* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:03] THE CITY COUNCIL [1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS] OF THE CITY OF LEAGUE CITY WILL NOW COME TO ORDER IN A BUDGET WORKSHOP ON AUGUST 26TH, 2025 AT 5:00 PM UH, ROLL. CALL ANDY MANN LATE. TOM CONES HERE. TOM CRUISE. HERE. COURTNEY CHADWELL. HERE. SCOTT HIGGINBOTHAM. HERE. CHAD TRESSLER. HERE. SEAN SAUNDERS HERE. [2. PUBLIC COMMENTS] ALRIGHT. AND THEN WE'LL START WITH, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS. UH, AMY LYNN HICKS. YES, MA'AM. UM, HELLO, MY NAME IS AMY LYNN HICKS AND I LIVE AT 9 0 1 FM FIVE 17 ROAD WEST. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING, UH, ICE, UM, 2 87 G WARRANT SERVICE, UM, OFFICER AND TASK FORCE MODEL PROGRAMS. UM, I AM FEARFUL THAT, UM, THE RESOLUTION DOESN'T DO MUCH TO, UM, DEFINE THE SCOPE OF THE PROGRAM OR, UM, IF THE SCOPE OF THE PROGRAM CHANGES HOW THE COUNCIL WILL O EXCUSE ME, OVERSEE THAT OR, UM, BE ABLE TO DIRECT THAT. UM, THIS STEMS FROM THE LANGUAGE USED IN THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING WHERE THE SCOPE WAS DISCUSSED AND, UM, THERE DOESN'T SEEM ANY LANGUAGE TO CODIFY THAT INTO THE RESOLUTION, UM, WHERE THE SCOPE WAS TOWARDS PEOPLE WHO WERE ALREADY UNDER SUSPICION, UM, STRONG SUSPICION OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY OR WERE ALREADY IN THE CRIMINAL SYSTEM. UM, WHAT ALSO MAKES ME FEARFUL IS THAT THE, UH, LANGUAGE USED TO DISCUSS THE SCOPE WAS PREEMPTED BY WORDS SUCH AS AT FIRST AND INITIALLY. AND THIS SEEMS TO, UM, SUGGEST THAT THE PROGRAM COULD BE USED, UM, TO GO AFTER OR TO GO AFTER ANYBODY WHO MIGHT INTERACT WITH POLICE, INCLUDING PEOPLE WHO ARE REPORTING CRIME IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. AND THAT MAY CAUSE FEAR AND CAUSE LESS COOPERATION WITH THE LAKE CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT. I ALSO, UM, BELIEVE THAT FEAR IS AN ANIMAL THAT CANNOT BE CONTROLLED ONCE UNLEASHED. SO IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CRIMINALS BEING AFRAID TO OPERATE HERE AND FEELING UNSAFE, I DO BELIEVE THAT CRIMINALS, UM, WHO OPERATE OUTSIDE OF THE UH, SYSTEM ALREADY HAVE REALLY NO GREATER FEAR TO HAVE OF THE LEAGUE CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT OR ANY CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THEY ALREADY ARE OPERATING OUTSIDE OF THE SYSTEM. WHAT, UH, THE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE AFRAID ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO WORK WITHIN THE SYSTEM. BUT THEN THE SYSTEM CHANGES SUCH AS PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO ALL OF THEIR COURT CASES TO BECOME SOME KIND OF LEGAL CITIZEN LEGAL RESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, BUT DO NOT HAVE RIGHT NOW A, UH, A RECOGNIZED LEGAL STATUS BUT ARE REGISTER WITH FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, ARE GOING TO ALL THEIR COURT CASES, BUT DON'T HAVE THAT PARTICULAR PAPERWORK ALREADY SET. MY DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL THE DAY AFTER THE EXECUTIVE ORDER WAS ISSUED TO END PROTECTION FOR SCHOOLS AGAINST ICE ENTERING AND ABDUCTING CHILDREN WITHOUT PARENTAL CONSENT OR KNOWLEDGE. UM, A THIRD OF THE STUDENTS DID NOT SHOW UP FOR SCHOOL THE DAY AFTER. AND I DON'T KNOW THE, UM, STATUS OF ALL THESE CHILDREN, BUT I'M SURE THEY'RE MIXED STATUS. AND MY DAUGHTER WROTE THIS POSTER, UH, WHEN WE WENT TO THE RALLY FOR LULAC. IT SAYS, MY SCHOOL FEELS EMPTY WITH ALL THE FEAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, PEGGY SAYLER. MY NAME IS PEGGY ZELLER, 1802 RAMPART, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE BUDGET. UM, I WAS ASKED BY ONE OF MY CLIENTS TO ATTEND HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT MEETING TODAY, AND I DON'T THINK I ASKED ENOUGH MONEY. THERE WERE 189 PUBLIC SPEAKERS AND ALMOST EVERYBODY TALKED ABOUT THE BUDGET. SO I WILL BEGIN BY SAYING I'M SO HAPPY TO BE HERE AND NOT THERE. SO NICE TO SEE ALL . NICE TO SEE ALL OF YOU. AS I SAID LAST TIME, AS A CITIZEN, I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PAYING ATTENTION AND DIRECTING RESOURCES TOWARD OUR CIP THAT IS REALLY SO IMPORTANT TO ME. I ALSO WANNA THANK ANGIE BECAUSE SHE IS SO RESPONSIVE, UH, TO THE EMAILS AND, UH, QUESTIONS I ASK REGARDING THE BUDGET. UH, LIKE I SAID, I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS WE DO. AND SO I'D LIKE TO FAMILIARIZE MYSELF AND SHARE MY IDEAS [00:05:01] AND COMMENTS. UH, FOR THIS PART OF THE, THE MEETING, I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT DEPARTMENTS. I I REALLY FEEL LIKE THE MAJORITY OF THINGS THAT WE WANT AS CITIZENS, IT COMES THROUGH OUR DEPARTMENTS AND OUR EMPLOYEES. AND SO AS WE'RE MONITORING WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, I, I THINK WE CAN ALL BE ASSURED THAT THOSE DEPARTMENTS WHO DEPEND ON GRANTS AND GRANT OPPORTUNITIES, UH, THOSE RESOURCES WILL PROBABLY BE VERY SCARCE. AND ONE DEPARTMENT I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT PRIMARILY BECAUSE LITERACY IS SO VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO ME, IS OUR LIBRARY. WE HAVE OVER 5,000 PEOPLE, 3000 PEOPLE COME THROUGH OUR DOORS WEEKLY, 3000. AND ON AN AVERAGE DAILY COUNT, THERE ARE ABOUT 500. THAT'S TOUCHING A LOT OF PEOPLE'S LIVES EVERY DAY BECAUSE WE'RE OPEN EVERY DAY. DURING 2024, WE HAD A A, WE RECEIVED A $12,000 GRANT FROM THE INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIFE SCIENCES. THAT'S A FEDERAL OFFICE COME, THE MONEY'S COME DOWN TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT AND THEN THEY'RE DISPERSED TO US. THAT'S $12,000. WE RECEIVED. ADDITIONALLY FOR ABOUT 3000, WE WERE ABLE TO LEVERAGE ABOUT $200,000 WORTH OF ONLINE RESOURCES. THAT IS BY BEING A MEMBER OF THE ORGANIZATIONS AND WORKING WITH OUR STATE LIBRARY, WE'RE ABLE TO OFFER THOSE $200,000 ONLINE SERVICES TO OUR PATRONS. THAT IS HUGE. THAT COULD CHANGE. I DON'T KNOW. I HOPE NOT, BUT I'LL BET YOU WILL BE IMPACTED. SO ANY OF YOU WHO LOOK AT THE BUDGET, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL ABOUT THE LIBRARY, PLEASE REACH OUT. WE SUBMITTED A VERY CONSERVATIVE BUDGET. WE'D APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU. [3. DISCUSSION REGARDING THE CITY OF LEAGUE CITY PROPOSED FY2026 BUDGET AND FY2026 2030 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM] ALRIGHT, NOW WE'LL GO TO ITEM NUMBER THREE. DISCUSSION REGARDING THE CITY OF LEAGUE CITY PROPOSED FY 2026 BUDGET AND FY 2026 THROUGH 2030 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. GOOD AFTERNOON. SO AS WE COME TO THE END OF THE BUDGET PROCESS FOR FY 26, UM, TONIGHT IS OUR LAST SCHEDULED WORKSHOP. UH, DURING OUR COUNCIL MEETING TONIGHT, WE WILL HAVE TWO ITEMS. ONE IS THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET AND THE OTHER IS THE FIRST READING OF THE BUDGET ORDINANCE. THERE'S ONLY BEEN TWO SMALL CHANGES THAT HAVE OCCURRED SINCE WE MET LAST TIME, SO I JUST WANTED TO GO OVER THOSE IN BRIEF. AND THEN I HAVE ALL THE DETAILS THAT HAS BROUGHT US UP TO DATE. IF WE NEED TO GO BACK OVER THOSE. SO ON THE SCREEN YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A COLUMN THAT SAYS OTHER ADJUSTMENTS. SO THIS IS FOR THE GENERAL FUND ONLY. SO THIS IS A CHANGE BASED ON, UM, THE ADOPTED CHANGE TO THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT DONATED FUND THAT OCCURRED ON AUGUST 12TH. THIS WOULD CHANGE THE GENERAL FUND EXPENSES, INCREASE THEM BY 78,908. THIS IS FOR THE PURCHASE OF A GRANT FUNDED RAPID RESPONSE MEDICAL UTV. THIS WAS PREVIOUSLY BUDGETED IN THAT DONATED FUND. THERE'S ALSO A CHANGE TO THE REVENUE OF A LITTLE OVER $23,000. THIS IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CITY'S MATCH AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT IT'LL BE REIMBURSED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. THAT IS THE ONLY CHANGE TO THE GENERAL FUND YOU CAN SEE HERE. UM, THERE'S ALSO A CHANGE TO THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT DONATION FUND. AND THIS IS A DECREASE WHERE THE, UH, CITY'S MATCH WAS BUDGETED TO COME FROM THIS FUND. AND NOW WE'RE, UH, REDUCING IT FOR THAT AND MOVING THAT TO THE GENERAL FUND. THERE'S ALSO ONE OTHER CHANGE, AND THAT IS IN THE UTILITY FUND. AND SO THIS TOTAL IS EIGHT, UH, 816,373. SO THIS IS A CHANGE THAT WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE CITY'S EXTERNAL AUDITORS. SO WE HAVE A DEBT SERVICE PAYMENT, SO PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST ON DEBT THAT WAS ISSUED AS PART OF A CASH CALL FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON WATERLINE ALONG STATE HIGHWAY THREE. SO IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE EXPENSE AND IT DOESN'T CHANGE HOW IT'S BEING PAID FOR. IT IS COVERED BY WATER CRFS. BUT WHAT HAS CHANGED IS THE EXTERNAL AUDITORS DID NOT WANT TO SEE IT IN OUR DEBT SERVICE FUND FOR UTILITIES. THEY ACTUALLY WANTED TO SEE IT AS AN OPERATIONS COST TO THE UTILITIES OUTTA WATER CONTRACT PURCHASES. SO THE REVENUE AND THE EXPENSE ARE BEING MOVED TO THE UTILITY FUND TO, UM, [00:10:01] IMPLEMENT THE CHANGE THAT THEY RECOMMENDED. THE REASON, UM, LEMME SAY ONE OTHER THING ABOUT THAT. SO THE REASON THAT THIS IS AN INCREASE INTO THE OPERATIONS, UM, EVEN THOUGH IT'S IT'S NOT A CHANGE FOR THE REVENUE OR THE EXPENSE IS BOTH. 'CAUSE THE UTILITY DEBT SERVICE FUND IS NOT PART OF OUR OPERATIONAL BUDGET. IT'S ACTUALLY SEGMENTED AND SEPARATE. IF YOU COUNT IT, IT KIND OF DOUBLE COUNTS IT BECAUSE THE, UH, DEBT SERVICE IS ACTUALLY SHOWN IN THIS FUND AS WELL. AND THEN THE OTHER CHANGE IS HOW IT ALL ROLLS UP TO THE CITYWIDE. SO THOSE THREE CHANGES THAT I MENTIONED, UM, DO ADD UP TO THE 8 71, 858. IT'S MADE UP OF THE, JUST THE EXPENSE SIDE. SO IT'S THE 78,900 IN THE GENERAL FUND. IT'S THE REDUCTION OF THE 23,000 EXPENSE IN THE DONATION FUND. BOTH OF THOSE HAVE TO DO WITH THAT. UM, RAPID RESPONSE MEDICAL UTV, THAT'S GRANT FUNDED AND THEN THE 816,000 FOR THE UTILITY DEBT THAT I JUST MENTIONED. SO WHEN YOU ADD THOSE TOGETHER, THAT'S THE 8 71. 8 58 AND THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY CHANGES THAT STAFF'S IDENTIFIED. UM, THAT'S HAPPENED SINCE OUR LAST MEETING. GREAT. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT SPECIFIC ITEMS OR PROJECTS OR WHAT WE JUST PRESENTED? WELL, I WANT TO THANK THE STAFF, UH, IN WHAT WAS MAYBE MORE OF A CHALLENGING BUDGET YEAR THAN WE'VE SEEN IN THE LAST SEVERAL. UH, JUST WITH SOME OF OUR, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE THE MASSIVE LIFT IN VALUES THAT WE'VE SEEN YEAR OVER YEAR. BUT COMING BACK WITH A BUDGET THAT, THAT ACCOMPLISHED ALL OF OUR GOALS AND, YOU KNOW, WE GOT IT BELOW THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE. WE ADDED, UH, SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES TO PUBLIC SAFETY INVERT IN KIND OF ALL THREE ASPECTS OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND THEN STILL MADE, UH, SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS INTO THE CIP. SO I THINK ALL IN ALL SATISFIED WITH THE WAY IT WENT AND WHAT WE'VE, WHAT WE'VE SEEN AND WHAT YOU GUYS ACCOMPLISHED AND BROUGHT BACK TO US. YEAH, WE, UH, WE IMMEDIATELY THREW A MONKEY BRANCH INTO THE BUDGET RIGHT BEFORE UH, IT CAME OUT WHEN WE MASSIVELY INCREASED THE, UH, BASE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FOR SENIORS. UM, AND TO STILL GET THIS DONE, UM, WHILE PROVIDING THAT RELIEF FOR, FOR OUR FOLKS WHO WERE ON A FIXED INCOME, UM, Y'ALL ARE TO BE COMMENDED FOR. AND, AND THANK YOU. AND, UM, I KNOW A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS CAN SURE USE THAT RELIEF RIGHT NOW. SO THANK YOU. SO THANK YOU. I, I, YEAH, THE STAFF DID A FANTASTIC JOB. UM, THIS IS MORE OF A KIND OF A COMMENT FOR US IS CAN WE ANTICIPATE ONCE WE VOTE ON IT TONIGHT THAT THIS IS FINAL, ARE WE GOING TO DO THE SAME KIND OF GAME WHERE WE GO AT THE NEXT COUNCIL AND WE THROW A QUICK CUT INTO IT AND THEN EVERYONE ELSE IS KIND OF LOOKING, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE DOING. SO CAN WE JUST KIND OF AGREE THAT WHAT WE AGREE ON IS FINAL? I'M GOOD, BUT, OKAY. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. OH, AND THE OTHER THING I DID WANNA BRING UP IS I, UM, YOU MENTIONED HARRIS COUNTY AND, AND THE BUDGET DEFICIT THAT THEY'RE IN. AND A BIG REASON FOR THAT BUDGET DEFICIT IS, IS GETTING TO PAY PARITY. AND, AND FRANKLY, WE ARE ONE OF THOSE AGENCIES THAT ARE TRYING TO GET TO PAY PARITY TO, AND I APPRECIATE THAT WE DIDN'T SIT ON OUR HANDS AND LET EVERYBODY TRY TO CATCH UP TO US. YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA MOVE THE GOAL POST BEFORE THEY EVEN GET TO THERE, RIGHT? SO PRETTY, PRETTY LARGE INCREASES. IS IT 5%? FIVE AND A HALF? FIVE AND A HALF, FIVE AND A HALF PERCENT, UH, ACROSS THE BOARD FOR THE OFFICERS. THAT'S SIGNIFICANT. UH, ESPECIALLY WITH EVERYBODY ELSE TRYING TO PLAY CATCH UP TO SOME OF THESE AGENCIES. SO, UH, I THINK IT'S A GREAT SIGNAL TO SAY THAT WE'RE NOT SITTING ON OUR HANDS AND LETTING EVERYBODY CATCH UP TO US. WE'RE GONNA CONTINUALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, PAY OUR OFFICERS AT THE TOP OF THE SCALE AND KEEP MOVING IT FORWARD. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING. THANK YOU. WELL, WE GOT LIKE 45 MINUTES, SO, UH, OKAY. ANYBODY? ALRIGHT. ALL RIGHT. SO AT FIVE 14 THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. . * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.