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CITY, TEXAS WILL COME TO ORDER IN
[Budget Work Session on July 27, 2026.]
A BUDGET AND CIP WORKSHOP ON JULY 27TH, 2026 AT 6:00 PM UH, ANNIE MANN.UH, WE GOT ONE PERSON SIGNED UP.
CAN, IS IT WORKING OKAY? YEAH.
I LIVE IN SOUTH SHORE VILLAGE.
UMM, A MEMBER OF THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION BOARD.
UM, OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH SEVERAL STAFF MEMBERS ON SOME ISSUES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET ADDRESSED.
UH, AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF SOME OF THESE ISSUES ARE GETTING ADDRESSED IN THE BUDGET OR NOT.
I CAN'T, 475 PAGES IS A, IT'S HARD TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, IS, ARE THE THINGS THERE.
UM, THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS ABOUT 500 OAK TREES.
UM, IN IT ABOUT, I, I DID INVENTORY.
SO WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WHO OWNS WHAT, OAK TREES, WHO OWNS WHAT PROPERTY.
WE DETERMINED IN MARCH THAT THE CITY HAS THE MEDIANS THROUGH SOUTH SHORE, UH, BOULEVARD.
SO I DID AN INVENTORY OF ALL THE MEDIANS IN THE, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THERE'S 120 OAK TREES THAT ARE ON CITY PROPERTY.
UM, THESE OAK TREES ARE 30 YEARS OLD.
UM, AND WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT IT WITH SOME OF YOUR, SOME OF THE STAFF OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE WERE TOLD THAT THERE'S ONLY $6,000 IN THE BUDGET FOR MAINTAINING TREES.
SO THAT'S, TO ME, THIS IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE THAT TO ME IS NOT ENOUGH MONEY FOR JUST OUR TREES TO GET THOSE MAINTAINED.
BUT I SAW ON THE BUDGET THERE'S, UH, $300,000 ALLOCATED TO PURCHASE TREES FOR A PARK.
AND I'VE ALSO SAW AN ARTICLE THAT SAID THAT THE CITY IS CONSIDERING TAKING OVER WALTER HALL.
SO THAT CONCERNS ME THAT WE'RE BUYING MORE STUFF OR TAKING ON MORE RESPONSIBILITIES AND WE'RE NOT ALLOCATING RESOURCES TO THE MAINTENANCE FUNDS THAT ARE NEEDED TO, TO MAINTAIN THAT STUFF.
SO I, I GUESS MY BASIC QUESTION IS, HOW CAN I FIGURE, HOW CAN I TELL OF THE STUFF THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, HOW CAN I TELL IF IT'S GETTING INTO THE BUDGET AND WHAT LINE ITEMS THAT IT'S ON? SO THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN OFFLINE, BUT, UH, I AM CONCERNED THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING FOR TWO, TWO AND A HALF YEARS AND WE'RE NOT MAKING PROGRESS.
SO IF, IF THERE'S NO BUDGET, IF YOU WOULD JUST GIVE US, UH, YOUR EMAIL AND A LIST OF THE CONCERNS FROM THE HOA, WE'LL RESPOND BACK TO YOU.
WHO DO I GIVE IT TO? ONE OF THE STAFF MEMBERS WILL TRACK YOU DOWN.
SOMEBODY WILL, ALRIGHT, GET YOU RIGHT NOW.
I JUST, UH, UM, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE OUR, YOU KNOW, TAKE CARE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF OUR RESPONSIBILITIES.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND, UH, AND GET IT CLEANED UP AND KEEP IT NICE.
ALRIGHT, UH, ITEM NUMBER THREE, DISCUSSION REGARDING THE CITY OF LEAGUE CITY.
PROPOSED 2027 BUDGET AND FY 2027 THROUGH 2031 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
TONIGHT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE 27 PROPOSED BUDGET OVERVIEW.
UH, WE'RE GONNA TALK PRETTY HIGH LEVEL, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE'RE HERE TO DISCUSS ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE COUNCIL MAY HAVE.
SO WE'RE GONNA GET STARTED TALKING ABOUT REVENUE 'CAUSE THAT'S THE BEST PLACE TO START.
SO THIS IS A CHART THAT SHOWS REVENUE SOURCES CITYWIDE.
AND FROM THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT WATER AND WASTEWATER SALES ARE 31% OF THE CITYWIDE REVENUE AT 58.4 MILLION.
PROPERTY TAXES AT 41.4 MILLION.
OF THAT, UM, IT'S 37% OF THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE AND 26% OF THE CITYWIDE REVENUE.
THERE'S ALSO AN ADDITIONAL 7.6 MILLION THAT IS PROGRAMMED FOR DEBT FROM PROPERTY TAX.
SALES TAX IS 20% OF THE CITYWIDE REVENUE AND THAT EQUALS 37 MILLION.
SO LOOKING AT WATER AND WASTEWATER CELLS, THOSE TOTAL 58.4 MILLION IN THE PROPOSED DOCUMENT THAT IS 97% OF UTILITY FUND REVENUE.
UTIL WATER UTILITY REVENUE IS BUDGETED
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AT 60.14 MILLION WITH WATER AND WASTEWATER FEES COMPRISING THE CITY'S LARGEST SOURCE OF REVENUE.THE 27 PROPOSED BUDGET IS 7% MORE FOR THIS REVENUE SOURCE THAN THE FY 26 YEAR IN ESTIMATE.
AND THE INCREASE IN THE REVENUE IS BASED ON ANTICIPATED GROWTH AND ALSO THE PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED ANNUAL RATE INCREASE THAT WAS SUPPORTED BY THE 24 UTILITY RATE STUDY.
LOOKING AT PROPERTY TAXES THIS YEAR, WE HAVE 41.43 MILLION, UM, PROGRAM FOR THE GENERAL FUND AND 7.6 MILLION PROGRAM FOR DEBT SERVICE.
THE 27 PROPOSED BUDGET IS BASED UPON THE 26 PRELIMINARY TAXABLE VALUES.
THOSE WERE ESTIMATED AT 13.2 BILLION.
THAT WAS JUST A SLIGHT DECREASE FROM WHAT WE HAD FOR THE CURRENT YEAR'S VALUES.
UM, AS I SAT HERE TONIGHT, I DID RECEIVE AN EMAIL ON THE CERTIFIED VALUES.
AND SO WE WILL BE UPDATING THIS BEFORE OUR, OUR NEXT, UH, MEETING ON PROPERTY TAX WITH THE SLIGHT DECREASE OF 13.2 BILLION.
IT DOES TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT THE STATE INITIATED AN INCREASE IN EXEMPTIONS FOR BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY THAT WENT INTO EFFECT JANUARY 1ST, 2026.
WE SEE THAT AS THE DECREASE IN THE TAXABLE VALUE AND THE CORRESPONDING RISE IN WHAT WE ANTICIPATE TO BE THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.
A NEW PROPERTY ADDED TO THE ROLE IS ESTIMATED AT ALMOST 300 MILLION.
IT IS A REVENUE OF $1.14 MILLION.
SO LOOKING AT THE CHART ON THE SCREEN, UM, THIS BUDGET WAS PUT TOGETHER BASED ON THE REVENUE THAT SHOULD BE GENERATED FROM THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.
SO THAT WOULD BE THE EXISTING PROPERTIES PLUS THE VALUE OF THE NEW PROPERTIES THAT ARE ADDED TO THE ROLE.
THE STATE LAW DOES SAY THAT WHEN YOU, UH, PUBLISH THE PROPOSED DOCUMENT, THOUGH, YOU DO HAVE TO STATE A RATE.
AND SO OUR BEST ESTIMATE AT THE TIME THAT WE PUT THIS DOCUMENT TOGETHER WAS 36.90 CENTS, WHICH IS THE RATE THAT WE SAW LAST YEAR.
AND THAT'S ALL DUE TO A DECREASE IN THE PROPERTY VALUES.
AS I MENTIONED, AS THE CERTIFIED VALUES GET SOLIDIFIED AND THAT NO NEW REVENUE RATE IS ACTUALLY CALCULATED, THEN WE WILL KNOW WHAT THAT ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE.
THAT IS EXPECTED AT THE FIRST PART OF AUGUST.
SO IT'S RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
I KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME ABOUT THE SPLIT OF HOW MUCH MONEY GOES TOWARDS THE DEBT VERSUS THE GENERAL FUND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PROPERTY TAX AND THEY LIKE TO SEE IT IN HISTORICAL VERSUS NEXT YEAR.
AND SO THAT IS WHAT THIS CHART SHOWS.
THE BLUE IS GENERAL FUND AND THE GREEN IS THE DEBT SERVICE.
WE'VE TRIED TO KEEP THE DEBT SERVICE, UM, RELATIVELY STABLE.
MOVING ON TO SALES TAX, THIS IS 31.8 MILLION.
THE REVENUE HAS AVERAGED 4.5% INCREASE OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, UM, YEAR OVER YEAR.
BUT THE CURRENT YEAR WE'RE SEEING IT MORE OF A 3% INCREASE.
AND SO WE DID TEMPER THE ESTIMATE JUST A LITTLE BIT AND THE CHART ON THE SCREEN SHOWS WHAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE.
SO WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE CITYWIDE.
SO FIRST, LET'S TALK ABOUT GENERAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION.
THIS WILL BE OUR NON-CIVIL SERVICE.
THERE IS FUNDING FOR JANUARY, 2027 FOR A PERFORMANCE BASED MERIT OF 2% FOR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES.
THERE'S COST OF LIVING FUNDING AT 2.25% FOR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES WHOSE BASE SALARY IS BELOW 80,000.
AND FOR THOSE THAT HAVE A BASE SALARY ABOVE 80 THOU AT 80 OR ABOVE, IT'S 1.75 FOR COST OF LIVING FUNDING OF ABOUT 32,000 IS INCLUDED ACROSS THE CITY TO IMPLEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS FROM HR FOR PARITY INCREASES ALSO TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN JANUARY, 2027.
THESE ARE FOR SELECT POSITIONS BASED ON MARKET COMPARISONS AND THOSE ARE FOR GENERAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES ONLY, NOT FOR CIVIL SERVICE.
ALSO INCLUDED CITYWIDE IS SPENDING FOR TMRS CONTRIBUTION.
UM, 15.83 IS THE RATE THAT WILL BEGIN IN JANUARY OF 2027.
AGAIN, WE INCLUDED 200,000 FOR UH, WHAT WE CALL THE RATE BUYDOWN.
WE ALSO INCLUDED 412,000 TO IMPLEMENT A 1% 4 57 MATCH PROGRAM FOR EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE FIVE YEARS OR MORE OF SERVICE THAT WANT TO PARTICIPATE.
SORRY, TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.
I, WE ALSO HAVE FUNDING FOR $2 PER HOUR INCREASE.
UM, SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE $8 AN HOUR PREMIUM PAY FOR EMPLOYEES THAT WORK ANY OF THE 10 RECOGNIZED CITY HOLIDAYS.
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THE BUDGET INCLUDES FUNDING TO INCREASE THAT TO $10 AN HOUR.UNUSED HOLIDAY PAY BETWEEN OCTOBER 1ST AND SEPTEMBER 30TH WILL BECOME A USE IT OR LOSE IT PROGRAM WITH A DEADLINE OF JUNE 30TH OF THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
2027 INCLUDES FUNDING FOR THREE AND A HALF PERCENT COST OF LIVING RAISES FOR CIVIL SERVICE POLICE OFFICERS.
ALSO EFFECTIVE IN JANUARY, 2027.
THAT'S WORTH ABOUT 376,000 ALONG WITH CONTINUED STEP INCREASES.
UM, THIS IS FOR THE SWORN PERSONNEL.
IT TAKES EFFECT THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR ON THEIR ANNIVERSARY DATES AS REQUIRED BY THEIR PAY PLANS.
ALSO, UH, CITYWIDE THERE IS AN INCREASE TO THE CITY'S PORTION OF HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS. UM, THAT, UH, IS ABOUT 20.5%.
THERE ARE 7.75 NEW POSITIONS IN THE PROPOSED DOCUMENT.
MOST OF THOSE, I BELIEVE SEVEN ARE IN THE GENERAL FUND.
THERE IS A LIST OF THEM ON THE SCREEN.
IT IS FOR A LESS THAN FULL-TIME ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT AND WOULD BE PAID FOR OUT OF THE HOT FUNDS FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
IT INCLUDES A POLICE SENIOR CRIME ANALYST.
EMS WOULD STAFF TWO PARAMEDICS AND TWO EMTS.
FOR THE NEW PEAK AMBULANCE THAT WE ORDERED LAST YEAR, WE DID REMOVE ONE FTE FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND THEN WE HAVE, UM, SOME ADDITIONAL POSITIONS IN THE CAMP BY THE CREEK EXPANSION AND THEY DO PAY FOR THEMSELVES WITH THE REVENUE FROM THE, UH, ADDITIONAL CAMP.
TALKING ABOUT NEW VEHICLES, THERE ARE THREE THAT ARE PROGRAMMED TO BE PAID FOR OUT OF THE ASSET FORFEITURE FUND.
THOSE WOULD BE FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
YES, WE WILL GET TO REPLACEMENTS HERE IN A SECOND.
THERE ARE QUITE, UH, MORE THAN THREE ON THE LIST FOR REPLACEMENTS.
SO THIS IS THE OVERVIEW FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
THE MOST NOTABLE IS THE, UM, DAYS OF OPERATING EXPENSES OVER THE 110 DAYS IS AT 0.9.
WITH THIS PROPOSED BUDGET, INCREASES THAT ONLY AFFECT THE, UH, GENERAL FUND.
SO SOLID WASTE IS BUDGETED FOR THE EXPENSE AND THE REVENUE IN THE GENERAL FUND.
THERE'S AN ANTICIPATED INCREASE OF 585,000 IN THE EXPENSES.
THIS IS BASED ON ADDITIONAL GROWTH TO ACCOUNTS AND ALSO, UM, THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX, FUEL AND FUEL ADJUSTMENT.
WE HAVE FUNDING FOR STREETS TO HAVE SOME NEW EQUIPMENT, SOME TRAFFIC CONTROL MESSAGE, BOARD REPLACEMENTS, PAYMENT MARKING EQUIPMENT, AND SOME STABILIZED LIMESTONE ROAD SERVICE FOR, UM, THE STREET, WOODCOCK STREET IN PARKS OPERATIONS, WE HAVE SOME NEW EQUIPMENT AS WELL.
MANY DUMP TRAILERS SPLIT 50 50 WITH FOUR BA GROUNDS TREATMENT SPREADER REPLACEMENT EVENT TRAILER AND PARKS RECREATION.
THE NEW POSITIONS, THAT WOULD BE THE CAMP BY THE CREEK EXPANSION TO THE WEST SIDE.
THE LIBRARY NEEDS TO UPDATE THEIR AUTOMATED MATERIALS HANDLER.
AND FOR CHECKOUT MACHINES, THAT'S 148,500.
POLICE HAVE SEVERAL, UH, ADDITIONAL, UM, PIECES OF EQUIPMENT INCLUDING FUNDING FOR MEDICAL KITS FOR PATROL VEHICLES.
REPLACEMENT DEPARTMENT ISSUED HANDGUNS, SOME EVIDENCE SOFTWARE AND A LAPTOP FOR THAT NEW SENIOR CRIME ANALYST POSITION THAT WE MENTIONED EARLIER.
UNDER NEW POSITIONS, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DOES HAVE FUNDING FOR THE CONSULTANT FOR AN ISO STUDY PHASE TWO AND THREE AT $40,000.
EMS HAS SOME INFUSION PUMPS AT 30,003.
CITY SECRETARY HAS AN INCREASE OF 145,000 FOR ELECTION EXPENSES AND ACCOUNTING.
ALSO HAS REQUESTED 5,000 TO UPDATE THEIR, UH, FIREPROOF SAFE.
THE ONE THAT WE HAVE IS, IS PRETTY OLD AND, AND DOESN'T ALWAYS, UM, BEHAVE THE WAY WE WOULD LIKE IT TO.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT FUNDING FOR A NEW ONE.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE $6,000 FOR A CENSUS 4 57 RETIREMENT.
THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR IN HR, THE UTILITY FUND.
SO FOR 2027 WE DO HAVE, UM, LAST YEAR'S THIS YEAR'S AND OF COURSE THE PROPOSED BUDGET ON THE SCREEN.
WE HAVE GOOD EXTRA, UH, DAYS OF WORKING CAPITAL AND THEN HOW IT BREAKS DOWN BASED ON THE CATEGORY OF EXPENSES.
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EXPENSES I MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING DO APPLY TO THE UTILITY FUND.IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE 10.2 MILLION IN CIP CASH FUNDED REINVESTMENT PROGRAM.
WE HAVE, UM, AN ADDITIONAL 500,000 FOR THE OVERHEAD PAYMENT FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES TO THE GENERAL FUND.
AND THEN UTILITY BILLING HAS, UM, TWO ADVANCED METERING INFRASTRUCTURE RECEIVING TOWERS OF 200,000.
THEY HAVE A 24 7 PAYMENT KIOSK.
WE'RE HAVE FUNDING TO UPDATE THE UTILITY RATE STUDY AND WE ALSO HAVE FUNDING FOR EXTERNAL REVENUE AUDITOR CONTRACT FOR WATER.
WE HAVE FENCE REPLACEMENT AT THE COUNTRYSIDE WELL STATION FOR 20,000.
AND WE HAVE A MOBILE PUMP REPLACEMENT AND WASTEWATER FOR 73,000.
LINE REPAIR HAS ASPHALT OVERLAY EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS YARD AT 36,000.
SOME HYDRAULIC JACKS FOR 7,800, AN ENCLOSED TRAILER FOR 4,700 AND SOME CONSULTANT SERVICES FOR 15,000.
NEXT ON THE LIST IS THE BALLPARK.
THE ENDING FUND BALANCE HAS STAYED PRETTY STABLE BETWEEN 26 AND 27.
THERE ARE SEVERAL NEW ITEMS FOR THE BALLPARK.
UH, MOST NOTABLY BACKSTOP NETTING FOR ALL SIX FIELDS.
THAT'D BE 300,000 REPLACING AN ICE MAKER AT THE NORTH RESTAURANT FOR 20,000.
THERE'S ALSO FUNDING FOR A NEW OVERHEAD PAYMENT TO THE GENERAL FUND, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DO FOR THE UTILITY FUND AT 300,000.
THERE'S ALSO INITIAL FUNDING FOR THE BALLPARK CAPITAL RESERVE FUND OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
AND THEN THERE'S SOME SMALLER THINGS SUCH AS A BAT TESTER, CAMERA, EQUIPMENT, TEAM STORE MERCHANDISE, AND ALSO SPECIAL EVENTS WHICH IS, UH, RE REIMBURSED THROUGH THE EVENT THAT THEY HAVE THE EXPENSE FOR.
YOU HAVE A QUESTION, HOW MUCH OF THIS IS OFFSET BY INCREASED REVENUE? UM, ALL OF IT.
SO THE 4.922 INCLUDES ALL OF THOSE ITEMS I JUST MENTIONED ON THE EXPENSE SIDE.
MOVING ON TO SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.
THERE'S ONLY TWO THAT I HAVE ON THE LIST TO HIGHLIGHT.
ONE IS THE HOT FUND AND THE OTHER IS THE FOUR B, M AND O.
WE DO HAVE DETAILS ON THE OTHERS.
IF ANYONE HAS QUESTIONS FOR HOT FUNDS, WE DO HAVE 50,000 FUNDING FOR HOLIDAY DECORATIONS.
THERE'S 28,000 FOR OUTDOOR KIOSK AT LEAGUE PARK.
UM, AS MENTIONED IN THE NEW POSITIONS, THERE'S THE 0.75 FTE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT.
AND THEN WE ALSO, AS WE PUT THE BOOK TOGETHER, REALIZED THERE WAS AN EXPENSE THAT HAD BEEN DOUBLE COUNTED.
SO WE HAD THE ABILITY TO DECREASE THIS OVERALL BUDGET FOR A HOT BY $28,000 FOR THE FOUR B MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS FUND.
SO SALES TAX REVENUE TRANSFERRED FROM THE CORPORATION CIP FUND TO THE M AND O IS ESTIMATED TO INCREASE FROM WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AT 30% TO 35% BEGINNING IN 2027.
UH, THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT AT THE LAST MEETING THAT SAID AS MUCH.
UM, THERE'S ALSO ADDITIONAL SUPPLIES.
THERE'S SOME EMERGENCY REPAIR FUNDING.
UM, THIS IS FOR THINGS THAT, THAT POP UP THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO THE HOMETOWN HEROES FACILITY.
UM, IT'S JUST A BUDGETARY NUMBER.
THERE'S THAT MINI DUMP TRUCK, UH, OR I'M SORRY, MINI DUMP TRAILER FOR HAULING MATERIALS THAT WAS SPLIT 50 50 WITH THE GENERAL FUND.
IT'S 6,000 FOR EACH FUND AND MOST NOTABLY THERE IS THE NEW DEBT PAYMENT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PAT HAL PARK.
IN THIS BUDGET, WE INCLUDED 1.4 MILLION.
THAT'S ABOUT HALF AS MUCH AS WE WHAT YOU NEED FOR THE YEAR.
'CAUSE THE TOTAL PAYMENT IS 3.3.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'LL SEE IN THE 28 BUDGET IS A FULL YEAR'S PAYMENT.
LOOKING AT THE FLEET DEPARTMENT, THEIR BUDGET'S 82,500 MORE THAN THE 26 AMENDED BUDGET.
THE INCREASE IS MAINLY IN PERSONAL SERVICES, UM, DUE TO ANNUALIZED COST OF THE 26 MERIT AND SOME CHANGES IN THE ELECTIONS FOR INSURANCE COVERAGE.
WE ALSO SAW AN INCREASE IN THE EXPENSE FOR VEHICLE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE.
THIS IS, UH, DUE TO AN ANTICIPATED INFLATION FOR PARTS COST.
AND WE ALSO ANTICIPATE THE END OF THE YEAR WE'LL HAVE 1.1 MILLION IN THE FUND BALANCE.
AND THEN TO WHAT COUNCILMAN MANN WAS SPEAKING ABOUT, THIS IS THE CAPITAL REPLACEMENT FUND.
WANTED TO SHOW YOU THE OVERALL SCHEDULE.
IT DOES SHOW THAT WE HAVE A HEFTY FUND BALANCE IN HERE IN THE END OF 2027.
UM, BUDGET STAFF HAS RAN A 10 YEAR ANALYSIS WITH ALL THE REPLACEMENTS OF, UM, FIRETRUCK AND FIRE EQUIPMENT THAT ARE THE MOST EXPENSIVE
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THAT WE HAVE.UM, EVERYTHING WORKS OUT, BUT WE ARE DEFINITELY ON THE PATH TO NEEDING TO HAVE THIS FUND BALANCE SO THAT WE CAN REPLACE THE THINGS THAT ARE COMING UP WITHIN THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
SO SPEAKING ABOUT 2027 ONLY, THIS IS THE LIST FOR REPLACEMENTS.
THE TOTAL IS 2.2 MILLION AT THE BOTTOM.
IT INCLUDES VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT AND 400,000 FOR EMERGENCY REPLACEMENTS.
THERE ARE EIGHT GENERAL VEHICLES, THREE PUBLIC SAFETY VEHICLES AND FOUR PIECES OF EQUIPMENT.
ALSO ON THE REPLACEMENT LIST, THERE WERE EIGHT POLICE UNITS FOR REPLACEMENT AND THOSE ARE GOING TO BE REPLACED THROUGH THE POLICE ASSET FORFEITURE FUND.
AND THAT'LL JUST REDUCE THE TRANSFER TO THE CAPITAL REPLACEMENT FUND FROM THE PD FOR THIS YEAR FOR THE COST OF THOSE VEHICLES, WHICH TOTAL 684,000.
TALKING ABOUT THE CIP, SO AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN, THE LARGEST NUMBER THERE IS UNDERWATER AT $417 MILLION.
THIS IS FOR THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN CLOSELY FOLLOWED BY WASTEWATER AND THEN STREETS AND TRAFFIC, DRAINAGE AND FIRE.
SO WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE ITEMS OR THE PROJECTS THAT ARE NEW TO THE PLAN THAT HAVEN'T BEEN SEEN BEFORE.
THE FIRST ONE IS AT FM 2094 AT 20 OAKS BOULEVARD.
IT'S A TRAFFIC SAFETY IMPROVEMENT.
IT'S PROGRAMMED FOR 2028 AND 2029.
THERE IS A WEST SIDE MASTER PLAN IN 2027 AND THERE'S ALSO NEIGHBORHOOD DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS.
AND PHASE ONE WOULD BE 27 THROUGH 30 WITH PHASE TWO AND 2031.
THERE'S ALSO SOME PARKS PROJECTS.
THERE'S A TRAIL CONDITION MAINTENANCE PLAN FOR 27, A FLOYD ROAD TRAIL FOR CONSTRUCTION IN 27 BAY COLONY TRAILS, ALSO 27.
AND THEN WE HAVE A LEAGUE PARK RESTROOMS OUT OF PARK DEDICATION FEES.
UM, THE ORIGINAL, UH, COST ESTIMATE HAS BEEN UPDATED AND IT IS LESS AT 1.65 MILLION THAN WHAT IS SHOWN IN OUR CURRENT BOOK.
OVER ON THE UTILITY SIDE, THE NEW, UM, PROJECTS, THERE ARE GONNA BE THOSE UTILITY BILLING RECEIVING TOWERS THAT WE MENTIONED UNDER THEIR OPERATIONS BUDGET AT 200,000.
THAT HELPS WITH THE COVERAGE TO READ THE METERS OVER ON THE WEST SIDE OF TOWN.
THERE'S ALSO A SANITARY SEWER EVALUATION STUDY AND THERE'S MEADOW BIN, STP LIFT STATION, PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO THAT ARE IN 2031.
SO WHEN LOOKING AT THE FIVE YEAR PLAN, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS CLEAR THAT THERE IS SOME PROPOSED NEW DEBT THAT WOULD BE NEEDED TO FUND THESE PROJECTS.
AGAIN, THE WATER UTILITY IS THE LARGEST PIE THERE ON THE GRAPH IN 2027, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 28.64 AN ANTICIPATED NEW DEBT.
TIMING AND COST WILL DICTATE WHAT ACTUALLY GETS SOLD WHEN, UH, WE GET TO SUMMER OF NEXT YEAR.
IN THAT 28.6, WE HAVE BENSON BAYOU REGIONAL DETENTION IS PART OF THE GO BONDS PROP A WE HAVE POTENTIAL GRAND PARKWAY CONTRIBUTION THAT'S IN GO BONDS.
PROP B WE ALSO HAVE AT THE UTILITY FUND AND THE WATER CRFS A NEW WATER WELL AND GROUND STORAGE TANK ON LAKE CITY PARKWAY WEST OUT OF UTILITY DEBT WOULD BE TRANSMISSION WATERLINE ASSESSMENT AND REHAB.
AND ALSO UTILITY DEBT WOULD BE THE 20 MILLION GALLON A DAY EXPANSION OF THE SWEP.
SO TONIGHT IS OUR FIRST WORKSHOP.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE SEVERAL MORE, UM, PROGRAMMED ALREADY ON YOUR CALENDARS OF 5:00 PM ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 11TH.
BEFORE THE COUNCIL MEETING AT THAT, WHEN WE WOULD ANTICIPATE TO TALK ABOUT THE PROPERTY TAX ROLL AND THE NO NEW REVENUE AND ALSO VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATES, ANY OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE.
AFTER TONIGHT'S CONVERSATIONS AND GATHER INFORMATION FOR THE BUDGET ORDINANCE ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 25TH AT 5:00 PM WE WOULD ALSO HAVE TIME TO DISCUSS ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED TALKING ABOUT THE TAX RATE, UH, AND THE BUDGET ADOPTION ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 11TH AT THE COUNCIL MEETING WILL HAVE THAT REPORT ON THE PROPERTY TAX ROLL, THE NO NEW REVENUE AND VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE CALCULATIONS PROPOSE THE PROPERTY TAX RATE.
SO THAT WOULD BE AN ACTION ITEM, UM, PRESENTED TO THE COUNCIL.
UM, IT'S PROPOSED EARLY IN AUGUST TO MEET ALL THE DEADLINES FOR THE NOTIFICATIONS SET
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OUT BY STATE LAW.TUESDAY, AUGUST 25TH AT THE MEETING WE'D HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND FIRST READING OF THE 27 BUDGET ORDINANCE.
AND THEN FINALLY ON SEPTEMBER 8TH, WE WOULD HAVE SECOND READING AND ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET ORDINANCE AND ALSO ADOPTION OF THE PROPERTY TAX RATE.
AND THAT IS EVERYTHING I HAD PLANNED FOR THE OVERVIEW.
ANGIE, I'LL START OUT THE QUESTIONS.
I GUESS IF YOU DON'T MIND TALKING ABOUT THE HOLIDAY PAY, JUST REAL QUICK FOR THE CITY EMPLOYEES USE IT OR LOSE IT.
UH, POLICY I GUESS IS GOING INTO EFFECT.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT BANK? IS THERE, WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE LIMIT RIGHT NOW FOR HOLIDAY? I USE IT.
SO, SO TODAY ON HOLIDAYS FUNDAMENTALLY AFFECTS UH, THE DEPARTMENTS THAT WORK, HOLIDAYS, POLICE, EMS, A LITTLE BIT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
AND SO SOME OF THOSE, THEY ALL, IF THEY HAVE TO WORK, THEY BANK THE HOLIDAY.
COME OCTOBER, COME SEPTEMBER 30TH, THOSE HOLIDAYS ARE PAID OUT.
WHAT THEY WOULD DO IS THEY WOULD HAVE TO SCHEDULE A DAY OFF OR THE HOURS OFF PRIOR TO JUNE 30TH OF THE NEXT YEAR.
SO THEY HAVE A WHOLE YEAR TO ACCRUE HOLIDAYS AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL SIX AND THEY CAN TAKE THEM DURING THAT SAME YEAR AND THEN ADDITIONAL SIX MONTHS TO TAKE THE HOLIDAY.
DO YOU THINK THAT MAY LOSE SOME PRODUCTIVITY, I GUESS WITH PEOPLE TAKING OFF? CERTAINLY THEY HAVE TO.
SO CERTAINLY THEY HAVE TO BALANCE, YOU KNOW, WHO'S HERE EVERY DAY AND HOW MANY PEOPLE GET OFF A CERTAIN DAY.
OBVIOUSLY YOU STILL NEED TO STAFF AN AMBULANCE, YOU STILL NEED TO STAFF A MINIMUM STAFFING FOR PATROL OR FOR, UM, DISPATCH, WAS THERE ANY TALKED ABOUT CASH VALUE OR ANYTHING CASHING THE HOLIDAYS OUT AT THE END OF THE YEAR? IS THAT, THAT'S, WE, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING.
IN AN EFFORT TO SAVE SOME MONEY, WE PROPOSE TO TAKE THAT AWAY AND THEN REDISTRIBUTE THAT THROUGH, LIKE INCREASES TO, UM, MERIT INCREASE AND THAT KIND OF THING ALLOWED US TO GET SOME ADDITIONAL CASH.
UH, AMBULANCES, WE ARE ADDING THE TWO PART-TIME EMTS AND PARAMEDICS.
AND WILL THAT BRING US UP TO WHAT, FIVE AMBULANCES NOW THAT WILL BRING, I MEAN FOUR AND TWO PEAKS, THAT WOULD BE FOUR AND TWO PEAKS, CORRECT? SO LIKE A, AND I'M GONNA GET THE HOURS WRONG.
SO THE TWO PEAK ELEMENTS IS ACTUALLY OVERLAP BASED ON THE DEMAND FOR CALLS THAT, UM, JEFF AND NICOLE HAVE BROUGHT FORWARD.
'CAUSE I KNOW THE CALL VOLUME IS PRETTY HIGH.
UM, ANY THOUGHT ABOUT INCREASING AN AMBULANCE IN THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR OR MAYBE SO, OR, UH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT THAT EVERY YEAR, RIGHT? AND SO WE LOOK AT IT, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY, HOW OFTEN DO WE GET DOWN TO ONE OR ZERO AMBULANCES IN PARTICULAR, THE ZERO TIMES MM-HMM
AND SO IF NECESSARY, WE WILL BRING THAT FORWARD.
SO HOW MANY TIMES ARE WE GETTING DOWN TO ZERO NOW? DO WE KNOW? UH, THAT'S IN THEIR MONTHLY REPORT? I DON'T KNOW OFFHAND.
I DON'T KNOW IF JEFF OR NICOLE ARE PREPARED TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
WHILE SHE'S WALKING UP, MAYBE WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE, AND I THINK, ANGIE, YOU SAID 109 DAYS FOR THE RAINY DAY FUND OR THE FUND FOR EMERGENCIES.
WHY DON'T, WHY DON'T YOU GO TO THE, UH, AMBULANCE QUESTION REAL QUICK.
WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE STAFFING LEVEL ON THE, WE GOT FOUR AMBULANCES AND TWO PEAK WITH THIS BUDGET? FOUR.
WITH THAT, HOW MANY CALL, HOW MANY CALLS ARE WE DOWN TO? ZERO WHERE WE HAVE NO AMBULANCES FOR THE YEAR IF RIGHT NOW, SORRY.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE AVERAGING ABOUT 35 CALLS, OR 35 TIMES, 35 TIMES A MONTH THAT WE'RE AT LEVEL ZERO.
NOW, THAT'S JUST SAYING WHEN CALLS ARE COMING IN, THAT'S NOT GIVING THE ACTUAL MINUTES THAT WE HAVE NO AMBULANCES AVAILABLE.
UH, WE HAD NO WAY TO REALLY TRACK THAT.
HOWEVER, UM, THIS LAST MONTH WE'VE KIND OF COME UP WITH A NEW WAY TO START TRACKING THE ACTUAL MINUTES THAT WE'RE ALL UNITS OUT.
SO ARE YOU ON A CALL AT THE HOSPITAL OR IN TRANSPORT? I GUESS ALL THE ABOVE.
SO IF YOU'RE AT THE HOSPITAL, DO YOU RESPOND FROM THE HOSPITAL IF YOU'RE, IF THEY ARE LOADING UP ABLE TO UNLOAD THE PATIENT AND WE, THERE'S TRANSFER PATIENT, THERE'S LOT OF TIMES THAT WE'RE ABLE TO, UM, EXPEDITE GETTING THE PATIENTS OFF OF OUR STRETCHERS AND INTO THE ERS.
BUT AGAIN, THAT'S DEPENDENT ON THE ER AND THEY'RE CALL VOLUME AND BEING ABLE TO CORRECT SAFELY MOVE THOSE PATIENTS OVER.
[00:30:01]
YEAH, THAT'S A, THAT'S A LOT OF TIME, YOU KNOW, FOR A CARDIAC ARREST THAT DROPS IN, IN LAKE CITY WITH NO AMBULANCES ON DUTY.I JUST, I, I LIKE FOR US TO REALLY LOOK AT THAT AND, AND TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY IN THE FUTURE THAT THEIR CALL VOLUME IS SO MUCH.
HOW MANY CALLS ARE YOU MAKING PER, PER MONTH? I KNOW WE'VE INCREASED.
UM, YES, CURRENTLY, UH, I'VE SEEN IT IN YOUR PAPERWORK.
UH, WE AVERAGE, I HAVE MY, UH, WE'RE EXPECTING PROBABLY ABOUT 700 CALLS A MONTH.
WE'RE, WE'RE AVERAGING ABOUT 7, 750 CALLS A MONTH RIGHT NOW.
SO THE CALL VOLUME'S QUITE A BIT FOR, AND DOES THAT INCLUDE, I GUESS, AMBULANCES WE'RE UNDER OR RUNNING FROM ONE SIDE OF THE WEST SIDE TO THE EAST SIDE? FROM THE EAST SIDE OR THE WEST SIDE? SO THE RESPONSE TIME IS PROBABLY LONGER ALSO ON MOST CALLS IF YOU'RE DOING THAT.
Y Y'ALL HAVE A BACKEND POLICY WHERE YOU BACK IN AN AMBULANCE IF, LET'S SAY YOU HAVE TWO AMBULANCES AND THE WEST SIDE IS NOT COVERED, DO YOU HAVE A POLICY OR ANYTHING TO BACK AN AMBULANCE IN FOR A LITTLE BIT WHILE THE NO, SIR.
UM, I, I JUST, MAYBE JUST FOR COUNCIL'S THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, 35 TIMES A MONTH, THAT'S QUITE A BIT, I MEAN, UH, OF NOT HAVING AN AMBULANCE IN THE CITY.
SO MAYBE, MAYBE IN THE FUTURE WE CAN START LOOKING AT, I KNOW THE PEAK AMBULANCE WILL HELP, BUT STILL, IF YOU HAVE A CARDIAC ARREST AND ONE'S COMING FROM THE HOSPITAL IN WEBSTER OR, OR SOMETHING THAT'S A, THAT'S A LONG TIME.
SO JUST TO, AND THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY NOT IN THE CITY.
I MEAN THAT WHEN OUR, WHEN WE SAY WE'RE AT LEVEL ZERO, ALL THE UNITS CAN BE IN THE CITY ON CALLS MM-HMM
BUT YOU CAN'T ABANDON YOUR CALL, CORRECT? YEAH.
YOU'RE, SO, YOU'RE OUT OF SERVICE.
THERE'S NO WAY THAT YOU CAN JUMP A CALL THREE TIMES A DAY.
I'M SURE THEY DON'T JUST GO, HMM.
SO WHAT I MEAN, SO IS THIS MUTUAL AID OR HOW DO YOU GET TO THAT OR DOES THAT FOURTH CALL NOT DROP? HOW IS THIS, WHEN THE, HOW'S THIS ADDRESSED NOW? SO CURRENTLY, IF ALL OF OUR UNITS ARE OUT ON CALLS, THEN DISPATCH WILL GO TO WHICHEVER CITY'S CLOSEST TO THAT CALL AND ASK FOR THEM TO SEND AN AMBULANCE TO THAT MUTUAL AID, MUTUAL AID AGENCY.
AND THEN OUR, OUR CREWS, UH, AND OUR SUPERVISOR WHO'S ON DUTY, TRY TO COURT DATE WITH THE CREWS TO SEE HOW QUICKLY THEY CAN, UH, EXPEDITE GETTING OFF OF THE CALL THAT THEY'RE ON AND, YOU KNOW, MAKE A DETERMINATION.
IF IT'S NOT GONNA BE BE A TRANSPORT, THEN TRY TO GET BACK IN SERVICE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO GOING AHEAD AND PICK UP THAT CALL, WHICH WE ACTUALLY DO A LOT OR WE COORDINATE WITH THE ERS AND, UM, WE FIND ROOM, UH, WE HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ERS GOING, OKAY, WHERE'S THE BED? WHERE CAN I PUT THIS PATIENT? WE'VE, WE'VE GOTTA GO.
I, NICOLE, HAVE YOU AND OUR NUMBERS THAT YOU GIVE US, UM, ON RESPONSE TIME CALCULATIONS THAT INCLUDES THESE INCIDENCES, RIGHT? CORRECT.
HAVE Y'ALL LOOKED AT, UH, DIRECT TO TRIAGE PROTOCOLS YET DIRECT TO TRIAGE? WE DO PARTICIPATE.
YOU DO PARTICIPATE IN DIRECT TRIAGE.
WHAT DIRECT TRIAGE IS, IS IF THEY GET A CALL, MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA, THEY RADIOED IN AS SOON AS THEY GET TO THE ER, RATHER THAN GOING THROUGH THE CHARGE NURSE BACK IN THE BACK OF THE ER, THEY JUST GO STRAIGHT TO THE WAITING ROOM WITH THEM.
AND THAT IS QUITE A, QUITE A FEW, I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S STILL PARAMETERS THAT WE DO HAVE TO GIVE RIGHT? A REPORT AND COORDINATE THROUGH THE ERS.
UM, BUT, UM, BUT THAT SHOULD HELP YOU GET UNITS BACK IN SERVICE.
MOST OF THE ERS DON'T REALLY PARTICIPATE IN THAT.
UM, THEY WANNA BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT ONE-ON-ONE WITH OUR CREWS AND THEN THEY LIKE TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION.
SO, SO TOMMY, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE ASKING, HOW MANY, IF WE WERE TO ADD HOW MANY AMBULANCES BEFORE YOU THINK WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE ISSUE THAT YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT? WELL, IT'S HARD TO SAY.
I MEAN, WITH THE GROWTH AND THE CALL VOLUME, IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE CALL VOLUME AND HOW MANY CALLS WE'RE RUNNING.
BUT I MEAN, I THINK WHAT'S THE AVERAGE CALLS YOU'RE RUNNING PER DAY? DO YOU KNOW? THE FILE? 27, 27 CALLS A DAY.
MUTUAL AID IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF EMS. THERE WOULD NEVER BE ENOUGH AMBULANCES ON THE STREETS IN ANY CITY TO NOT HAVE MUTUAL AID.
WE, WE RUN, WE HAVE MUTUAL AIDS ALMOST ON A DAILY BASIS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF LIVERPOOL AND WE'RE PUTTING UP A SIXTH AMBULANCE AND WE'RE STILL GONNA HAVE MUTUAL AIDS BECAUSE THAT'S JUST AN ESSENTIAL PART OF EMS. IT IT IS, BUT I MEAN, THE MORE AMBULANCES YOU HAVE, OBVIOUSLY THE LESS CALLS YOU'RE GONNA HAVE MUTUAL AID WITH.
BUT I, I, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I REALLY CAN'T SAY THAT.
I MEAN, IF YOU HAD FIVE AMBULANCES OR SIX,
[00:35:01]
YOU'RE PROBABLY BE DOING A LOT BETTER THAN FOUR IN TWO PEAK.BUT AGAIN, UM, THAT, THAT'S HARD TO SAY.
EVERY YEAR THE CALL VOLUME'S GONE UP AND WE DO LOOK AT WHAT, WHAT TIME THOSE LEVEL ZEROS ARE, THOSE GET REPORTED UP AND THAT'S HOW WE DETERMINE WHEN DOES THAT EXTRA AMBULANCE NEED TO COVER THE TIME.
AND CURRENTLY THEY'RE MIDDAY, YOU LOOK AT THE HOUR CALLS ARE HAPPENING AND THAT'S WHY WE'VE DONE THAT.
WE NEED THE EXTRA COVERAGE DURING THE DAY AND NOT OPEN.
UH, ANGIE, ON THE 109 DAYS, IS THAT THE EMERGENCY FUND FOR IN CASE WE HAVE A HURRICANE OR SOMETHING FOR THE BUDGET? DID, DID YOU SAY 109? I THOUGHT IT WAS 110 AT ONE TIME.
SO THE DAYS OPERATING EXPENDITURES ARE THE 110 THAT IS THE POLICY SET BY COUNSEL.
EVERYTHING ABOVE THAT FOR PROJECTED AT THE END OF 2027 IS 0.9 DAYS.
SO IT'S ONLY IN EXCESS OF $273,000.
IS THERE ANY REASON THAT WE KEEP 110? I MEAN, BESIDES THE POLICY, IF WE, IF WE DROP DOWN TO THE 90 DAYS OR SOMETHING, WOULD THAT FREE UP SOME MONEY? IT'S UP TO THE COUNCIL IF YOU WANT IT TO BE AT 90 OR 110.
WE WOULD JUST NEED TO CHANGE THE POLICY.
UM, ONE THING TO NOTE IS IT IS FAVORABLY LOOKED AT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CREDIT RATING.
WE'RE ABOUT TO DO THIS LARGE BOND SALE, RIGHT? THE CREDIT RATING AGENCIES WILL BE HERE ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY TO TOUR THE CITY.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALWAYS GET VERY FAVORABLE REVIEWS IS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE STRONG POLICIES AND THAT WE HAVE STRONG RESERVES.
BUT MY ONLY CONCERN IS I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER, HAVE WE EVER, IN THE LAST 40 YEARS, USED 30 DAYS.
WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE $3 MILLION WHEN HARVEY HIT AND CASH FUND THAT TO GET THE CITY BACK ON ITS FEET BEFORE WE COULD GET THE REIMBURSEMENT.
AND HOW MUCH MONEY AGAIN PER DAY? UM, IT'S GONNA PROBABLY BE AROUND THREE, 350,000 PER DAY BECAUSE 0.9 IS 273,000.
YEAH, THAT'S JUST SOMETHING AGAIN THAT I, I THINK WE COULD FREE UP A LITTLE BIT OF CASH IF SO, EVERY YEAR, ONCE THAT MONEY, ONCE THAT MONEY, IF IT'S NOT USED THEN IT'S JUST ROLLED OVER INTO THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
IS THAT HOW IT WORKS? OR DO, DO WE USE THAT MONEY IN ANY OTHER ASPECT OF CITY GOVERNMENT? DO WE USE IT IN CS OR BUYING VEHICLES OR ANYTHING ELSE? AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THE POLICY SAYS THAT IF WE DIP INTO THE 110 DAYS, THE COUNCIL HAS TO VOTE ON IT AND IMMEDIATELY COME UP WITH A PLAN TO REPLENISH THE MONEY OKAY.
SO, NO SIR, WE DON'T USE IT UNLESS WE HAVE A HURRICANE OR HAVE TO USE IT.
AND JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
IF ANYBODY WANTS TO TALK, JUST LET ME KNOW.
I'LL BE QUIET FOR A LITTLE BIT.
BUT, UM, IN THE CIP, UH, ON PAGE 1 75, IF YOU HAVE YOUR BOOK, IT'S THE MARBELLA WALK PATHS PROJECT.
I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY THIS IS A CIP SINCE MARBELLA.
IT'S A $346,000 HIT ON THE CITY, I GUESS.
BUT MY QUESTION IS MARBELLA IS A FAIRLY NEW SUBDIVISION AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE PUTTING SIDEWALKS IN.
IS THERE A REASON THE DEVELOPER NEVER PUT THAT IN? SO, SO THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, LEAGUE CITY HAD A PRACTICE THAT IF YOU BUILT A UNLOADED COLLECTOR, IF YOU BUILT A SIDEWALK SIX FEET ON ONE SIDE OF THE ROAD, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO BUILD A SIDEWALK ON BOTH SIDES.
WHAT WE'VE DONE, I'LL SAY THE LAST 10 YEARS, AS AS NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE COME FORWARD AND THEY SAID, HEY, THAT DOESN'T MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY ANYMORE.
AND SO WE HAVE SPLIT THE COST TO BACK FAIL SIDEWALKS SO KIDS DIDN'T HAVE TO CROSS THOSE COLLECTORS.
AND SO IF IT'S 343,000, I SUSPECT THAT NUMBER IS SPLIT BETWEEN US.
AND WE GET A REVENUE SOURCE FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AT THE SAME TIME WE'VE BEEN SPLITTING THAT 50 50 AND ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS BECAUSE OF THE LEVEL OF EXPENDITURE WOULD COME TO CITY COUNCIL BEFORE WE WOULD EXECUTE THEM.
HAVE WE CHANGED THAT POLICY GOING FORWARD? WE WE CAN CHANGE IT AT ANY TIME UP TO THE, UP TO THE COUNCIL, NOT SPLITTING OF THE, NOT THE SPLITTING OF THE, UH, THE MONEY, BUT I'M SAYING IN NEW SUBDIVISIONS IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT PEOPLE WANT 'EM ON BOTH SIDES.
GOING FORWARD, WE'VE BEEN REQUIRING SIDEWALKS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE COLLECTOR STREET AND AN ARTERIAL.
AND I GUESS THE NEXT QUESTION I HAD WAS ON PAGE 180 5.
IT WAS THE KILGORE DAVIS TRACK PARKLAND TRAIL.
AND I GUESS I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
[00:40:02]
PRETTY, PRETTY MUCH IN IN WETLANDS OR MOST OF IT, OR SOME OF IT, I GUESS TO A CERTAIN POINT.IT'S 180 5 AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE SPENDING $3,217,000, I GUESS.
AND I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE GRABBING FOR MONEY FOR CERTAIN THINGS AND OTHER THINGS THAT'RE WE'RE JUST THROWING A $3 MILLION TICKET OUT THERE.
WHAT, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT TRACK.
THAT FIELD TRACK IS, UH, PROPERTY
UM, AT ONE POINT WE HAD BROUGHT, UM, THE EA CANOE KAYAK LAUNCH SITE OUT AT THAT PARTICULAR SITE, BUT IT WAS NOT APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL.
THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT IS TWO PHASE.
ONE PHASE IS ON THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE KILGO TRACK, WHICH CONNECTS THE PROPOSED HERITAGE TRAIL ON KANSAS, UM, AT THE KILGO TRACK AND CONNECTING IT TO HERITAGE PARK.
SO THE FOLKS IN THE DOWNTOWN HISTORIC DISTRICT WILL BE ABLE TO WALK FROM LAKE PARK TO THE KILGORE TRACK AND TO THE HERITAGE TRACK IN A LOOP TRAIL SYSTEM.
THE SECOND PHASE OF THIS PROJECT IS TWO OVERLOOKS ALONG THE SHORE OF THE KILGORE TRACK.
WE FEEL THAT THAT PROJECT, THE SECOND PHASE WILL TAKE, UH, A LITTLE BIT LONGER, MAYBE A YEAR, A COUPLE YEARS BECAUSE IT INVOLVES THE CORE.
BUT PHASE ONE, CONNECTING THE HERITAGE TRAIL IN KANSAS TO HERITAGE PARK SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE DONE IN 2027.
YOU'RE SAYING OVERLOOKS, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? A, A TRAIL THAT TAKES YOU OUT TO A OVERLOOK, UM, UM, BOARDWALK TYPE WHERE, UH, THERE IS A 20 BY 10, UH, STAGING AREA WHERE PEOPLE COULD END AT THAT DESTINATION AND LOOK OUT TO CLEAR LAKE.
AND, AND I GUESS THAT'S WHAT I'M KIND OF AGAINST TO A CERTAIN POINT IS WHY WE'RE BUILDING IN A, A FLOOD ZONE OR A FLOOD WAY, I GUESS BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT HARVEY DID TO, TO THE CREEK AND HOW FAR WATER CAME UP.
THAT'S JUST AN INVITE TO HAVE TO REBUILD IT IN A FEW YEARS.
SO JUST MY KIND OF THOUGHTS WHY WE'RE BUILDING THINGS IN THE FLOODWAY AND I MEAN, IT'S NICE TO HAVE MAYBE SOME OVER OR SOME OVERLOOKS AT CERTAIN AREAS OF THE PARK, BUT WE HAVE THE TED OR THE, UH, DUNDEE, UM, TRACK I GUESS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TWO 70.
UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF CLOSE TO IT.
BUT I, I JUST, SOME OF THESE PROJECTS, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF, A LOT OF MONEY.
I KNOW IT'S COMING OUT OF A GEN A DIFFERENT FUND INSTEAD OF GENERAL FUND, BUT, UH, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF BASEBALL FIELDS AND EVERYTHING ELSE WE'RE LOOKING AT TO BUILD WALTER HALL PARK AND DIFFERENT STUFF.
ABOUT, UH, TWO TO THREE YEARS AGO, THE CITY COUNCIL ASKED STAFF TO LOOK AT A CLEAR CREEK MASTER PLAN YES.
TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF CLEAR CREEK AND LOOK AT RECREATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL OPPORTUNITIES.
SO THIS PROJECT WAS IDENTIFIED IN CLEAR CREEK MASTER PLAN AS ONE OF THE QUICKER PROJECTS THAT WE, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH.
I'M JUST KIND OF, AND TO BE CLEAR, I DON'T THINK ANYTHING WE'RE BUILDING HERE IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED REBUILT AFTER A FLOOD EVENT.
A BOARDWALK WOULDN'T BE IF IT GOT WASHED AWAY.
I I WOULD HOPE WE'RE BUILDING IT INTENDING TO.
WE WORK WITH OUR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT AND IT'S GOING TO BE PRETTY SECURE.
IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THE CANOE KAY.
ALONG SITE THAT WE HAVE AT THE NATURE CENTER.
YEAH, I'M, AND I ALSO THINK THE, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU MENTIONED THAT COUNCIL A SL TO, TO LOOK AT THIS COUNCIL A ISSUE, LOOK AT IT, NOT BECAUSE ANY OF US PARTICULARLY WANT IT, BUT BECAUSE A RESULT OF THE CITIZEN SURVEYS, TWO OF THE, THE HIGHEST PRIORITIES HAVE ALWAYS COME BACK, HAVE BEEN, UM, CONNECTIVITY FOR, FOR WALKING.
UM, THIS HELPS ON THAT BY, BY COMPLETING THAT LOOP AND MAKING USE OF THE ONE THING THAT, THAT IS SOMEWHAT UNIQUE TO LEAGUE CITY AND, AND THAT'S OUR, UM, BORDER BEING FORMED BY CLEAR CREEK TO THE NORTH AND DICKINSON BAYOU TO THE SOUTH.
UM, WE HAVE A CONTINUAL REQUEST FOR, UM, THE ABILITY TO ACCESS THE, THE CREEK IN SOME WAY AND TO ENJOY, UM, NATURE.
UM, AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS TO SATISFY THAT.
UM, AND I SAY THAT AS SOMEBODY WHO PERSONALLY PROBABLY WON'T USE IT.
UM, BUT, BUT ACKNOWLEDGING FULL WELL THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THE CITIZENS HAVE REPEATEDLY SAID THEY THEY HAVE INTEREST IN.
YEAH, AND I AGREE WITH YOU TO A CERTAIN POINT, I LIKE TO HAVE THINGS ON THE WATER, BUT $3 MILLION IS A LOT OF MONEY TO BE SPENDING ON SOME LOOKOUTS
[00:45:01]
AND TRAIL SYSTEMS. AND IT SEEMS LIKE WE GOT QUITE A FEW ALREADY WHERE WE COULD PUT THAT MONEY TO BETTER USE.UH, THE NEXT ITEM, JOHN, I GUESS I HAD A QUESTION FOR YOU ON PAGE 1 93 FM 2094 TRAILS.
I NOTICED THAT, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE ON UH, GOING DOWN TO LAWRENCE ROAD WITH THE TRAIL, IS THERE A REASON WE'RE JUMPING ACROSS THE STREET.
WE, WE HAVE SOME OF THE TRAIL ON THE NORTH SIDE OF, UH, OF THE ROADWAY OF 2094.
AND THEN WE HAVE, WHEN WE GET TO SOUTH, I GUESS THAT'S SOUTH COMPASS ROADS, IT JUMPS TO THE, TO THE SOUTH SIDE.
IS THERE NOT ENOUGH ROOM TO TAKE IT ON THE OTHER SIDE? THAT'S, SO THAT'S THE PIECE OF TRAIL THAT CONNECTS KEMA CLEAR LAKE SHORES.
AND THE REASON WE JUMPED ACROSS AT THAT POINT WAS WORKING TO CONNECT SOME LINKAGE AT THE INTERSECTION OF SOUTH COMPASS ROAD.
OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A TRAFFIC SIGNAL AND PROVIDES A SAFE CROSSING CROSSING.
IF YOU CONTINUE UP THE SOUTH SIDE TO THE WEST, YOU GET TO THE GENCO CANAL, IT TAKES THE BRIDGE AND THERE'S ADDITIONAL SEGMENT TO COMPLETE.
UM, SOMEWHERE JUST WEST OF THE GENCO.
IF YOU'RE ON THE NORTH SIDE, IT'S CONTINUOUS.
UM, ONCE YOU GET TO, UM, GLEN COVE, I, I BELIEVE IT'S CONTINUOUS ALL THE WAY TO FIVE CORNERS.
SO THE, THE PORTION BETWEEN SOUTH COMPASS ROADS ON THE NORTH SIDE AND LAWRENCE ROAD IS, THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT STEEP, ALMOST LIKE IT'S ON FILL OR THERE'S UTILITY BEING PROTECTED AND REQUIRE, REQUIRES SIGNIFICANT WALL CONSTRUCTION ON THE NORTH SIDE, ON THE NORTH SIDE, ON THE WATERFORD HARBOR SIDE? CORRECT.
I JUST SEEN, SEEN THAT, BUT I THINK THE PEOPLE YEAH, FROM WOODFORD HARBOR WERE HOPING TO HAVE SOMETHING ON THAT SIDE OF THE ROADWAY, UM, TO CONNECT TO.
'CAUSE I, I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ON THE BRIDGE WITH, UM, THE GENCO BRIDGE, UH, SIDEWALK AND I'D HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE OUT THERE.
THERE WAS A SMALL PIECE OF SIDEWALK ON THE NORTH SIDE.
UM, I DON'T THINK IT'S OVER THERE ALL THE WAY TO YEAH, I DON'T, I DON'T WEST MARINE.
WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
JUST I'M CURIOUS WHY WE JUMPED ACROSS THE STREET AND THE NEXT ONE I HAD WAS 1 97, UH, PUBLIC ARTS INITIATIVE.
I'M, I'M HAPPY THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FOR THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS, BUT, UH, A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR ARTWORK, WHICH AGAIN, I, I THINK IT'S BEAUTIFICATION, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF PROJECTS IN THIS CITY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE GET DONE BEFORE I GUESS WALL GETS PAINTED AND IN FIVE YEARS WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO REPAINT IT.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE IN THE CIP.
IF SOMEBODY ELSE WANTS TO TALK, I'LL SEE IF I HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS IN THE, THE OTHER BUDGET.
SO JUST A, JUST A COUPLE QUICK THINGS.
UM, I WANT TO TOUCH BACK ON THE USE IT OR LOSE IT FOR THE VACATION.
UM, GOING THROUGH IT, THERE SEEMS TO BE QUITE A BIT OF OVERTIME ALREADY IN AS WE GO TO WHERE WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE HOPEFULLY TAKING THEIR VACATION.
IS THAT OVERTIME THAT'S GOING TO COME IN IF WE'RE ALREADY TAKING OVERTIME? I'M ASSUMING WE'RE JUST GOING TO END UP HAVING TO TAKE MORE AS PEOPLE GO ON VACATION.
IS THAT OVERTIME IN THE BUDGET OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT AND SEE? DO WE NEED TO ADD TO THAT? I, I'M, I I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTOOD THE QUESTION.
I HE'S AFRAID THAT BY MORE PEOPLE TAKING TIME OFF, OTHERS ARE GONNA HAVE TO WORK MORE OVERTIME AND HAVE WE ACCOUNT HIM FOR THAT IN THE BUDGET.
AS IT RE YOU KNOW, AS IT RELATES, YOU KNOW, AS IT RELATES TO POLICE, THEY HAVE TO MANAGE THEIR TIME OFF AND SO THEY CAN'T APPROVE DISCRETIONARY TIME OFF WHEN THERE'S NOT ENOUGH OFFICERS.
AND SO I, WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T THINK SO OBVIOUSLY THAT'S ALL INTERTWINED WITH STAFFING AND THE NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE.
YOU KNOW, THEORETICALLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT EMS IS, UM, IF THEY HAVE TO HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PARAMEDICS IN ORDER TO RUN AN, YOU HAVE TO HAVE TWO PARAMEDICS OR A PARAMEDIC IN THE EMT TO RUN AN AMBULANCE.
WE DON'T EVER NOT FILL AN AMBULANCE.
SO IF THEY'RE OFF, THEN YES, SOMEBODY HAS TO STEP UP AND DO THAT.
WE BELIEVE THAT'S ACCOUNTED FOR IN THE BUDGET TODAY.
UM, WITH THE, WE TALKED ABOUT THE RESTROOM QUOTE DROPPING.
WAS THIS, THIS WAS AT THE, UH, WHAT WAS THE MAIN REASON? IT SEEMED LIKE IT, IT DROPPED BY ABOUT A QUARTER.
[00:50:04]
WAS THE QUESTION ABOUT THE LEAGUE PARK RESTROOM? YES.WHAT, WHAT CAUSED IT TO DROP DOWN? WHAT CAUSED, OH, THE COST ESTIMATE TO REDUCE MM-HMM
SO WHEN WE, SO WHEN WE SUBMITTED THAT PROJECT, UM, THERE WAS A QUESTION AS TO, WELL IT WAS A LOT OF, LOT OF MONEY.
AND SO THAT, UH, ESTIMATE WAS DONE BY A CONSULTANT BUT WITHOUT A FEE ATTACHED TO IT.
AND SO AS WE GOT SOME PUSHBACK ON THE COST OF REPLACING THAT RESTROOM IN ITS ENTIRETY, WE PAID A CONSULTANT TO RE-LOOK AT IT AND GIVE US ANOTHER ESTIMATE.
UM, WELL WE DROPPED THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR.
THE, IS IS THIS THE RIGHT TIME TO BE DOING THAT? AS WE START TO LOOK WITH THE GROWTH COMING IN WITH THE GRAND, UH, PARKWAY COMING ON, UM, I, I THINK AS IT RELATES TO 2000, SO THE PERSON THAT WAS IN THAT POSITION LEFT THE CITY.
AND SO AT THE TIME WE DID THAT, UM, BASED ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THE GRAND PARKWAY STILL BEING FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AWAY, I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE.
THE, UM, REALLY THE NEXT THING THAT I'VE GOT, UH, KIND OF QUESTIONS ON IT, I THINK WE MAY BE ABLE TO, TO MAYBE SAVE SOME MONEY AND PUT IT TOWARDS SOMETHING ELSE IS GONNA BE WITH THE, LIKE THE ITEMS LIKE THE, THE CITY MATTERS MAGAZINE, THE PUBLIC, UM, ACCESS TELEVISION.
I'VE NEVER REALLY PAID A WHOLE LOT OF ATTENTION TO 'EM 'CAUSE THEY JUST KIND OF STOOD OUT HERE.
SO IS THERE A, WHAT DO WE HAVE TO HAVE FOR THE PUBLIC ACCESS TELEVISION? ARE THERE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE? SO AS SARAH GETS SETTLED, UM, THE PUBLIC ACCESS CHANNEL IS PAID FOR OUT OF THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND, THE PEG CHANNEL, THE PEG, UM, THAT IS NOT PART OF THE GENERAL FUND.
AND THERE ARE SOME SPECIFIC THINGS THAT, THAT MONEY CAN BE SPENT FOR.
SO THE PUBLIC ACCESS CHANNEL IS PAID FOR BY FEES THAT ARE COLLECTED BY CABLE COMPANIES.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, COMCAST BY LAW IS REQUIRED TO GIVE US SO MUCH MONEY, UH, PER YEAR BASED ON THE NUMBER OF SUBSCRIBERS TO HAVE THAT PEG CHANNEL OPERATIONAL.
SO IF WE'RE NOT SPENDING THE MONEY ON THE CHANNEL, COULD WE SPEND IT ON ANYTHING ELSE? WELL, THERE WE HAVE TO KEEP THE CHANNEL UP AND RUNNING PER THE AGREEMENT WITH THE FCC.
SO WE REALLY COULDN'T BE USING THAT MONEY FOR ANYTHING ELSE.
WE, WE, WE SPEND THE FUNDS ON THINGS THAT SUPPORT PUBLIC ACCESS TV.
AND SO, SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE COUNCIL, THE COUNCIL MEETINGS THAT ARE BROADCAST NOW ON THE PEG CHANNEL ARE A REQUIREMENT TO BE FOR, FOR TRANSPARENCY PURPOSES.
SO IF WE ELIMINATE THE PEG CHANNEL, THEN WE ELIMINATE HAVING THOSE COUNCIL MEETINGS ON THE PEG CHANNEL FOR FOLKS TO WATCH TO THE INTEREST.
THERE'S, THERE'S NOTHING ELSE WE CAN DO WITH IT.
WE'VE ACTUALLY DONE A LOT TO ALREADY MAXIMIZE OUR ABILITY TO USE THAT FUND.
UM, FOR THINGS I WOULD SAY ARE STRETCHING.
UM, WE DIDN'T, WE DO THE REHAB, GOT OF THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS WITH SOME OF THAT MONEY.
UM, BUT AGAIN, THAT MONEY GOES AWAY IF WE DON'T HAVE THE CHANNEL.
SO, AND THE, THE THINGS WE DO TO RECORD THIS MEETING ARE ALL SUPPORTED BY THAT SAME FUND.
AND SO IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THE, I I DID YOU, IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THE CHANNEL, THEN WE WOULDN'T HAVE ANY PE WOULDN'T, WE WOULDN'T HAVE ANY FUNDS.
WE WOULDN'T BE COLLECTING ANYTHING AT ALL.
SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE ANY HOT FUNDS AT ALL IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THE PEG, THE PEG CHANNEL.
SO, SO, SO LET ME ASK SINCE, SINCE WE'VE KIND OF GOT KIND OF PART OF THE ANSWER, IF WE'VE ALREADY KIND OF REACHED OUT TO WHERE WE'RE STRETCHING THE USE OF THE FUNDS.
SO THE ANSWER IS THERE'S USING OUR STRETCHING, THERE'S NOTHING ELSE.
I MEAN, IF WE JUST USE BARE BONES, JUST LET PEOPLE WATCH THE, THE CHANNELS, THE, UH, COUNCIL MEETINGS AND ALL THAT, THEN THERE'S NOTHING ELSE WE COULD DO.
I I, WELL, IF WE DON'T HAVE THE PIG CHANNELS, WE DON'T HAVE ANY FUNDS, SO IT'S KIND OF PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE, THE HORSE.
I'M NOT ARGUING WHETHER WE DON'T HAVE IT.
I'M ASKING IF WE KEEP IT IS THERE, BUT WE KEEP IT AT A LOWER LEVEL.
WHAT'S THE MINIMUM WE CAN DO AND STILL HAVE THE REST OF THE MONEY TO SPEND SOMEWHERE ELSE? WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING THAT.
SO WHEN I LOOK THROUGH THIS, EVERYTHING ON HERE SAYS BARE, BARE BONES AS FAR AS WHAT WE'RE SPENDING ON THE PEG CHANNEL? YEAH.
WE'RE BARE, WE'RE BARE BONING THE PEG CHANNEL AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
WE HAVE ONE STAFF MEMBER WHO'S A VIDEOGRAPHER WHOSE JOB IS TO PROGRAM
[00:55:01]
THE PEG CHANNEL TO MAKE SURE THE COUNCIL MEETINGS ARE ON THE PEG CHANNEL.UM, BUT AS OBVIOUS THAT VIDEOGRAPHER DOES A LOT OF OTHER THINGS BESIDES JUST MAINTAIN THE PEG CHANNEL.
SO WE ARE BUDGETING THE LEAST AMOUNT OF MONEY AS POSSIBLE, I BELIEVE, TO KEEP THE MAIN, THE PEG CHANNEL FUNCTIONING.
UM, BECAUSE IF WE DON'T HAVE THE PEG CHANNEL FUNCTIONING, THEN WE AREN'T GETTING ANY HOT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GETTING ANY THAT, EXCUSE ME, NOT HOT.
WE'RE NOT GETTING ANY PEG REVENUE.
SO LET'S SWITCH OVER TO THE, TO THE, UH, CITY MATTERS MAGAZINE.
HOW MUCH I, I SEE THAT WE, WE DO 40,000 COPIES FOUR TIMES A YEAR.
WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE COST OF MAILING ON THAT? UH, THE ACTUAL, I COULDN'T BREAK DOWN THE ACTUAL POSTAGE ON THAT BECAUSE WE GET IT INCORPORATED INTO PRINTING AND POSTAGE AT THE SAME TIME.
IT RUNS AROUND $25,000 TO MAIL, 45,000, UM, ADDITIONS OF CITY MATTERS.
BUT THAT INCLUDES THE MAGAZINE ITSELF.
THAT INCLUDES PRINTING THE MAGAZINE, THAT INCLUDES THE MAILING SERVICE AT THE POST OFFICE, AND THAT INCLUDES THE POSTAGE.
SO IT'S ALL WORKED INTO THE CONTRACT WITH THE PRINTER, WHICH WORKS AS AN IN-HOUSE MAILING SERVICE.
AND SO THEY, THEY INCLUDE THE POSTAGE IN THEIR ESTIMATE.
SO WHY DO YOU THINK THAT THIS IS STILL, YOU KNOW, SINCE YOU'RE, SINCE YOU'RE OVER THE DEPARTMENT MM-HMM
WHY DO YOU THINK THAT A GLOSSY MAGAZINE IS STILL SOMETHING THAT'S RELEVANT WHEN WE COULD REPLACE IT WITH SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE MORE CAN EASILY ACCESS ONLINE? BECAUSE, UM, I WOULD SAY YEAR AFTER YEAR IN OUR CITIZEN SURVEY, IT HAS SHOWN THAT THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT PEOPLE GET THEIR INFORMATION FROM.
WE ACTUALLY LINE OUT BETWEEN FACEBOOK CITY MATTERS, THE NEWSPAPER, THE RADIO, AND THE NUMBER ONE THING EVERY TIME IS CITY MATTERS MAGAZINE.
SO, OKAY, SO I WANNA ANSWER, SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT THROUGH OUR RESEARCH THAT THE BIGGEST WAY THAT OUR CITIZENS GET INFORMATION ABOUT THE CITY IS A QUARTERLY MAGAZINE ACCORDING TO OUR RESIDENTS, THAT IS THE MOST POPULAR WAY THAT THEY GET THEIR INFORMATION FROM THE CITY AND THE, THE MOST, THE WAY THAT THEY ENJOY GETTING IT.
BECAUSE NOT ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS ARE, ARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT ARE ON OUR WEBSITE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF ELDERLY RESIDENTS THAT PREFER TO GET THE MAGAZINE BECAUSE THEY, THEY CAN READ IT AND THEY CAN PHYSICALLY HAVE IT IN THEIR HANDS.
UM, AND I GO BACK TO, AGAIN, THE RESIDENTS HAVE TOLD US THROUGH THE CITIZEN SURVEY THAT THAT'S REALLY ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR WAYS TO GET THE INFORMATION THAT THEY'RE SEEKING.
I, I'LL ALSO ADD AS AN ANECDOTAL PIECE OF EVIDENCE, EVERY TIME THAT CITY MATTERS COMES OUT, TALK OF LEAGUE CITY AND ALL THE OTHER FACEBOOK GROUPS ARE FULL OF COMMENTS ABOUT PROJECTS AND, AND DISCUSSIONS THAT OCCURRED IN THE CITY MATTERS, UM, MAGAZINE.
UM, SO I, I DO THINK IT IS WELL READ.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT, OH, IT WAS PROBABLY ABOUT 10 TO 12 YEARS AGO, UH, ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE COMPLAINTS CITIZENS HAD ABOUT THE CITY WAS NOT KNOWING WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, AND THE ASSUMPTION WHEN THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IS THAT IT'S EITHER NOTHING OR NOTHING GOOD.
AND SINCE THAT HAS, HAS COME INTO PLAY, INCLUDING THAT NEWSLETTER, UM, THE AMOUNT OF HAPPINESS, UM, THAT IS SHOWN IN THE SURVEYS, THE AMOUNT OF SATISFACTION AND EVEN THE AMOUNT OF TOLERANCE FOR, UM, WHEN THERE ARE ISSUES WITH COMPLETING PROJECTS HAS, HAS BEEN A NIGHT AND DAY IMPROVEMENT, UM, OVER WHAT IT WAS 10, 12 YEARS AGO.
JUST TO NOTE, TOM, WE USED TO DO IT MONTHLY, MANY YEARS AGO, AND, UM, IT WAS CUT BACK TO QUARTERLY BECAUSE OF THE PRICE ON IT AND I GUESS POPULATION.
SO, BUT I MEAN, PEOPLE'S SATISFACTION DIDN'T DROP BECAUSE WE WENT TO QUARTERLY.
I, I JUST, I THINK THAT IF WE'RE, THIS IS AN EASY WAY TO MAKE UP SOME MONEY TO, TO FILL IN BIGGER PROJECTS RATHER THAN A GLOSSY MAGAZINE.
I DON'T THINK CUTTING COMMUNICATIONS IS A WAY TO FIND SAVINGS.
WOULD YOU GUYS GO OVER, UH, THE 4 57 PROGRAM THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT IMPLEMENTING? SURE.
SO OVER THE LAST YEAR OR TWO, UH, WE'VE HAD SOME REQUESTS TO INCREASE OUR CONTRIBUTION TO TMRS TO GO FROM A 7% COMMUNITY TO AN 8%.
AND THEN WHEN WE LOOKED AT THAT, ONE OF THE IDEAS THAT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD THAT I'LL SAY PARTIALLY EMULATES THAT IS RATHER THAN DO THAT
[01:00:01]
ALLOW EMPLOYEES CONTRIBUTE TO THE 4 57 PLAN.AND SO INSTEAD OF INCREASING TMRS, WHICH COSTS THE CITY ALMOST 3%, IF WE JUST DO 1%, IT PROVIDES AN ENCOURAGEMENT FOR AN ALTERNATE, AN ALTERNATE, UM, SAVINGS PLAN THAT YOU'RE IMMEDIATE IMMEDIATELY VESTED.
SO AFTER FIVE YEARS, YOU'RE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE.
AND THEN IF THE, IF YOU PUT IN 1% TO DEFERRED COMPENSATION, THEN THE CITY WOULD MATCH THAT AT 1% AND THEN AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE THAT CAN GROW IF THERE'S A, IF THERE'S AN APPETITE FOR THAT.
SO IT WAS REALLY BROUGHT FORWARD AS A MECHANISM TO INCREASE THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTION TO RETIREMENT WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK.
SO THE NUMBERS FOR TMS RETIREMENT WAS ALMOST $2 MILLION A YEAR.
THIS PROGRAM IS ABOUT 350,003.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A, WHAT WE WOULD CALL A KIND OF A PHASE IN APPROACH TO THAT.
AND AGAIN, THE BEAUTY OF THAT PROGRAM IS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WERE TO SEPARATE FROM THE CITY, WHETHER IT'S AT YEAR FIVE OR YEAR SIX OR YEAR SEVEN, THOSE DOLLARS ARE YOUR IMMEDIATELY VERSUS WITH TMRS, YOU HAVE TO WAIT TILL YOU BECOME VESTED IN ELIGIBLE TO RETIRE.
IS THAT DOCTORS IN SERVICE? YEAH.
AND SO WE, WE, IN SETTING THAT UP ARBITRARILY SAID THAT YOU HAD TO BE WITH THE CITY AT LEAST FIVE YEARS.
AND SO THAT TAKES CARE OF A FEW EMPLOYEES THAT COME IN FOR ONE OR TWO OR THREE YEARS AND DON'T STAY.
BUT IF YOU STAY IN THE ORGANIZATION, THEN HERE'S ANOTHER INCENTIVE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO STAY.
IS THAT A DEFAULT OPTIN OPT-IN OR IT'S AN OPT-IN? YEAH.
AS AN EMPLOYEE, YOU MAKE THE ELECTION TO CONTRIBUTE 1% OR MORE OF YOUR SALARY, AND THEN THE CITY WILL MATCH THAT UP TO 1%.
BUT I GUESS A LOT OF RESEARCH HAS BEEN DONE AND ON, I GUESS AUTOMATIC OPT OR MANUAL OPT OUT, AUTOMATIC OPT-IN TO GET HIRE A SURE.
SO I, I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT HOW, HOW Y'ALL DOING THAT.
BUT IT'S BASICALLY IF, UH, IF AN EMPLOYEE WANTS TO DO IT, THEY CAN DO IT, BUT IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT A CLICK BUTTON.
WE, WE DEFINITELY NEED A BIG EDUCATION PROGRAM ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT WOULD BE A SHAME FOR PEOPLE NOT TO OPT IN BECAUSE IT'S WHAT'S GONNA COST ME 1%.
I MEAN THAT YOU, PEOPLE WILL THINK THAT, BUT IN REALITY IT'S A BIG POT OF MONEY THAT THEY CAN GET ACCESS TO.
AND IT, AND I, THEY'LL BE WELL SERVED TO PUT THAT ADDITIONAL 1% OR MORE INTO IT, UH, WITH THAT MATCH.
SO I THINK WITH THIS PROGRAM, JUST A, A THOROUGH EXPLANATION OF WHAT THEY'RE GETTING FROM THE CITY AND THE ADVANTAGES OF DOING THAT, UH, WOULD REALLY WORK OUT.
AND THE OTHER PART IS GOING FROM SEVEN TO 8% ON THE TMRS. THE OTHER ISSUE IS THAT IT TRIGGERS KIND OF A RETRO ON ALL THE OLD CONTRIBUTIONS.
SO YOU HAVE TO GO BACK AND YOU HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE THE 8% FOR EVERYBODY, EVEN THOUGH THE POLICY JUST CAME INTO PLACE.
SO IT DOESN'T START ON THE DAY YOU ENACT IT, IT ACTUALLY RETROS BACK.
AND THAT CAUSES A, A, A SIGNIFICANT JUMP IN THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY.
AND WE'VE BEEN PRETTY DILIGENT OVER THE LAST DECADE, PAYING DOWN THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY BY GOING TO AN 8% TMRS MATCH.
IT WOULD, IT WOULD, WE'D LOSE ALL OUR GROUND THAT WE JUST, WE WOULD RESET EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST DECADE.
SO THIS WAY IT DOESN'T TRIGGER, IT DOESN'T CREATE THAT UNFUNDED LIABILITY.
IT GIVES A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY TO THE EMPLOYEES, GIVES THEM ANOTHER PLACE TO PUT THEIR MONEY, GIVE SOME ACCESS TO THAT, AND, UH, STILL HELPS THEM, YOU KNOW, PUT MORE MONEY AWAY FOR, FOR RETIREMENT.
SO I THINK IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT OPTION FOR THE EMPLOYEES AND A, A VERY COST EFFECTIVE ONE FOR THE, UH, FOR THE CITY AS WELL.
COULD I, COULD I JUST ASK IF YOU COULD RUN THE NUMBERS ON OPTING IN EVERYONE WITH AND HAVE A MANUAL SAY LIKE, PROBABLY, YOU'D PROBABLY HAVE, AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT 25% HIGHER.
IF IT'S, IF IT'S OPT OUT VERSUS OPT IN, REALLY IT'S ONLY 25%.
YEAH, BECAUSE I WOULD THINK IT WOULD GO 85.
REALLY THAT'S WHAT WE USUALLY USE IS IT'S, UH, OPT OUT.
IF, IF YOU GO OPT OUT, UH, VERSUS OPT IN, IT'LL BE ABOUT 25% HIGHER ON THE, UH, ON THE OPTOUT SIDE.
IF YOU GUYS COULD JUST RUN THAT, THAT WOULD, AND I ONLY SAY THAT AS SOMEONE NEARING RETIREMENT WHO WAS, WHO DID NOT PAY ATTENTION TO SOME OF THESE THINGS EARLY ON.
AND THEN YOU KIND OF GO BACK NOW AND YOU LOOK AND YOU'RE LIKE, OH MY GOD,
AND IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN NICE IF SOME DUMB COUNCIL MEMBER JUST SAID, NO, OPT EVERYONE IN, YOU KNOW, 30 YEARS EARLIER.
I HAVE JUST THREE OTHER QUESTIONS, I GUESS.
COURTNEY, Y'ALL WANT TO GO OR ANYTHING? DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANNA GO WITH? GO AHEAD.
JUST MAYBE JUST ONE QUESTION, JOHN.
[01:05:01]
JOHN, JUST IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN, WE GOT THIS SHEET IN THE PACKAGE HERE, UM, TO EVERYONE.IF WE CONSIDER ADDING THE PROACTIVE TASK FORCE OFFICER AND DEPUTY FIRE MARSHAL, UM, YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE OPTION WOULD BE TO INCREASE THE PROPERTY TAX BY, UH, FOUR, FOUR TENTHS OF A CENT, I GUESS ON THE, THIS, THIS CHART HERE THAT YOU JUST GAVE US OR SOMETHING.
AND THAT'S, IF WE, SO IT'S NOT IN THE BUDGET NOW, BUT IF WE DECIDE TO PUT THAT IN THE BUDGET FOR THE TASK FORCE, UM, IS, IS THAT THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? OR THE, IS THAT SOMETHING DIFFERENT? THE MAYBE MEMO INCLUDES THE FACILITIES RECLASS A PART-TIME FACILITY SERVICE TECH TO A FULL-TIME THAT'S ABOUT 42,000 NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES WOULD HAVE A PROACTIVE TASK FORCE OFFICER WITH A VEHICLE THAT'S 556,000 FIRE MARSHALS WOULD HAVE A DEPUTY FIRE MARSHAL WITH VEHICLE AT 236,000 AND THE PARKS OPERATIONS WOULD'VE A RECLASS AT $7,400 FOR A TOTAL OF 440,511.
AND SO ON THE SECOND PAGE, UM, YOU HAVE TWO OPTIONS IF YOU WANTED TO FUND EVERYTHING.
ONE IS THAT YOU COULD USE, UM, THE, THE REST OF THE, THE 0.9 TO BRING YOU TO ZERO EXCESS DAYS OVER THE 110, UM, AND DO A MINIMAL INCREASE TO THE PROPERTY TAX.
OR YOU COULD JUST INCREASE THE PROPERTY TAX BY THE FULL AMOUNT, KEEPING YOUR EXCESS FUND AT 0.9, AND THAT WOULD BE THE 0.40 CENTS.
I THINK IT'S WORTHWHILE, BUT I, I WOULDN'T BE WILLING TO INCREASE THE PROPERTY TAXES OR PROBABLY TAKE IT FROM, UH, RESERVES JUST BECAUSE FUNDING IT OUT OF THE RESERVES IS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST A ONE TIME FIX.
SO WE PROBABLY WANNA LOOK FOR IT, BUT IF WE WANNA LOOK THROUGH AND FIND, YOU KNOW, OTHER PLACES FOR THAT MONEY OR OTHER THINGS THAT COULD BE CUT, UM, AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE A BETTER APPROACH FOR YOU.
YEAH, I, I, I AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT.
I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT HAPPEN, UH, IF POSSIBLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, RAISING THE, RAISING THE PROPERTY TAX IS PROBABLY NOT A FAVORABLE THING TO DO WITH THIS COUNSEL, I GUESS, UM, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A VERY SLIGHT AND SMALL INCREASE.
BUT, UM, I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE, UH, FIRE MARSHAL AND THE UH, PROACTIVE TASK FORCE OFFICER AND THE OTHER ITEMS THAT YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT, THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES.
AND I HAD ONE OTHER QUESTION I GUESS, AND I'M LOOKING FOR IT.
TOO MANY BOOKS OPEN AT ONE TIME, I GUESS.
BUT THERE WAS AN ITEM ON HERE FOR, LET ME SEE IF IT WAS UNDER THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WHAT, WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT? LIABILITY? YES.
WHERE WAS THAT AT? WHAT DID, WHAT IS THAT? I DIDN'T HEAR WHAT IT VOLUNTEER? UH, LIABILITY.
THAT WAS UNDER THE, UH, THE DONATION FEES DONATION DONATION FEES.
I HAVE THEM OVER ON THIS COMPUTER.
I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT WAS.
I BELIEVE ON THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DONATION FUND, THEIR EXPENSES ARE $31,000 PROPOSED IN 2027.
UM, I HAVE THAT, THAT'S FOR DRILL FIELD AND PHYSICAL TRAINING EQUIPMENT, BUT THERE'S ALSO 6,000.
IT WAS SOME TYPE OF INSURANCE CORPORATION.
THERE'S ALSO THE CORPORATION, THE VOLUNTEER INSURANCE OF $6,000 THAT WE FUND OUT OF THERE EACH YEAR THAT FUNDS THE, UH, CORPORATION INSURANCE.
HE'S TALKING ABOUT THE VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT LIABILITY INSURANCE.
IT WAS SOMETHING IN ONE OF THE SIX, 6,000.
NO, IT WAS, UH, IS IT? HERE WE GO.
GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR LCFD 6,000.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE PAY ANNUALLY OUT OF THAT DONATED FUND.
THAT IS FOR THE CORPORATION OF THE VOLUNTEERS.
WHEN DID THAT START? TWO YEARS AGO? YEAH.
AT LEAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO.
IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN PAID OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND PRIOR TO THAT, I'M NOT SURE.
[01:10:01]
BUT WE HAD IT PRIOR TO THE, UH, EXISTING CHIEF.IT WAS, I DON'T BELIEVE IT WAS EVER THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE COVERAGE.
AND THEN THEY FOUND OUT THAT THEY NEEDED THE, THE COVER, THE $6,000 IS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE EXECUTIVE BOARD WITH THE CORPORATION AND THAT, SO THAT THEY ARE COVERED LIABILITY WISE, I THINK THE CORPORATION COVERED IT THEMSELVES.
AND THEN IN 25 IS WHEN IT STARTED, UM, IN OUR BUDGET.
I JUST, I WANTED TO COME UP AND JUST APOLOGIZE.
I KNOW I CAME OFF SNIPPY AND I DID NOT MEAN TO BE, AND THAT JUST KIND OF LOOK.
I'M JUST HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS, BUT NO PROBLEM.
OH, I DO HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION UNDER COMMUNICATION, SARAH, IF YOU WANT.
LINE ITEM, IT'S UNDER THE FOUR B, UM, OR I'M SORRY, UNDER THE HOT TAX? YES.
UNDER THE, YOU HAVE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR I GUESS, HOLIDAY IN THE PARK IN DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, BUT YOU HAVE NO, YOU JUST HAVE A GROSS AMOUNT.
COULD YOU BREAK THAT DOWN FOR US? I'LL PROBABLY CALL MS. STEPHANIE POLK UP, JUST BECAUSE SHE'S OVER THE CVB.
I BELIEVE THAT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IS TO GO TOWARDS, UM, DIFFERENT ENTITIES THAT COME FORWARD ASKING FOR FUNDING FROM GRANTS.
I MEAN, IF YOU COULD JUST PUT, YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION TONIGHT, BUT JUST TO, UH, THAT'S THE ONLY SHEET THAT YOU HAD NOTHING BUT JUST $100,000 FEE.
IF YOU COULD JUST BREAK THAT DOWN AND WHAT THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE ASKING FOR THROUGH THE HOT TAX.
THEY, THEY, IT'S A GRANT APPLICATION PROGRAM.
THEY FILL OUT AN A GRANT APPLICATION AND THERE'S DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS FOR VARIOUS PROGRAMS. UNTIL WE GET THOSE APPLICATIONS FOR THE YEAR, WE DON'T HAVE A DETAILED AMOUNT.
WE CAN BASE IT OFF OF HISTORIC, HISTORICAL DATA.
YEAH, IT WOULD BE GREAT BECAUSE I'M, ONE THING THAT I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE IT, UH, SEE IF WE'RE GIVING THE MONEY TO LET'S SAY, CLEAR LAKE TO THE BALLET OR SOMETHING, ARE THEY PUTTING HEADS AND BEDS IN, IN THE HOTEL MM-HMM
AND HOW MANY THEY'RE PUTTING? ABSOLUTELY.
AND EACH ONE OF THOSE GRANTS PROGRAMS, THEY HAVE A FOLLOW UP REPORT THAT'S DUE THAT ACCOUNTS FOR ALL THE HEADS AND BEDS.
AND ALL OF THE, THE TOURS, I'M SPENDING INFORMATION THAT'S BROUGHT BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY FROM THOSE PROGRAMS. RIGHT.
SO JUST MAYBE A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT SOME OF THE, UH, NORMALLY THEY PROBABLY ASK FOR MORE THAN Y'ALL GIVE THEM OF COURSE.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR'S BUDGET WOULD BE FINE OR SOMETHING.
A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT WE GAVE THE ORGANIZATIONS.
THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT SEVEN 13.