00:40:01]
THERE.AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO SAY THE SHELTER STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE HANDBOOK USES BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY COMMUNITY CAT PROGRAM HANDBOOK AS ITS MAIN RESOURCE WITH SOME CUT AND PASTE IT FROM THE F I'M SORRY, FROM THE B F HANDBOOK SAYS THE BF HANDBOOK STATES THE PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED IN RESPONSE TO THE USUALLY LARGE NUMBERS OF CATS BEING KILLED IN SHELTERS.
IT STATES THAT APPROXIMATELY TWO THIRDS OF THE SHELTERS EUTHANASIA DEATHS WERE CATS.
BEST FRIENDS RECOMMENDED THE PROCESS BE EXPEDITED SINCE EUTHANASIA IS THE POTENTIAL OUTCOME FOR THE CATS.
THE POLICY DESCRIBED IN THE BF HANDBOOK IS NOT CONCERNED WITH IDENTIFYING ADOPTABLE CATS AND REMOVING THE ADOPTABLE CATS FROM THE C C P PROGRAM.
THE BF HANDBOOK CALLS FOR THE CATS TO BE RELEASED WITHIN 48 HOURS, WHICH INCLUDES A 12 HOUR POST-SURGERY PERIOD THAT IS WITHOUT REGARD FOR WHETHER THE CAT IS IN HEAT OR PREGNANT.
THE EXPEDITED PROCESS WAS DEVELOPED TO QUICKLY FREE UP SHELTER KENNELS.
LAKE CITY ANIMAL SHELTER DOES NEED THIS KIND OF INHUMANE PROGRAM TO FREE UP KENNELS.
THE NEW SHELTER PROVIDES MORE THAN ENOUGH SPACE.
THE BEST FRIENDS HANDBOOK STATES THAT RELATIONSHIP BUILDING AMONG STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, COMMUNITY KEY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, IS ESSENTIAL TO SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM.
A GOOD PORTION OF THE HANDBOOK GIVES ADVICE ON HOW TO BUILD AND NURTURE THESE CRITICAL RELATIONSHIPS.
AND I PRAY FOR THESE ANIMALS BEING THROWN BACK OUT IN THE STREET, OUR CATS.
GOOD EVENING, CITY COUNCIL LAURA TEITSWORTH FIVE 17 SMALL SEATER DRIVE.
THE LEAGUE CITY H O A ALLIANCE IS GOING TO HAVE SHOW STOPPING PRESENTATIONS FROM CITY STAFF ON SEPTEMBER 6TH.
THAT'S 6:00 PM AND I'M, I'M HERE BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO COME.
SEAN SAUNDERS, I WANT YOU TO COME.
HE TOLD ME I COULD CALL HIM OUT IF HE DOESN'T SHOW.
AND I'M GONNA, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A SHOW STOPPING PRESENTATION ON THE SOLICITATION ORDINANCE AND I CAN'T BE MORE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE MR. BUMGARNER HIMSELF COME OVER THERE AND HE'S GONNA TALK ABOUT SIDEWALKS, SIDEWALKS AND STREET REPAIR.
I WANNA INTRODUCE YOU TO MY PEOPLE.
I WANNA INTRODUCE YOU TO MY PEOPLE, THE LEAGUE CITY, H O A ALLIANCE BOARD.
AND I WANT TO LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU GUYS LISTEN AND YOU'RE HERE FOR US AND YOU'RE HERE TO SUPPORT OUR GROUP.
THIS PRESENTATION IS ALSO GOING TO HAVE, UM, A LEGISLATIVE OVERVIEW OF NEWLY PLA PASSED H O A RELATED BILLS.
I SINCERELY HOPE THAT YOU'LL SUPPORT THE LEAGUE CITY H O A ALLIANCE AND I HOPE THAT YOU'LL JOIN US.
PLEASE R S V P IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, SO THAT I CAN HAVE A PLACE RESERVED FOR YOU.
WHERE'S IT AT? IT'LL BE AT SIX O'CLOCK AT THE LEAGUE CITY CIVIC CENTER.
I I I'LL TEXT YOU AGAIN IF YOU NEED ME TO.
SEPTEMBER 6TH,
HEY, AND WHILE I'VE, WHILE I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF SECONDS LEFT,
UM, AND, AND SOME OF YOU IN THE AUDIENCE DON'T KNOW.
THERE'S A YOUNG MAN IN THE AUDIENCE WHO HAD A VISION ABOUT WHY WE'RE CONSTANTLY GETTING KNOCKED AT THE DOOR FROM THESE SOLICITORS AND HE HAD THE GUTS AND THE BRAVERY TO CONTACT YOU DAD.
AND YOU TOOK IT, YOU TOOK THAT BALL AND RAN WITH IT, AND YOU MODIFIED IT AND MADE IT BETTER.
AND THEN YOU SAW THROUGH THE GOAL HERE, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S GONNA BE A FIELD GOAL.
I APPRECIATE YOU BECAUSE THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF LEAGUE CITY LISTENS.
YOU'RE LISTENING TO THE CITIZENS AND I WATCHED YOU
[00:45:01]
TONIGHT AS ALL THE PEOPLE CAME UP TO SPEAK, AND I COULD TELL YOU'RE LISTENING TO US.AND I, I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH.
SEE YOU ON SEPTEMBER 6TH, SIX O'CLOCK.
I AM WONDERING WHAT A SHOW STOPPING SIDEWALK PRESENTATION IS LIKE.
UM, I HAVE TWO BELIEFS OF MANY.
ONE IS YOU GET THE GOVERNMENT YOU DESERVE.
AND NUMBER TWO, PEOPLE TREAT YOU LIKE YOU LET THEM TREAT YOU.
AND AS I ANALYZED, UH, THE PROCESS, THE SUNSET COMMISSION USED AND ASSESSING AND MAKING A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE TRAFFIC AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE, UM, I FELT VERY STRONGLY THAT I WANTED TO COME BEFORE YOU.
I WANTED TO TALK TO THE CITIZENS AND I WANTED TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS.
I BELIEVE THAT THOSE OF US WHO HAVE SERVED FOR YEARS AS VOLUNTEERS, THAT IS THE MOST PRECIOUS THING WE CAN GIVE YOU IS OUR TIME.
I CAN ALWAYS MAKE MONEY, TIME.
SO WHEN I WAS SELECTED TO BE ON THE TRAFFIC AND INFRASTRUCTURE BUILDING IN 2017, THAT MEANT A LOT TO ME BECAUSE THE CITIZENS HAD ALREADY TOLD US THOSE WERE THE TWO AREAS THAT THEY REALLY CARED GREATLY ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO WHEN THE RECOMMENDATION CAME OUT OF THE SUNSET COMMISSION, IT WAS BASICALLY BASED ON, WE DID A REVIEW.
WE THINK THE REASON WHY THE COMMITTEE WAS FARMED IS IN 2019 FOR BOND PROJECTS.
NO, IT WAS FARMED IN 2017 BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE CITIZENS SAID THEY WANTED.
THAT WOULD'VE BEEN VERY EASY HAD THERE BEEN COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE CITIZENS, WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE TO VALIDATE IT.
THOSE OF US WHO CARE ABOUT THE CITY, WE WANT, WE WANT THIS TO WORK.
I WANTED THAT COMMITTEE TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
I WANTED YOU TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT YOU WANTED.
WHAT I DIDN'T EXPECT IS TO BE DISRESPECTED IN THE PROCESS AND TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME, PRETTY MUCH DEMEANED BY BASICALLY NOT COMMUNICATING WITH THE COMMITTEE BY REACHING A CONCLUSION IN A COMMITTEE WHERE IT WAS VERY CLEAR THAT THE CITIZEN WHO WAS THERE AND THE STAFF MEMBERS WERE THERE, MADE IT EXCEEDINGLY CLEAR.
THEY KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THE COMMITTEE.
SO THE DISCUSSION AND EVERYTHING THAT WAS PRESENTED WAS STRUCTURED BY A COUPLE OF PEOPLE.
AND THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE PEOPLE, THIS IS ABOUT THE PROCESS.
I WOULD REALLY, I WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT WE ASSESS HOW WE USE OUR PROCESSES.
YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU WORK FOR US.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S UNREASONABLE BECAUSE I THINK MOST OF US ARE LIVING HERE BECAUSE WE WANT A QUALITY PLACE TO LIVE.
AND WE KNOW ALTOGETHER WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
SO I I WANT TO CONCLUDE MY CASE STUDY WITH SAYING I SPENT A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT THIS AND I, I REQUEST RESPECT THE CITIZENS, ANALYZE YOUR PROCESS AND, AND LET'S DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR ALL OF US.
I'M A LOCAL VETERINARIAN THAT LIVES IN LAKE CITY, THE WORLD OF SHELTER, MEDICINE, AND ANIMAL CARE IS A SMALL BUT CLOSE KNIT COMMUNITY.
THE MEMBERS OF THIS HIGHLY COMPASSIONATE GROUP OF PEOPLE PASS ALONG INFORMATION QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY.
UNFORTUNATELY, INACCURATE INFORMATION CAN BE PASSED ALONG AS WELL.
IT IS EASY TO GET LOST IN WHAT THE REALITY IS.
SO LET ME CLARIFY A FEW THINGS FOR YOU.
THE REALITY IS THAT TRAP NEUTER RELEASE HAS BEEN INSTITUTED IN LAKE CITY IN A WAY THAT IT WAS NOT INTENDED DURING THE MOST RECENT ANIMAL SHELTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE, MEANING THE SHELTER DIRECTED, MENTIONED NUMEROUS SOURCES IN REGARDS TO T N R.
THE DIRECTOR REFERRED TO THE A V M A, THE AMERICAN VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, WHICH I AM AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF, TO BACK THE CLAIMS. THE TWISTING OF THE VERBIAGE TO FIT THE NARRATIVE WAS DISTURBING THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE A S P C A ARE WELL RENOWNED ANIMAL ORGANIZATIONS AND HOLD THE STANDARDS FOR COMMUNITY CAT PROGRAMS. THESE REFERENCES WERE MINIMALLY DISCUSSED AT BEST.
AND AGAIN, WORDS WERE WARPED TO FIT THE NARRATIVE.
GOOGLE SEARCHES AND INTERNET RESEARCH DO NOT CONSTITUTE THE END ALL, BE ALL.
HERE IS A STACK OF ACTUAL RESEARCH THAT I CAN LEAVE WITH YOU IN REGARDS TO T N R.
[00:50:02]
THE REALITY IS ALSO THAT UNSTERILIZED ANIMALS ARE LEAVING THE SHELTER WITH MINIMAL FOLLOW-UP AND ZERO CONSEQUENCES TO THOSE WHO DO NOT RETURN TO GET THEIR PETS ALTERED.AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING THE SHELTER DIRECTLY, THE SHELTER DIRECTOR OPENLY ADMITTED THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE A COMPILED LIST OF UNSTERILIZED ANIMALS THAT HAVE BEEN RELEASED.
THERE IS CURRENTLY NO ENFORCEMENT AND CITATIONS ARE NOT ISSUED.
WHAT MOTIVATION DOES AN ANIMAL OWNER HAVE TO GET THEIR NEWLY ACQUIRED PET STERILIZED? THIS IS ABSOLUTELY CONTRA CONTRARY TO THE MAIN GOALS OF ANY ANIMAL SHELTER.
THE REALITY IS THAT AGGRESSIVE DOGS HAVE BEEN LIVING AT THE SHELTER WITH NO ENDED SITE.
JUST THIS AFTERNOON I WENT TO THE ADOPTABLE ANIMALS WEBPAGE FOR LAKE CITY.
HARVARD WAS THE THIRD DOG LISTED.
HE HAS BEEN AT THE SHELTER FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS.
HE HAS A BITE HISTORY, HE HAS MEDICAL ISSUES.
IT IS CRUEL AND FINANCIALLY IRRESPONSIBLE TO ALLOW A DOG TO BE HOUSED IN THIS MANNER INDEFINITELY.
IS IT THE EXPECTATION TO ADOPT THIS, THIS DANGEROUS DOG AND RISK OF PERSONAL PERSON'S WELLBEING AND FINANCES? UNFORTUNATELY, SOME ANIMALS CANNOT AND SHOULD NOT BE REHABILITATED.
THE REALITY OF IS THAT ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS HAVE HAD THEIR AUTHORITY TAKEN AWAY.
FOR EXAMPLE, ON JUNE 8TH, CYNTHIA DYER HAD TO WITNESS HER DOG HENDRICKS BE TORN INTO PIECES BY AGGRESSIVE PIT BULLS.
NO CITATIONS WERE ISSUED TO THE OWNER OF THE PIT BULLS.
THE A C O WAS NOT ALLOWED TO WRITE A CITATION OR REMOVE THE DOGS.
WHY PUT YOURSELF IN MS. DYER'S SHOES? HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF A MEMBER OF YOUR FAMILY WAS BRUTALLY MURDERED IN FRONT OF YOU AND THE PERPETRATORS WERE ALLOWED TO WALK AWAY WITH NO CONSEQUENCES? THE REALITY IS THAT ANIMAL SHELTER IS NOT UTILIZING ALL THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO ENSURE THAT PETS ARE GETTING SPAYED AND NEUTERED, WHICH IS THE ENTIRE PURPOSE OF ALL OF THIS.
THE SHELTER DIRECTOR CLAIMED THE SHELTER WAS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF LOCAL SPAY AND NEUTER ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH SIMPLY IS JUST NOT TRUE.
HOW DO I KNOW? WELL, I WORK AT ONE ONE OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WAS STATED AS BEING UTILIZED.
LAKE CITY ANIMAL SHELTER WAS OFFERED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP COVER THE COST OF THE PROCEDURES.
AND WE ASK OURSELVES, WHY IS THERE UNREST AMONG THE ANIMAL CARE COMMUNITY IN REGARDS TO LEAKS TO THE ANIMAL SHELTER? SURELY IT'S NOT THAT HARD.
HARD TO DETERMINE THE CONCLUSION.
[6. CONSENT AGENDA]
ALRIGHT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.ITEM SIX A THROUGH SIX G, MOVE TO APPROVE SECOND TRUSTEE BOWEN.
ALRIGHT, ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, PLEASE VOTE.
OH YEAH, I WAS GONNA KEEP IT LOOK GOOD.
AND WE CAN JUST FREEZE HIS, UH, THING THERE.
THE REST, THE REST OF THE TIME.
I'M SORRY TOM, I DIDN'T GET YOU.
[7A. 23-0375 Hold a public hearing on amending and updating the Engineering Services and Construction Inspection Fee Schedule for public improvements in the City of League City (Executive Director of Development Services)]
PUBLIC HEARING AND ACTION ITEMS SEVEN A HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON AMENDING AND UPDATING ENGINEERING SERVICES AND CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION FEE SCHEDULE FOR PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CITY OF LEAGUE CITY.THIS MEETING WILL OPEN AT 6 53.
I THINK WE ALREADY HAD THE, UH, WE ALREADY HAD THE WORK SESSION.
GIVE YOU THE, THE LONG VERSION NOW
SO, UH, THERE'S A NEW STATE LAW, HB 34 9 2 REQUIRES US TO CHANGE HOW WE CALCULATE OUR ENGINEERING INSPECTION FEES.
WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TONIGHT IS A FEE OF, AND I'M GONNA STATE THIS 'CAUSE I DID IT POORLY IN THE WORK SESSION.
$8,500, UH, PER PLAN, SUBMITTAL FEE, AND THEN A $5,000 PER MONTH OF CONSTRUCTION FEE.
SO ASSUMING A TYPICAL PROJECT IS FOR REVIEWS AND FOUR, UM, MONTHS OF CONSTRUCTION, THAT WOULD BE $54,000 IN FEES GENERATED TO COVER CITY COSTS.
WE DO HAVE A CAVEAT WHERE WE ARE PROPOSING TO REDUCE THE PRICE BASED OFF THE SIZE OF THE PROJECT.
SO LESS THAN 24 LOT 24 LOTS OR SMALLER OR ANY TYPE OF UTILITY EXTENSION.
IT WOULD JUST BE A STRAIGHT $7,500 FEE TO COVER EVERYTHING.
ALRIGHT, ANY DISCUSSION, WE'LL CLOSE IT AND WE CAN OPEN THE DISCUSSION AND WE'LL CLOSE THIS PUBLIC HEARING AT 6 55, 7
[7B. 23-0376 Consider and take action on an ordinance amending and updating the Engineering Service and Construction Inspection Fee Schedule for public improvements in the City of League City (Executive Director of Development Services)]
[00:55:01]
B, CONSIDER AND TAKE ACTION ON AN OR ON AN ORDINANCE AMENDING AND UPDATING THE ENGINEERING SERVICE AND CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION FEE SCHEDULE FOR PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CITY OF LEAGUE CITY.I MOVE TO APPROVE SUBJECT TO THE CONDITION THAT STAFF BRING IT BACK TO US, A S A P TO MAKE IT 100% COVER THE COSTS SECOND.
YEAH, BRING IT BACK, YOU KNOW.
WE HAD A WHOLE HOUR ABOUT IT, BUT WE CAN, UH, WE CAN VOTE.
OH, CRUZ TOM CAN'T HEAR YOU MA'AM.
YOU CAN HEAR ME NOW? WE CAN HEAR YOU.
I JUST, SO WHEN IT COMES BACK, WHEN WE BRING IT BACK AND I, I LIKE, I LIKE THAT DECISION.
WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? SO DO THE FEES JUST, DO WE UPDATE FEES AGAIN OR IS THIS JUST LIKE A, JUST A, A PLACEHOLDER FOR NOW? SO YEAH, WE'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS AGAIN.
BUT, UH, WE HAVE TO DO THIS TODAY BECAUSE THE STATE LAW GOES INTO EFFECT SEPTEMBER 1ST.
SO BETWEEN NOW, UH, AND WHENEVER WE GET THIS BACK UP, WE'LL FOLLOW THESE FEES.
UH, BUT I THINK WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT HERE.
WE WANT TO TRY TO FIND FEES THAT COVER THE ENTIRE COST FOR THE CITY.
UH, AND THAT THE CITIZENS AREN'T SUBSIDIZING THE DEVELOPERS FOR THESE COSTS.
AND SO I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WILL BE GOOD.
NO, I JUST SAID I AGREE WITH YOU.
UH, ANYBODY ELSE? ALRIGHT, LET'S VOTE.
CAN I GET THE FIRST AND FINAL FROM ANYBODY? SO MOVED.
ALRIGHT, THIS VOTE'S FOR FIRST AND FINAL VOTE.
MOTION PASSES 7 4 1 AGAINST CONES.
[7C. 23-0382 Hold a public hearing on a request to rezone approximately 5.360 acres from “CO-PUD” (Commercial Office within a Planned Unit Development Overlay District) to “CG-PUD” (General Commercial within a Planned Unit Development Overlay District), MAP-23-0005 (2911 South Shore Blvd), generally located at the northeast corner of South Shore Boulevard and Courageous Drive in League City, Texas (Director of Planning)]
HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON A REQUEST TO REZONE APPROXIMATELY 5.36 ACRES FROM CO DASH POD COMMERCIAL OFFICE WITHIN A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT OVERLAY DISTRICT TO CG DASH POD GENERAL COMMERCIAL WITHIN A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT OVERLAY.DISTRICT MAP DASH 23 DASH 0 0 0 5 29 11 SOUTH SHORE BOULEVARD.
GENERALLY LOCATED AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF SOUTH SHORE BOULEVARD AND COURAGEOUS DRIVE IN LEAGUE CITY, TEXAS.
THIS PUBLIC HEARING WILL OPEN AT 6:58 PM THERE'S NOBODY SPEAKING.
WANNA GIVE US A SHORT YES SIR, I'LL BE BRIEF.
UM, SO THE REQUEST BEFORE YOU IS TO REZONE THIS PROPERTY FROM COMMERCIAL OFFICE TO GENERAL COMMERCIAL.
THIS IS ANOTHER SITUATION OF A BUILDING THAT WAS BUILT PRIOR TO ZONING REGULATIONS.
IT WAS BUILT IN 1991, UM, WHEN ZONING CAME ABOUT.
IT WAS ZONED GENERAL COMMERCIAL IN 2005.
THE ZONING WAS CHANGED TO OFFICE COMMERCIAL WHEN THERE WAS A CITYWIDE REZONING AND, UM, THE NEW, UM, ZONING ORDINANCE CAME INTO EFFECT.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY DOCUMENTATION ON WHY THAT ZONING CHANGE WAS MADE.
UM, BEST WE CAN TELL IT'S UM, THERE WAS A WINDOW SURVEY DONE AT THAT TIME AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ACTUAL BUILDING FROM THE FRONT, IT APPEARS TO BE AN OFFICE BUILDING.
UM, WHEN YOU GO AROUND THE BACK OF THE BUILDING, IT HAS THE ROLL-UP DOORS AND THE WAREHOUSE FUNCTIONS.
UM, SO THE REQUEST IS TO ALLOW, USES THAT THE, UM, BUILDING WAS DESIGNED TO HOUSE.
UM, IT IS CONSISTENT WITH ZONING IN THE AREA.
IF YOU LOOK AROUND ALONG MARINA BAY DRIVE, THE DARKER SHADE OF PINK IS GENERAL COMMERCIAL.
RANDALL'S RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, GENERAL COMMERCIAL COMMERCIAL.
UM, SO IT IS CONSISTENT WITH ZONING IN THE AREA.
STAFF'S RECOMMENDING APPROVAL PLANNING AND ZONING, RECOMMEND APPROVAL.
AND WE RECEIVED, UM, NO OPPOSITION TO THE REQUEST, UM, FROM THE SURROUNDING PROPERTY OWNERS HERE.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL CLOSE THIS AT 6:59 PM
[7D. 23-0383 Consider and take action on an ordinance rezoning approximately 5.360 acres from “CO-PUD” (Commercial Office within a Planned Unit Development Overlay District) to “CG-PUD” (General Commercial within a Planned Unit Development Overlay District), MAP-23-0005 (2911 South Shore Blvd), generally located at the northeast corner of South Shore Boulevard and Courageous Drive in League City, Texas (Director of Planning) Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval, 5-2-0 on August 7, 2023.]
17.CONSIDERING TAKE ACTION ON ORDINANCE REZONING APPROXIMATELY 5.36 ACRES FROM CO DASH P U D COMMERCIAL OFFICE WITHIN A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT OVERLAY DISTRICT TO C G C G DASH P U D GENERAL COMMERCIAL WITHIN A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT
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OVERLAY.DISTRICT MAP DASH 23 DASH 0 0 5 29 11 SOUTH SHORE BOULEVARD.
GENERALLY LOCATED AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF SOUTH SHORE BOULEVARD IN COURAGEOUS DRIVE IN LEAGUE CITY, TEXAS.
UM, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND SUPPORT IT TONIGHT.
I UNDERSTAND THE REASONINGS BEHIND IT.
UH, BUT I DID HAVE, UH, ONE QUESTION.
I GUESS I, I REACHED OUT TO THE TWO MEMBERS THAT VOTED AGAINST IT ON P AND Z AND, UH, I THINK I'VE, UH, DISPELLED SOME OF THE, UH, CONCERNS ABOUT IT.
LIKE, UH, FOR INSTANCE, THE POTENTIAL OF AN 18 WHEELER GOING BACK THERE, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE BACK OF THE BUILDING, IT'S NOT POSSIBLE.
UH, SO I GUESS CAN YOU EXPLAIN MAYBE WHY WE DIDN'T GO WITH SOMETHING A LITTLE LESS AGGRESSIVE LIKE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL? SURE.
SO NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL STILL WOULD NOT ALLOW USES, UM, SUCH AS WAREHOUSING, SUCH AS SOME ARTISAN, UM, PRODUCTION.
SO, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOMEONE DID LEATHERCRAFT, LIKE WE HAVE AT SOME OTHER OFFICE WAREHOUSE TYPE BUILDINGS, THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HAVE A WORKSHOP IN THE BACK.
UM, SO GENERAL COMMERCIAL TYPICALLY FITS THE OFFICE WAREHOUSE TYPE, UM, DEVELOPMENT IN LEAGUE CITY.
NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL IS MORE NEIGHBORHOOD BASED USES AND, UM, LIMITS THE COMMERCIAL USES.
OKAY, MR. CRUZ, TO A, UH, TO A DAY THIS, THIS BUILDING IS DEAD NEXT TO A A DAYCARE, UH, THE PRIMROSE SCHOOL, IS THERE ANY GONNA BE ANY LIMITATIONS IF WE MOVE THIS TO PROTECT THE UH, THE SCHOOL? SO, UM, WE RECEIVED ACTUALLY ONE, UM, RESPONSE IN FAVOR OF THE REQUEST AND IT WAS ACTUALLY FROM THE DAYCARE, UM, BEING IN FAVOR OF THIS REZONING REQUEST.
UM, BUT THERE ARE SOME COM UM, PROTECTIONS THAT THEY HAVE, SUCH AS THE ALCOHOL ORDINANCE NOT ALLOWED TO SELL ALCOHOL WITHIN 300 FEET OF A DAYCARE.
UM, SO THERE ARE PROTECTIONS IN THAT MANNER.
I'M NOT SURE IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE IN MIND, BUT, UM, THEY WERE REQUEST TO, TO THE DAYCARE REQUEST.
THE DAYCARE SPOKE OUT AND THEY'RE IN FAVOR OF IT.
SEE WHAT THEY GET OUT OF IT EITHER WAY, BUT ALRIGHT.
ANYBODY ELSE? ALRIGHT, HEARING NOTHING, UH, NOBODY ELSE.
[7E. 23-0394 Hold a Public Hearing on the City of League City’s FY2024 Proposed Annual Budget (Assistant City Manager - CFO)]
A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE CITY OF LEAGUE CITY'S FY 2024 PROPOSED ANNUAL BUDGET.THIS MEETING WILL START AT 7 0 2.
I LOVE LISTEN TO ANGIE
NO, I, I'D RATHER TALK, I WANNA TALK.
UM, BEFORE I GET STARTED, I WANT TO, UH, PUBLICLY THANK MAYOR PRO TEM BECAUSE AT THE FIRST WORKSHOP, UM, HE WAS VERY GRACIOUS.
I REALLY EXCEEDED THE THREE MINUTES I WAS ON A ROLL AND I WAS HAVING A GREAT TIME.
SO THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I SO THINK THAT BUDGETS ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO HOW SUCCESSFUL WE ARE AS A CITY.
TO ME, WHEN I LISTEN TO YOU TALK, THAT TELLS ME WHERE I THINK YOUR PRIORITIES ARE.
THAT LETS ME KNOW HOW YOU ARE BALANCING WHERE WE ARE NOW AND OUR NEEDS VERSUS WE KNOW THE CHALLENGES WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AS WE WORK THROUGH BUILD OUT.
SO THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND OUR REINVESTMENT FUND, ALL OF THAT I THINK IS SO IMPORTANT FOR THE CITIZENS TO UNDERSTAND.
AND YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK AT THE CHALLENGES AND THE BACKLOG WE HAVE RIGHT NOW FOR OUR MAINTENANCE, I DO WONDER ALL THOSE YEARS THAT WE WERE VERY, VERY CONSERVATIVE AND WE CUT THE TAX RATE TO THE ABSOLUTE MINIMUM WE COULD.
AND I'M SURE WE AS CITIZENS REALLY APPRECIATED IT.
BUT I WONDER IF WE WOULD'VE BALANCED THAT JUST A BIT AND SAID MAYBE WE WON'T CUT IT QUITE AS MUCH.
MAYBE WE'LL TAKE JUST A LITTLE BIT.
DO YOU KNOW OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, I WILL BET YOU ANYTHING.
WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE BACKLOG WITH OUR MAINTENANCE THAT WE DO.
WE ARE SO FORTUNATE AS A CITY THAT REALLY NO MATTER WHAT THE STATE THROWS OUR WAY WITH US BEING RECOGNIZED, I GUESS, TODAY IN THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE AS WE'RE THE MOST AFFORDABLE CITY FOR HOUSING COMPARED TO INCOME.
I MEAN, THAT, THAT IS OUTSTANDING.
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AND, AND WE HAVE SO MANY GREAT OPPORTUNITIES.SO I WOULD ASK YOU AS WE GO FORWARD WITH OUR BUDGET, ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE DOING SO WELL, LET'S JUST BACK OFF A LITTLE BIT AND SAY THE BACKLOG IS BUILDING BECAUSE WE CAN'T CONTRIBUTE ENOUGH TO OUR REINVESTMENT TO OFFSET ALL OF THE WEAR AND TEAR WE HAVE GOING ON.
I APPLAUD THE DISCUSSION DURING THE WORKSHOP ABOUT PAYING YOUR OWN WAY.
THAT IS ABSOLUTELY SHOULD BE THE BASIC OF EVERY DISCUSSION WE HAVE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NEW DEVELOPMENT.
AND, AND I WILL SUPPORT YOU ANY WAY I CAN BECAUSE I SO BELIEVE THAT IS SO BASIC TO A DISCUSSION AND TRUST WITH OUR CITIZENS.
THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS AND MR. PRO TIMM.
AND THEN THIS, UH, PUBLIC HEARING, WE WILL CLOSE AT 7 0 5.
[11A. 23-0397 Consider and take action on an ordinance adopting the Annual Budget for Governmental and Proprietary Funds for Fiscal Year 2024 (Assistant City Manager - CFO)]
MR. MAYOR, I'M GOING TO MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND BRING FORWARD ITEM 11 A SINCE IT'S PAIRED ACTUALLY WITH SEVEN E I'LL SECOND JUST MOVE OFF OVER.I DON'T KNOW UNLESS YOU GUYS WANT TO DO BUSINESS AND JUST BRING ALL OF 11 UP.
I DONE, I'LL JUST DO THAT ONE BECAUSE IT'S PAIRED.
THE MOTION IS TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND BRING UP, UH, ITEM 11 A, WHICH IS THE PAIRED ITEM WITH THE BUDGET.
ALRIGHT, CONSIDER AND TAKE ACTION ON ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET FOR GOVERNMENTAL AND PROPRIETARY FUNDS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024.
AND I HAVE A MOTION, I HAVE A MOTION I MOVE TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 BUDGET BASED ON THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE OF 0.3 9 6 7 8 3, WHICH INCLUDES INCREASING THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE BY $730,000, DERIVED EXCLUSIVELY FROM NEW CONSTRUCTION TO BE USED FOR REINVESTMENT IN SIDEWALKS, ROADS, AND CITY FACILITIES.
I MOVE TO DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO SUSPEND THE CITY'S PARTICIPATION WITH THE LEAGUE CITY CHAMBER UNTIL A FULL AUDIT FROM A THIRD PARTY FIRM IS CONDUCTED AND CITY STAFF IS SATISFIED THAT THE CITY'S ARPA MONEY WAS SPENT CORRECTLY.
FURTHERMORE, THE CITY MANAGER IS DIRECTED TO USE CITY RESOURCES TO RECOVER ARPA MONEY DEEMED TO HAVE BEEN SPENT OR DISPERSED BY THE LEAGUE CITY CHAMBER INCORRECTLY OR INAPPROPRIATELY SECOND.
ALRIGHT, THAT IS A LONG MOTION THAT THAT IS A, THAT IS A TWO PAGE MOTION AND I WILL, UH, I'LL, I'LL CLARIFY WHAT WHAT THAT WAS ABOUT.
SO, UM, I PROMISE YOU I DIDN'T PAY PEGGY TO GET UP THERE AND AND HYPE THIS BEFORE I SAID IT, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE FOR, FOR OVER A DECADE.
WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE STROVE TO, TO GO AFTER THAT NEW, NO, NO NEW REVENUE RATE OR, UH, THE EFFECTIVE RATE OR WHATEVER IT HAS BEEN CALLED.
THE NAME'S CHANGED SEVERAL TIMES, BUT ESSENTIALLY THAT, UH, WE WOULD NEUTRALIZE THE APPRAISAL INCREASES FOR THE CITIZENS.
SO FROM A REAL DOLLAR IMPACT, THE CITIZENS WILL PAY THE SAME ON AVERAGE, RIGHT? 'CAUSE PEOPLE'S HOUSES MOVE UP AND DOWN.
BUT WE'LL PAY THE SAME TODAY IN DOLLARS AS THEY DID LAST YEAR.
UH, WE ALSO OBVIOUSLY HAD NEW PROPERTIES THAT CAME ONTO THE PROPERTY ROLL THIS YEAR, AND SO THAT'S WHERE THAT $730,000 EXTRA COMES INTO.
SO AFTER WE'VE NEUTRALIZED THE TAX INCREASE, UH, OR THE APPRAISAL INCREASE BY LOWERING THE TAX RATE FOR THE CITIZENS, WE HAD $730,000 LEFT OVER AND OUR DISCUSSIONS IN THESE BUDGET MEETINGS WERE WHAT TO DO WITH THAT $730,000.
AND I THINK WE UNDERSTOOD THAT IT'S TIME TO, TO PUT SOME OF THAT MONEY INTO REINVESTING INTO SIDEWALKS AND ROADS AND, UH, AND, AND GENERAL CITY FACILITIES.
SO THIS WILL HELP SPICE UP YOUR RIVETING TALK TO THE H O A ALLIANCE ABOUT SIDEWALKS.
WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE BIT EXTRA MONEY TO DO THAT.
UH, SO I MEAN, I THINK THAT PART OF THE ORDINANCE OR THAT PART OF THE MOTION PRETTY SIMPLE TO UNDERSTAND.
THE SECOND PART IS, UH, IS THE LEAGUE CITY CHAMBER SIDE.
AND YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO THE WHOLE EXPLANATION.
THERE'LL BE PLENTY OF TIME TO READ THAT IN THE NEWSPAPER AND TO DO STUFF RIGHT THERE, BUT THERE'S BEEN QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THE ARPA MONEY, UH, THE, THE FEDERAL ARPA MONEY WAS SPENT BY THE CHAMBER AND THAT MONEY WAS, THAT MONEY CAME THROUGH US AND IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE FEDERAL MONEY AND TAX MONEY IS SPENT APPROPRIATELY.
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IS PERFORMING AN AUDIT AND THEY'RE GONNA GO THROUGH WITH THAT.AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE OUR STAFF AND OUR RESOURCES AND OUR AUDITORS DO THE SAME TO MAKE SURE THAT MONEY WAS SPENT APPROPRIATELY AND DISPERSED APPROPRIATELY.
AND SO I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE, UH, THE CITY SHOULD BE SPENDING ANY MORE MONEY WITH THE CHAMBER UNTIL SUCH TIME THAT THEY CAN SHOW THAT THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS THAT THEY WERE GIVEN WAS SPENT CORRECTLY.
UH, I STILL SUPPORT THE CHAMBER.
UH, WE'LL STILL SUPPORT IT IN A PERSONAL CONTEXT, BUT, UH, I THINK WE NEED TO SAFEGUARD THAT MONEY AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS ABOVE BOARD BEFORE THROWING MORE CITY RESOURCES AFTER IT.
MR. BOWEN? THANK YOU MR. MAYOR.
UM, I'M GONNA VOTE NO ON THE BUDGET.
AND THE REASON I'M VOTING NO IS BECAUSE WE STILL DIDN'T CAPTURE THE LOST REVENUE THAT WE, UH, UH, TOOK AS A TAX CREDIT FOR THE SENIORS.
UM, I IT'S FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE TO KEEP SPENDING THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WHEN YOU'RE NOT, WHEN YOU'RE PURPOSELY NOT GETTING THE REVENUE REQUIRED TO MOVE THE CITY FORWARD.
SO I'M GONNA VOTE NO ON THE BUDGET.
JUST A QUICK, UH, NOTE OF THANKS FOR THE MAYOR FOR HIS LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE.
IF YOU READ THE CHRONICLE OR THE GALVESTON DAILY NEWS, UM, THERE ARE ALMOST ON A MONTHLY BASIS FAILURES IN CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT OF, UH, SOME DEPARTMENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, AND UH, I THINK THAT ATTACKING THE SITUATION AT THE CHAMBER, UH, IN A, UH, YOU KNOW, COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT WAY IS PROBABLY, I THINK IT, IT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE DONE.
DO YOU WANNA MAYBE, UH, GO OVER A, A KIND OF HIGH, THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE, THE THE REVENUE AND THE BUDGET AND HOW IT FLOWS OUT? OH, TOM, SORRY TOM.
UM, SO SINCE WE'VE, SINCE WE'VE STRIPPED, UH, WENT STRAIGHT TO 11 A OUR, AND I KNOW THAT RIGHT NOW WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT YOUR, YOUR AMENDMENT.
IS THIS THE TIME TO WHERE IF THERE WERE CHANGES? BECAUSE YOU KNOW, LIKE WE HAD THESE WORKSHOP CHANGES THAT ARE, THAT WE HAVEN'T SHOWN ON THE, ON THE SCREEN YET, BUT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T REMEMBER SOME OF THESE WORKSHOP CHANGES COMING THROUGH.
SO IS THIS THE TIME THAT WE WOULD TALK ABOUT THOSE CHANGES? OR IF WE VOTE ON THIS AND IT PASSES, ARE WE SAYING THAT, HEY, WHATEVER IT IS THAT, WHERE, WHEREVER THOSE CHANGES CAME FROM, THAT'S WHAT IT IS AND WE WOULD JUST, IN THE OTHER PART, WE WOULD BE OBSOLETE? IS THAT WHAT'S HAPPENING? THIS IS THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT ANYTHING YOU WANNA DO IN THE BUDGET.
SO AM I TALKING ABOUT IT NOW OR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT YOUR AMENDMENT RIGHT? IS IT THE TIME FOR THE BUDGET? YES, SIR.
I CAN PRESENT FIRST AND GO THROUGH THE CHANGES OR THE COUNCIL MEMBER CAN SPEAK EITHER ONE.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TOM? UM, WELL MY, MY, MY MAIN THING WAS, I JUST DON'T REMEMBER LIKE THE TECHNOLOGY MAINTENANCE SERVICES WERE CUTTING THAT 15,000, UH, UH, I DON'T REMEMBER THE LIBRARY TRAINING BUDGET GETTING CUT AT $5,000.
I DO REMEMBER, I REMEMBER US CUTTING OUR TRAINING BUDGET.
I REMEMBER US DOING THE MAINTENANCE DELAYING THE FIRE MARSHAL, UH, UM, THE MINOR EQUIPMENT, I DON'T REMEMBER THAT, BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER.
UM, AND I DID WANNA ASK, I KNOW THAT SOME OF THESE SERVICE ORGANIZATION MEMBERSHIPS, I THINK THAT WE PROBABLY WENT OVERBOARD WITH THEM AND I KNOW THAT IT MAY BE KIND OF A, UH, UH, NOT SAYING THAT WE'RE PETTY, BUT IT COULD BE A SLIGHT, UH, SLAP.
I DON'T CARE IF IT'S, IF WE'VE GOT ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE LIONS.
UH, BUT I DO THINK THAT HAVING AT LEAST A FEW, UH, MEMBERS OF THE, OF THE CITY HIGH GOVERNANCE, UM, IT IS NICE TO HAVE, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ACTIVE IN THE CHAMBER TO THE ROTARY, IS A GOOD WAY TO JUST ALLOW THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE CITY.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT, THAT MAYBE WE RELOOK AT THAT PIECE OF IT.
UM, REALLY IT'S ALL KIND OF SMALL DOLLARS IN THE WHOLE THING.
UM, I DON'T REALLY HAVE TOO MUCH OF AN OPINION ON THE CLEAR LAKE CHAMBER COMMERCE MEMBERSHIP.
I KNOW WE'VE GOT A COUPLE EMAILS, UH, ABOUT THAT.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF, IF THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE WE DO WANNA LOOK AT, MAYBE PUTTING THAT BACK IN SINCE THE, SINCE WE'RE ALSO PULLING AWAY FROM THE LEAGUE CITY CHAMBER, IT SOUNDS LIKE, I'M VERY CURIOUS AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE LEAGUE CITY CHAMBER.
SO JUST APPROVING A MOTION THAT JUST SAYS, HEY, UH, WE'RE GONNA PULL BACK UNTIL WE HAVE AN INVESTIGATION OVER ARPA FUNDS.
UH, I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
AND SINCE WE'RE KIND OF BRINGING IT UP, I THINK IT'S JUST GONNA CREATE MORE SCANDAL UNLESS WE ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT WHAT, WHAT'S
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GOING ON.OTHERWISE, I THINK WE SHOULD JUST LEAVE THAT OUT OF THE AMENDMENT AND HAVE A SEPARATE ITEM THERE.
UM, I THINK THOSE WERE THE MAIN ONES THAT I SAW.
UH, SO I WANTED TO JUST TALK ABOUT WHERE THE CHANGES CAME FROM AND, AND I WOULD MORE THAN LIKELY, UH, I'M GONNA WANT TO ADD 'EM BACK.
I DON'T THINK, I THINK THEY'RE SO SMALL THAT I THINK THAT THEY NEED TO GO BACK INTO IT.
AND IF THEY'RE NOT, IF THEY'RE END UP BEING NOT SPENT, THEN, THEN SO BE IT.
ANYBODY ELSE?
WE HAVE A TWOP PAGE MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
ANY MOTIONS? SO DO I MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO YOUR MOTION? IS THIS THE TIME? I'M JUST KIND OF CONFUSED AS TO WHEN WE, WHEN WE BUMPED IT FORWARD.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE WERE DOING.
YEAH, IF YOU WANT TO, IF YOU WANT TO AMEND MY MOTION, YOU HAVE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT.
I, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE AMENDMENT TO ADD BACK THE ITEMS THAT I MENTIONED, WHICH WOULD BE A PARTIAL INCREASE INTO THE SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS TO INCLUDE AT LEAST FOUR MEMBERS OF, UH, TO BE UP TO JOHN BAUMGARTNER WOULD LIKE THAT.
WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA BE A DOLLAR AMOUNT THOUGH, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO ADJUST THE DOLLARS IN THE BUDGET.
THEN THE, LET'S SAY THAT THAT IS, IT'S, WE'RE TAKING OUT 3,700.
LET'S, LET'S HAVE A, LET'S LOWER THAT TO WHERE THE REDUCTION IS ONLY 20, UH, 27,760.
SO SOMEBODY COULD JOIN, UH, TWO PEOPLE COULD JOIN ROTARY, UH, FOR THE LIBRARY TRAINING BUDGET, WE'RE CUTTING 5,000.
UM, LET'S, LET'S ADD HALF OF THAT BACK IN.
SO THAT WOULD BE A 2,500 ADD BACK.
AND FOR THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY REDUCTIONS, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE TECHNOLOGY MAINTENANCE SERVICES, UM, CUT FROM 15,000 TO JUST 5,000.
SO THAT'D BE AN ADD BACK OF 10,000.
FOR THE SAKE OF DISCUSSION, I'LL SECOND IT.
HEARING, UM, SOMEBODY WHO WAS PART OF THAT CONVERSATION, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING ON THAT TECHNOLOGY MAINTENANCE SERVICES CUT, UM, THAT WAS A RESULT OF SOME BACK AND FORTH ON WHETHER THE LIBRARY SHOULD BUY THEIR OWN COMPUTERS.
SO THE PUBLIC USE NO, NO, THAT'S A, THAT IS ACTUALLY THE LIBRARY IS FULLY FUNDED IN THIS ONE.
BUT I THOUGHT THE, THE WHOLE CONVERSATION WAS THE QUESTION WAS TO OUR IT STAFF IF THEY COULD ABSORB THAT AMOUNT AND THEY SAID YES.
AND SINCE WE PUT THE MONEY BACK IN THE LIBRARY, WE'RE SAYING THEY HAVEN'T SPENT ALL OF THEIR BUDGET EVERY YEAR.
THIS ONE'S ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
I BELIEVE THIS, UH, WAS SPURRED FROM A CONVERSATION WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO LOOK FOR CUTS THAT COULD MEET THE REDUCTION OF WHAT WE ANTICIPATED THAT PROPERTY TAX REVENUE BEING FROM THE SENIOR EXEMPTION.
SO HAVING HEARD THAT, UH, MR. CRUZ, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO MODIFY YOUR MOTION TO AMEND, UH, TO NOT ADDRESS THE TECHNOLOGY MAINTENANCE SERVICE AMOUNT? BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO MODIFY MY SECOND YES, I'M AGREE.
IS THAT CLEAR MR. DOE? UH, SURE.
THE MOTION TO MR. CRUZ'S MOTION TO AMEND NOW DOES NOT INCLUDE THAT, THAT TECHNOLOGY ITEM.
AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, 'CAUSE I THINK YOU SAID EARLIER WE DID TAKE OUT THE 500 THOU OR THE $480,000 FOR THE, UH, FOR THE SENIOR EXEMPTION WE DID.
UM, IT'S ACTUALLY ON THE FIRST SLIDE UNDER THE REVENUES.
UM, IT IS THE TWO SMALLER BULLET POINTS THERE WHERE IT SAYS PROPERTY TAX NET REDUCTION OF 180, THE SENIOR EXEMPTION REDUCED BY FOUR 80, AND THEN THE INCREASE, UH, TO THE REVENUE FOR DEBT SERVICES 300.
UM, WITH THE ANTICIPATED ADOPTION OF THE PROPOSED, UH, PROPERTY TAX RATE AT THE NO NEW
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REVENUE RATE, IT WOULD ALLOW US TO HAVE THE $730,000 IN ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUE THAT COULD BE PROGRAMMED FOR, UM, EITHER SOMETHING ON THIS LIST OR AS YOU BASED ON YOUR MOTION.SO WE DIDN'T CUT, WE DID CUT SPENDING, WE DID CUT THE SPENDING.
SO THE LIST HERE IS A TOTAL OF THINGS THAT WERE REMOVED ALMOST $200,000 WORTH.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAD, UM, MORE CHANGES OF 700,000 FOR REDUCTIONS AND THOSE WOULD, UM, MAINTAIN BEING REDUCED.
AND THEN, SO EVEN AFTER WE COVERED THE 480 FOR THE SENIOR PROPERTY TAX, WE WERE RE AND WENT TO THE NO NEW REVENUE.
WE STILL HAVE $730,000 LEFT OVER, WHICH WILL THEN I, IN MY PROPOSAL, GO BACK TO COVER SOME OF THAT TRANSFER TO THE REINVESTMENT FULLY FUND THAT TRANSFER RIGHT NET NETTING IT.
AND THE MATH OF THE SEVEN 30 COMES FROM THE PROPOSED BUDGET WAS PRESENTED TO THE COUNCIL AT 250,000, UM, ANTICIPATED UNDER THE CURRENT YEARS PROPERTY TAX REVENUE.
AND THEN THE CUTS WERE ANOTHER 480 FOR THE SENIOR EXEMPTION.
AND THAT'S WHAT ADDS UP TO THE SEVEN 30.
CAN YOU BACK ONE SLIDE? I'M SORRY.
IT'S ACTUALLY THIS ONE, I BELIEVE.
TOMMY, COULD YOU, COULD, YOU WE'RE HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF INTERCONNECT PROBLEM OR INTERNET PROBLEM HERE ALSO, BUT, UM, WITH COUNCILMAN CRUZ'S SUGGESTION, HOW MUCH MONEY WAS THAT? DO WE KNOW? IT ENDED UP BEING $4,500 ADDED BACK IN IF YOU TOOK OFF THE IT.
AND WHAT WERE THE ITEMS AGAIN? 2004 SERVICE ORGANIZATION FUNDING AND ADDING BACK IN 2,500, UM, FOR THE CUTS FOR THE LIBRARY TRAINING, HOW MUCH DO THEY HAVE IN THE LIBRARY TRAINING? DO WE, WE KNOW THAT THAT WASN'T THEIR ENTIRE CUT, WAS IT ENTIRE TRAINING BUDGET? I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER IN FRONT OF ME.
IT WAS NOT IN A COMPLETE CUT, IT WAS JUST A REDUCTION AT THE 5,000 RE REDUCTION.
AND I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM MEETING TOM'S GOAL, IF THAT'S WHAT IT'S, I MEAN, IF TO GET EVERYONE, EVERYONE TO VOTE, UH, IN FAVOR OF THIS.
BUT I, I THINK THE SENIORS SHOULD BE MESSED WITH, UH, EXEMPTION.
I THINK WE HAD SOME EXTRA MONEY THAT, UH, UH, LIKE THE MAYOR SAID IN THE REINVESTMENT, IF YOU TOOK 4,500, WHERE WOULD YOU BE IN FAVOR OF THAT OR NOT? YEAH, I MEAN, ESSENTIALLY WE'LL JUST REDUCE THE REINVESTMENT MONEY BY $5,000 TO COVER THE REST OF THESE THINGS.
I MEAN, UNLESS WE'RE GONNA SIT HERE TONIGHT AND CONTINUE THROUGH YEAH.
THIS PROCESS OVER AND OVER, I WOULD GENERALLY THINK WE PROBABLY SHOULD TALK THESE THINGS OVER AND NOT MAKE THE MOTION FROM HERE ON A, ON A, YOU KNOW, $30 MILLION BUDGET.
BUT YEAH, AND I'LL, I'LL GO AHEAD AND SAY WHY I WAS IN FAVOR, PARTICULARLY OF THE, THE SERVICE ORGANIZATION, UH, MEMBERSHIPS.
WE PUT REQUIREMENTS ON OUR DIRECT REPORTS, UM, THAT THEY BELONG TO THESE.
UM, I DON'T LIKE UNFUNDED MANDATES, SO THAT'S WHY I WANTED THAT IN THERE.
SO THE MOTION, I WON'T READ MY WHOLE ONE AGAIN, BUT THEN, UH, THEN THE MOTION, THE MOTION TO AMEND.
THE MOTION TO AMEND, NOW IT'S THE MOTION WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT TO ADD BACK IN 4,500 BUCKS OR WHATEVER TO THE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS BUDGET.
ALRIGHT, SO LET'S VOTE ON THAT MOTION.
UH, MOTION PASSES 7 4 1 AGAINST, UH, THE MOTION TO AMEND PASSES 7 4 1 AGAINST NOW WE NEED TO VOTE ON THE MOTION AS AMENDED.
[01:25:09]
IT'S BEEN THE SMOOTHEST BUDGET PROCESS EVER.ALRIGHT, THE MOTION PASSES 7 4 1 AGAINST ALL WE'RE GOING BACK TO COMES BACK ON THE 12TH.
IT DOES COME BACK ON THE 12TH AS WELL AS THE ADOPTION OF THE TAX RATE.
[8A. 23-0389 Consider and take action on Ordinance 2023-24 granting a limited franchise to Universal Natural Gas, LLC (d/b/a Universal Natural Gas, Inc.) to operate and maintain a gas distribution system for the transportation, distribution and/or sale of gas to customers in League City through the use of public rights-of-way - Second Reading (Mayor Nick Long) City Council approved the first reading, 5-3-0 on August 8, 2023.]
OLD BUSINESS CONSIDERING TAKE ACTION ON ORDINANCE 2023 DASH 24, GRANTING A LIMITED FRANCHISE TO UNIVERSAL NATURAL GAS L L C D B A UNIVERSAL NATURAL GAS INC.TO OPERATE AND MAINTAIN A GAS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM FOR TRANSPORTATION DISTRIBUTION AND OR SALE OF GAS TO CUSTOMERS IN LEAGUE CITY THROUGH THE USE OF PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY.
COUNSEL APPROVED THE FIRST READING FIVE THREE ON AUGUST 8TH.
WE, UM, ALRIGHT, MR. CONES, CONES.
OH, IS, ARE YOU ASKING SPEAK OR ARE YOU VOTING? OKAY.
UM, ON THIS ONE, I KNOW THAT WE WERE, WHEN THIS ORIGINALLY CAME BACK, WE WERE KIND OF EXCITED BECAUSE COMPETITION IS ALWAYS A GOOD THING, BUT IF, BUT IT JUST KIND OF BOUNCED BACK AROUND MY HEAD SINCE THE LAST MEETING AND GOING BACK OVER THE PAPERS, IF ALL WE'RE DOING IS BASICALLY GUARANTEEING THAT THEY WON'T PAY MORE THAN CENTER POINT, BUT THEY'RE TAKING THE RISK OF WORSE SERVICE THAT WE'RE, WHEN WE'RE GONNA LOCK THEM INTO IT, I DON'T REALLY SEE HOW THAT'S GOOD COMPETITION, UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GONNA SAVE ANY MONEY, BUT THEY'RE TAKING THE RISK THAT THERE'S GONNA BE POOR SERVICE AND THAT THERE COULD BE LESS PREPARED.
I KNOW THAT THAT COUNCILMAN SAUNDERS HAS GOT A LOT OF SAFETY CONCERNS.
SOME OF 'EM I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND, BUT I KNOW THAT HE DOESN'T HAVE THAT WITH THE, UH, WITH THE CENTER POINT.
SO I DON'T SEE THE UPSIDE TO APPROVING THIS.
MR. SAUNDERS? MAYOR, I FORGET.
MAYOR COUNCIL, UM, ACTUALLY COUNCILMAN CRUZ, I HAD A MEETING TODAY WITH THE COMPANY REPRESENTATIVES ALONG WITH THE FIRE CHIEF AND THE FIRE MARSHAL WHERE I EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS.
AND TO BE HONEST, THEY ACTUALLY DID, THE INFORMATION I RECEIVED KIND OF PUT A LOT OF MY CONCERNS TO THE SIDE.
UH, THEY WILL HAVE REPRESENTATIVES IN THIS AREA THAT IF THERE IS A LEAK THAT CAN GO OUT THERE AND HANDLE IT, UM, IF I UNDERSTOOD THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT CORRECTLY, AND IF I'M WRONG, PLEASE TELL ME, BUT THEIR RATES WOULD BE INCO BE, WILL BE COMPETITIVE WITH CENTERPOINT.
UM, THE COMPANY, I, I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THE COMPANY.
WE HAD A MEETING, I THOUGHT IT WAS ONLY GONNA LAST ABOUT 30 MINUTES.
I THINK IT HAD LASTED ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF TO ALMOST TWO HOURS TODAY.
UM, AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, COUNCILMAN, THEY DID ANSWER A LOT OF MY QUESTIONS.
THEY, THEY GAVE ME A LOT OF INFORMATION I DID NOT HAVE AT THE PREVIOUS, NOR DID THEY HAVE READY AT THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEETING.
SO THAT'S THE INFORMATION I GOT.
I AM, I AM A LOT MORE SATISFIED WITH THE ANSWERS I GOT TODAY, REPETITIVE OF WHAT I'M SAYING.
JUST TO ADDRESS, JUST TO ADDRESS THE QUESTION ON RATES, WHAT WE ASKED, UH, THE COMPANY TO DO WAS MATCH THE LOWEST OF CENTER POINT RATES.
THE LOWEST RATES IN THEIR SYSTEM ARE WHAT WAS ALLOWED BY THE RAILROAD COMMISSION.
AND SO IT'S NOT JUST THE CENTER POINT PIECE, BUT IT'S REALLY A COMBINATION OF THREE OF THEM, KIND OF, I CALL IT A FAVORED NATIONS CLAUSE.
SO IT WOULD ASSURE OUR RESIDENTS OF GETTING THE LOWEST RATES IN THE AREA.
AND THIS IS GONNA HAVE ONE MORE READING.
THERE'S THREE READINGS ON THIS.
THERE'LL BE ANOTHER ONE WE'RE READING.
ALRIGHT, WE'VE ALREADY DISPERSED WITH 11 A,
[11B. 23-0390 Hold a public hearing to consider the early termination of League City Reinvestment Zone Number Two (Council Member Hicks and Council Member Cones)]
11 B HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE EARLY TERMINATION OF LEAGUE CITY REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER TWO.UH, COUNCILMAN HICKS AND CONES PUBLIC MEETING WILL BEGIN AT 7 29.
ALL PUBLIC MEETING WILL CLOSE AT
[01:30:01]
SEVEN 30.[11C. 23-0391 Consider and take action on an ordinance terminating League City Reinvestment Zone Number Two - First Reading (Council Member Hicks and Council Member Cones)]
C CONSIDER AND TAKE ACTION ON ORDINANCE TERMINATING LEAGUE CITY REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER TWO, FIRST READING, MOVE TO APPROVE SECOND.UM, SO MAYBE THE, UH, THIS ISN'T A SUNSET THING.
DON'T WANNA CONFUSE THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHAT THIS IS BY, IT'S NOT ON.
UM, I'LL WON'T START COMPLETELY OVER.
UH, WHAT DISSOLVING THIS TURS DOES IS, UH, MOST OF THE OBLIGATIONS ARE OVER, AND THIS FREES UP MILLIONS AND OR NOT MILLIONS AND MILLIONS, BUT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY, UH, REPROGRAM INTO PUBLIC SAFETY AND, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE IMMEDIATELY.
SO, UH, THAT'S WHY IT'S ON HERE AND THAT'S WHY I SUPPORT IT.
I SUPPORT IT TOO, BUT I WOULDN'T SAY IT FREES UP ANYTHING WE CAN REPROGRAM IMMEDIATELY.
UM, IT'LL BE IN THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET WHERE WE'LL COLLECT THE TAX INSTEAD OF THE TURS.
AND I THINK THE BIG THING AND WHY I'LL BE VOTING FOR IT IS IT REALLY, IT JUST PREVENTS OPPORTUNITY OF THIS, UH, TS BOARD TO SPEND IT ON DIFFERENT PRIORITIES THAN WE WOULD.
IT'LL GO INTO 2024 SOMETIME, BUT WE HAVE TO DO A BUDGET AMENDMENT, RIGHT, ANGIE? YES.
I'D JUST LIKE TO COMMEND, UH, COUNCILMAN HICK FOR GOING TO SOME OF THESE MEETINGS AND, AND ABLE TO FIND THE MONEY, UM, OR FINDING THE, THE TURS MONEY, UH, LIKE YOU SAID, IT COULD HAVE BEEN, UH, ABSOLUTELY SPENDING A DIFFERENT WAY.
SO I COMMEND THEM FOR GOING TO THE MEETINGS AND BRINGING IT BACK TO COUNSEL AND, UH, HIM AND JOHN, I THINK, UM, BROUGHT IT BACK TO COUNCIL FOR, UH, FOR OUR REVIEW.
SO THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING THE MEETINGS.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO COULDN'T HEAR VERY WELL, IT WAS BASICALLY WAY TO GO.
OH, DID I MISS SOMEBODY? YEAH, SORRY.
I JUST, SO WHEN WE, WHEN WILL THIS MONEY, IF, IF WE KILL THIS THING TONIGHT, WHEN WILL THE MONEY GET FREED UP? SO IT IT, THERE'S NOT LIKE, LIKE THE MONEY THAT THEY'RE HOLDING NOW, WILL THAT ACTUALLY COME OUT OR IS THIS JUST A FUTURE? WE WON'T COLLECT ANY MORE MONEY, IT'LL GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SO IF I UNDERSTOOD THE QUESTION CORRECTLY IS IF WE TURN, IF WE END THE TURS TODAY, THOSE DOLLARS CAN ONLY BE PROGRAMMED BY THE CITY.
THERE ARE OBLIGATIONS OF THE TURS THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS AND DO KIND OF A FINAL RECONCILIATION OF THOSE COSTS AND THEN UNDERSTAND WHAT'S LEFT.
AND IT'LL BE, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN SEVEN AND $9 MILLION, MAYBE AS MUCH AS 10.
IT ENDS TODAY, THE TERMS ENDS TODAY.
IF THE VOTE IS TO TERMINATED AND SO THAT, SO THAT AFTER WE SETTLE THE DEBTS AND THAT $10 MILLION, LET'S SAY, IS GOING TO COME BACK INTO THE GENERAL FUND IMMEDIATELY AND THEN WE CAN SPEND IT HOWEVER WE WANT.
SO THE CITY CURRENTLY MANAGES THE FINANCES FOR THE TURS AND PAYS THE BILLS AND SO NOTHING IS GONNA CHANGE IMMEDIATELY FOR THAT.
WHAT CHANGES IS, UM, THE COUNCIL WILL BE THE ONES THAT MAKE THE DECISIONS ON WHAT HAPPENS GOING FORWARD ON APPROPRIATIONS.
IS THERE A DOWN, WHAT, IS THERE A DOWNSIDE TO, TO SHUTTING THIS DOWN? I KNOW IT WAS MEANT TO KIND OF HELP BUILD, UH, AND TRACK BUSINESS OVER THERE IN THAT AREA.
IS THERE A DOWNSIDE TO KILLING IT? BECAUSE IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THERE IS UH, I THINK ORIGINALLY THE CHURCH BOARD HAD OTHER GOVERNMENT ENTITIES PARTICIPATING IN IT, BUT SINCE THEY NO LONGER PARTIC AND THAT'S WHY YOU NEEDED THE TURS, RIGHT? IF THE COUNTY OR SCHOOL DISH OR OTHER ENTITIES PARTICIPATED, WE HAD TO HAVE A CHURCH BOARD.
SINCE THERE'S NOBODY ELSE PARTICIPATING, WE'RE WE'RE JUST SENDING OUR MONEY TO A DIFFERENT FUND NOW WE'RE DIRECTLY CONTROLLING OUR MONEY AS OPPOSED TO THE TUR BOARD CONTROLLING IT.
ALRIGHT, NOW LET'S VOTE FOR REAL.
THE FIRST ONE'S JUST PRACTICE.
8 4 0 AGAINST, UH, MR. MAYOR, UH, IF IT'S APPROPRIATE, I THINK I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR A FIRST AND FINAL ON THIS ONE IS TO NOT DRAG IT OUT.
[01:35:03]
MAYBE WE CAN GET LIKE FOUR VOTES ON IT, LIKE THE GAS CONTRACT THAT'S IN THE FORM OF LOVE.DID YOU JUST DO THAT TO GET MR. CONES TO VOTE ON A FIRST AND FINAL
[12. REPORTS FROM STAFF MEMBERS]
CONCERNING ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST REPORTS FROM STAFF MEMBERS.YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST REAL QUICK, AND I SAID THIS LAST MEETING IS WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE ANIMAL GROUPS AND THE IN THE SHELTER TO COME UP WITH A PLAN FOR THE CATS AND MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S SATISFIED WITH WHAT WE DO GOING FORWARD.
SO, AND WE APPRECIATE THE VOTE ON THE BUDGET TONIGHT.
[13. COUNCIL MEMBERS COMMENTS/REPORTS]
MR. MANN, JUST A QUICK COMMENT ABOUT, UH, ONE OF THE EVENTS I HAD TO ATTEND, UH, AS MAYOR PRO TIM LAST FRIDAY, THE, I THINK IT WAS THE SOUTH BAY REALTORS ASSOCIATION HAD A MEET THE MAYOR'S MEETING AND, UH, IT WAS A GREAT EVENT.AND THE ONE THING THAT I WANTED TO BRING BACK TO EVERYONE, WHETHER IT'S STAFF OR THE CITIZENS, UM, AND I'LL JUST SAY THIS, THE FRIENDS, THE MAYOR OF FRIENDSWOOD WAS RIGHT NEXT TO ME WHENEVER I, WHEN THIS LITTLE PIECE OF INFORMATION WAS GLEANED FROM THE AUDIENCE.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ACTUALLY COOLER THAN FRIENDSWOOD NOW ACCORDING TO THE REALTORS
SO IT'S, IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE FOR, I MEAN, FOR AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN HERE, I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT FRIENDSWOOD WAS KIND OF THE LEXUS AND WE'RE KIND OF THE CAMRY AND, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE CAMRY IS YOU'RE JUST NOT GETTING THE LEXUS, YOU KNOW, EMBLEM.
BUT THE PEOPLE WHO SELL THE HOMES, THE PEOPLE WHO MATCH THE HOMES WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS WERE TELLING ME THAT, UH, LAKE CITY'S PRETTY HOT AND, UH, FRIENDSWOOD MIGHT BE A, MIGHT BE SLIPPING A LITTLE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH, WITH ALL OF Y'ALL THAT HAD NOTHING BUT NICE THING TO SAY ABOUT STAFF.
AND, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR FOR THE, UH, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT THE CITY.
UH, ONE AT THE, UH, BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING AT H D A C LAST WEEK, UM, THE, UM, THERE WAS A BILL THAT WAS PASSED BY THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE CALLED THE DEATH STAR BILL.
THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE REFER TO IT AS 2127, UH, WHICH TAKES A LOT OF THE CONDITIONS OF WHAT WE CALL HOME RULE CITIES, WHICH WE ARE.
UM, AND THE STATE WAS TRYING TO REVERT TO TAKING AWAY OUR POWER AS A HOME RULE CITY.
UM, HOUSTON AND SAN ANTONIO, AND I'M SURE SEVERAL OF THE OTHER LARGE CITIES WILL BE ADJOINING THE, THE SUIT, BUT THEY HAVE FILED AN INJUNCTIVE SUIT AGAINST THE STATE TO STOP THE DEATH STAR BILL AS IT'S REFERRED TO.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS, I'M GONNA TAKE THE, THE HIT ON THIS POLITICALLY, BUT, UM, WE HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING FOR THE ANIMAL PEOPLE.
I JUST WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THAT WHEN THIS CAME UP, THIS T N R CAME UP, IT WAS THE FRIENDS OF LEAGUE CITY ANIMAL SHELTER THAT CAME TO US AND SOLD US ON THE IDEA.
I'M NOT SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT, BUT THEY WERE THE ONES THAT PUT THE PACKAGE TOGETHER AND BROUGHT IT TO US AND ASKED US TO VOTE ON IT.
SO YES, PLEASE BEAR WITH US AS THESE TRANSITIONS ARE GOING THROUGH, BUT THIS WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS DRIVEN BY STAFF OR COUNSEL.
IT WAS DRIVEN BY AN OUTSIDE N G O AS IT WAS FOR REFERRED TO TONIGHT.
SO JUST KEEP THAT IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND.
DID ANYBODY NOTICE THAT SOMETHING WET CAME OUT OF THE SKY TODAY?
UM, I WISH THE COMMANDER AND THE TROPHIES WERE STILL HERE.
I JUST WANT TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF WHAT HE SAID AND CONGRATULATE THE, UH, AMERICAN LEGION FOR BRINGING THE FIRST EVER TEXAS TITLE WORLD SERIES HOME.
THAT'S WHY IT'S REALLY HISTORIC.
ALRIGHT, TOMMY, WHICH ONE? TOMMY COEN.
CAN YOU HEAR ME THERE? YES, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, I CAN HEAR YOU.
I'D LIKE, I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE, UH, AMERICAN LEGION ALSO, BUT I WANTED TO TELL JOHN I APPRECIATE HIM LOOKING INTO THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT, IT HURTS ME TO SEE ANY ANIMAL BEING ABUSED IF THEY ARE.
SO, I, I REALLY WANNA PUT A STOP TO THIS.
IF, IF WE CAN'T GET TO AN ANSWER PRETTY SOON, I'D LIKE TO HAVE A THIRD PARTY INVESTIGATION ON ALL OF IT.
UH, ON A HAPPIER NOTE, I'D LIKE TO WISH, UH, BOB AND DON
[01:40:01]
JACOBSON A 50 YEAR ANNIVERSARY.THEY HAVE BEEN LIFE, UH, LONG CITIZENS OF LEAGUE CITY.
50 YEARS IS A, IS A MILESTONE AND A A GREAT TIME.
UH, YEAH, I'D LIKE TO, UH, WISH, UH, BOB AND JACOBSON'S A HAPPY ANNIVERSARY AS WELL.
UH, I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE CITY FOR PUTTING ON SUCH A WONDERFUL HOEDOWN FOR THE SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN.
UH, IT HAD A VERY LARGE TURNOUT.
ALL THE KIDS HAD FUN, THE PARENTS HAD FUN AND, YOU KNOW, THE, THE LIONS WERE DOING, WE, WE FED EVERYBODY AND, AND WE ENJOYED DOING IT.
SO I JUST THINK THAT IF WE COULD HAVE MORE THINGS LIKE THIS FOR OUR SPECIAL NEEDS COMMUNITY, UH, IT WOULD JUST KEEP MAKING LEAGUE CITY BETTER.
AND I ALSO DO WANNA CONGRATULATE THE AMERICAN LEGIONS UH, BASEBALL TEAM.
SO JUST TO TALK ABOUT THE, THE T N R OR THE CATS.
SO THE CITY DID PUT OUT A FULL STATEMENT TODAY, AND, AND THIS IS, UH, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY GOOD INFORMATION.
SO, UH, THE CITY IS GOING TO SUSPEND THE TRAP NEUTER RELEASE PROGRAM, UH, UNTIL SUCH TIMES THAT AMERICAN PETS ALIVE.
SO THEY BROUGHT IN A THIRD PARTY, N G O, LIKE EVERYBODY'S SAYING, TO COMPLETE A FULL ASSESSMENT OF THE COMMUNITY CAP PROGRAM, THE ORDINANCES AND THE T AND R POLICIES.
THEY'RE GONNA EVALUATE AND INCORPORATE IDEAS AND CONCERNS FROM STAFF, THE LEAGUE CITY ADVISORY BOARD AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC HOLDING PUBLIC MEETINGS IN ORDER TO DO SO.
AND THEN UPON COMPLETION OF THE ASSESSMENT, THE RESULTS FROM THE N G O ARE GONNA BE PRESENTED BACK TO THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
AND THEN AFTER FEEDBACK FROM THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, IT'S COMING BACK TO A PUBLIC WORKSHOP HERE.
SO OTHER CITIZENS WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN AND THEY'RE GONNA SUMMARIZE THE OUTCOMES AND SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO I THINK WE ARE GOING THROUGH AN EXTREMELY EXHAUSTIVE PROCESS.
WE'RE BRINGING IN OUTSIDE EXPERTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THIS RIGHT, BECAUSE I THINK WE ALL REALIZE THERE'S THE WORDS ON THE PAGE AND THE ORDINANCE, AND THEN THERE'S HOW YOU IMPLEMENT THOSE WORDS ON THE PAGE AND THAT THEY SOMETIMES THEY'RE, THEY'RE DIFFERENT.
SO CITY STAFF HAS, HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OF FIGURING OUT A WAY TO GO THROUGH THIS.
IT'S NOT A CONSPIRACY, NOT EVERYBODY, WE'RE CERTAINLY UP HERE NOT EXPERTS IN IT.
AND I'M GLAD THAT, THAT JOHN AND HIS EXECUTIVE STAFF TOOK THE, UH, HAD THE FORETHOUGHT TO BRING IN AN OUTSIDE ORGANIZATION THAT'S EXPERTS IN THIS TO HELP US WALK THROUGH THIS, YOU KNOW, PRETTY CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET IT RIGHT AND WE DON'T HAVE TO KEEP, UH, LITIGATING THE POLICY OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
SO I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR THAT.
[14. EXECUTIVE(CLOSED) SESSION(S)]
THEN WITH THAT, UH, WE'RE GONNA GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.THE CITY OF COUNCIL WILL NOW, UH, CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LEAGUE CITY WILL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO SUB CHAPTER D OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
SECTION 5 5 1 AT ALL THE GOVERNMENT CODE ON THIS 22ND DAY OF AUGUST, 2023 AT 7:43 PM 13,
[15. ACTION ITEM(S) FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION(S)]
THE CITY COUNCIL NOW CAN RECONVENE AN OPEN SESSION.THERE WAS NO FINAL ACTION, DECISION OR VOTE WITH REGARDS TO A MATTER.
CONSIDER AN EXECUTIVE SESSION JUST CONCLUDED.
CONSIDER AND TAKE ACTION ON DISCUSSION REGARDING EVALUATION OF PUBLIC OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE TO WITT.
THERE IS NO ACTION CONSIDERING.
TAKE ACTION ON DISCUSSION CONCERNING POTENTIAL PURCHASE OR SALE OF REAL PROPERTY INTERESTS.
I MOVE TO AUTHORIZE STAFF TO PROCEED WITH FINALIZING NEGOTIATIONS AND APPROVE OFFER TO SELL AND PURCHASE AGREEMENTS FOR A 0.1898 ACRE PARCEL OF LAND FROM VICTORY LAKES COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION TO SUPPORT THE WALKER STREET CORRIDOR PROJECT.
STEP NUMBER ST 1 8 0 3 IS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION SECOND.
ALL RIGHT, ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE PLEASE VOTE.
SEVEN FOUR NONE AGAINST ONE ABSENT CONES.
ALRIGHT, AT SEVEN OH SORRY, EIGHT 8:15 PM THERE BEING NO FURTHER ACTION.